Chief Operating Officer and Head of Bernstein Private Wealth
After taking on the role of chief operating officer at AllianceBernstein last year, Kate Burke focused on ensuring transparency and accountability among senior leadership at the firm.
Her efforts led to the development of “scorecards” for firm leaders, which evaluated not only investment and business performance but also employee engagement, corporate culture, and diversity and inclusion. The program has fostered a more unified environment as well as increased engagement and professional development within leadership ranks.
“Kate is a cultural anchor at our firm, a champion for diversity and inclusion and developing and retaining talent,” said AllianceBernstein CEO Seth Bernstein, who describes Burke as one of his “most trusted advisors.”
Burke is helping to move AllianceBernstein into the future after years spent in different roles at the firm. She joined Bernstein Research in 2004 with a focus on institutional sales. She was then head of human capital and chief talent officer before moving into the role of chief administrative officer in June of last year.
She now oversees corporate functions including administrative services; compliance; diversity and inclusion; corporate communications; and corporate and information security, operations and technology. In January she also became head of Bernstein Private Wealth, overseeing all wealth advisors, client service, investment strategists and engagement.
Burke has taken on massive projects such as AllianceBernstein’s headquarters transition from New York to Nashville, Tennessee, which included relocating hundreds of employees and hiring, onboarding and training over 160 recruits at the new location, all in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The crisis led her to launch a program for new employees that pairs them with virtual “buddies” to help them adapt to the corporate culture while working remotely. She has also prioritized employee mental health during a challenging time, instituting a “wellness days” program that encourages workers to take long summer weekends to recharge.
Managing her role amid the pandemic has taught her to be more agile and to embrace that we are “living in the unknown,” Burke said.
“I strongly believe that individuals in senior leadership positions should also be extremely willing to adapt, change and overcome,” she said.
