When Samara Cohen was applying for her first job out of college, she interviewed at BlackRock, an organization in which three of its 15 senior partners were women – a rare occurrence in the financial industry in 1993. She became inspired to follow in their footsteps and seek their mentorship.
Thirty years later, Cohen serves as BlackRock's senior managing director and chief investment officer of ETF and index investments, leading a majority female team. Regarded as an innovative thought leader by industry insiders, she holds a deep understanding of global market structures and the forces that will shape the future of global investment, including the demand for indexation, disruptive technologies and evolving liquidity landscapes.
As a member of the investment committee of the BlackRock Foundation, Cohen helps manage and invest assets totaling $589 million. Meanwhile, her responsibilities have significantly expanded over the past year: She recently became a founding member of the newly established global markets function and earned a seat on BlackRock's global executive committee, thus extending her impact into the firm's highest echelons of leadership. In her executive committee role, Cohen helps shape discussions on pivotal topics that guide the firm's strategic operations, talent development and corporate image.
The primary objective of the global markets executive committee is to facilitate innovation and foster collaboration among BlackRock's investment teams while playing a significant role in advancing efforts to modernize markets and uphold global liquidity standards. Within the committee, Cohen defines the vision for delivering trading and investment know-how to clients, while aiding the firm in consolidating diverse investment functions, including global trading, securities lending, cash, ETF markets and index portfolio management.
Over the past year, as a vocal advocate for transparent, safer and more accessible markets for all investors, Cohen championed a set of principles designed to help retail investors confidently navigate volatile markets while empowering them to achieve financial independence. Underscoring her commitment to ensuring a robust and mature marketplace, she persists in leading the way for the enhancement of ETF ecosystems, where accountability, resilience and connectivity are amplified to the highest levels possible.
Cohen has gained prominence for her contribution to the empowerment of women through initiatives like her "In Progress" video series on LinkedIn, where she holds conversations with women leaders from diverse backgrounds, elevating their narratives and aspirations. Commenting on the importance of her work in gender equality, she elaborated, "I started my career in an industry dominated by men. While the journey to diversity is a constant work in progress, I strongly believe there are great opportunities and a significant need for women to sit around decision-making tables." One of only twenty individuals to hold a senior managing director title at BlackRock, her impact in advocating for women's advancement has helped reshape financial industry norms.
Cohen's influence extends to key advisory roles outside of BlackRock, such as her participation in the MSCI Advisory Council; she is also a member of the board of directors of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.
