Keeping Diversity Discussions from Becoming the Third Rail with Shundrawn Thomas

In the early days of the pandemic, with wealth disparity and racial tensions growing, the president of Northern Trust Asset Management began to pen letters for change. Here's what he has in mind.

Shundrawn Thomas

In this Chief Investment Officer podcast episode, Shundrawn Thomas, president of the $1.1 trillion Northern Trust Asset Management firm, discusses with managing editor Christine Giordano tips and tools to advance diversity within the finance industry.

The conversation follows a series of letters he has been writing since the pandemic.In the earliest stage of the pandemic, Thomas penned an open letter to business and civic leaders issuing an urgent call for more compassionate leadership. In particular, he emphasized the unequal toll exacted on marginalized communities and the responsibility of leaders to respond in word and deed.

In the aftermath of Floyd’s killing, Thomas authored three more deeply personal open letters addressing systemic racism, encouraging readers to transform the current social justice moment into a sustainable movement, and advocating for them to break their silence.