NYC Comptroller Lander Appoints Taffi Ayodele as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Emerging Manager Strategy for the Bureau of Asset Management

New York, NY — Today, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Chief Investment Officer Steven Meier announced the appointment of Taffi Ayodele as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Emerging Manager Strategy for the Bureau of Asset Management. In this role, Ayodele will drive the Comptroller’s Office’s strategy to expand engagement with and allocations to Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) and emerging investment managers for the five New York City Retirement Systems.
 
Today’s announcement comes ahead of the 2022 Annual Diverse and Emerging Managers Conference hosted by the NYC Comptroller’s Office’s Bureau of Asset Management which will take place on Tuesday, November 1^st. The plenary session which begins at 9:00 a.m. can be viewed here.
 
“Diversity is a proven strength in business, driving value creation and economic growth. It is also critical for securing a just, thriving and equitable economy,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander. “With both those goals in mind, we are committed to expanding our work with MWBE and emerging investment managers. The hiring of Taffi Ayodele and this week’s conference are important steps forward toward that goal.”    
 
“We are thrilled that Taffi Ayodele has joined our office to build upon the work we are doing to move the needle on diverse representation amongst our pension system managers and expand our work with our emerging investment managers. She has already hit the ground running and I am excited that she will be able to apply her extensive experience within the financial services industry to the New York City Retirement Systems,” said Steven Meier, Chief Investment Officer and Deputy Comptroller for Asset Management.
 
Ayodele is a seasoned executive with experience in the financial services, technology, and real estate sectors. She began her career at Blaylock Van, LLC, (BRV), Wall Street’s longest continuously operated African American investment banking and financial services company. She previously served as Director of the Office of Executive Initiatives at the New York State Dormitory Authority (DASNY), New York State’s public finance and construction authority. At DASNY, she developed Authority-wide diversity programs and initiatives to broaden procurement opportunities and increase utilization of women and minority-owned businesses in financial and professional services.
 
“New York City is one of the most racially and ethnically diverse cities in the world. The public sector beneficiaries of our $250 billion pension system reflect this diversity and so should the asset managers who are hired to invest on their behalf. I am thrilled to have joined the Comptroller’s office at this critical moment and look forward to the work ahead to ensure the vast universe of both high performing diverse owned asset management firms and smaller emerging firms are given an opportunity to work with the NYC retirement systems,” said Taffi Ayodele, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Emerging Manager Strategy.
 
Prior to joining the Comptroller’s office, she served as a Principal with Harpia Asset Management, an MBE certified mission-driven real estate investment and development company based in New York City whose core principles include socially responsible investing and sustainable development. She also co-founded Thando Holdings, a global fashion and technology company with locations in New York City and Lagos, Nigeria focused on creating a global platform for African artists and their fashion products.
 
Ayodele is a Trustee Emeritus of New York University. She earned a BA in Economics from New York University and an MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.

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