Mellody Hobson
Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments
Mellody grew up in Chicago, the youngest of six children raised by a single mother. During her sophomore years at Princeton, she interned at Ariel Investments—and stuck around. Mellody rose to Co-CEO in 2019 and added President and Director titles a year later. She has been on the board of Starbucks for two decades and served as Non-Executive Chair until early 2025. She is also on the board of JPMorgan Chase.