Harriet Steel
Head of Business Development, International at Federated Hermes
Harriet is Head of Business Development, a member of the Executive Committee (ExCo) and an Executive Board Director of the international business of Federated Hermes. Harriet is also a member of Federated Hermes’ Research Committee. She joined the firm in 2011 with responsibility for sales, client service, marketing, communications and product strategy. Under her leadership, we have built a fast-growing and profitable third-party business comprising many of the world’s leading institutional and wholesale investors. As a result, we now generate almost 80% of our revenues from external clients, compared with c.20% in 2011, and established a reputation as one of the leading integrated ESG investment brands in the world. As a member of ExCo, her responsibilities include development of corporate strategy and delivery of profitability. Appointed to the board of HFML in 2013, Harriet became the company’s first female executive director. Harriet chairs the Corporate Strategy Group, which develops the company’s organic and inorganic growth plans.
Harriet has more than 25 years’ experience in finance. In 1990 she joined the global trading team at Bankers Trust, initially trading currency options and subsequently holding senior derivatives sales roles in Paris, London and New York before joining Morgan Stanley’s fixed income group in 1996. In 2003, Harriet established Portico Advisors, an asset raising and marketing advisory firm for alternative investment managers, including hedge funds, private equity and real estate strategies, which she ran until joining the international business of Federated Hermes.
Harriet acts as a mentor to female executives at the company, encouraging them to fulfil their potential and providing practical insight and guidance on how to achieve success in the City. Harriet is a regular commentator in the print and broadcast media on business, economic and diversity issues and, for the last five years, has been recognised as one of the top 100 women in European finance by Financial News.
Harriet holds a BA in Architecture from Princeton University.