Freddie Mac Hires Former Merrill Exec

Freddie Mac announced Monday it appointed of Subha V. Barry as its chief diversity officer.

Most recently, she was managing director, global head of Diversity and Inclusion for Merrill Lynch & Co., where she was mainly responsible for the development and execution of the firm’s diversity and inclusion strategy by seamlessly aligning Merrill’s U.S – centric diversity and inclusions efforts with its global business operations. Before that, Barry was the managing director for multicultural and diversified business development, a position she designed to enhance the multicultural communities in the United States and the United Kingdom, according to Freddie Mac.

Adding to her financial industry experience, while at Merrill, Barry served as first vice president of investments and resident director where she oversaw an office of financial advisors, provided advice, planning, analysis and investment management to families and institutions, the statement said. She joined the Wall Street giant in 1989.

Now, in this new role, Barry, will head Freddie Mac’s newly created Office of Diversity and Inclusion and will be responsible for developing business strategies that focus on the needs of a multicultural workforce such as working closely with senior management to ensure that the diverse talent (from employees and its suppliers) are being utilized to its fullest capacity. Also, the former Merrill head is expected to design and initiate the new Executive Diversity Council, the company said in a statement.

“Creating the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and having someone of Subha’s talent and experience in this new executive position is a critical step in Freddie Mac's forward progress,” said Charles E. Haldeman Jr., the firm’s chief executive officer in a press release.  

Barry will report directly to Haldeman.

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