A long-standing interest in global economic development influenced the studies and career path of Acadian Asset Management’s Asha Mehta.
Mehta can draw a line from her current work highlighting market opportunities in emerging and frontier markets to her first experience with a microfinance project in India, and later serving as the president of the Wharton International Volunteer Program during her MBA.
“With frontier economics and finance on a rapid path of development, there is tremendous opportunity to innovate,” says Mehta, who is director of responsible investing at Acadian.
“Responsible investing is an area of growing interest and demand in the investment communities we serve. By bringing together diverse disciplines, diligence and skill, and a dose of curiosity and open-mindedness, I’ve worked in teams to bring the best ideas to investing in these areas.”
Her focus in emerging markets has also provided the chance to learn how to overcome the hesitancy some investors may have toward overseas opportunities.
“One of the greatest challenges in pioneer asset classes is to shift thinking within the industry to a focus on newer opportunity sets and less conventional approaches,” she says.
A tough proposition, considering recent volatility with oil prices and in Asian economies. But therein lies a career lesson for fellow female colleagues, she says.
“Focus on the long-term big picture of one’s career goals rather than market feedback that comes in shorter-term, quarterly or annual periods,” she says.
