The 'looking at your shoes' moment: Let's talk about race

The industry's wake-up call to end racism and boost diversity

Lauren Mason
clock • 12 min read

Black senior members of the asset management industry have urged colleagues and employers to start unpacking the BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) acronym, place more emphasis on race equality in their diversity & inclusion policies and to be more active in standing against workplace and societal racism, warning that "every single one of us is either part of the solution or part of the problem".

This comes less than three weeks after the murder of George Floyd, a 46 year-old black man who was murdered by a police officer during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. On 28 May, three days after the killing, then-Franklin Templeton executive Amy Cooper threatened to call police after Christian Cooper - unrelated to her - asked her to put her dog on a lead in a wooded area of Central Park, New York, as it was against policy.  On phone footage taken by Christian, Amy then threatened to call the police and "tell them there is an African American man threatening my life"...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Investment

Why portfolios need to evolve, not revolve when it comes to client outcomes

Why portfolios need to evolve, not revolve when it comes to client outcomes

'As market structures evolve, so must portfolio construction'

Ed Senior
clock 11 September 2026 • 4 min read
What does 'quality' investing actually mean?

What does 'quality' investing actually mean?

Why persistence is the real test

Joseph Stephens and Laura Neill
clock 11 September 2026 • 4 min read
Gabriel Sacks: Confronting concentration risk in Asia

Gabriel Sacks: Confronting concentration risk in Asia

'Asia's smaller companies merit much more attention than they routinely receive'

Gabriel Sacks
clock 10 September 2026 • 4 min read