Lewiston, Maine, USA: Bates College has announced that Indian-American investment executive Seema Hingorani will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during its commencement ceremony scheduled for May 31.
The institution is recognizing Hingorani for leveraging her extensive financial expertise to advance opportunities for women and promote greater inclusivity in the investment management industry.
Currently serving as Managing Director, Senior Client Advisor, and a member of the Operating Committee at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Hingorani plays a key role in overseeing strategic client relationships, talent development, and diversity initiatives within the firm.
With over three decades of experience across both public and private sectors, she has held several influential leadership positions. She founded SevenStep Capital, an investment platform dedicated to supporting women portfolio managers, and previously served as Chief Investment Officer of the New York City Retirement Systems, where she managed assets worth approximately $160 billion.
Earlier in her career, Hingorani held senior roles at leading financial firms, including Pyramis Global Advisors, Andor Capital, Pequot Capital, and Mirador Capital, and began as an equity analyst at T. Rowe Price.
In 2015, she founded Girls Who Invest, a nonprofit organization aimed at addressing gender disparity in investment management and leadership roles. To date, the initiative has supported more than 4,000 college women through education, internships, and mentorship programs.
Her contributions have been widely recognized. Hingorani received the 2025 Icon Award from Pensions & Investments and the inaugural Torch Bearer Mentorship Award from the PEWIN Foundation. She was also named to Forbes’ “50 Over 50: Investment” list in 2024.
Additionally, she was honored with France’s prestigious Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur in 2021 and was listed among Barron’s 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance. Earlier, she was featured in Bloomberg’s “50: Ones to Watch” list in 2019.
Hingorani holds degrees in psychology and philosophy from Yale University and an MBA in finance from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
