Bloomberg New Voices Initiative expands to add cohort of Latinx Executives in the United States

Media training program will launch in Johannesburg in 2021

At a virtual event held on Tuesday, December 8th, Bloomberg announced that the New Voices media training initiative will add a cohort of Latinx executives in the United States and will expand to Johannesburg, South Africa in 2021.

Bloomberg L.P. Chairman Peter T. Grauer, who is the founding chairman of the U.S. 30% Club, said at the event: “After a year that included a renewed and overdue focus on justice and equality, I’m encouraged to see that more companies than ever are incorporating DEI into their DNA. The conversation today is no longer about ‘Why do it?’ but ‘How to do it?’ How to accelerate more equal and inclusive workplaces and, especially, how to elevate and spotlight more diverse talent from within a company.”

Grauer added, “That’s why I’m so excited by the work of the Bloomberg New Voices Initiative. What began only three short years ago as a way to spotlight leading women in our industry has tripled the representation of women on Bloomberg TV and has now expanded to elevate more diverse executives across the spectrum.”

Bloomberg News launched the New Voices initiative in 2018, providing media training to female executives in business and finance across the globe to get the executives TV-ready for interviews on Bloomberg Television and other outlets. Earlier this year, the program expanded to add an additional cohort of Black executives, across all gender identities, in finance and business in the United States. With the start of the New Voices training program in Johannesburg, the program will have been active in 11 global cities, including: New York, San Francisco, Toronto, London, Dubai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Washington D.C. and Singapore.

Also speaking at the event, Laura Zelenko, Bloomberg News Senior Executive Editor for Diversity, Talent, Standards and Training said: “We do this work because it matters – it matters greatly to our coverage, to ensure we are fair, balanced and accurate, to ensure we are drawing on a diverse group of voices to help us determine what stories to tell and how to tell them.”

The event included a panel conversation with participants from the program on the importance of increasing visibility of underrepresented voices in the venture capital and alternative investment industries. The panel was moderated by Jacqueline Simmons, Bloomberg News’ Americas Senior Executive Editor and featured Bahiyah Robinson, Founder & CEO, VC Include; Jarrid Tingle, Managing Partner, Harlem Capital; and Megan Starr, Global Head of Impact, The Carlyle Group. Starr spoke about her experience with the program stating, “The training, the help, the support, getting me ready for my very first TV experience… you guys made it so much better. Then you are known as someone who is a commentator on that and as an expert they can draw on.”

Susan Reid, Morgan Stanley’s Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, and Erika Irish Brown, Goldman Sachs’ Chief Diversity Officer, spoke about the challenges of raising the visibility of women and underrepresented voices within the industry. They added that Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are ready to share more diversity data. Reid stated, “It’s a way to show the world that we’re going to be accountable.”

Since the program’s inception in 2018, more than 250 executives have received media training and outside guest appearances of women on Bloomberg Television have almost tripled to 27% from 10%. Participants have appeared more than 530 times on Bloomberg Television and have been booked on and quoted in other media outlets, as well.

To apply or nominate someone for the New Voices media training program, please click here.

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