Background
Anne Dias is a French-American investor and philanthropist, born in France in 1970. She is the founder and CEO of Aragon, an investment firm focusing on the internet, technology, and consumer sections, with some focus on alternative assets.
Immigration to the United States
Dias moved in 1992 to the United States to study at Georgetown University, from which she graduated summa cum laude. She later went on to study to receive her MBA at Harvard Business School in 1997. Dias specialized in the study of public policy while in college for domestic and foreign policy.
Professional Background & Achievements
After Harvard she joined Soros Fund Management as an analyst, and after a year she was promoted to portfolio manager, specializing in financial services.
Dias has received recognition, including being named by The Hedge Fund Journal on its list, 50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds; receiving the Annual Alumni Award from the Harvard Club of Chicago; and being recognized by U.S. Banker among the 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking; Non-Bank Women in Finance” three years running.
Contributions to the U.S. Economy
Dias and her now ex-husband, Kenneth Griffin, pledged through their joint philanthropy, the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation, over $100 million to charities centered on childhood education, the arts, medical research, and the health of women and children. Additional contributions Dias made to the United States economy include her work in 2012, in starting Reboot Illinois, a large news website and social media platform that aims to put information and tools in the hands of Illinois citizens so they can improve the climate for jobs, schools, and taxes, among other civic issues. The platform received an estimated 650,000 monthly views. While the company was under her ownership, Reboot Illinois received a number of journalism awards. She finally sold the company in 2016 to AFK Media Group.