Nominations: Becoming A Fellow

Each year, the Fellowship selects a Class of ~22 Fellows through a highly competitive and selective nominations process. Effective nominations highlight both the nominee’s demonstrated leadership in finance and their alignment with the unique qualities required for the program.

From institutional investors and asset managers to bankers and asset owners, fintech founders and impact investors to CFOs and regulators, FLF Fellows represent a diverse cross-section of savers, stewards, deployers, and intermediaries of capital across the Global Finance Ecosystem: 

Characteristics of Successful Nominees

  • Demonstrated Leadership: An accomplished and recognized leader within (or adjacent to) the global finance industry, holding a prominent position within their organization, with growing influence in the finance sector, and the ability to drive transformative change within their organization, community, and broader society.
  • Inflection Point: At a personal or professional inflection point—a moment when they are ready to pause and reflect on their leadership values, impact, and legacy. The nominee is prepared to redefine success, shifting their focus from job title or net worth to making a positive societal impact through finance.
  • Fellowship: Will be an engaged, reflective, and open-hearted participant during and after the initial two-year seminar phase of their Fellowship journey. They will serve as a caring and vulnerable advisor and mentor to their fellow Fellows and actively contribute to the evolution of the FLF program.
  • Courageous Action: Ready to tackle societal challenges they are uniquely positioned to address through their role or platform in finance. They are committed to engaging in the necessary work—often in collaboration with Fellow peers—to drive their organizations and the finance industry toward meaningful action in addressing systemic challenges and advancing a more just and equitable society.
  • Age: Typically between 35-50 years old.

Fellowship Commitment

To be considered for selection, nominees must commit to participate fully in all four seminars:

  • Seminar I: The Challenge of Leadership focuses on the qualities of leadership necessary to master the forces of change. Fellows discuss their own challenges and develop criteria for effective, values-based leadership
  • Seminar II: The Aspen Seminar explores the concept of “the good society” and the Fellow’s leadership role in making it a reality. Fellows present and discuss prospectuses for their ventures
  • Seminar III: Leading in an Era of Globalization explores the challenges of leading in an increasingly complex world. Fellows across the Aspen Global Leadership Network attend jointly
  • Seminar IV: The Promise of Leadership explores the concepts of legacy and life balance. Fellows share the progress achieved, challenges encountered, and lessons learned from their leadership projects

FLF Fellows Commit to a Lifetime of Impact that reflects what drives them — their values and personal story, the issues that matter most to them, their key gifts (such as networks, influence, etc.), etc. These drivers will become the guiding lights of their ‘Impact Journey,’ a directive to action each Fellow must accept upon joining FLF. Impact Journeys (or venture projects) can take various forms, designs, and scales, positioning the Fellow to address a challenge within their organization, industry, or society — using finance as the instrument to drive change.

The Nominations Process

Identifying A Nominator: Candidates must be nominated by someone of their choosing, typically a trusted mentor, peer, or key stakeholder who can speak to their background, career accomplishments, values, and ability to transform themselves, the industry, and society

Form Submissions: To finalize a nomination for the 2025 class, nominees must ensure their nominators submit the 2025 Nomination Form by Sunday, March 2. The nominee must also complete the Candidate Confirmation Form—which they will receive in the email confirming receipt of their Nomination—by Friday, March 7.

Interview Process & Selection: With the nomination window closed, the FLF team reviews each nomination to create a shortlist of candidates for interviews with FLF leadership. After the interview period, around 22 nominees are selected to form the class mosaic.

If you have questions about the nomination process, please contact flf@aspeninstitute.org.

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