Carla Harris is a gospel singer who has sold out 5 concerts in Carnegie Hall. She is also a Vice Chair and Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, the global investment bank – and is responsible for increasing client connectivity and penetration to enhance revenue generation across the firm. Over her 30 year career, Carla has worked across numerous industries and executed many IPOs, from UPS to Martha Stewart Living.

In August 2013, Carla was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council. She is the past Chair of the Board of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and of The Executive Leadership Council, and currently sits on several NGO boards. Carla is the author of two books, Strategize to Win (2014) and of Expect to Win (2009), and has been named on lists like:

• “The 50 Most Powerful Black Executives in Corporate America”
• “Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance”
• “Top 75 African Americans on Wall Street”

We talked about the obstacles Carla faced rising through Corporate and how she overcame them – lots of practical tips here! We discussed how to identify and approach a sponsor, and how to be one yourself. We talked about owning one’s power and voice, and how one must always speak up for themselves and others.

My favorite quotes of the episode were:

• “Nobody can be you the way that you can be you”, and
• “I demonstrated that I was listening – and everybody values being heard”

You can find Carla on social media at @carlaspearls or at her website www.carlaspearls.com . A huge thank you to the 2020 Global Women’s Forum Dubai for making this interview possible.

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