Geeta Aiyer

Geeta Aiyer is an Indian entrepreneur, business leader, and social activist, best known as founder and president of Boston Common Asset Management, a sustainable investment firm.

Early life and education

Aiyer was born in Chennai, India in 1958.

Aiyer moved to America in 1983 to attend Harvard Business School. She was the second Indian woman to attend to attend the school and graduated with an MBA in finance in 1985. Aiyer also has a BA with honors as well as an MA degree from Delhi University, India.

Career

After graduating from Harvard, Aiyer started with Cambridge Associates as a consultant. She also founded the company East India Spice, her first entrepreneurial venture.

In 1994, Aiyer founded Walden Capital Management, using the revenues made from running her first company. Aiyer cites pursuing "dual goals of financial return and social change on behalf her clients" as a driving principal behind establishing a firm focused on responsible investment.

From 1998 to 2002, Aiyer was president of Walden Asset Management. Aiyer has served as its president since 2003, overseeing $5 billion in assets under management. Boston Common is known for practicing ethical investing, making investments in line with environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) goals.

Boston Common joined a group of other impact investors to pressure the Washington Redskins to change the name of their football team due to racial concerns over their name, a campaign that ran over the course of 12 years. The team changed its name in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. Aiyer remarked: "There comes a tipping point when, after a company has been fighting you, they suddenly let go because it becomes obvious to them that it’s not worth continuing the fight."

Activism

Aiyer founded the nonprofit organization Direct Action for Women Now (DAWN), which advocates for victims of gender based violence in India. In 2020, Aiyer was inducted into YW Boston's Academy of Women Achievers, honoring her dedication to "eliminating racism and empowering women" In 2021, Aiyer was named to the Boston Business Journal's 2021 Power 50: The Movement Makers for being a "pioneer in impact investing" In 2023, Aiyer was included by Time into the first TIME100 Climate list, recognizing the 100 most innovative leaders driving business climate action