Bailard CEO Named Among “Most Influential Women in Business”

It’s not often that a CEO is recognized for their achievements just a few short months after taking the helm of a company. But those who know Bailard understand that Sonya Mughal has been influential in this business for decades –27 years, to be exact. Sonya’s long and impressive career at Bailard has taken her through various positions in the company, starting as an entry-level analyst to working her way to Chief Investment Officer, Chief Risk Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. It’s no surprise, then, that upon her promotion to Chief Executive Officer in April, the San Francisco Business Times recognized her among their 2021 class of Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business.

The list honors women who work in a variety of fields from financial services, law, and technology to real estate, healthcare, and more. The Class of 2021 Most Influential Women have led their companies and teams through a period of unprecedented challenge. What they all share is an uncommon knack for leadership. And, in the words of Mary Huss, publisher of the San Francisco Business Times, the list is an opportunity to “recognize inspiring women leaders who individually and collectively have the strength, wisdom and influence to forge a better future.”

Sonya embodies Bailard’s shared company values of independence, courage, excellence, fairness, accountability, and compassion. She has played a key role in keeping Bailard independent over its 52-year history, and Sonya continues today, as only the third person to hold the title of CEO at the firm. Having accepted the post in the middle of the pandemic, Sonya has led with courage and compassion and her oversight helped maintain Bailard’s its focus on serving its clients with excellence, even as we continue in the virtual work world.

The San Francisco Business Times asked each recognized leader to share their wisdom, how they lead, what inspires them, and how they pay it forward. The videos were an important and inspirational part of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business virtual celebration held on October 7. Here’s what Sonya had to say about the importance of leading with compassion:

We are so proud of Sonya for having dedicated her career to Bailard and the financial services industry, helping to both further advance the industry and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in financial services. Sonya has done this through her current role as a member of the Forbes Finance Council, and her prior roles of serving on the Schwab Advisor Services Advisory Board from 2018 to 2020 and on the Silicon Valley Community Foundation investment committee from 2012 to 2018.

Kenneth Blanchard, author of more than 60 books on work and leadership, once said, “The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority.” Sonya’s compassionate, courageous, and values-driven approach has earned her influence not only at Bailard, but in the Bay Area community at large.

This recognition does not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and is not indicative of Bailard’s future performance. There was no cost to enter the program. Nominees are evaluated on their influence in their industries as well as in their communities. Board affiliations and other leadership roles are considered. To qualify for this honor, women must be based in the SFBT coverage area, which includes the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, Alameda, and Contra Costa. Previous honorees will only be eligible if they have changed companies or received a promotion. For more information about the 2021 Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business list, please visit: https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2021/10/07/sfbt-influential-women-in-bay-area-business-2021.html