CEO Sonya Mughal Named Women in Wealth Advocate of the Year at 2026 Private Asset Management Awards

Bailard CEO Sonya Mughal, CFA, has been named Women in Wealth Advocate of the Year – Individual at the 2026 Private Asset Management (PAM) Awards, presented by With Intelligence. The award recognizes individuals who actively support the advancement and participation of women in wealth management. Winners were announced at a live ceremony in New York on February 5.

About Sonya Mughal
Sonya became Chief Executive Officer of Bailard in April 2021, after nearly three decades at the firm. She is the first woman and first person of color to lead the company. Her leadership is marked by consistency and fairness, along with a clear expectation that decisions be both thoughtful and well reasoned.

“Wealth management is stronger when more women are part of it. As advisors, as leaders, and frankly, as clients,” said Mughal. “I am deeply honored, but this truly belongs to the Bailard team. Nearly half of our senior leaders are women, and that is no accident. It is what happens when people are genuinely committed to doing what is right.”

Women in Leadership at Bailard
As of December 31, 2025, 48% of Bailard’s VPs and above are women. That figure speaks to steady hiring, promotion, and retention decisions over time.

One of the firm’s more tangible practices is pay transparency. Managers understand that compensation decisions must be clear and defensible. That discipline encourages open conversation and reduces ambiguity around advancement, an area where finance has not always been consistent.

For clients, that consistency supports stable teams and clear processes. For employees, it creates a more transparent path for growth.

“The conversations I have with clients are different here,” said Lena McQuillen, CFP®, Vice President and Director of Financial Planning at Bailard. “There is a level of trust that comes from working with a firm that genuinely walks the talk, and you really do get to make a difference in people’s lives.”

About the Private Asset Management Awards
The Private Asset Management Awards recognize firms and individuals across the private wealth management space. The 2026 awards ceremony brought together senior decision-makers from family offices, multi-family offices, private banks, and wealth management firms across the United States. Winners are selected by an independent panel of industry professionals.

In addition to Mughal’s individual recognition this year, Bailard’s Chief Investment Officer Dave Harrison Smith, CFA, was shortlisted for Manager or Investment Research Professional of the Year. The firm was also shortlisted in prior years for Best Philanthropic Initiative and Women in Wealth Advocate of the Year – Company.

About Bailard, Inc.
Bailard is an independent firm that has served individuals, families, and institutions since 1969 with comprehensive wealth management and disciplined asset management solutions. Our work is rooted in clear values, long-term thinking, and a steady commitment to putting clients first. Across the firm, we provide financial and wealth planning, portfolio management, and asset management strategies spanning domestic and international equities, fixed income, sustainable and responsible investing, private real estate, and customized mandates. The firm manages more than $7.7 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025.

Bailard is a Certified B Corporation™ and signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investing. We are built on accountability, compassion, and a long-term commitment to doing what’s right for our clients. Learn more at bailard.com, and explore career opportunities at bailard.com/careers. 

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Leadership statistics as of 12/31/2025. Bailard does not endorse or control, either expressly or implicitly, the content posted by any third party and disclaims all comments made or information provided by non-Bailard employees. These recognitions do not evaluate the quality of services provided to clients and are not indicative of Bailard’s future performance. There was no cost to enter. The Private Asset Management Awards 2026 judging process is designed to be rigorous and thorough to ensure all entries receive full consideration and that excellence in each of the categories is truly rewarded. A mix of leading wealth managers, advisors/consultants, service providers, and other industry experts make up the judging panel. Presented by With Intelligence, part of S&P Global, winners were announced in February 2026. Additional information is available here: https://awards.withintelligence.com/privateassetmanagementaward/en/page/2026-winners.