Cost:

Members $15  |  Non-Members: $25

 

Registration closes at 11:59 pm EST on Sept 18, 2025.

 

Description: 

 

Saira Malik likes to say a strong network isn't found, it's built. She's certainly put these words into practice. Malik, Nuveen's chief investment officer, is considered one of LinkedIn's "Top Voices in Finance." She has leveraged the social media platform to hone her voice and extend her influence. Malik not only talks about her investing insights, she shares career advice and isn't afraid to get personal.   Join the FWA for a virtual session as President Albana Theka sits down with Malik and Jessica Oliveira Lee, a senior community manager at LinkedIn, to learn more about what strategies work and how you can put them into practice to build your own brand and expand your connections. 

 

 

 

Bios:

 

Saira Malik, Chief Investment Officer, Nuveen

 

Saira is Head of Nuveen Equities and Fixed Income, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and a member of the Executive Management Team. She leads a business with more than $1 trillion in assets under management across equities, global fixed income, EIC, municipal bonds, multi-asset strategies, private placements, global product, public real assets and C-PACE lending, along with driving weekly market and investment insights and delivering client asset allocation views from across the firm's investment teams.

Saira also leads Nuveen's Global Investment Committee (GIC), bringing together the firm's most senior investment leaders to deliver actionable portfolio allocation ideas for our clients and authoring a weekly market commentary.

Since joining the firm in 2003, Saira has held a variety of positions. Prior to being named CIO, she was head of global equities portfolio management and head of global equities research. Previously, Saira was with JP Morgan Asset Management, where her roles included small cap growth portfolio manager.

Saira holds the CFA designation and graduated with a B.S. in Economics from California Polytechnic State University and an M.S. in Finance from the University of Wisconsin. She frequently appears on financial news networks such as CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg. Saira was recognized as one of Pensions & Investments "Most Influential Women in Institutional Investing" in 2023 and has been profiled in Kiplinger's and Barron's, which ranked her among the top 100 most influential women in U.S. finance for six years in a row, from 2020-2025. Since 2022, she has been named as one of LinkedIn's "Top Voices in Finance" and can be followed at https://www.linkedin.com/in/saira-
malikb65116109/.

 

 

Jessica Oliveira Lee, Senior Community Manager, LinkedIn

 

Jessica Oliveira is a Senior Community Manager on the Editorial Team at LinkedIn. In her role, she works closely with leaders and executives in the finance industry to help them grow their audience and expand their reach through a strategic blend of content strategy and exclusive opportunities with LinkedIn News. Her focus is on enhancing organic thought leadership, guiding financial professionals in crafting impactful narratives that resonate across the platform.

 

 

Albana Theka, President, Financial Women's Association (moderator)

 

Albana Theka is the 60th President of the Financial Women’s Association (FWA), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the professional development of women across the financial services industry.

 

A seasoned finance and technology executive, Albana most recently served as Director of Analytics and Data Strategy at the Building Service 32BJ Health Fund, where she led cross-functional teams to deliver data-driven solutions that informed financial decisions and enhanced the member experience. Prior to that, she was Senior Director of Data and Analytics at New York City Health + Hospitals, where she spearheaded the creation of the Financial Sustainability Analytics Center of Excellence.

 

Earlier in her career, Albana spent over a decade at NYU Langone Health, holding leadership roles across finance, operations, and strategy. As the head of Financial Planning and Analysis, she managed complex, multi-million-dollar budgets and helped guide long-term financial strategy. She began her career in retail banking, spending five years at Ridgewood Savings Bank.

 

Albana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from St. Francis College and an Executive MBA from St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, NY.

 

In addition to her professional pursuits, Albana is a passionate musician. She is the lead vocalist of the Albi Band, performing across venues in New York City.