Ann Miletti has more than 30 years of asset management experience and has built a reputation as an standout, investment leader, portfolio manager and analyst.
Her best leadership lesson over that distinguished career? Be authentic.
“The greatest leadership lesson I learned over my career is to lead in a way that allows me to be myself,” Miletti said. “Being honest, authentic and as transparent as possible helped me build trust with others. Admitting when I don’t have all the information or answers is not failing, it is honesty. Finally, it is so important to highlight the great ideas or achievements of others. The best leaders are selfless and truly want to see others succeed.”
Miletti puts those lessons to use as chief diversity officer and head of equity at Allspring Global Investments. The firm is an independent asset management company with more than $541 billion in assets under management. It has offices around the world and teams supported by 450 investment professionals.
Miletti earned her Bachelor of Science in education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a plan to be an elementary school teacher. But things don’t always work exactly as planned. Her transition from education to investments came from the necessity to care for her young son, who was born with a serious heart condition. In 1991, Miletti joined Strong Capital Management in the investor services call center. She answered client calls during the overnight hours, which not only allowed her to be at the hospital with her son during the day but also gave her the chance to learn about financial markets and various product offerings from the ground up.
Years of growth and development followed as she took on more responsibility and found success at every level. Today, she oversees 17 portfolio management teams and 125 investment professionals, managing just under $100 billion in assets.
Miletti has been quoted extensively as a markets and investments professional by a range of media outlets, including the Associated Press, Barron’s, Bloomberg News and The Wall Street Journal. She is a frequent guest on a number of financial networks, including CNBC, Bloomberg and Fox Business News.
Miletti’s external affiliations include a seat on the Advisory Board for Secure Futures, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching financial literacy to high school students in Wisconsin. She is a member of TEMPO, the largest professional women’s group in Wisconsin, and is on the TEMPO Foundation Committee. She also works with the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin to assist with fundraising efforts, and she launched the Wells Fargo Asset Management Women in Investments group in 2019.
