Ethic, the tech-driven asset management platform that powers personalization for advisors, today announced the appointment of Eugenie (“Genie”) Cesar-Fabian as its first General Counsel. In this new role, Ms. Cesar-Fabian will lead the buildout of a robust internal legal department to support the company’s growth while also advising leadership on regulatory matters, intellectual property law, general corporate transactions, and more. Further, she will coordinate with Ethic’s leadership team, including its chief compliance officer, to advocate for regulatory policies and industry practices that support sustainable investment opportunities for all investors.

Ms. Cesar-Fabian joins Ethic from Palladium Equity Partners (“Palladium”), the industry’s oldest minority-owned private equity leveraged buyout firm. During her decade-plus tenure at Palladium, she served as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer before becoming a partner and transitioning into a new role as Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) & Sustainability. This most recent position saw her spearheading Palladium’s B Corp certification process, working with key internal stakeholders to integrate ESG frameworks throughout the firm’s own operations and portfolio companies.

Cesar-Fabian’s eminent work to promote ESG best practices, as well as call attention to the business case for diversity and inclusion, has earned her prior industry recognition. In 2020, she was named by Crain’s New York Business as a Notable LGBTQ Leader & Executive and honored by the National Organization for Women as a “Woman of Power and Influence.” In 2021, she was recognized by Mergers & Acquisitions as a Private Equity Leader in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Genie to the Ethic team,” said Doug Scott, CEO at Ethic. “She brings impressive experience at the intersection of securities law and sustainable finance, both of which are integral to Ethic’s offering. I look forward to working with Genie to help raise the bar for the industry—and ultimately bring Ethic closer to its vision of a world where all investing is sustainable investing.”

“I’m excited to be joining a company that was established on the foundational premise that the capital markets can be a powerful force for good,” added Genie Cesar-Fabian, General Counsel at Ethic. “It’s clear that Ethic doesn’t see sustainability as an afterthought or a box to check—it’s been intentionally embedded throughout every corner of the business. I’m energized by the opportunity to work with this incredible team, helping to accelerate its impact and cement Ethic’s position as a leading player in the sustainable investing space.”

Earlier in Cesar-Fabian’s career, she worked in private practice in the securities litigation groups at Hughes, Hubbard & Reed, LLP and Bingham McCutchen, LLP (now Morgan Lewis), respectively. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from New York University and a Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law. In addition, Cesar-Fabian serves on the board of the St John’s University School of Law Alumni Association, and is a founding member of the St John’s Law Alumnae Leadership Council. She continues to serve as a mentor to law students, practicing attorneys, and aspiring young ESG professionals.

This latest hire comes amid continued strong demand for Ethic’s personalized sustainable investment offerings; the company recently crossed $2 billion in assets under management and has increased team headcount significantly over the last year. Other recent key hires include former Envestnet executive Martha Strebinger as Director, Institutional Relationship Manager and Bank of America Merrill Lynch alumnus Amlan Sengupta as Head of Product & Engineering Delivery. To learn more about open positions at Ethic, recently ranked a “Best Place to Work in Fintech” for the second consecutive year, visit ethic.com/careers. 

‍About Ethic

Ethic is a leading independent provider of personalized direct indexing strategies for financial intermediaries. Its scalable technology platform enables advisors to create custom portfolios tailored to clients’ unique values, financial goals, and tax preferences. Ethic also offers an array of supplemental features, including data-rich impact reporting and educational materials, that position advisors to lead meaningful conversations around sustainability.

The Ethic offering is available to advisors custodying with Fidelity, Charles Schwab / TD Ameritrade, U.S. Bank, Northern Trust, Morgan Stanley, BNY Mellon, or Pershing. The company is backed by investors including Oak HC/FT, Nyca Partners, Fidelity Investments, and ThirdStream Partners. Ethic is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser based in New York City.