Nationality American Organization Out Leadership | Occupation Entrepreneur Education Duke University ('98) | |
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Awards Paula L. Ettelbrick Award (2015) | ||
Todd G. Sears is an American businessman and an advocate for LGBT equality. He founded Out Leadership, a strategic advisory firm that works to extend equality for LGBT people worldwide, and served as head of diversity at Merrill Lynch and Credit Suisse.
Career
Sears began working at Merrill Lynch in 2001, where he created the first national team of financial advisors on Wall Street to focus on the LGBT community. While at Merrill Lynch, he produced seminars that addressed the challenges LGBT clients face in estate-planning and his team expanded to include 10 financial advisors in six cities. Under Sears, the team generated $1.4 billion dollars over four years. Sears worked at Credit Suisse after Merrill Lynch, and became the head of diversity and inclusion. While at Credit Suisse, Sears created the first Veteran's Network on Wall Street.
Sears founded Out on the Street, a group which works to increase LGBT awareness at financial firms. The organization holds an annual summit for LGBT and straight ally leaders of the biggest banks in New York City. In 2011, Sears founded Out Leadership, a strategic advisory firm that advises multinational corporations on LGBT issues. The firm holds business conferences and summits. Out on the Street became part of Out Leadership.
Additionally, he started similar initiatives including Out in Law which focuses on the legal industry, OutNEXT focused on young professionals, and Quorum, a professional network that aims to increase LGBT representation on corporate boards. He is principal of Out Leadership LLC, formerly known as Coda Leadership Consulting LLC. Sears is also the founding co-chair of Jeffrey Fashion Cares.