Mellody Hobson (born April 3, 1969) is a prominent American businesswoman, investor, and financial literacy advocate. She serves as President and Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, one of the largest African American-owned money management firms in the United States.
Hobson made history as the first Black woman to chair an S&P 500 company when she became Chair of Starbucks Corporation in 2021, a role she held until stepping down in 2024 to become Lead Independent Director. She is married to filmmaker George Lucas and is widely recognized as one of the most influential corporate leaders in America.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, as the youngest of six children, Hobson grew up in a financially strained household where paying rent and car payments was often a struggle. These early experiences sparked her deep interest in financial matters and her drive to build a different future. She graduated from St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago in 1987 as a first-generation college student and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Princeton University in 1991, where she was a member of the Cottage Club.
Hobson began her career at Ariel Investments as an intern shortly after graduation. She rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming President in 2000. As Co-CEO, she oversees management, strategic planning, and growth across the firm, which manages over $14 billion in assets. She previously served as Chairman of DreamWorks Animation until its 2016 acquisition by NBCUniversal. Her board service includes JPMorgan Chase, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and others. In 2022, she joined an investment group that acquired the NFL’s Denver Broncos. In 2025, she founded Project Level® to advance women’s sports.
A passionate advocate for financial literacy, Hobson hosted the ABC special Unbroke: What You Need to Know About Money and authored the New York Times bestselling children’s book Priceless Facts about Money. She has been recognized on Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list, Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, and received the Woodrow Wilson Award from Princeton, the Order of Lincoln from Illinois, and multiple honorary doctorates.
In philanthropy, Hobson and her husband have supported major initiatives, including a lead gift for a residential college at Princeton and film restoration projects. She and Lucas have one daughter, born in 2013.
Official Links:
Ariel Investments Bio: https://www.arielinvestments.com/person/mellody-hobson/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mellodyhobson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mellodyhobson/
