George C.W. Gatch is CEO of J.P. Morgan Asset Management. He joined the firm in 1986, and during his tenure, has helped build one of the world’s leading asset managers. Today, J.P. Morgan Asset Management operates in over 25 countries, with a clear mission of becoming the most trusted asset manager and helping clients with their most complex investment needs. The business manages over $2.5 trillion across equities, fixed income, alternatives, and multi-asset solutions on behalf of institutional, sovereign and retail clients globally. George chairs the Asset Management Operating Committee and also serves on the Asset and Wealth Management Operating Committee. Prior to his current role, George held a number of senior roles across J.P. Morgan Asset Management including building out the mutual fund business globally, overseeing the Global Funds and Institutional client businesses, and running the firm’s mutual fund joint venture in Japan, DKB Morgan. He is currently Vice Chair of the Investment Company Institute (served as Chair from 2018 to 2021) and member of the board, advocating for shareholders globally. George received a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. As the father of five, including 2 daughters, George is passionate about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. He is the Executive Sponsor and co-founder of J.P. Morgan’s Men as Ambassadors Program. George is also the Executive Sponsor of the Asset & Wealth Management Black Leadership Forum and chairs the Black Managing Director Roundtable in Asset Management. George currently lives in NYC with his wife and children and enjoys traveling, cooking with family and spending time outdoors—hiking, cross-country skiing, mountain bike riding and playing tennis. An avid mountaineer, he is also a member of the board of directors of New York's Mohonk Preserve, New York's largest land trust. Speed is safety Experienced mountaineers live by the adage ‘speed is safety’, because the longer they are on a mountain face, the more likely they will find trouble. However, if they have a bias toward speed—toward action—they reduce their exposure and increase their chances of getting down the mountain safely. I tend to agree and think this adage extends into business. In a rapidly changing industry, managers need to maintain their long-term focus, while also remaining incredibly agile in the face of new challenges and opportunities. I often tell my team: “I will gladly pay your speeding ticket, but I will not pay your parking ticket. Speed is safety.”​