FCS Jamie E. Depeau Leadership Award
Arielle Gross Samuels, Global Head of Marketing for Blackstone, has been selected as recipient of the FCS Jamie E. DePeau Leadership Award for 2023. The trophy will be presented to Arielle at an awards gala on November 30th at the New York Yacht Club when the FCS also celebrates the FCS Financial Marketer of the Year Award for 2023; this year’s finalists include AllianceBernstein, Ally, and Northwestern Mutual.
In Arielle’s honor, the FCS will make a $5,000 donation to Girl Up, a leadership initiative from the UN Foundation, which she personally selected.
Arielle Gross Samuels was nominated by Christine Anderson, Global Head of Corporate Affairs, Blackstone. Arielle was selected by a panel of five judges (see below), who represent several facets of Jamie DePeau’s personal life and professional legacy.
ABOUT ARIELLE GROSS SAMUELS
Arielle Gross Samuels joined Blackstone as its Global Head of Marketing at Blackstone in September 2022, following a nearly 10-year career at Facebook (now Meta). Most recently, she served as Meta’s Global Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Business, founding a global team focused on social good, business equity, sustainability, global marketing, and strategic programs and partnerships for 200M+ businesses around the world. Earlier positions at the firm include senior management roles in Global Marketing & Creative, and Product Operations. Arielle began her professional career at Deloitte, following internships at Procter & Gamble.
Arielle earned a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering, at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Arielle’s industry accolades include being named to Forbes 30 under 30, a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Goalkeeper, University of Illinois Materials Science and Engineering Young Alumni Award, and Founding Member of Chief.
Her Board and Volunteer experience includes:
- Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, Board Director
- University of Illinois Alumni Association, Board Director
- United Nations Foundation Girl Up, Board Member
- 92NY CEO Council, Founding Member
- United Nations Women Global Innovation Coalition for Change, Member
- ANA Global CMO Growth Council, Member, Society & Sustainability
- Women in Need, Partner
- Adweek, Executive Mentor
- AOL’s #BuiltByGirls program, Advisor
As the youngest alumna at her alma mater to establish a scholarship fund, she is also the benefactor of the Arielle Gross Engineering Visionary Scholarship Fund at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, created to support diversity in STEM.
Arielle embodies the attributes and spirit that Jamie DePeau valued. Throughout her career, she has embraced a responsibility to help others – through her leadership and mentorship, her generosity of time and talent, and her passion for equality and opportunity.
Questions about the Award should be directed to FCS CEO Kevin Windorf.
HISTORY OF THE AWARD
Our 2023 recipient, Arielle Gross Samuels, Global Head of Marketing for Blackstone, has demonstrated throughout her career how volunteerism and board appointments with multiple organizations have empowered her to support her passions in education, gender equality, sustainability and mentorship. With her significant leadership experience, Arielle joined a distinguished list of honorees among FCS members who have been recognized with this award.
In 2016, the inaugural year of the Award, the recipient was Berta Aldrich, then CMO of FS Investments. In 2017, Caroline O’Connell was recognized with the Award when she was CMO, Investments, BNY Mellon. David Bernstein was honored the following year for his volunteerism and personal mission in founding the Fly A Kite Foundation with his wife Deena. In 2019, Russ Findlay was our honoree in acknowledgement of his career as a marketer, leader, mentor, and architect of The Findlay Family Foundation, which provides college scholarships to high school seniors facing financial need. In 2020, former FCS Board Director Renée Baker of Raymond James was honored for her leadership and commitment to increasing the representation of underserved communities within the financial services industry. Our 2021 recipient, Caleb Silver, Editor-in-Chief, Investopedia, was recognized for his support and involvement with Project Come Up, Wall Street Bound, and the Society for Advancing Business Editing & Writing. In 2022 recipient, we honored Leslie Walstrom, the Global Head of Marketing at Columbia Threadneedle as an advocate, fundraiser and board member for Boston Medical Center, and an avid supporter of Dare2Tri, helping to raise awareness of both organization through her firm’s sponsorship of the Boston Triathlon.
FCS Jamie E. DePeau Leadership Award
2023 Honoree
Judges
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Caleb Silver 2021 Recipient of the FCS Jamie E. DePeau Leadership Award
Editor-in-Chief, Investopedia -
Renée Baker 2020 Recipient of the FCS Jamie E. DePeau Leadership Award
Founder & CEO The RBI Group -
Elena French Former SVP, Corporate Marketing, Communications and Brand, Lincoln Financial
Longtime colleague of Jamie DePeau -
Tom Jago Managing Director, The Ward Group
Vice Chair, FCS Board of Directors -
Kevin Windorf CMO, 2112 Communications
CEO, FCS
Past Winners
- 2022 Leslie Walstrom Columbia Threadneedle Investments
- 2021 Caleb Silver Investopedia
- 2020 Renée Baker Raymond James
- 2019 Russ Findlay Hiscox
- 2018 David Bernstein Fly a Kite Foundation
- 2017 Caroline O’Connell BNY Mellon
- 2016 Berta Aldrich FS Investments
About Jamie E. Depeau
Jamie DePeau, Corporate Chief Marketing Officer, Lincoln Financial Group, was a true friend of the FCS and very supportive of our mission of community, education and philanthropy. She was an active member in the FCS Marketing Leadership Roundtable since its founding in 2012. That year, she participated in our Annual Education Summit, serving on a panel with fellow CMOs. In 2013, she served as one of our guest presenters at the 19th Annual FCS Portfolio Awards. When she was SVP, Marketing at TIAA-CREF, she presented at our monthly luncheon at the New York Yacht Club in December of 2007.
Jamie passed away in February of 2016. In April of that year, her work at Lincoln was recognized posthumously as her marketing team and their agency won seven trophies at the 22nd Annual FCS Portfolio Awards Gala. In addition to her own participation, Jamie encouraged her Lincoln colleagues to get involved with the FCS.
Outside of work, Jamie was very active at her community church, where she held senior roles in the parish’s lay leadership, as well as performing in its choir. She was a volunteer for the Ridgewood Baseball and Softball Association and for other Ridgewood youth sports groups.
In addition to her roles as mother and wife, boss and colleague, Jamie is remembered as a mentor and friend, and always a leader.
