Anne Dias-Griffin

Anne Dias-Griffin
Born	(1970-01-01) January 1, 1970 Strasbourg, France
Occupation(s)	Investor, philanthropist, adjunct professor
Years active	1992–present
Known for	Founder and CEO of Aragon Global Management

Anne Dias-Griffin (born January 1, 1970) is a French-American investor who founded and leads Aragon, an investment firm that concentrates on global equities, particularly within the internet, technology, consumer sectors, and alternative asset classes.

Early life and education

Born in Strasbourg, France, Dias relocated to the United States in 1992 to attend the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, where she graduated with summa cum laude honors. She later obtained her MBA from Harvard Business School.

While pursuing her undergraduate studies, she engaged in full-time research related to both domestic and international public policy. At Georgetown University, she collaborated with constitutional law expert Walter Berns on projects concerning the Electoral College, and assisted Patrick J. Glynn of the American Enterprise Institute with research on Cold War history.

In 1991, Dias represented the American Electronics Association in Brussels, focusing on European policy matters. The following year, she interned at the German Parliament in both Bonn and Berlin, working on issues related to the European Community and foreign affairs.

Early career

Upon completing her studies at Georgetown University, Anne held analyst positions within the Investment Banking divisions at Goldman Sachs in London and New York, as well as at Fidelity International in London.

After earning her MBA from Harvard Business School in 1997, she joined Soros Fund Management as an analyst and was promoted to portfolio manager within one year. At Soros, her expertise was centered on retail and financial services sectors, where she managed a long/short equity portfolio focused on financial services companies. Dias also played a role as an original member of the investment team at Viking Global Investors, specializing in global media and internet-related investments.

Aragon Global Management

In 2001, Dias established Aragon Global Management, LLC based in New York City, initially funded by billionaire Julian Robertson of Tiger Management.

By late 2011, she chose to return outside capital to focus on managing Aragon as a family office aligned with the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation. The fund subsequently reopened to external investors in June 2021.

Dias was honored in 2022 by being named among Barron's 100 Most Influential Women in US Finance.

Corporate boards

She holds a board seat at Fox Corporation.

Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation

From 2009 until its closure in 2014 following their divorce, Dias co-founded and served as co-president of the Kenneth and Anne Griffin Foundation. The foundation’s mission centered on early childhood education, the arts, and medical research with particular attention to women’s and children’s health. The Griffins committed over $100 million toward supporting innovators who deliver tangible community benefits. Dias also spearheaded an annual national conference held in Chicago that brought together educators, researchers, and policymakers focused on early childhood education.

Among significant contributions were $19 million to the Art Institute of Chicago in 2006 and $10 million in 2009 for the establishment of the Griffin Early Childhood Center. Additionally, in 2010 they donated $16 million to the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago at Northwestern University to create an Emergency Care Center that opened its doors in 2012.

Teaching

Dias serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, where she instructs a course centered on hedge fund strategies. This program integrates both theoretical frameworks and hands-on perspectives, featuring presentations from prominent investment firms such as Elliott Associates, Tiger Global, Citadel, Coatue, Paulson & Co., Magnetar, and Viking.

Media

In 2012, Dias founded Reboot Illinois, a news outlet dedicated to Illinois political coverage. The platform garnered over 650,000 monthly page views and received several journalism accolades during her tenure. She eventually sold the business to AFK Media Group in 2016.

Personal life

Dias was born in France to a father of Franco-Argentine heritage and a mother of Franco-German descent. She married hedge fund manager Kenneth Griffin in 2003; the couple divorced in 2015 and continue to share custody of their three children. Affiliated with the Republican party, Dias has actively supported numerous political campaigns.

Awards

Recognized among the most influential women in finance, Dias has been featured by publications including U.S. Banker, The Hedge Fund Journal, and Texas Wall Street Women. In 2006, she was named to Crain's Chicago Business "40 Under 40" list as well as Institutional Investor's "20 Rising Stars of Hedge Funds". Additionally, she was honored with the Harvard Club of Chicago's Annual Alumni Award in 2010.