Sonali Pier is a Managing Director at PIMCO in Newport Beach, with a particular focus on Multi-Sector Credit. She previously worked as a credit trader and was named recently to the Marketwatch 50 most influential people in markets. Our conversation starts with her education, and a stock picking competition at the tender stage of sixth grade, which launched an interest in finance and economics.

She moved then through various trading and finance roles into a credit specialty, and shares some of the insights that she learned along the way. Now at PIMCO we discuss the current landscape for multi-sector credit and some of the opportunity set. We discuss how PIMCO strives in particular to hone the culture within its investment teams to optimize contributions from every level of the organization.

In looking back at her career in financial markets, Sonali emphasizes the importance of adaptability, citing her exposure to six bosses in five years.

We round up by highlighting the need for diverse investment teams and the importance of embracing change in the financial industry.

Thank you Eagle Point Credit and Benefit Street Partners for supporting this series!

With over $12 billion of AUM, Eagle Point Credit Management is a premier investment firm focused on generating strong returns for its clients through sourcing, evaluating and executing investments in CLOs, Portfolio Debt Securities and other credit investments that it believes shave the potential to outperform their respective markets generally.

Benefit Street Partners is a leading global alternative credit asset manager offering clients investment solutions across a broad range of complementary credit strategies, including direct lending, special situations, structured credit, high yield bonds, leveraged loans and commercial real estate debt and equity. As of December 31, 2024, BSP-Alcentra had $77 billion of assets under management.

Episode 304: Sonali Pier of PIMCO: The intersection of Career, Credit and Culture