The OPEN Spotlight: Yasir Fattah on how Nasdaq Partners with Other Organizations

Our #NasdaqFam takes pride in making Nasdaq the leading company that it is, with respect for our diverse backgrounds and colleagues included. For our Nasdaq Pride series, we will be featuring members from the OPEN (Out Proud Employees of Nasdaq) and learn about how they are pushing for positive change for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace. 

With the OPEN, Nasdaq aims to:

• Promote LGBTQ equality in the workplace
• Provide career development opportunities for LGBTQ employees
• Lead events for LGBTQ employees  and allies 
• Participate in efforts and volunteer on initiatives that serve the needs of the LGBTQ community

Interested on working with us? Explore careers at Nasdaq here.

We recently spoke with Yasir Fattah, AVP of Corporate Services, from our offices in New York City.

Tell us a little bit about your role at Nasdaq and how long you’ve been here.

I came to Nasdaq via the acquisition of the Thomson Reuters Corporate Services acquisition in 2013. I am based in New York City, and help lead Investor Relations Strategy for Nasdaq Corporate Solutions. Specifically, I oversee the Advisory Services business in EMEA, APAC and the Philippines.

How did you become involved with the OPEN and why?

I became involved with The OPEN right when it started in 2018. I was excited when this group started at Nasdaq and was eager to join.  At the time, I believe the only employee network that existed was WIN (Women In Nasdaq). I was so happy to see a real deliberate momentum within Nasdaq around diversity, inclusion and making all employee feels like they belong.

How would you describe the OPEN community to a new employee at Nasdaq?

It is friendly, welcoming and very diverse with members across the globe. I would also describe The OPEN community as creative, passionate and fun.

What is your most memorable experience while being a member?

One of our Nasdaq listed companies, Henry Schein, launched their first LGBTQ+ employee resource group last year and the OPEN was invited to be a guest speaker to the discuss the importance of LGBTQ+ employee groups. I was honored to represent The OPEN at this event. It was great to work with a listed company in a unique way and for our employee resource groups to leverage one another. Several Henry Schein employees had participated in our annual LGBTQ Leadership conference in the past and so we had a relationship already – as we do with so many other LGBTQ+ employee resource groups of our listed companies. At the Henry Schein Pride and Allies launch event, their CEO as well as many of their senior leaders were present and it was heartening to see the level of commitment and support.

Why are allies important now more than ever? How is someone a good ally?

As a gay man, it’s easy for me to actively support LGBTQ inclusion, because I’m personally affected. But for LGBTQ inclusion to exist, it needs collective support – and that’s why straight allies are important. All social movements rely on this kind of collective support. While a few vocal activist people start the momentum, it takes the majority of society to understand, empathize, agree and take action to change. This is the only way we will see real, lasting change. So the allies are extremely important.

What does progress mean for a group like the OPEN today?

There is still so much awareness that needs to be brought surrounding issues that impact our LGBTQ+ community and more progress to be made if we are really to be included. Each letter and symbol in our "LGBTQ+" community faces its unique challenges as well and so as a community we try to stand together to champion them all and support one another. Progress for me would mean that The OPEN furthers its relations with other corporate employee resource groups, LGBTQ+ nonprofits and our local LGBTQ+ community and work together to promote greater awareness and help push change.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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