Danan Kirby

Danan Kirby is Vice President and Client Portfolio Manager at Ariel Investments in Chicago, where he acts as an ambassador for the firm’s domestic equity strategies and key client relationships. He represents Ariel’s portfolio managers to clients and prospects, participates on the domestic investment committee, and conveys the firm's investment philosophy and market outlook through media engagements and investor meetings. At Ariel, his focus areas include financial services and infrastructure companies within U.S. equities, and he provides expert commentary on broader market sectors as featured in outlets such as CNBC and the Schwab Network.

Kirby brings over 20 years of institutional investment experience. Prior to joining Ariel in 2021, he was a Client Portfolio Manager at Thornburg Investment Management, where he covered both equities and fixed income, and previously managed multi-asset strategies for institutional clients as a Portfolio Manager at Strategic Growth Bancorp (First National Santa Fe). Earlier, he served as a federal banking regulator at the FDIC during the financial crisis, lending him deep regulatory and risk management expertise.

Danan earned his BBA in Management, concentrating in Finance, summa cum laude from the University of New Mexico’s Anderson School of Management. He is a CFA charterholder and an active member of the CFA Institute and the CFA Society of Chicago. In addition to his investment credentials, Kirby is a combat veteran of the U.S. Army, underscoring his leadership and commitment to excellence within the industry.