Cassandra Seier, head of International Capital Markets for the New York Stock Exchange, died over the weekend of November 22.
“We are devastated by the news that our colleague Cassanda Seier passed away over the weekend,” an NYSE spokesperson told American Banker in a statement.
The statement did not disclose the exact date or cause of Seier’s death.
According to eFinancialCareers and local news reports, the cause of death was believed to be a bike accident in the Bahamas.
NYSE Group president Lynn Martin said in a LinkedIn post that Seier was “a colleague who I also was proud to consider a friend… she embodied everything that makes the NYSE team great: a tireless defense of the principles she believed in and a fierce champion of every single customer she touched. To know her was to know that she had endless energy — she was someone who was laser focused on getting a job done but always found time to offer anyone support and to mentor the next generation of leaders.”
Other ex-colleagues also shared reactions to Seier’s passing.
“Cassandra was a true trailblazer who left an indelible mark on everyone she encountered,” said Jonathan Epstein, head of International Continental Exchange Tel Aviv, in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday. “Under her exceptional guidance and leadership, we successfully expanded NYSE International Capital Markets’ presence in the region, an achievement that stands as testament to her vision and dedication.”
Seier was the head of NYSE’s International Capital Markets division starting in 2022 and previously worked for Goldman Sachs for 24 years, according to her LinkedIn profile.
“Cassandra’s many friends at Goldman Sachs are heartbroken over this news,” Goldman Sachs global head of corporate communications Tony Fratto told American Banker. “Her career at Goldman was spent in service to others, an approach that took her to the senior ranks of our firm. Our thoughts are with Cassandra’s family.”
She also served nearly 14 years as the president and CEO of the non-profit Women In Financial Markets, an organization established “to connect, elevate and advance professionals in the financial services industry through education, coaching, mentorship and access to a global network of influential leaders.”
“Her legacy is woven into every part of our organization through the programs she championed, the community she nurtured, and the opportunities she created for thousands of women,” said a statement from WIFM posted to LinkedIn on Monday.
WIFM has established a scholarship fund in Seier’s memory, according to the LinkedIn post. A WIFM representative told American Banker that the scholarship “will support deserving young women who embody Cassandra’s spirit” and has raised $10,000 so far.
WIFM also set up a webpage for friends and colleagues to share memories of Seier.
“We’ll carry her legacy with us living life to [the] fullest, being bold, and dreaming big, just like she did,” WIFM advisory council member Marisol Collazo wrote on the page. “For six years we built WIFM side by side, pushing forward and believing in what we were creating. It was too little time, but she made such an impact.”
Born and raised in Singapore, Seier earned a BA in Finance with a minor in Economics from the University of Oregon and has been a CFA charterholder since 2004, according to her WIFM bio.
She is survived by her husband, Thomas Seier, and their son.
