Eka Zhao

Eka Zhao is a 2026–27 Millennium fellow and a  head of China onshore research and senior investment associate at Bridgewater. Her current work focuses on developing a deep, fundamental understanding of China’s markets and economy and translating those insights into Bridgewater’s systematic processes and portfolios. Prior to her current role, Zhao led the Balanced Assets Research team, partnering with the firm’s chief investment officers and institutional investors to design and oversee resilient, multi-asset portfolios built to address their most consequential challenges. She also led the Portfolio Generation team, overseeing the day-to-day portfolio and trade outcomes produced by Bridgewater’s systematic investment pipeline. Zhao is a frequent author of Bridgewater’s Daily Observations, the firm’s flagship research publication. She has held numerous mentorship roles within the firm and industry and was named to Involve’s 2023 Empower Future Leaders Role Model List. She graduated with honors from Wellesley College, where she studied mathematics and economics, and holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation.