Global investment firm Carlyle appointed Indian-origin finance executive Sharda Cherwoo, retired Ernst & Young (EY)LLP senior partner, to serve as an independent director on its Board and a member of the Audit Committee, effective June 1, 2023.

Cherwoo spent a four-decade-long career at EY, with a specialized industry focus with diverse roles on private equity, financial services, health care, and emerging disruptive technologies, across diverse industries. She led and built a billion-dollar, market-leading digital transformation business, and worked with global clients and teams across diverse industries in more than 20 countries. She currently serves on several company boards including World Fuel Services Corporation and Land O’Lakes Inc.

Reacting to the appointment, she said, “The strength of Carlyle’s brand is widely known throughout the market. I am looking forward to joining the Board and bringing diverse perspectives during such a pivotal moment for the firm’s growth and transformation.”

Additionally, she also serves on several prominent, mission-driven, not-for-profit boards in the US, like the International House, founded by the Rockefeller and the Dodge families. She is passionate about advocating for and mentoring talent from under-represented populations and women; advising seasoned executives; and promoting innovative, outcome-driven programs, focused on democratizing opportunities, according to her profile.

A Kashmiri native, Cherwoo was born in Calcutta. She moved to the United States in early 1977 and graduated from college in Connecticut and joined EY in 1991. Cherwoo was the first woman of Indian origin to be admitted to partnership in any of the “Big 8” accounting firms in the US, her bio stated.