Sameer Somal is an Americanbusiness executive, entrepreneur,[1] CFP professional, CFA charter holder, chartered alternative investment analyst, author, educator, and speaker.[2] He is best known as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Blue Ocean Global Technology[3] and the co-founder of Girl Power Talk.[4][5][6] Fundamental to his work at Blue Ocean Global Technology, Somal helps clients build, monitor, and repair their digital presence.[7][8]
Somal is a frequent speaker on reputation management, digital expungement, succession planning, technology, diversity, entrepreneurship, and leadership.[9] He is also an intellectual property, trademark, and internet defamation subject matter expert witness who authors CLE programmes for attorneys in collaboration with the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.[10] He also serves on the national board of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).[11][12]
Somal frequently contributes articles to various high-end media publications, such as Entrepreneur,[13] Hubspot,[14] Business.com,[15] Buzzfeed, Clutch,[16] and several others. For his outstanding work and success as an entrepreneur and leader, Somal has been credited with various awards, including the Inspirational Leader Award by the CFA Institute,[17] the Business Elite’s 40 Under 40, the Iconic Leader Award, and the 40 Under 40 by Investment News.[18]
Somal was born and raised in Rochester, New York, as part of an immigrant family from India, with a father who served in the royal navy. His family relocated to the United States in the 1970s. While attending Holicong Middle School, Somal worked as a newspaper and door-to-door subscription delivery person. His hard work and dedication earned him a scholarship from The Intelligencer newspaper publication.
Somal went to Central Bucks East High School in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, for high school. There, he was a star in the Key Club, the Student Council, and the Cross Country team.
Somal went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Accounting from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business. He later pursued various other finance credentials and is also a CFA Charterholder, a CFP® professional, and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst.[19] In 2009, Somal served the CFA Institute as a speaker, a host of Topics @ Hand, and a senior grader for the Board of Regents & Examinations.[20]
In 2012, Somal co-founded Blue Ocean Global Wealth, an investment advisory firm that offers wealth management and financial planning solutions. Prior to this, he worked as a senior investment analyst at The Bank of Nova Scotia and also as a financial advisor and intermediary at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch & Co.[21][22]
In the same year, Somal also co-founded Blue Ocean Global Technology,[23] an online reputation management firm[24][25][26] that helps clients with digital transformation and growth strategies.[27]
Somal believes in the principle of giving without remembering and receiving without forgetting. He considers himself a global citizen and has been fortunate to be exposed to cultural diversity from a young age. Given his roots, he visited India extensively throughout his childhood.[28][29]
In 2019, Somal co-founded Girl Power Talk,[30] an organization with a mission to elevate young women, men, and nonbinary individuals into global leaders. Building on this purpose, in 2021, he established Girl Power USA, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit that aims to empower, educate, and provide resources to underserved communities, in collaboration with Girl Power Talk.[31]
Somal is also a senior advisor at OxProx and the managing director of Grupo Ya Quedó. He serves on the boards and councils of various organizations, including the Future Business Leaders of America—Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA—PBL),[32] the Women Economic Forum,[33] the CFA Institute, the Legal Marketing Association, the CAIA Association,[34] College Possible,[35] the iPlan Education Institute,[36] and the R.J. Leonard Foundation.[37][38]
Somal has authored a chapter in Financial Behavior: Players, Services, Products, and Markets, published by Oxford University Press, and has co-authored a chapter on women’s behavioral finance.[39] He is a published writer and actively contributes articles to a range of publications, including Entrepreneur, Hubspot, Chief Executive, Attorney at Law, CFA Institute Enterprising Investor, Worth Magazine, Social Media Examiner, Co-Schedule, Business.com, Buzzfeed, Clutch, Bplans,[40] ReadWrite,[41] and many others.[42][43]