Mahla

Mahla Shaghafi recently retired from Union Bank.  Her most recently she served as a Senior Vice President and Managing Director at The Private Bank of Union Bank.  She lead one of the largest teams of specialists in wealth planning, investments, risk management, fiduciary services and banking throughout San Francisco.  Mahla has been with Union Bank since 1981.  Over the past 32 years, she has held a number of senior leadership positions. Prior to assuming responsibility in The Private Bank in 2000, she worked in Retail Banking, Priority Banking, and Commercial Banking. 

Active in the community, Mahla was the chairperson for Union Bank Foundation- Northern/Central California Committee.  She was the chair of the Union Bank Foundation’s Audit Committee and has served on the board of the California State University of East Bay Education Foundation since 1998.  In recognition of her significant professional achievements and her ongoing contributions to her Alma Mater, Mahla was honored by the University as Alumnae of the Year in 2003.  In addition, she serves on the Berkeley Repertory Theatre Corporate Advisory Council. Mahla is also active director of Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI).  A past board member, Mahla remains active with the Women’s Initiative for Self Employment (WISE) Governance.  She was the recipient of the 2011 Women’s Initiative for Self Improvement Founder’s Award. Mahla was also named one of the “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” by the San Francisco Business Times for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013; she is now part of their “Forever Most Influential” Honor Roll. 

Mahla is a graduate of CSU East Bay with a BS in Business Administration and minor in Accounting (1981).  She has received a Certificate of Achievement from the Pacific Coast Banking School (1995) and also completed the Private Banking School curriculum at the Cannon Financial Institute. She has Series 7, 24, and 66 securities licenses. She received her California Real Estate license over 20 years ago and is fluent in Farsi.