Who Is Cathie Wood?

By Robin Hartill, CFP – Updated Sep 23, 2025 at 12:10 PM | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Cathie Wood's Ark Invest focuses on disruptive innovation, investing in transformative tech firms.
Ark's flagship ETF soared by more than 150% in 2020, driven by tech adoption and key investments.
Despite high short-term gains, ARKK has seen a 23% decline over the past five years.

Cathie Wood is the founder, CEO, and chief investment officer of Ark Invest. The company is a registered investment advisory (RIA) that focuses on disruptive innovation, which it defines as "the introduction of a technologically enabled new product or service that potentially changes the way the world works." Learn more about Cathie Wood and her investment approach and career highlights.

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A light bulb being smashed. — Image source: Getty Images.

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The best investment you can make is in the companies building the future.
Cathie Wood, founder of Ark Invest

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About the Author

Robin Hartill, CFP, is a contributing writer at The Motley Fool. Robin’s work has also been published by Yahoo Finance, USA Today, and Penny Hoarder. She is a graduate of the University of Florida.

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Robin Hartill has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Block, CRISPR Therapeutics, Roku, Teladoc Health, Tesla, and Zoom Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.