Seyar Yagana

Seyar Yagana is one of the most accomplished Afghan American executives in global finance today. A trusted advisor to some of the world's most powerful institutions, he has built a career defined by intellectual rigor, cross-border leadership, and an unwavering commitment to both professional excellence and community service. His journey, from London to Sydney, from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., is a testament to the potential of the Afghan American experience at the highest levels of global business.

At the Forefront of Global Private Equity

Since 2019, Seyar has served as a Principal at The Carlyle Group, one of the world's preeminent private equity and global investment firms managing hundreds of billions in assets. At Carlyle, he operates at the intersection of finance, governance, and strategic risk, helping to uphold the institutional rigor that has made Carlyle a trusted steward of capital for sovereign wealth funds, pension systems, and investors across the globe. His tenure at Carlyle reflects not only his mastery of financial services, but his standing as a senior leader within one of Wall Street's most respected firms.

Transforming Risk and Audit at Capital One

Before joining Carlyle, Seyar served as Head of Global Finance Audit and Vice President at Capital One, where he led a high-impact audit function serving one of the largest U.S. financial institutions. Under his leadership, the function was modernized through the integration of advanced data analytics and machine learning, an initiative that set a new standard for how major financial institutions approach internal audit in the digital age. His work at Capital One demonstrated that rigorous risk management and cutting-edge technology innovation are not competing priorities, but complementary ones.

Nearly Two Decades of Leadership at PwC

Seyar spent nearly 18 years at PwC, rising through the firm across four countries and ultimately serving as Managing Director, where he founded and led PwC's Washington Metro Financial Services Internal Audit Practice. In this role, he became a go-to advisor for C-suite executives and boards navigating enterprise risk, regulatory compliance, and digital transformation. His career at PwC took him from London and Sydney to San Francisco and Washington, a global trajectory that gave him a uniquely broad perspective on financial systems and institutional governance across markets and regulatory environments.

A Scholar and Credentialed Expert

Seyar holds a Master of Arts in Finance and Investment from the University of Exeter and pursued advanced studies in Financial Services and FinTech at the University of Oxford. He holds the designation of Associate of the CFA UK (Chartered Financial Analyst), one of the most rigorous and respected credentials in the global investment profession. His academic foundation reflects the same standard of excellence that has defined every stage of his career.

Service to Afghanistan's Future

Beyond his professional achievements, Seyar is deeply committed to rebuilding and strengthening Afghanistan's human capital. Since 2020, he has served as a Board Member of the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF), one of the few institutions providing world-class higher education to Afghan students, including women, during one of the most challenging periods in the country's modern history. His service on the AUAF board reflects a conviction that education is the most enduring investment any community can make.

It is this same conviction that brought him to the founding of the Afghan American Professional Network, to create an institution that connects, elevates, and empowers Afghan American professionals across every industry and career stage.