Voice of Experience: Miranda Brawn, Barrister and Director, Daiwa Capital

“Believe in yourself and exercise confidence,” said Miranda Brawn, Barrister and Director at Daiwa Capital in London. This, she added will help you face and overcome any hurdles you might encounter as you navigate your career to the top. “No one will invest their trust or confidence in you if you cannot invest it in yourself. Develop your skill base, learn and increase your knowledge to increase your confidence,” added Brawn.

One of Brawn’s first mentors advised her to treat this industry like a marathon, not a sprint. “There are far too many people who burn out and age rapidly due to burning the candle at both ends and not looking after themselves,” she said.

“Achieving a senior leadership role will not happen overnight,” Brawn added. “Stay focused and be patient.”

A Multitude of Experiences

When Brawn decided to enter the financial services industry after completing her A levels, she only intended to work for one year before entering University. Life, as it would have it, had other plans for her as she went on to enjoy a successful and multi-faceted career in the male-dominated worlds of financial services and law.

Since entering the workforce at age eighteen, Brawn has held many different roles at some of the world’s leading financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, and Deutsche Bank. She has also worked for law firms where she has acted as a consultant legal advisor. Currently, Brawn is a Director at Daiwa Capital, where her primary role is to manage the company’s legal risk across Europe for the derivatives and securities financing businesses.

“It is a transformational time for the industry right now as changes in banking regulations are presenting new challenges,” said Brawn.

Although she did not follow a strictly traditional path, Brawn is proud of the fact that she was able to complete all of her studies while working full-time in demanding positions. “I am not afraid of a challenge,” remarked Brawn, who has earned her MBA, Law degree, Journalism Diploma, and most recently, completed her studies in Political Philosophy at the University of Cambridge.

It is this same mentality that keeps Brawn busy outside of her daily 9-5 responsibilities. “I have other interests such as being a board director, barrister, freelance writer, motivational public speaker and now a brand ambassador for The Fold London,” said Brawn. Additionally, Brawn is also the founder and CEO of Pluto Law Limited.

Keeping Diversity on the Agenda

Brawn is very passionate about diversity issues, which is why she has been extremely committed to networking, mentoring, and sponsorship initiatives throughout her entire career. “I wish I had realized the value of having mentors early on in my career,” Brawn noted.

She continued, “It can be difficult for women to break into that established ‘old boys’ network especially within Front Office client facing roles where it is still pretty much a male dominated environment.” According to Brawn, women need to increase their networking efforts in order to gain the mentoring and sponsorship relationships that will ultimately have a positive impact on their career growth and advancement.

She explained, “When you start out in your career, you end up talking to other women that you know, but in order to form meaningful relationships, you need to break out of your comfort zone and approach people you don’t know, especially those senior women and men who will advocate for you.”

Brawn has observed that senior women are heavily scrutinized compared to men. “It is not enough to perform as well as men,” said Brawn.

“Women in senior roles need to continuously outperform their male counterparts in order to receive the same amount of recognition. We need more women in senior positions to help change the senior level mindsets at a quicker pace,” she added.

Helping other women navigate their careers is something that Brawn is dedicated to, both at the office and outside the office. She serves on several boards and committees within the City of London, such as Women in Banking and Finance (WiBF) and the Association of Women Barristers (AWB). “I benefit from all of these various networks as it is a fundamental part of building relationships to align oneself with those people who have the power and influence over one’s career advancement,” Brawn explained.

As women advance in their career, Brawn hopes that they will make themselves available and accessible to the next generation. “It is up to us to empower the future talent and make them believe that anything is possible. We can do this by acting as excellent role models,” said Brawn.

A Rewarding Career and Life

Personally, Brawn creates her own version of work-life balance by carving out time to be active in her community through her many philanthropic efforts. “My philanthropy work has included being a 2012 UK Global Poverty Ambassador in association with Bill Gates which involved working towards the vision of a world without extreme poverty by 2030,” Brawn noted.

She has also performed pro bono work providing free legal advice, in partnership with Citigroup and Clifford Chance, to various clients of law centres within central London, as well as being a board director for a few charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Brawn also regularly speaks at conferences, seminars and on Sky TV, where her radiant smile and articulate mind are recognized as a staple on the various “inspiring women” and “legal” circuits. She is currently preparing to speak at the upcoming Women in Business Law Conference on June 18, hosted by International Financial Law Review, featuring some of Europe’s foremost legal thinkers, where she will be presenting about the power of networking as a career advancement tool. She will also be speaking at the upcoming Women Who Inspire Seminar on May 28, hosted by Inspirational YOU, where Brawn is also an advisory board member.

In Her Spare Time

When Brawn is not at the office, she loves to stay active by doing yoga, charity work, learning Japanese, taking relaxing walks in the countryside and spending time with her family and friends.

By Michelle Hendelman