Anna Gorga Soderini, Vice President, Investment Management Division, Goldman Sachs

Anna Gorga Soderini

While it might be harder to find a role model who seems similar to you if you’re LGBT+, a woman, a different race or any underrepresented minority, it’s still very important to find mentors who can guide you in your career, notes Goldman Sachs’ Anna Gorga Soderini.

“When seeking a role model, look beyond traditional ‘diversity’ and focus on individual challenges people might have faced where you can find points in common that might not be obvious,” she says. “If you more broadly define ‘role model,’ you can find someone who also had to adapt to circumstances and conquered similar challenges, even if they might not represent your exact demographics,” she says.

A Meandering Path, With a Destination of Authenticity

For Soderini, the professional journey has been just as important as the destination, and she took what she describes as a bit of a meandering path. She began with classical education – Latin, ancient Greek and philosophy – yet ended up in a finance career. While in London completing her Masters in economic development at the London School of Economics, she was exposed to financial markets for the first time, and to the role efficient asset allocation plays in enabling economic development.

She initially joined a private equity firm that invested in emerging markets before spending two years in Mozambique following that country’s civil war, an incredible experience that made her keenly aware that opportunities emerge following significant periods of change. After her stint in Mozambique, Soderini enrolled at New York University’s Stern School of Business to pursue her MBA and enhance her knowledge and understanding of finance.

After graduating with her MBA, she took a position in M&A, covering and advising financial institutions. Soderini joined Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2007 to pursue a role on the buy side.
After making a conscious decision to not share with her former employer that she was gay, Soderini realized this was impeding her ability to form deep relationships with her colleagues and managers, and knew she needed to be open in her next role if she wanted to be successful. She came into the interview process at Goldman Sachs identifying openly as LGBT+, and she says she was blown away by the inclusiveness of the firm and her future colleagues.

When discussing professional achievements of which she is proud, Soderini immediately mentions her involvement with Goldman Sachs’ LGBT Network. She cites her role on the Pride steering committee and subsequently being invited to co-lead the Americas LGBT network at the firm, as a significant moment in her career. Soderini notes that the position is one of great responsibility due to the advocacy and education element of the role, by ensuring the firm remains at the forefront of LGBT+ issues.

Shifting Industry Norms Provide Opportunities for Goldman

Currently, Soderini is excited about co-leading an effort to integrate new data sources into the investment process, as the industry comes to terms with the disruption brought about by technology. She believes the ability to capitalize on these changes will become increasingly critical to the investing process and thus consequential for GSAM’s business.

“This is an inflection point for the whole industry, as data is being created at exploding speeds,” she says. “The size and complexity will require new analytical tools, and we now have more processing power at our fingertips. Goldman’s breadth of strategies, technological sophistication and depth of resources will allow us to harness technology to the benefit of our clients in a way that less capable competitors can’t.”

Also related and top of mind is the debate about active versus passive management, and how Goldman Sachs can weather the current outflows from active management.
“Technology has made fundamental investing harder since it has democratized information and analytical tools. Some of the challenges of active investing are cyclical and will fade under new market regimes, but others, such as the technological disruption, are secular: The firms willing and able to adapt to the new environment will be the ultimate winners. “Goldman Sachs is one of only a handful of asset managers that has the wherewithal to experiment and execute across strategies as we begin to understand these shifts.”

Embracing the Corporate Paradigm

Soderini says she wishes someone had told her when she was starting out that doing a good job is a necessary but usually not sufficient condition to continue progressing in one’s career. She understood the financial sector to be a meritocratic environment, but had not realized how critical it is for everyone around you to see you proactively contribute, understand your career goals and believe in your ultimate potential as a leader.

But while you have to express your views and telegraph your goals and passion, she notes that it can be tricky to get the right balance, particularly for women and those who come from cultures that don’t promote assertiveness.

“At school you are used to being rewarded for executing well in a linear relationship with faculty, completing homework or passing a test,” she notes. “But the work environment is more complex and there are multiple constituents. You don’t work in isolation, and taking the initiative in engaging with your manager and colleagues, as well as championing your work is a necessity.”

Sharing the Proud Culture of Goldman Sachs

In addition to her work with the LGBT Network, Soderini is active with the Pride Summit, a recruitment event where LGBT+ employees and Allies interact with sophomore and junior undergraduates who are looking to learn more about the firm. She finds that people vastly underestimate the leading role the financial industry plays in advancing LGBT+ causes, so it’s incumbent upon the industry to conduct outreach and education.

She also appreciates the opportunity it provides for LGBT+ women to interact in an environment geared toward networking. “We can cast a wider net and create critical mass by bringing this group together at our office.” She loves being able to attract talented individuals from many backgrounds to showcase the firm.

“I talk about it with such enthusiasm because I would have loved to have had something like this when I was in college,” she says, noting that it really underscores the progress that has been made that these programs now exist.

In her spare time, Soderini loves traveling with her wife, primarily from the base they have established in Barcelona, a beautiful city and convenient location for exploring Spain and Europe.

By Cathie Ericson

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Mover and Shaker: Kerry McBride, Director, Application Development, WEX

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 By Cathie Ericsonkerry

Kerry McBride started at WEX on a four-day temp assignment and never left. As she recalls, she was there to do some filing and said “Do you want me to come back?” They did; she did; and after three months, was named an entry-level employee on the credit side.

Her initial reasons for staying were practical: As a recent college graduate in a tough market she was looking for a steady job and health insurance. It was also the beginning of the PC boom and she appreciated the in-depth training WEX was offering. She made the most of the opportunity though, and after five years on the business side, she was a recognized subject matter expert, which she considers to be the pivot point where she shifted her thinking from WEX as a job to a career. She subsequently took on business analyst and project management roles before there were formal teams, then a team lead role and a manager role and eventually was named director of applications development.

A Culture of Acceptance and Support at WEX

Another reason McBride meshed so well with WEX’s culture was because the nature of the organization was so far from her initial expectation of the corporate world. Her mother had worked in a corporate role and she remembered the cube-filled workplace as conservative, stressful and hierarchical. “I knew I never wanted to work in that sort of environment, so when I started at WEX I was delighted that it was such a different organization with so much flexibility to try different things. I have been very fortunate that the culture promotes stepping out of your comfort zone in a supportive way, with no political backstabbing,” she says.

She also noticed immediately that it was more diverse than she had expected — in age, skills and background – which was important to her, as she is able to be out at work. “It’s just one aspect of my life, but it’s who I am, and I appreciate that I can just be myself without a division of a ‘work persona’ and a ‘home persona.’ When you’ve been somewhere for 22 years, you develop friendships and so I mention my partner frequently,” she says, adding that when you’re pouring time and energy into a company, you want to make sure that everyone is respected and treated fairly.

She also appreciates that she’s had the chance to possibly open the minds of coworkers who might not have known many openly gay people before.

“A diverse and progressive culture is important for all of us”

McBride’s tenure and trajectory at WEX has been helpful in her current position as she coaches her current team members in directions they may not have thought about. For example, she had a recent direct report who took on a stretch assignment as a lead; though he was a bit shy by nature she knew he had the right skills and indeed, his contributions to the year-long project were recognized at the company’s recent annual awards ceremony. “He was proud of himself, as was I. As I progress in my own career, I find the coaching role highly satisfying,” she says.
She considers it a way to pay it forward, based on her own positive experience at the company. Since she herself didn’t come in with a clear picture of what she wanted to do or idea of where she was going, she appreciated that her managers were wonderful advocates in helping create positions that suited her skills and helped open her eyes to qualities she had and how they aligned with her skills to create her successful career path.

After spending 21 years on the North American Fleet line of business, McBride was asked to take on an assignment to build a U.S.-based development team to support the International Fleet line of business. Building the team with talented in-house developers and coordinating the transition of two experienced developers from Auckland, New Zealand, provides a great opportunity for WEX to expand U.S.-based development capability.

She knows that while mentors and sponsor can facilitate opportunities, each person has to drive their own career, filling the void when there are leadership gaps and taking full advantage of an opportunity.

Career Lessons Learned From Childhood on Up
She considers her mom, who pulled double duty as a single working mother, to be her role model. “Since she was in the corporate world, that’s what I saw, so when my friends played house, I would play office,” McBride says. Of course, she also remembers the times her mom came home stressed and so now whenever she feels overwhelmed, she is able to draw on that memory of how her mom persevered.

She also modeled the smart risk-taking behavior McBride brings to her career. “Failure can happen, and I took a risk going over to the international side of the business.” Recent leadership changes, a new vision and new requirements mean that McBride will leave the international role behind her, but not without taking away the positives. “Right now, I’m setting the base and supporting the new strategy. Even though I won’t get to see the end result, I’m proud of what I started and want the team I put together to be successful.”

McBride also makes sure to take time to focus on her mental health. She took up running at the age of 35, gravitating toward longer distance running. She was surprised how much she loved it, and notes many parallels to success at work. “I love having a schedule and getting those runs in,” she says.

“Long-distance running is all about mental preparation and being able to visualize the end and coaching yourself through the distance and miles. It’s what keeps me sane.”’

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Mover and Shaker: Renata Caine, Vice President, Virtual Payments, WEX

renata caineBy Cathie Ericson

“I used to think that showing weakness was a sign of inexperience, but by focusing on my confidence I can see that failure is a part of every professional,” says WEX’s Renata Caine. “I know that imperfection is authentic, and that helps me promote an environment that allows failure when it’s used as a learning experience.”

Highlighting a Team Dynamic Internally and Externally

Although WEX is not technically her first job, Caine says it’s where she feels that she grew up professionally. “The virtual payments line of business is very entrepreneurial and fast paced, which gives people the opportunity to do things they haven’t before. I have learned a lot in a short period of time,” she says.

Her career progression began as an individual contributor, and she knew she loved building relationships; she now manages a sales and marketing team responsible for the acquisition and support of external customers. “To me, building an internal team is not so different to supporting external customers.” I feel that I’ve found exactly what makes me happy.”

One of the best parts of her current team dynamic is the respect they have for one another. The relationships between the team members allows for some good-natured fun: They never miss an opportunity to laugh with one another.

And that is the professional achievement she is most proud of: Working alongside her team and bringing value, building mutual respect and watching them grow, surrounded by people who have the same goals and sense of purpose. “Right now I’m leading a team that’s at full capacity and building them out to know their role in continuing to create a high-achieving cohort. Together we’re all working toward motivating each other and fostering success working together.”

When she first entered the corporate world, she thought there might be a culture of “every man for themselves,” and while that might be the case in some places, she finds that people at WEX are always happy to help one another. “Relationships are the core of our business and I see that played out within WEX and across customers as well,” she says. “Every aspect of building a team and working with customers and prospects has been relationship-oriented.”

In fact, over the years, she has appreciated the transparency that her clients have shared about their business and what they can accomplish together. This has allowed her to get glimpses into the inner workings of other companies, creating a better combined strategy.

Finding Success Through Modeling Others

Caine has had unofficial mentors throughout her career; some began organically and helped all along the way, while others came along during certain parts of her career and helped her grow in a specific situations or roles. “I’ve taken bits and pieces from so many people and that has molded me into what I’ve become,” she says.

By participating in WEX’s Integrated Leadership Development Program in May 2015, she allowed herself to admit where she struggled as a leader and see where others saw her strengths and weaknesses. “It was a valuable experience because as a group, we would celebrate what we did well,” Caine says. “I learned that my perception of myself doesn’t always match others’ perceptions of me, which forced me to be more self-aware. This, over time, empowered my development.”

But she hearkens back to her mother as her original role model. “Growing up and watching her work every single day, she seemed to have achieved balance with career, managing a household and raising two successful kids, never complaining, and always getting it done,” she says.

That ethic is mirrored in her work today, where Caine says that her success has come from hard work, combined with focus and commitment and letting others know she’s dependable and available to them.

Seeking Balance With Family

Caine finds comfort in a balance that supports work and home life — sometimes one gets more attention than the other, which is always a work in progress.

“As passionate as I am for my contribution to WEX, my passion for family exceeds it,” she says, of her son and daughter, ages seven and six. “I want them both to know equally that they can achieve whatever they set out to,” she says, adding that the times she’s away from home are opportunities to share the wonders of the world and diversities of culture. “I want them to appreciate all there is to find, and I hope it propels them to seek adventures in their own lives.”

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Mover and Shaker: Stefanie Stewart, Vice President, Senior Real Estate Portfolio Manager, Voya Investment Management

stefanie stewart featured“Hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s important to be aggressive and vocal, but respectful. People won’t always agree with you, but in a relationship business, upholding your reputation is essential.”

Conquering a Male-Dominated Industry

These words of wisdom have helped propel Stefanie Stewart through her ascent in a traditionally male-dominated industry.

A finance and real estate major in college, Stefanie worked in student housing, which sparked her interest in commercial real estate.

A professor helped connect her with ING (now Voya) and she started as an analyst eleven years ago, working her way up through the ranks. Seven years back, she moved from an analyst to a production role with her own territory, which she names as the professional achievement she is most proud of so far – her success in exceeding production goals.

“That win was particularly sweet,” said Stefanie considering an experience she had prior to joining Voya – where she has enjoyed being supported throughout her career.

“I was given an interview as a courtesy. At the end, the male manager said, ‘The commercial real estate industry is a good ol’ boys network, I don’t think it’s a place for a young woman.’” Stefanie used the experience to motivate her.

“It is a male-dominated industry, and when I made the transition from analyst to producer I wondered if I would be as successful as the guys at building external relationships. Typically, at first, you start with people lending their relationships, but then you have to build your own book of business,” she notes. Stefanie is proud that she’s been able to succeed and build a reputation for herself in the industry, with the support of her team.

Building Relationships to Build Your Career

A member of Path Builders early on in her career, she has also taken advantage of a variety of women’s networking events.

Stefanie has found sponsorship to be important in her career, with managers who have been committed to putting her in front of senior managers. She says she was fortunate that she was part of the mentoring program while making the transition, which was great timing to help her navigate the waters professionally and even politically.

She also credits much of her growth to managers in the group who have given her opportunities that she acknowledges she often wasn’t yet ready for – some of which filled her with fear, whether it was being in front of senior managers, a complex deal or participating on a panel. In hindsight, each was pivotal in her career. “They have only made me better, and now I look forward to some of these situations that make me uncomfortable, because I know they will give me the opportunity to continue to grow.”

She has had many role models along the way too, and knows that sometimes they can serve as a model of as much what not to do as what to do. “I’ve learned a lot by observing how people handle things under stress or react to criticism, and it has helped me remember that you can always learn from positive feedback.” External role models who are navigating similar challenges, from different sides of the equation, can also be helpful as a sounding board.

Her experience in the real estate program at Florida State University prepared her well for the real estate business, and she now serves as a mentor for recent graduates of the program, as well as visiting to provide case studies for the classes and sitting on a real estate trends conference planning committee. “If I can help a 22 year-old find their way, that is very gratifying to me,” she says.

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Mover and Shaker: Carey Ryan, Director, Citi

carey ryanBy Cathie Ericson

Hard work is a key component, but just one of many that will lead to success, finds Citi’s Carey Ryan.

She says she put her head down and produced for years, which worked well until she moved into more senior roles and had an instance that reframed her thinking: She had thought she had hit one project out of the park only to find out she had completely missed the mark.

“After I got over the shell shock, I analyzed what I’d missed, and part of it was that I hadn’t put the time and effort into thoroughly understanding my audience and their motivation and what was driving them,” she says, noting that when she looks at other similar moments when she didn’t do as well as she’d hoped it almost always leads back to a need to think more critically about the audience.

That has led to one of her favorite mottos that she picked up at a sales training years ago: “So what?” Ryan believes you have to ask that question every day from the perspective of your audience and the people you’re interacting with to successfully meet their needs.

She also believes a little luck is necessary, but it’s difficult to come by without the hard work. She echoes that success needs that hard work, but also includes understanding your audience; identifying where you can bring true value; and realizing that it’s ok to fear change but it’s important to always find the opportunity in any situation.

A Career Built on Adaptation

Learning to adapt has been the cornerstone of her path upward from the beginning, with her first job at a small software company in Portland, Ore., as a technical writer. She was hired after she sent a blind resume and letter; they mentioned the available writing job and she said “Sure, I can do that!”

As someone who sees life with a “glass-half-full perspective,” Ryan found that while she didn’t love the exact position, being part of the small software company gave her the opportunity to do a little bit of everything – such as going on client implementations and testing software — whatever was needed when and where it was needed.

“During this first phase of my career I learned to experience entrepreneurial thinking and the impact each individual has on revenue and expense — how everything is connected to drive success.”

The firm was acquired by a larger software company that spent a period of time trying to figure out the right place for the division, which meant she had to learn to adapt to various management styles and goals. She moved into product management and experienced working in a bigger environment where change was a constant.

Through one of the reorganizations, she and a few of her colleagues moved to the company’s headquarters in New Jersey. Two years later, she came with a sponsor to Citi, where she again learned to adapt to a larger environment — 350,000 people at the time.

She’s been at Citi 11 years now, and is currently part of the Chief Operating Office that serves the global Institutional Clients Group (ICG) Operations and Technology organization. One of her team’s responsibilities is to increase the focus on program management for the organization.

“It’s the kind of challenge that is exciting to me, to find ways to create an impact across the global organization,” she says.

“I am proud of the path I’ve taken and the collection of achievements that have allowed me to navigate the various changing roles I’ve held and the teams I’ve served.”

Those roles have reinforced that you don’t have to know “what you want to be when you grow up.”

“I always thought you had to know and since that wasn’t my bent, it caused me a lot of stress at first,” she says, adding that she considers herself an ambitious person so it took her a while to realize how those two qualities can blend. “My strength is in my utility, that I can play the role that is needed at the time,” she says, noting that the vision of a career as a jungle gym, not a ladder, is an apt description for hers.

In fact, she says that if you had asked her five years ago if this is what she would be doing, she would have said no. “But the organization had a need, and my team views it as an opportunity to set the path going forward to achieve our goals and drive value for the organization.”

The Power of Relationships in Success

Ryan notes that before she headed to Citi, her sponsor advocated for her for a position in a business about which she truly didn’t know much; yet he was certain she had the skill sets he needed. “He put me forward in a situation where I would not have been successful without that support,” she says.

Over the years she has been fortunate to have role models like him and others who she describes as fearless individuals who tackle challenges with poise; strategic thinkers who can see the path forward and connect the dots before others do; straight shooters who tell it like it is; and individuals who always put the good of the team and the organization first. “All of these strong leaders have demonstrated skills to emulate.”

Ryan became involved with Citi’s Women’s Leadership Council a few years ago when she was invited to a training on executive presence and personal brand. The people she met there spurred her to get more involved and she has since found the group has provided value through skill development, networking and peer coaching.

She is also actively involved in Citi’s diversity initiatives, focused on driving not only women but other diverse groups forward for the good of the business.

Ryan is now in her third year co-chairing the Emerging Talent Program, a group composed of Vice President and Senior Vice President-level women who have graduated from the Developing Talent Program and want to continue building their network and skills to move their careers forward.

Finally, the relationship that powers her the most is her “amazing family.” She says that her husband and parents are her partners in making her life work and keeping things moving – from the big things, to the more mundane, like making sure her four-year-old daughter has clean socks to wear.
She also counts her friends as a key support system. “It’s not just the family you’re given but the family you choose, and I am lucky that both of these families are incredible.”

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Mover and Shaker: Susan Nicholson, Director of Product and Marketing, WEX Australia

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 By Cathie Ericson
Susan Nicholson says she always assumed that her degree coupled with hard work would equal success. “Those elements are your ticket to play, but hard work is not enough,” she found.Susan
In addition, she says, “You have to demonstrate mastery, but also align yourself to deliver on key outcomes and be a well-rounded leader. If you don’t work well with others, your ability to move up in the organization is hampered.”
She herself has found that a key to success is always delivering on what she has promised, which creates trust and respect in your network.
 
Growing Her Career and Her Team
 
After earning her graduate degree, she got her start in the buying office for Myer department stores (at the time part of the Coles Myer/WESFARMERS retail group). Over a 13 year career at WESFARMERS, Nicholson worked across their business units from department stores to supermarkets and then focusing much of her time on getting the organization to unlock the insights from their rich data through POS, scheme, shareholder and loyalty programs. She participated in the launch of a Coles Supermarket scheme card they worked on with GE, and after that worked with GE for five years, before joining WEX four years ago where she is currently in the role of Director of Product & Marketing for the Asia Pacific region.
Seeking to emulate the qualities of leaders she has admired over the years, Nicholson says the professional achievement she is most proud of so far is her growth as a leader. She particularly appreciates any chance to instill confidence in women who haven’t yet developed it. “I love to empower them to understand their potential to have a great career,” she says. “When you see your team grow and their accomplishments be recognized it is a commendation of your own role.”
 
“I’ve been able to build a diverse, highly accountable team. While the skills of the team are very different, the values are shared. That’s one of the reasons we all enjoy continuing to push, challenge and improve on what we are doing”
 
“The work we have been doing over the past couple of years in the innovation and digital space has created a great energy across the team and the broader business, and WEX Australia has earned recognition by being named one of the top 50 most innovative companies in Australia for 2016.”
 
In terms of career advice, Nicholson would also encourage others to continue to keep their skill set current. “What are you doing to develop yourself? How are you externally focused? Do you understand your customer needs and pain points? What could be the disrupters to the way you do business?” she challenges.
 

Right now she is looking forward to an imminent fuel card program launch which will bring one of the missing ingredients they’ve been looking for in their existing product sets. “I am excited for the potential for that launch and a big focus on expanding in Asia, which will be a positive challenge for our team.”

 

Career Lessons Learned

While she notes that mistakes will always happen, the most crucial component is how you deal with them; for example by exuding a calmness and having the ability to logically work out next steps to arrive at a solution. Your take away should be what you have learned from the experience and building on that.
 
“Seeing how someone mitigates failure is one of the most telling aspects of their character”
 
In addition she recommends always being ready to jump in to any project and give it your best. “If someone gives you an opportunity, put your hand up so that you can be involved in the newest and most interesting things, which is where you are bound to learn the most,” she advises.
 
“In today’s environment you need to create a culture and be a willing participant in a culture that isn’t afraid of failure, brave enough to try something new and figuring out new paths for organizational growth. Working with companies such as WEX with the freedom to explore, build and grow is really important to me in terms of career satisfaction,” she says.
 
That attitude has led Nicholson to be active in many groups, both internal and external. She was involved in the GE Women’s Network and now at WEX has been active in the Women in Payments Australian Symposiums. WEX is one of the first sponsors of that group in Australia, which fosters a network for women in the payments industry.
 
WEX is currently planning its third sponsorship of the event, which has been a positive way to raise the company’s profile, as well as leverage the network and introduce others to the fact that there is an exciting career path in payments.
 
WEX has a robust leadership program that has given her a lesson she is happy to bring home. “I want to make sure I am giving my two young children the time they need to watch them grow,” she says, a life balance encouraged by WEX.
 
This holistic view has also inspired her to find time to squeeze in fitness and other pursuits. “I am happier and more productive when I achieve a healthy balance in all parts of my life.”  
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Mover and Shaker: Peggy Watson, Vice President, Product Management, North American Fleet for WEX

peggy watsonBy Cathie Ericson

Peggy Watson believes that respect and relationships are the cornerstone for success. She has found that it’s vital to take the time to know what matters to people: Whether you’re trying to close a deal or get the best from an employee, if you know what makes them tick and address it in a genuine way, you will be successful.

“Being genuine and having respect will allow you to build relationships that will help you move forward together,” she says.

A Successful Career at WEX – With One Detour

Watson has spent the majority of her 30-year career in marketing, starting with a position in high school doing management and marketing for a pizza chain. It not only sparked her love for food, she jokes, but also gave her the business bug and an enduring curiosity for how businesses tick and promote themselves.

She joined WEX in 1998 where she has held various roles for the past 18 years with only one brief departure.

“I loved my job and got a lot of energy and satisfaction from it, but at one point after I had reached a director level position, I had the opportunity to try something totally different which I thought was my calling – that would allow me to combine my love of business with my love of food,” she says. She joined a small catering business, working with the owner to expand its reach; although she wasn’t sure it would be the right fit, she told herself to be bold and take a chance because if she didn’t try it she would always wonder what might have been.

The wonder ceased soon after she joined as she realized that she was better suited to corporate marketing. “I have always enjoyed cooking and entertaining, but I realized my joy comes from doing it for people whom I love, and the job took me away from that.”

Her boss at WEX had encouraged her to return if her other opportunity didn’t work out so soon she was back, feeling more confident and bolder in her career after the learning experience. “It was an amazing experience, from which I learned a lot, and have no regrets.”

After she returned to WEX she eventually moved into a role where she was overseeing both product and marketing and supervising a large team. “That’s one of the benefits I’ve experienced while working at WEX. There’s always a new challenge.”

Overseeing the Challenges of the Future

Backed by a company always looking to increase the speed with which it moves and innovates, Watson enjoys building teams and is now relishing the challenge of building a repeatable and scalable process for taking customer insights and turning them into valuable products solutions for customer.

One important industry innovation she is tracking is the intersection of payments, mobile technology and the connected car, which has the potential to have a major impact on their business model going forward. “I believe that the concept of a driverless car will be a reality within my career,” she says.

Realities of the Corporate World

When reflecting on what she expected in the business world, Watson shares a vision common among young professionals – the glamour of corporate travel. While she appreciates the opportunities she has had to go interesting places and meet people, she soon found out, as many do, that on the whole travel takes its toll.

Mentors Helped Her Achieve

Over the years Watson has had a number of advocates who have helped with both visibility and building confidence. Along with multiple positive role models, she had one in particular who showed her what not to do — a boss early in her career who seemed to enjoy working in a chaotic environment and would create fire drills to watch the staff respond. Watson quickly learned that when there is actual deadline stress, you want the team to take it seriously and be at their best, rather than having it be a regular occurrence.

On the other hand, she mentions a boss who offers two traits Watson tries to emulate. “She was the smartest person I’ve ever known, but she used her knowledge to be inclusive rather than exclusive. She was the smartest person in the room, but she never made anyone feel less so. “Her knowledge was deep and wide, and she was generous with it, rather than imperious.” Watson says that she learned that sharing information leads to strong, trusting relationships that will positively impact your career.

Watson also appreciated the team perspective her mentor offered, understanding what each person brought to the table and how it fulfilled the whole picture.

“She brought me on the team to fill a gap. She herself was a very talented writer, and once when I struggled for days trying to write a piece she stopped me and said, ‘Don’t struggle with that, as I can do it easily. Instead, I need you to manage the production of the publication because I’m dreadful at that.’” That’s when Watson says she learned to look for complementary skills rather than clones when pulling a team together.

Watson appreciates the educational opportunities she’s been offered at WEX, including an integrated leadership development program of which a significant component was working with an executive coach. “That relationship has been enormously helpful in developing my career and refining my future goals and how to achieve them.” Watson notes that she’s often been tapped for a positon even when she wasn’t certain she was ready, but the rapport she’d developed with the coach allowed her to see the possibilities and embrace the challenges by taking the risk and putting herself out there.

In one instance, she put her hat in the running for a bigger job that she wouldn’t have considered without her coach’s encouragement. Though she didn’t end up in the position, the process was extremely empowering and built a feeling of confidence for the next opportunity.

A Love of Cooking Permeates All Aspects of Her Life

When not working, Watson continues to indulge her love of cooking and entertaining; in fact she says it’s not unusual for her and her husband to have dinner guests two or even three times a week. “I learned a lot in the short time I switched careers, and now I can whip up a dinner party for 20 in two hours,” she says with a laugh.

And although her catering venture wasn’t a good career fit, she continues to help friends with special occasions. Using cooking as a creative outlet has threaded throughout her career, even to her philanthropic pursuits, where she delights in helping in soup kitchens and food drives.

Career Lessons

There are two important lessons I’ve learned over the course of my career, she says. “First, take risks – you always learn something from them, and the more you do it the less scary they are. And second, respect people: Understand where they are coming from and understand what they do well and give them the opportunity to use those skills.”

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Mover and Shaker: Chenelle Manley, Manager at National Professional Services, PwC US

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chenelle manleyBy Cathie Ericson

Sometimes the best career advice is the most enduring, finds Chenelle Manley, who took to heart basic lessons gleaned from her parents and grandparents that are simple yet effective. While you can learn all the client and technical knowledge you need, there are some lessons that can’t be taught – being punctual, and having a positive, can-do attitude, for example.

“Have a good work ethic; but don’t feel obligated to tell people you’re working hard because it should be apparent,” she says. Those enduring lessons have been the cornerstone of a successful career at PwC.

A Successful Career at PwC

“If I was talking to my 21-year-old self I would tell her that time goes by fast,” says Manley, noting how fast her tenure at PwC has flown.
She began as an intern in the Detroit office after her sophomore year of college at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, as part of a diversity and inclusion program known then as PwC eXceed. She was one of the fortunate ones to receive both a scholarship and internship, which she counts as one of her best learning experiences where she could get to know everyone at PwC without the pressure of juggling client work.
She completed two more client service internships, and for the third, begged her recruiter to let her try out the Private Company Services group in New York. It ended up being the perfect fit and she joined in 2009, spending seven years there until this fall when she transitioned to the National Professional Services Group.
While she was previously primarily working on audits, now she will split time between two groups, since the National Professional Services Group supports engagement teams and helps with thought leadership on financial accounting standard setting. “I’m excited not only to meet new people, but also to increase my technical expertise. You don’t always have the chance to flex specific muscles unless a client has those needs.”

Rising With the Support of Others

When Manley first joined the workforce, she thought that as a black woman she might have to work harder, but never felt that pressure at PwC. In addition, she worried that in such a big firm, she might just be a number but over the years she’s found that not to be true at all. “I feel I have always been supported both personally and in my career growth,” she says, noting that her recent transfer came about because of robust partner support that allowed her to look into different opportunities.

Through this move she has learned that the partners truly are a resource. Initially hesitant to mention leaving her group since she admired her partners and clients and had great working relationships, she notes that the partners have been supportive of her path. “It’s scary to raise your hand and want to make a change when you’re doing well, but having those conversations with partners empowered me to take the leap – they were so much more helpful than I had envisioned. It was the first time I had activated that specific network.”

As she realized, her partners would rather see someone make a great career move within the firm than leave. She says the bonds extend to the personal side as well; when she was looking for a new house, her partners offered her help and advice. “You expect that from friends and family but when it’s from a relationship at work, it’s surprising and appreciated.”

Over the years she has been involved in a number of internal mentoring programs, including the Vanguard program that was particularly helpful when she joined it within her first month at PwC. She has seen the power that sponsorship can have, noting that it doesn’t have to be loud but often moves in silence, when you have no idea that someone knows your work product or even your name.

“The mentor prepares you for your next role, but the sponsor champions you in areas that are out of your hands,” she says. “I’ve had people help me land on the right engagements and take advantage of the right programs, which has furthered my development. That support is crucial to elevating your career.”

When Manley first interned in New York, there was only one black female in her group in the metro office, a senior associate who had become a manager by the time Manley joined full-time. “She was a hard worker, highly regarded by partners and staff, with high integrity,” Manley says. “Although we didn’t frequently work together, she made a point of furthering our connection by sending emails to check in and see how I was doing. She was that person who was always there and offered her experience, and to me that is the best definition of a role model.”

Currently pregnant with her first child, Manley looks forward to accessing PwC’s working moms’ groups, such as Mentor Moms, which is PwC’s effort to match women returning from maternity leave with experienced mothers who are successfully juggling family and careers. She has seen the value that PwC puts in its working moms by providing support and resources that didn’t exist even 10 years ago. “It used to be that in order to succeed at work, you had to have a crazy schedule that might infringe on family time, but that’s no longer the case,” she says.

Traveling, Volunteering and Spending Time with Family

With days about to be even fuller once her baby arrives, Manley appreciates the support she receives from her family. Avid travelers, she and her husband head out whenever they spot a great travel deal, and have recently visited Dubai, Italy and Costa Rica, among other locales. As Manley notes, PwC’s policies make it very possible to take vacations. Manley is also an active volunteer and has fun assisting her husband, a civil engineer by day and a photographer by night, who often taps her as an “unofficial model.”

“It takes me out of my comfort zone and is so different from my normal job,” she says.

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Mover and Shaker: Kristin Manning, Equity Analyst at Voya Investment Management

Kristin ManningBy Cathie Ericson

“It’s crucial in this business to stay humble and truthful with yourself,” says Kristin Manning, equity analyst at Voya Investment Management. Over the years she’s seen much success, which she credits in part to being able to maintain a level clarity, especially during difficult times. “Recognizing when something has changed and avoiding compounding one bad decision with another is key,” she says. “Learning from mistakes is a huge part of anyone’s growth in this industry, including my own.”

Building a Career by Capitalizing on Opportunities

Manning began her career in a rotational program with Strong Capital Management, with the ultimate goal to move to the investment department. When one of Strong’s top portfolio managers had an opening for an administrative assistant, she applied, knowing he had a history of promoting his assistants. She took that leap of faith to get her foot in the door and within six months was promoted to an open analyst position.

In 2006 she joined ING (now Voya) as a financial analyst and progressed through several roles, ending as assistant portfolio manager of a midcap fund in 2012. At that time, she decided to relocate with her young family to be near her Midwest roots. She accepted a position as an analyst at Waddell and Reed in Kansas City, where she stayed until her former boss at Voya reached out and asked if she would consider returning to his team working remotely. She agreed, and is now a senior consumer analyst on Voya’s growth team. She spends one week a month in New York City and the rest in a small Voya sales office in Kansas City – an arrangement that works very well for her as a working mother.

The industry continues to fascinate her, including the current interplay between technology and consumer industries. “When you think of retail and e-commerce, media and the emergence of online video options, or mobile ordering at restaurants, there’s virtually no area of the consumer industry untouched by technology, which is exciting and challenging at the same time.”

Relationships Contribute to Success

The professional achievement she is most proud of so far is a basic one: breaking into the industry at all, given that she had what she calls a relatively unremarkable background with no connections to the finance world. “I had to prove myself, and I am fortunate there were people at Strong who believed in me and gave me opportunities.”

When she first started in the industry, she hoped her hard work would be rewarded and is proud to have worked in firms that reward professionals based on merit, rather than their ability to play politics.

Over the years, her career has been elevated through the relationships she has built, including one with the manager who ran the rotational program at Strong, who was instrumental in securing that first assistant position. “That was critical to my success,” she notes, as was the assistance she received from her current manager Jeff Bianchi, who invited her back to Voya after relocating. .

In addition, she mentions role models such as Ann Miletti, now lead portfolio manager at Wells Capital (formerly Strong), who mentored Manning early in her investment career. Manning notes that Miletti also came to the investment industry from a non-traditional avenue, and has had great success in the industry, all while remaining down-to-earth and juggling the dual demands of career and family.

Finding the Balance

Manning acknowledges Voya’s role in allowing her to succeed as both a professional and mother, mentioning the firm has always been supportive of women.. “It’s paid off in terms of attracting and retaining top talent,” she says.

Now the mom of two daughters, ages 2 and 5, she believes it’s important to be a role model for them and the next generation of women. Manning loves to travel and has started introducing her girls to new places in order to expand their perspectives of the world, with recent trips to Germany and St. Lucia.

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Movers and Shakers: Donna Bobbish, Counsel, Shearman & Sterling LLP

Donna BobbishBy Cathie Ericson

One of Donna Bobbish’s secrets to success is to prepare as much as possible. Even for those situations that don’t seem to take evident preparation, you will be better served if you devote five minutes to thinking about how you’re going to approach something; for example, breaking a problem or a project into pieces or figuring out who you need to call. “It not only improves outcomes, but it can reduce stress,” she notes.

A Dynamic Career in Government and Private Practice

Bobbish’s path has woven in and out of government service and private practice. She started her career working part time at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in the natural gas certificates department as a law clerk while in law school at Georgetown. She remained at FERC for about seven years as a law clerk in the Office of Administrative Law Judges, an attorney adviser in the Office of the General Counsel, Electric Rates and Corporate Regulation, and as a trial attorney in the Office of General Counsel, Gas and Oil Litigation.

She subsequently practiced energy regulatory law at private firms in Washington, D.C., and also served at the Department of Energy as a political appointee in the Clinton administration. She joined the Project Development and Finance Group in Shearman’s Washington, D.C., office in 2015. As Counsel in Shearman’s PDF Group, she advises clients on energy regulatory matters.

One of her proudest achievements during her time at DOE was helping the government of South Africa draft a natural gas downstream pipeline act that was eventually enacted into law after Nelson Mandela became president. That involved regular travel to South Africa to meet with interest groups, shareholders and government officials.

“It really took someone sitting down and putting pen to paper and coming up with something that could be discussed and marked up,” she says describing the process. She then returned to Washington where she researched South African laws and drafted a law for circulation so the various groups could examine something tangible.

Over the years, she has confronted what she terms a “false stereotype” that government work is easier than private practice, but she has found the same level of energy and professionalism in all of her positions.

And because of her lengthy history with the energy sector, she says she is certainly staying informed about what may lie ahead with a new administration.

Support Plays a Key Role

Sponsorships have been a theme in her success; as she says, it’s important not just for your own personal advancement, but is also a key to moving projects forward. Having solid relationships allows you to seek the internal support you may need by calling on stakeholders to ask them to put in a positive word for the project.

And proving that inspiration can come from various sources, Bobbish has worked with many role models over the years, yet names the fictional character Horace Rumpole (“Rumpole of the Bailey”) as one she particularly admires, “for a number of qualities.” “He is real to me,” she says, laughing.

Noting her Midwest roots, Bobbish admits that she used to be reluctant to ask for help and recognizes that mindset in friends and relatives, who may also be hesitant to call elected officials to discuss an issue. But her experience in D.C. showed her that you can ask for help and support – even from those higher up. “You may never have met them, but you can ask for support; the worst they can say is ‘no,’ and even then, the sky won’t fall in. And, they might say ‘yes!’”

Now that she has advanced in her career, she believes it is vital for women to assist other women. “We know the obstacles in climbing the career ladder,” she says. “I have been helped by many women over the years, and I feel a sense of obligation to return the favor where I can.”

She says women need to reach out with both sponsorship – putting in a good word for others – and mentorship — where you can help a woman navigate a particular situation — through formal and informal networks. “And don’t be afraid to ask for help!”

Key to Bobbish’ career success has been the support of family, particularly her husband, Scott Perkins, as well as other family members. “It has allowed me to focus on projects and know the lights are on at home when I’m traveling the world, or it has taken the form of a listening ear when I need advice on issues and problems. You don’t succeed alone.”

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