Thought Leaders: Ranji Nagaswami on Leadership, Investing, and Managing Your Career

Ranji Nagaswami“I am very concerned and alarmed at issues of financial integrity,” began Ranji Nagaswami, former Chief Investment Advisor to Mayor Bloomberg and the City of New York when asked about what institutional investors see as the important issues facing the buy-side.

Nagaswami spent over two decades successfully climbing the ranks of the investment management industry in the private sector. Then, in 2010, she took a job with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg in the City of New York (NYC), where she would work on solutions to one of the administration’s biggest challenges: pension funding and managing investment risks of the NYC Retirement Systems’ $120 Billion plus in pension assets.

She was tasked with illuminating the administration and NYC Pension Board’s understanding of the drivers of the current pension crisis and successfully persuaded various stakeholders (with contentious mutual relationships to say the least), to restructure New York’s pension investments policy with an eye toward better balancing the long term risks. Having seen the buy-side from the unique vantage points of a manager and an institutional investor, she sees the need to change the tone of leadership in the investment industry as a whole as critical to furthering the interests of beneficiaries and shareholders – who, she says, “after all we are all in the industry to serve.”

“For over a decade now there have been deep issues surrounding our conduct as investment and financial services professionals. It is not just the conduct of the few who epitomized the worst behaviors during the accounting / insider trading / mortgage lending / leverage induced scandals, I am talking about all investors – research analysts, portfolio managers and financial advisors who bear our share of responsibility through our collective complacency in failing to enforce higher standards of due diligence and fiduciary behavior,” Nagaswami said. “We need to set a higher bar, a far more robust code of conduct for the asset management industry that sees improving end-investor outcomes as its ultimate mission. But to build a higher ethical culture we need leaders in the asset management industry who hold themselves accountable on this dimension. Thinking through standards to create accountability is deeply linked to the future of finance.”

“We need leaders who have the right values and prioritize integrity over asset gathering and profits.”

She added, “These may sound like easily said platitudes, but to many thoughtful investors it is very real and goes to the core of rebuilding confidence in the US financial system.” Nagaswami sits on the CFA Institute’s Asset Manager Code of Conduct Committee, but also uses her many public speaking opportunities to drive this issue home.

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Voice of Experience: Leah Modigliani, Senior Vice President, Investment Strategy and Risk, Neuberger Berman

Modigliani_Leah_PicBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Be yourself,” advised Leah Modigliani, Senior Vice President of Investment Strategy and Risk at Neuberger Berman. She has spent her career studying risk and advising investors on how to manage it. Today, she works with pension funds, endowments, and foundations as a multi-asset class strategist. She encouraged young women to find a way to link their professional interests with their passion.

“Find a way to match what you are interested in with an organization that does it well. Rather than looking to conform, pursue what you are interested in, in a style that’s yours and find a place where you can do that.”

She also encouraged senior executive women to be more vocal about their achievements. “We have to speak up. Understand how to be assertive without being aggressive – there’s a clear distinction in my mind. Then set your expectations high and go for it.”

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Intrepid Woman: Jacki Zehner on Bringing Wonder Woman to the Big Screen

JackiZehnerBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Until the early 2000s, Jacki Zehner was focused on building a stellar career on Wall Street. When she was named partner at Goldman Sachs, she was the youngest woman and the first female trader to have done so.

But upon getting involved in leadership, she began to develop a passion for equality that led to a fixation on the DC Comics superheroine Wonder Woman, who was famously portrayed by Lynda Carter in a 1970s television series. Zehner began questioning why a feature film on the character has never been produced.

“We should care that we see images and stories on the big screen that inspire us, rather than just entertain us, and superhero stories do this. Little kids walk out of a movie theater wanting to have super powers and save the world. The fact that there are no female super hero films in 2013 makes me crazy. I want to take my daughter to one.”

That passion for equality led her to an entire new career in philanthropy, as President of Women Moving Millions, and an outspoken commitment to fighting the status quo. It’s also opened doors to the world of film and entertainment. “I never thought about a career in film,” she explained. “My first desire was with the Wonder Woman film. It was the only thing I thought about doing until I got involved in a much bigger way. I’m now proud to be an advocate and an investor in Gamechangers, a fund that invests in women directors of feature films.”

Last week, to coincide with a new PBS documentary on Wonder Woman, Zehner and her cousin Laura Moore released a report called “Why No Wonder Woman” [PDF] on the history of the character, and why the feature film production has yet to happen. Zehner still holds out hope that it will – even if she has to write the screenplay herself. She’s asking people to help create a groundswell of support by liking the report’s facebook page and signing the petition.

She said, “Let’s ask for what we want in the world, ladies. I’m asking for it and I’m asking others to ask for it with me.”

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Voice of Experience: Anjun Zhou, PhD, Managing Director and Head of Multi-Asset Research, Mellon Capital

AnjunZhouBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Anjun Zhou, PhD, Managing Director and Head of Mutli-Asset Research at Mellon Capital, it’s important to maintain your drive for advancement. “There’s no such thing as staying where you are,” she said.

“There are people at my level who just stop pushing themselves. They say, ‘I’ve reached this point. I’m good enough.’ But if you stop continuing to improve yourself and pushing the envelope, it would do a disservice to you and your company.”

Zhou continued, “I often use the analogy of paddling upstream. If you’re not moving forward, you’re going backward. Don’t be complacent about where you are – always be competitive. This is particularly imperative for research and development. We need to be constantly innovative and think outside box; otherwise we are just going to be left behind.”

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Movers and Shakers: Siani Pearson, Senior Researcher, HP Labs Bristol

SianiPearsonBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Siani Pearson, now a principal research scientist at HP Labs Bristol, says she wishes she had had more confidence in herself when she was first starting her career. “I think I’d have been pleased to know I’d get as far as I have,” she explained. “Sometimes when you’re young, you question yourself. ‘Am I going to be successful? Am I going to make it?’”

Now 20 years into her career, over 100 papers and 60 patents later, she continued, “But if you continue pushing yourself, you will work at high levels. You never know if you’re going to like upper level work, and it is stressful. But it’s worth it.”

One of the reasons she has succeeded in her career, Pearson theorized, may be her dissatisfaction with the status quo – and she encouraged young professional women to continue setting the bar higher for themselves. “The more I did, the more I tried to reset my expectations for myself. I’ve never been satisfied.”

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Michelle Meyer, Senior U.S. Economist, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Michelle Meyer Michelle Meyer, Senior U.S. Economist at BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research, urged women to be more open to risks. “I’ve had the best career advancement from taking opportunities that are out of my comfort zone,” she said.

Meyer, who was voted one of Forbes’ “30 Under 30 in Finance” and also appears as an expert commentator on CNBC and Bloomberg, said putting herself in the spotlight was initially terrifying. “When I first started doing media, I was petrified,” she said. “It scared me immensely, not only representing myself, but also the firm. But I pushed myself and it has been one of the best things for my career.”

“When an opportunity presents itself that is challenging, uncomfortable, intimidating, or it makes you want to hide under the table, that’s just the opportunity you should take,” she added with a laugh.

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Movers and Shakers: Cheri Warren, Vice President, Asset Management, National Grid

cheriwarrenBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Cheri Warren, Vice President of Asset Management at National Grid, is fascinated by the potential of the power grid to change the way people live their lives. As head of the company’s smart grid initiative – called Utility of the Future – she said, “We are on the precipice of transformation and I’m really proud to be a part of that.”

Her passion for the energy space grew out of her early interest in engineering in high school and college. She explained that her Girl Scout troop leader was an Air Force recruiter and encouraged her to apply for an Air Force ROTC scholarship so she afford college. Even though the scholarship was delayed, because this was the ’80’s and a computer glitch declared her “legally dead” for a few months, she never wavered. she recalled. “Going to school would make all the difference in the world.”

Warren dreamed of joining NASA’s space shuttle program, so she studied electrical engineering for her bachelor’s degree and then followed that with a master’s degree in engineering. But, after injuring her knee while training for a marathon, she realized she would have to seek a new path. Nevertheless, her engineering background gave her a boost, she said. “Having that advantage helped a lot as I continued throughout my career.”

After landing an internship at GE, Warren found herself fascinated with the utilities industry, particularly the power industry. “I got really lucky,” she said. “I got a job at PTI [Power Technologies International], which is now owned by Siemens, and by my second summer I was redesigning how to protect the power system from lightning strikes.”

She worked in electric distribution consulting in the early ’90s and then moved into information systems for a few years then back to T&D studies before joining a management consulting firm. After 9/11, Warren’s interest in the power grid was further invigorated. “I decided to work for National Grid and I’ve never looked back,” she said.

Today, as National Grid’s Vice President of Asset Management, Warren is responsible for all of the company’s electric transmission and distribution assets where she and her team invest about $1 billion each year on behalf of customers, as well as the company’s smart grid activities. “The smart grid is transforming the industry. It will mean a better grid that allows people to live their lives in different ways,” Warren explained. “The grid we have today is 125 years old. I have a line that Edison himself built and it’s still alive today. Clearly it’s time for innovation.”

She is also enjoying the people-management part of her job. “The people development aspect is incredible to me right now. There’s a point in your career where you go from mentee to mentor, and then you’re a mentor with a capital M,” Warren explained. “One of my top lieutenants was trying to make the next step and become VP for a few years, and I’m proud to say he was promoted in January.”

Warren is also a member of the industry group IEEE and is on it’s board of directors. She got involved with IEEE as a student, but really ramped up her involvement back when she worked for PTI on the advice of her boss at the time. It has enabled her to publish papers and, in 2007, she was awarded the group’s Excellence in Power Distribution Award. “It’s a group that is changing the way we do what we do. It’s phenomenal,” she said.

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Voice of Experience: Jane Buchan, CEO and Managing Director, PAAMCO

Picture 3718By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Are there barriers for women in investment management? Yes, of course, began Jane Buchan, PhD, CEO and Managing Director at PAAMCO. “But it’s fascinating, as when I was younger I would have answered no. As you climb up through the pyramid, you see more barriers and more glass ceilings.”

She continued, “They aren’t overt issues. If we pretend that I’m Jack Buchan, not Jane Buchan, people would think I’m at the table because of what I’d done. But as a woman, more and more, you have people saying you’re just here because they ‘needed a woman.’ There are more and more questions of legitimacy, not that you’re here because you’ve earned it.”

Buchan has spent her career in investment management, and now as head of PAAMCO, an institutional fund of hedge funds, she is looking to change the way hedge funds produce returns for her clients. She also wants to see change in the way women are perceived in the industry.

“It’s very hard to deal with. I like what some organizations have done – ensuring there is a diverse pool of candidates for a position, so that it is clear when you pick a person it’s because they are the best person, not just the right gender,” she added.

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Thought Leaders: Lisa Agona, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, LexisNexis Risk Solutions

thought-leadershipLisa Agona describes herself as very thoughtful and very driven. After studying economics in college, she pursued a career in marketing for financial services and professional services companies. After climbing the ranks at Accenture to become the global marketing director for capital markets, she got a call from LexisNexis. “I actually wasn’t going to come – I loved New York City and I was satisfied at Accenture.” The role would mean moving away from the excitement of the Big Apple, and she also had the impression that the company might be a bit conservative for her tastes.

“But when I came and interviewed at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, I found it was anything but uninteresting,” she said. “The people were innovative – even ingenious. From a marketing standpoint, it was a place I could get my arms around and build transformation and new ideas into the business.” So she took the opportunity and made the move to Atlanta, unsure of what the outcome would be. That’s her first piece of advice on getting to the C-Suite – take risks.

“I was right. It was a risk that paid off. When I wake up in the morning, I can’t wait to get to work.”

Agona, now Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, shared her advice for women on breaking into the C-Suite.

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Voice of Experience: Janet George, Managing Director, Accenture Technology Labs

janetgeorgeBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Janet George, Managing Director at Accenture Technology Labs, it’s time to start viewing the differences women bring to the table as assets. “I think women are different from men. Our brain structure is different. Our leadership style is different. Our management style is different. Our career styles are different.”

“These differences are strengths when partnering and collaborating in a team environment,” continued George, a technical leader in the emerging technologies space. “They lead to richer discussions. I can tell you – there’s nothing compared to working with smart women.”

“Companies need to take advantage of the value-add that women provide. The challenge lies in under-utilization. We need advocates – both men and women – to change things,” George said. “It’s also important to have advocates in your own career. Being a deeply technical woman, in many cases, is daunting or even isolating. We deal with a lot of complexity. For years I was the only woman with a technical background in the room – and it’s very encouraging to see a changing landscape.”

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