Young Women Speak Up on Changing the World

young black businesswomanBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Despite the World Economic Forum’s controversial “quota” system of inviting one woman for every four men to its annual meeting at Davos, the ratio of women in attendance remained small this year. Only 17% of those in attendance last month were female, and, only 20% of those invited to speak on panels were women.

But according to The Guardian’s Jane Martinson, the WEF is standing by its quota system, and hopes that time will bring more women to the table. The organization believes that by engaging more women in top-level decision-making, the economic situation around the world will improve. She wrote, “This idea plays into one theme of this year’s Davos: that as the current economic and political crisis was made by men, the inclusion of more women can only help matters.”

She also quoted Cherie Blair, who had a more pointed take on the situation. “If the world doesn’t start giving a proper platform for women, then it will fall flat on its face.”

While Davos struggled to increase its percentage of establishment women, a group of dynamic young women presented big ideas to leading under-30 change agents at last month’s Sandbox Global Summit in Lisbon, Portugal (where 31% of conference participants were women).

Waiting for change at the top is no longer an option, remarked Kelly Calvin, winner of one of six Bloomberg Businssweek fellowships to the Lisbon conference. She believes it is critical for leaders to pay attention to young women when it comes to our global future, and, she said, many global leaders have not yet realized why.

“I think it should be clear, but unfortunately it’s obviously not clear to today’s leaders. There are more young women going to college and graduate school than ever before, and, in America, more women than men. We are entering the workforce in unprecedented numbers, we are starting businesses like never before, and in a very short time it will no longer be an oddity to see a female global leader, but an expectation.”

She added, “They need to pay attention to us now because our voices are the voices of the very near future.”

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Movers and Shakers: Anika Khan, Vice President, Economist, Wells Fargo

AnikaKhanBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Anika Khan, Vice President and Economist at Wells Fargo, said one key to advancing your career is cultivating a broad knowledge base – but also developing an expertise in a field you are passionate about.

She explained, “If I was to think of one thing I wish I knew when I was starting out it would be to be an expert in something, but know a little bit about everything.”

“When you begin your career, you’re trying to get a sense of everything. But when I became a subject matter expert my career really gained upward momentum.”

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Voice of Experience: Lisa Sawicki, Partner, Assurance, PwC

LisaSawickiBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Be proud of your accomplishments,” advised Lisa Sawicki, an assurance partner in PwC’s Charlotte office, and national diversity leader of the firm’s assurance practice.

“I still think we have a dynamic, even among successful women, to be less forthcoming with their accomplishments. Be confident and willing to talk about them!”

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Voice of Experience: Rosalie Mandel, Principal, New Jersey Office, Rothstein Kass

RosalieMandelBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“As a woman in a challenging industry, making principal is something I’m extremely proud of. But working on a flex schedule while I did it is even more of an achievement for me,” said Rosalie Mandel, Principal of the alternative investments accounting firm Rothstein Kass‘s New Jersey office. Mandel is an exuberant supporter of women in accounting, she believes that firms can be more successful when they fully support the work/life needs of their employees. That means supporting talented women with flexible schedules that make sense for their individual lives.

She said, “I really don’t believe in work/life balance – I believe in integration. How do you define success? That’s your balance.”

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Voice of Experience: Paula L. Rogers, President, Institutional Capital

PaulaRogersBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“Right now what I love about the industry is how dynamic it is,” said Paula Rogers, President of the Chicago-based investment firm Institutional Capital.

She explained, “Things are constantly changing, constantly improving, constantly evolving. I love this industry and it has provided me with a rewarding career.”

Rogers provided some key insight into how she’s built a rewarding career in investments and how women can rise to the top of the industry.

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Voice of Experience: Ivka Kalus-Bystricky, Portfolio Manager, Pax World

IvkakalusBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Ivka Kalus-Bystricky, Portfolio Manager at Pax World Funds, one of the most critical lessons she’s realized over the years is the importance of learning to cope – with both lows and highs.

“This business can be a somewhat bipolar world, particularly in volatile markets such as we have seen of late,” she said. “Although you may not fully realize that before you get in, you really do have to develop coping strategies. Investing is ultimately about putting all your bets on the table against the market and against your peers. And, like the song goes, ‘you gotta know when to hold ’em and you gotta know when to fold ’em.’”

She continued, “Your hand can be either a winner or a loser, and it really depends on what everybody else is holding. It comes down to having a strong, consistent investment discipline, and to timing, and perhaps a little bit to luck on occasion, but there’s always a good deal of uncertainty. You go through long periods of time when what you’re holding – your strategy – is just not working, and it can get quite frustrating. But then sometimes, to use a surfing metaphor, you’re right in the tube. You feel like the biggest genius in the world.”

“You have to learn to attenuate both the highs and the lows. You have to develop a really structured framework to prevent your emotions from getting in the way,” she explained. “It means taking a disciplined approach to the market.”

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Movers and Shakers: Lisa Davis, Director, Global Product Manager, Global Transaction Services, Citi

LisaDavisBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Networking is critical, according to Lisa Davis, Director and Global Product Manager, Citi Global Transaction Services. She said, “I want to mention the power of networking. You need to develop a network of people who can help you. Be sure that you’re networking on various levels.”

According to Davis, “Networking is a necessary tool that is underutilized. I believe the sooner you realize the power of networking, the greater your chances are of successfully navigating your career. This is especially true for women, minorities, and the LGBT population.”

“Many people are afraid to network,” she continued. “I for one am a typical introvert and I’m not always comfortable taking the initiative to meet people and interact – but when you talk about true networking, that’s what you do! Its not just about meeting people, it’s about developing relationships rather than just collecting business cards.”

She added, “When networking, you should always have your elevator speech ready and you should always make sure you have an intelligent answer and something relevant to add.”

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35 Under 35: Marion S. Regnier, Senior Associate, PwC

MarionRegnierBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“One of the things I have learned is that it’s not enough to be good at what you’re doing. You also have to network,” began Marion S. Regnier, Senior Associate in Technology consulting at PwC.

She continued, “They tell you that in school, but it’s not necessarily something I started doing when I started working. But I’ve realized that you can be very dedicated and excellent, but you still have to branch out.”

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Voice of Experience: Nanette Buziak, Senior Vice President, Head of Equity Trading, ING Investment Management

nanettebuziakBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“It feels like we have to work, in some cases, almost twice as hard as men to prove ourselves. And this becomes more of a delicate area as we progress through our careers,” said Nanette Buziak, Senior Vice President and Head of Equity Trading at ING Investment Management.

She continued, “We don’t want to come across as too aggressive, and that can mean walking the right balance of being aggressive and passionate about what you do, so that you are considered for opportunities as they come up.”

Buziak has learned to walk this balance, and she believes that the financial services industry is becoming more accepting of ambitious women. Recently honored with a Trailblazer Award by Traders Magazine, she told a room of 200 during her acceptance speech:

“Too often is the case of a woman who is high-performing and striving to advance in her career who can get defined as being too aggressive and pushy, whereas men who work hard to succeed and who are assertive often get described as being driven. Our industry has made great efforts to remedy that perception and in providing more support to women to help them in this regard. But there is still a lot more work to be done.”

Hopefully, as passionate and high-performing women become more visible in the industry, that balancing-act will become easier.

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Voice of Experience: Lee A. Merkle-Raymond, Strategic Solutions Executive, Bank of America Merrill Lynch

leemerkleraymondBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Lee A. Merkle-Raymond, Strategic Solutions Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, is enthusiastic about the career opportunities within the banking industry. “Banking is core to the local economy, the national economy, the global economy,” she said. “Banking is a great opportunity for career growth – and a firm like Bank of America Merrill Lynch has a wealth of job types and roles. If you have the drive and can deliver results, you can have just about any type of career you’d like in a large global bank.”

She explained that the ability to help her clients achieve their strategic objectives – like raising capital, making acquisitions, or achieving other goals – is a point of pride for her. “Often the solutions that are most complex are the toughest to get through. But the greater the challenge, the greater your feeling of accomplishment.”

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