Voice of Experience: Sally Boyle, Partner and International Head of the Human Capital Management Division, Goldman Sachs

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Sally Boyle“The tougher the job, the faster you learn,” says Sally Boyle, who began her career as an employment lawyer before seguing into human resources and now leading that division in Europe and Asia in her current role at Goldman Sachs.

Unlike many women who chart a clear path as working moms, Boyle considered taking a break from her law career before her maternity leave and broached the subject with her female boss. “She instead encouraged me to take a master’s course during that time,” Boyle recalled. Her boss was writing a book on employment law, and suggested that if Boyle chose her topics carefully, she could parlay what she was learning in school into helping her write the book.

“I was a little taken aback when she arrived at the hospital with flowers and an enormous parcel of law books, but it was good advice,” Boyle said. While she found it challenging to study with a baby, overall she felt it was the perfect opportunity to keep herself connected with academic law and her boss.

Within 14 months she had her second son and continued to work towards her master’s degree, and then three years later, she decided it was time to go back to work. Her boss was committed to helping the next generation of women live more flexible lifestyles, and Boyle opted for a part-time schedule, since her barrister husband traveled frequently.

Several years later, deciding to ease back into full-time work, she took an interim job at a smaller firm outside the city. But after three years, she was yearning to be back in London, so activated her network and joined Goldman Sachs in 1999.

The firm was about to go public and having an employment lawyer in the London office was a new venture for them too. “It was the best job in the city. I was giving advice in a territory that spanned different cultures and covered 40 cities.”

Then in 2008, Boyle was tapped to take on responsibility for Goldman Sachs’s Human Capital Management Division in Europe. “I was a little surprised, having been a lawyer all my life, to be offered this opportunity to run a regional HR division. But even though I said I didn’t know that much about it, they expressed confidence I was well suited to the role.”

Her predecessor had moved to Asia to become head of human resources there so with no transition Boyle took the position, coincidentally on the very day that Lehman Brothers met its demise. She became partner in 2010 and now oversees the human resources businesses in Europe, India and Asia.

Taking on Challenges

For Boyle, the professional achievement she is most proud of is pivoting from law to human resources. “I was able to use skills I’d acquired as a lawyer, but also needed to intuitively figure out how to lead since there was no road map.” She said that her role in human resources is much broader than what she had been doing in law – allowing her to oversee everything from gyms to childcare centers, and helping employees with every phase of their careers, from the first time they show an interest in the firm to when they leave, including training and development.

She’s particularly interested in the overlay of the millennial generation and their expectations. “The way that we’re thinking about our biggest asset, our people, has to change, and it’s fascinating to work on new ways to retain and motivate our best people.”

Reviewing her career path, she knows she was able to advance into new areas because she had confidence in other people’s assessment of her. “I wasn’t constantly wondering whether I had the skills to take on a new role; rather I said yes because the people who asked me said I could.”

She has seen the rewards of having the confidence to take the leap into new things and rather than staying complacent. She says that she was fortunate to have strong mentors and sponsors who were constantly helping her see what a smart next step would be.

A Path to the Top

Right now, Boyle is enjoying an aspect of her role helping Goldman Sachs work with women in thoughtful ways to enhance their experience. “I got this mindset from my first boss,” she says. “Rather than having an attitude of, ‘I’ve had it tough and you will too,’ she helped smooth the way.”

To that end, Boyle has worked on programs in Europe at Goldman Sachs designed to engage women on maternity leave and give them a good experience coming back to work. The program connects the manager and woman from the start to talk about expectations while she is gone and when she returns to make sure that she is well integrated during the transition time.

Additionally, Boyle advises women entering the industry to build a strong network not only within the organization but more broadly. Boyle knows this from experience: had she neglected her network, she wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to work at Goldman Sachs.

“I have confidence that women can do it all — they can be good mothers and good partners and successful workers, but you have to realize that it will be quality not quantity that will get you there.” She says that goes both ways – for family time and for work as well. “Managers need to give employees flexibility and trust them to manage their work.”

Away from the Job

An avid former tennis player, Boyle has recently turned her attention to cycling. In addition, she began golfing several years ago in an effort to join her family in one of their favorite pastimes. “It used to be my family was on the course, and I was at the spa,” she says. “But it’s an addictive game, once you start.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Beth Paul, Assurance Partner with PwC US

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Beth PaulBeth Paul made partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) after she was with the firm 13 years. A graduate from Pace University and a skilled accountant, she is guided by a quiet pragmatism and sharp intellect. These qualities give Paul a confidence and sensibility that remains down to earth despite her great success.

Paul began working at PwC directly upon graduation in 1992. Her career began in the auditing practice working on companies in the industrial products sector. After spending seven years in that sector, she joined the national professional service group for what was supposed to be a two-year tour in PwC’s SEC services group. Instead, she stayed in that group and was made a partner in 2005, a feat she acknowledges as her proudest professional achievement. “That day created a memory that will last forever. It has been 10 years, but in some ways, it feels like yesterday.”

Use feedback to build your brand

After 22 years with PwC, Paul feels that young women coming into the profession will benefit from understanding the importance of building their brand as well as some of the barriers that can prevent them from doing it most effectively. Essentially, Paul believes that your professional growth is built upon being able to hear what your co-workers, supervisors and mentors have to say about their impression of you and your work.

“You have to get candid feedback early and often. You will get different feedback at each stage of your career—but in order for you to advance, people have to be able to see you in the role. You need to be able to build a brand that allows you to project that image. That is why the feedback is so important; we can all have blinders on as to what we are really like. If you don’t get feedback, you won’t know how to progress—you can’t fix what nobody’s telling you need adjustment.”

Accessible accounting practices are best

In 2012, Paul was asked to join the firm’s accounting services group within the national professional services group as the strategic thought leader. In this role, she works with other leaders in her firm to determine the firm’s position on emerging trends in auditing, accounting and financial reporting. Paul is now deeply engaged in her new role and one of her primary goals is to help the firm share their insights and perspectives on accounting developments through new mediums, such as videos and new distribution channels such as the use of social media and PwC’s CFOdirect e-newsletter and website.

“I am most excited about the fact that we are trying new and different things, like social media, to distribute our content. We are also looking to expand our audience by tailoring the message to a variety of audiences.”

She says that one of the most interesting trends in accounting today is the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s simplification initiative.

“Thinking about ways to change the current standards to remove complexity will help reduce costs, minimize the possibility of inconsistent or incorrect application, and ultimately make it easier for all stakeholders.”

You won’t ever be in the locker room

In terms of barriers for women in her industry, Paul loops back to the importance of being able to receive feedback, and using this feedback in a productive manner instead of dwelling on it or letting it get you down. She reflects about some great advice she was given as a new partner that helped her understand this process and how it can affect women differently than men.

“I was a brand new partner, and a very seasoned female partner said to me, ‘when men are in the locker room together, they can tell each other what they did wrong, then slap each other on the butt and walk out of there with insight into what they need to do better next time. You aren’t going to be in the locker room so, you are going to need to be more proactive in how you get the feedback you need to succeed.’”

This advice helped Paul see how important it was for women to find an advocate who would not be afraid to speak openly with them about their performance. Paul is clear that women and men are definitely different, but she lays part of the responsibility to see that difference—and do something about it – with women.

“You can’t just ignore it; you have to do something about it. You have to be willing to listen to the feedback constructively because the more you are willing to listen, the more people are going to be willing to give you that feedback and help you.”

And, for the women who share a seat at her table, she believes they owe it those who are less tenured to reach out, mentor them and be engaged with the younger women making their way up the ladder.

A calm focus wins over fast and busy

Paul believes that PwC provides a very supportive working environment, for men and women alike. PwC offers flexibility programs to help women and men accommodate their family life and navigate the many decisions between balancing life and work. “I’m proud that we have a very inclusive and collaborative culture.”

Outside the office

When not at work, Paul enjoys her daughter’s competitive cheer competitions. To help balance out the busyness, Paul started practicing yoga three years ago and finds it tremendously beneficial.

“Yoga is really about being in the moment and having that clear focus. I think there is a real place for that. It has impacted me greatly, and not just in a healthy, get-fit way, but from a broader perspective. When you apply that focus to work, you can really get a lot done in a short amount of time.”

By Rebecca S. Caum

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Voice of Experience: Kristin Olson, Partner, Goldman Sachs

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Kristin OlsonFor Kristin Olson, career success comes from being reflective about what you enjoy doing and finding a career role that plays to your interests and your strengths. “Over a long career, pursuing something that interests you and challenges you daily will make you much more successful and happier.”

Olson is a lifer at Goldman, having joined the firm as an analyst in the Financial Institutions Group in the Investment Banking Division right out of her undergraduate studies at Georgetown. She figured it would be a great fit for her international economics background and an ideal launching pad to learn in a firm renowned for its accomplished professionals and tremendous amounts of deal activity. As an analyst, she had what she calls a “phenomenal two year experience,” which included cultivating relationships with other employees who have grown in the firm with her and are now in senior positions.

After two years in the analyst program, in 2000 she joined Goldman’s dotcom effort focused on online wealth management, where she worked primarily on marketing and client acquisition activities. She then joined the Special Investments Group within the Investment Management Division, where she has been ever since, earning steady promotions, until she was named partner in 2014.

“Making partner at the firm where I spent my entire career is something that makes me incredibly proud. When I started as an analyst I couldn’t have imagined it happening. I have had the opportunity to help build and be a part of an incredible team with impressive longevity.”

Olson sees the industry as one that will continue to be exciting.The alternative investment landscape continues to evolve and change and become more accessible to a wider universe of investors.In particular, focusing on alternatives allows Olson to hone in on what the interesting investment trends are and how to access them.For example, today technology is transforming and disrupting traditional industries left and right, providing compelling investment opportunities to capitalize on that growth.

Advice For Women That Resonates

In her experience, Olson has found that women are more likely to second guess themselves or feel less secure in their abilities. “Women have to first recognize their abilities and then be more vocal and speak up. They tend to stay quiet even though they have the same skill set and are just as capable. If there were more female role models at senior levels that would help the confidence of more junior women,” she said, adding that it has to be a priority to get more women role models at higher levels throughout the industry.

She advises young women entering the industry to be themselves, be heard and not to try to conform too much. “Teams really benefit from a female approach and the diversity of thought we bring. Some women feel like they don’t want to stand out, but they fail to recognize that being a woman can be and is an asset.”

And for women who have achieved career success, she urges them to continue to challenge themselves. “It’s easy to become complacent, but when you accept those stretch assignments, you’ll find it’s the best way to continue to learn and grow.” In addition, she finds that stepping outside your comfort zone can allow you to meet a new universe of colleagues, and even find a role you didn’t know would inspire you.

Olson herself had that experience, working with a mentor in investment banking, who had always told her she should consider sales. “He urged me to consider a sales role right up until I ended up in one, and he was right. I enjoy the dynamic nature of managing client relationships and it challenges me constantly”

Goldman Sachs’ Investment Management Division has its own women’s network, with which Olson has been involved over the course of her career. She and a colleague recently assumed leadership of the group and are planning future events. Olson has found it to be an excellent way to get to know more women in the division with its focus on mentorship and networking events.

With two young children, Olson and her husband have their hands full outside of the office too.

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Corinne Martindale, Senior Vice President and Head of Product Management, Voya Investment Management

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Corinne Martindale“If you had told me when I was in college that I would have a career in investment management, I would have said that you were crazy! I am a great example of how you sometimes have no idea where the road may take you, but if you allow yourself to be open to new opportunities, you will end up in exciting places and in roles that you never imagined.”

That is how CorinneMartindale describes her career journey. As an English and Political Science major in college, she had dreams of becoming an editor or writer. After graduation, Martindale worked at a public relations agency and then accepted a position at GE Asset Management, which completely changed the course of her career: she learned about the asset management business through various trade support specialist roles and subsequently worked her way up to a client portfolio management position. When an opportunity to be considered for the role of institutional product manager at Voya Investment Management was presented, she saw it as an exciting way to apply the skills that she had learned at GE while immersing herself in a new company. After serving as a product manager, Martindale eventually became head of product management in 2011.

“I have been fortunate enough to work at companies such as GE and Voya, where if you demonstrate that you are a dedicated, hard-working and fast-learning individual, your previous background doesn’t necessarily limit you – they look for certain skills and traits in employees and then assist in developing your additional industry aptitude.”

Along the way, she decided that to successfully continue on her chosen trajectory, she needed to develop additional business acumen and completed the Executive MBA Program at NYU Stern. “It was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Martindale said. “Those were two of the most challenging years of my life in terms of trying to balance work, life and school, but it provided me not only with the additional skills and tools that I needed to strengthen my expertise and capabilities as a business leader, but it also gave me a new network of professors and fellow students who inspired and challenged me.”

Even though her current position wouldn’t seem to reflect her initial career goals and love of writing and editing, she has found that having those related communication skills are critical and applicable to every role and have greatly benefited her in the asset management industry.

Risks Pay Off

As she looks over her career, Martindale has had a number of professional moments that have left an inedible impact. After only a few years in asset management at GE, she applied for a role that was typically held by individuals with more years of experience. The hiring manager thought she was too young and wanted to dismiss her as a candidate for those with more experience. However, another senior leader who knew Martindale’s work supported her advancement and relayed that she just needed to be given the chance – that she was the type of individual who would put in the hours and effort to overcome the learning curve that this new job might bring.

“I told the hiring manager that I would not let him down and if given the opportunity, I would promise to be a hire that he never regretted,” Martindale recalls, adding that it took all the strength she had not to let self-doubt cripple her as she continued the interview process. She eventually was offered the ‘stretch assignment’ and went above and beyond to overcome the initial perceptions placed on her to achieve success in the position. Though there were times she felt frustrated that she wasn’t immediately viewed in the firm as an expert, she will never forget the note she received from the hiring manager when she decided to leave the firm. He told her she had proved him wrong and that she was one of the strongest hires he had made.

Personal and Team Achievements

From that experience, Martindale learned that sometimes the toughest jobs or circumstances where others may doubt your capabilities are the best opportunities to test your own boundaries and rise to the challenge. “You won’t learn and grow as a business leader if you always follow the ‘safe’ route and only take on projects or jobs where you are already an expert. “

“I also learned how powerful it is to build your own personal ‘brand’ via the work that you produce in your current role and the importance of creating relationships with other leaders within your organization. There are good odds that one day another leader may need to ‘go to bat’ for you or help you advance to a new level. Having proven yourself to these leaders and having established trusting relationships outside your own team will help you in many ways.”

Another achievement Martindale cited was creating and building her current team at Voya. Moving from an individual contributor role to managing a team that initially included peers as well as colleagues with more experience was new ground for her. Martindale realized immediately that there aren’t many resources (or much time) available for training an individual to manage others, even though it offers new challenges and situations.

She has found that helping her team advance in their own careers is one of the most satisfying and meaningful jobs you can have, as you learn from them and see them shine in the accomplishments they deliver to the firm. “It is so important to hire the right people and support the teams that work with you – and for you – because no one can be successful completely on their own.”

Take a Risk for Greater Return

Looking back, Martindale believes it’s ok to not always know what your next title or job will be – that although you should always set goals and milestones for yourself, they can change or veer off course. “For so many years, I knew exactly what I thought I wanted to be and how I was going to get there and when my vision changed, it shook me a little. I have always been a planner when it comes to my professional life but I have learned that there isn’t necessarily one path that you will lead you to the next step in your career.”

For that reason, she advises young women to take a chance on an opportunity that might initially seem terrifying. “Every project, experience or job that scared me or made me nervous turned out to be the best move for me,” she says. “I wasn’t always successful at first but I always learned from those experiences and they propelled me forward and gave me the opportunity to embrace the next challenge ahead.”

Networking for Success

Martindale hasparticipated as a mentor and mentee in the mentoring program at Voya and has found it to be very helpful as a forum to not only learn and grow from the advice and guidance from female peers and leaders but also from male counterparts. However, she finds that much of her valuable insight has also come from the more informal mentoring relationships she has developed over time.

She stresses that you cannot underestimate the power of networking – both internally and externally with professionals within and outside of your own industry. “I have uncovered so many new ideas or new processes from those in other industries that I can apply to my own roles.”

She says that networking can often be one of the first things we sacrifice in our daily routines because it’s difficult to find the time and can often put you outside your comfort zone if you aren’t a social person. But as you progress in your career, having a network of professional colleagues inside and outside of your own firm is vital to being able to advance.

“Every person has a different and unique story about how they got to where they are in their career and I have found that many leaders are usually very willing to share their personal and career experiences. You can gain great insight and advice by listening to the lessons learned by others.”

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Monica Boll, Managing Director, Accenture

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Monica Boll“Be bold about asking for what you want, particularly when you know you deserve it. If you don’t make others around you aware of your career aspirations, they can’t know how to help you get there,” says Monica Boll. “The right time to make your goals known might not be today – it’s different for everyone – but a conversation won’t happen unless you start it. It’s important to find your voice.”

This advice has helped Boll throughout her career, which began working in and around the outsourcing business in a variety of roles involving process improvement, transition, change management and global sourcing. For the past nine years, she has held a variety of functions in Accenture Operations, including leading an HR transformation program, delivering finance and accounting, procurement and marketing services and cost management initiatives. Currently a managing director in Accenture Operations, Boll leads accounts in the Financial Services and Communications, Media and Technology industry groups and manages a team of 250 Accenture associates in India, Costa Rica and the United States.

As such, she is on the forefront of seeing how technology is disrupting industries in a positive way in her various roles. In Accenture Operations, it’s the use of automation – for example, robotics to improve quality, turnaround times and overall customer experience or leveraging a cloud-based solution to deliver a new capability or system to a client. And in Financial Services, it’s disruption through the advancement of digital services like Apple Pay – what will life will be like without cash? How will purchases and sales be funneled through a smart phone versus a computer or other system? “It’s fascinating to me how quickly technology is advancing and then, on the flipside, how we always need to be trend spotters in order to remain relevant and stay ahead.”

Women in Finance

Boll has recognized that across all of the industries in which she’s worked, there is a severe shortage of women in senior leadership positions. She notes that in the financial industry, for example, the barons in centers like New York, London and Hong Kong have been men, with rarely if ever a woman to be seen at any leadership level. “True or not, most women believe that they have to exert more effort to prove themselves; history shows it takes much longer to achieve parity. Women have to work a lot harder and be a lot smarter to be recognized,” she says.

In addition, she notes the increased obligations outside of the office that traditionally fall to women, from bearing children to raising a family and caring for aging parents, and how striving to achieve balance among the demands of work and life make it harder for a woman to succeed.

However, it is a career where the rewards are vast for those who push past these barriers. She advocates that young women be bold by being innovative, vocal and open to learning as much as they can all the time, as well as by actively volunteering for work opportunities to improve their skills. “They should treat themselves as an equal to their male counterparts,” Boll says.

In addition, Boll hopes that senior women will be more supportive of one another. “Only we have the direct experience and have lived or recognize the limitations that women might face in their professional careers,” she said. Because of that, they need to advocate for young professional women and dedicate the time to coach and mentor them so they can advance faster, and more effectively, than they would on their own — to help young women navigate a professional world that can be, or appear to be, incredibly complex.

Paying it Forward

Boll walks the talk in all those areas. Looking back on her career, she is most proud of how she’s been able to leverage her industry experiences – those at Accenture and previous roles – to be the executive sponsor of the Accenture Operations North America Inclusion & Diversity mentoring program.

“It is a rich and gratifying experience, and I am particularly passionate about this because it focuses specifically on both men and women from diverse and LGBT backgrounds, a reflection of what I offer as a woman who is LGBT and Hispanic.” The program focuses on mentoring in various ways: professional development, work-life balance, career management and even reverse mentoring.

Boll also acts as a sponsor in the mentoring program which is gratifying because of her positive experiences as a mentee. “I have had a variety of excellent mentors and role models throughout my career who have helped me become the person I am today – both professionally and personally. I am very passionate about paying it forward to the next generation.”

Accenture has a number of programs in place to further that mission. The company has a global women’s theme, “Defining success. Your way.,” which is designed to encourage the more than 115,000 women at Accenture to find their own paths to professional and personal success by supporting their goals and aspirations and striving to provide an environment and culture that empowers women and enables them to thrive.

Speaking Out For LGBT Rights

Boll is actively involved in the firm’s LGBT initiatives, including the New York and Atlanta LGBT Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) which help bring the LGBT community and allies together for leadership development training, networking, mentoring, information sharing and recruiting activities.

Earlier this year Accenture joined more than 300 companies in signing an Amicus Curiae brief urging the Supreme Court to affirm that all couples share in the right to marry. “I am extremely proud to work for Accenture, a company that offers its people and their partners, regardless of sexual orientation, access to the same benefits.”

On a personal note, she and her wife Ellen were associate producers of a feature film “Love is Strange,” a story about love and a network of friends and family that come together to support a married gay couple during a time of need.It premiered last year at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to achieve global acclaim. “For me, that was a great opportunity to take a risk on something topical – gay rights – and something that I’m passionate about. We wanted to be, and indeed it felt like we were, part of the movement that will lead to the Supreme Court case on gay marriage to be decided this summer.”

She and her wife have been together for 23 years and married since 2012. They are involved with the Human Rights Campaign, the Trevor Project and the True Colors Fund which works to end homelessness among LGBT youth.

When they are not splitting time between Atlanta and New York for work, they make the commitment to take an annual vacation to somewhere exotic. She also describes herself as a huge tennis fan: “a formal recreational player, an avid spectator, and one who one day will pick up a racquet again.”

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Voice of Experience: Linda Freundlich, Vice President and Head of Agency Financial Operations, New York Life

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Linda Freundlich“Let your voice be heard; speak up and share your opinions and perspective,” says New York Life’s Linda Freundlich. “Women tend to be better listeners, and that’s important too; but don’t let the opportunity pass to contribute to the conversations. Decisions will be made with or without your input and they’ll be better decisions WITH your input.”

She cautions that doesn’t mean that all decisions will go your way, but at least you know your viewpoint was considered, which is vital no matter where you are in your career.

With 31 years of experience at New York Life, Linda describes it as “just as enjoyable today as the day she started.”

She began in a mid-level position in what was the group insurance department, and stayed there for four years before making a lateral move to the distribution business unit, where she held various positions covering training, developing and recruiting, among other functions.

When a position in operations opened, Linda moved, appreciating that it gave her the opportunity to use the knowledge and skills she gained in previous positions. She is currently vice president of financial operations, supporting 12, 000 agents nationwide, plus a field management force of 1,000 in functions such as field compensation, performance analysis and administration operations.

“At this point in my career, I am most proud of my team, and what they do day in and day out to achieve positive results by supporting the field,” Freundlich said. “We help to increase the productivity of our agents, and it’s very gratifying when we see sales increase.”

Right now she is focused on initiatives that will ensure the profitable growth of the agency field force in the years to come. “It’s exciting to be part of the design and planning from the start and determining how best to measure our success, even though waiting to see our plans come to fruition will take several years.”

As “big data” is becoming increasingly important, she sees that systems analysis is becoming increasingly integral in the insurance industry. What she finds different these days is the volume of information, along with the proliferation of tools that quickly analyze information to better understand customers and the overall business.

A Positive Industry for Women

Freundlich has found that pursuing a career as a life insurance agent is a smart choice for women.It offers a variety of positive aspects including flexibility and the ability to work independently as an entrepreneur. “The challenge is convincing women that they have what it takes to be successful.”

New York Life offers a robust slate of Employee Resource Groups, and Linda has been active in the Women’s Initiative, adding that it was particularly meaningful to be asked to be on the advisory board. The goals are to help members develop personally and professionally, with a mission to help women take their place at the corporate table through a three-prong approach – Be Confident.Be Connected.Be Committed.The group goes back more than 20 years, and she says that it was ahead of its time.

Bringing Your Best Self to Work

Freundlich asserts that the most important aspect of her career is the inspiring and caring people she has worked with, so it’s surprising that she spent the first half of her career in the closet.

Although she and her partner of 38 years came out to their families early on, she found a big part of her was missing at work because she wasn’t able to share who she was.

“It’s hard to describe what that’s like,” she says, adding that something as simple as lunchtime conversation about what you did over the weekend or who you went on vacation with adds a stress that runs deep.

Linda wouldn’t wear her commitment band to work but recalls one day when she forgot to remove it and a coworker asked if she had gotten married. “I remember blurting something out about being in a committed relationship, but the fear was extreme,” she said.

But when Linda finally did come out to her colleagues, she was astonished at how incidental it was – a non-event. “I wish I knew that 31 years ago.What I would tell young New York Life employees today is to bring their best self to work every day.”

Linda is a member of NYLPride, New York Life’s LGBT Employee Resource Group. The group was launched around 8 years ago and fosters an inclusive environment with the LGBT community and their friends. “We have a very open dialogue within New York Life about issues of relevance to LGBT employees and we have made tremendous progress. I am really proud to be affiliated with New York Life and how it has pioneered awareness on these issues.”

Approximately five years ago during Pride month, the group started “Coming Out Stories,”an annual panel of New York Life LGBT employees and friends who share their coming out experiences. “It’s a very moving and powerful event,” Linda said, adding that she facilitated the first and was honored to sit on a panel three years ago focused exclusively on New York Life executives.

Freundlich lives in Westchester, N.Y., and enjoys spending time with friends and family at her second home in Cape Cod.

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Voice of Experience: Janet Visbeen, Partner, PwC Netherlands

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Janet Visbeen (PWC)For PwC Partner Janet Visbeen, her status as a lesbian professional benefits her career. “If you are open about your diversity, you offer a unique selling point that others don’t,” she says. “My orientation colors how I think about the world and gives me some depth. It helps me be visible and defines my personal brand. Anything that makes you stand out is a blessing in this industry.”

Visbeen’s entire career has been spent in the consulting industry. Universities in the Netherlands are business-focused, so Visbeen studied economics business administration, focusing on the tax side, which provided a clear path to either an accounting or a law firm. With her interest in working in an international environment, she joined Coopers Lybrand (which ultimately became PwC), with a short stint at Arthur Andersen after six years. Her next move was to start her own company with some colleagues, but she realized after a few years that despite the positive experience, she had always had the urge to be top notch in her field, which necessitated returning to a larger firm. She rejoined PwC and one year later became partner focusing on the firm’s executive reward design and delivery function.

Being part of an international network of firms has led Visbeen to her belief that many of the issues in the world today can better be solved by big international companies than governments. “Advising clients on how they can improve their performance and seeing where the companies fit within society is a balance that keeps me energized in my work,” she says.

For Visbeen, helping advance the careers of those on her team and contributing to their success has been the achievement of which she is most proud. But she also believes that business will succeed because of the “power of one.”

In her view, approaches today are theme based. “We will offer our clients an ‘Ocean’s 11’ approach where we staff a team with the best people for the job from within or outside of the firm, and then when the job is done they part ways.”

Growing Your Career

Visbeen believes that women need to advocate for themselves, because although they might have great achievements, they don’t always communicate them.

“I find that women tend to talk about ‘we’ instead of ‘I,’ but in a corporate world where you have to continually compete, it’s vital to get the story out there that you are the best person for any particular role,” she said.

Interestingly, she finds that while most women consultants are tough when it concerns their clients, they don’t bring that same tenacity and self-confidence to promoting themselves.

She believes women must be clear about what they want and go for it. “To be successful in business, you have to rely on yourself and your own compass. If you do that as a free thinker you add more value to your clients.”

A Culture of Acceptance

Visbeen has always appreciated the openness that the professional services industry offers for LGBT individuals. “This field attracts well-educated people, and though they might not be more open minded, they deal with it differently.” In fact, she believes that LGBT offers a unique selling point as a consultant. “Your diversity can be an important tool to help you stand out.”

Of course, she acknowledges, you have to be comfortable with yourself, and while gender or cultural diversity can’t be hidden, LGBT orientation can be private. However, as she says, “The consulting business requires more than regular office hours. Do you want to work somewhere where you can’t be yourself? Everyone has to answer that question for themselves.” For Visbeen the answer is clear. She believes that respecting coworkers is what brings out their best, so an open environment is a requirement.

She sees the issue as one that offers two clear choices: you might not be universally loved if you are open, but you are able to have deeper relationships. She characterizes it as “brand or bland.”

“There will always be some people for whom you who won’t be their cup of tea, but the others will love you for it.”

Visbeen has been active in Gay Lesbians and Everyone Else (GLEE), a strong PwC network that reaches beyond the firm to include others in its gatherings. As a business network, it blends networking with advocacy. “As a global network of firms, it’s part of PwC’s DNA to make sure that it is as safe to be an LGBT consultant in Amsterdam as it is anywhere in the world. It’s what we stand for.”

In addition, Visbeen takes that advocacy outside the workplace as a member of the Netherlands Committee of Human Rights Watch. “Economies that have a lot of wealth can take care of human rights and social issues. In economies where there is less wealth, there is less well-being. I believe they go hand in hand.”

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Voice of Experience: Fangfang Chen, Senior Vice President, State Street

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Fang Fang Chen“Because we are all different, there is not just one model that works the best. You can succeed with many different leadership styles, and you have to find the one that’s true to you. Acting like ‘someone else’ is challenging and creates too much pressure over the long run,” says Fangfang Chen.

Chen’s own personal style has been built by constantly taking on new challenges in her many career roles. She attended school in China and then came to the United States to earn her MBA at Yale. Planning to stay for only a few years, she ended up staying for 13, embarking on a consulting career and then moving into financial services with AIG and Fidelity Investments before joining State Street in 2007 with the global strategy and new venture group in Boston.

Her eight-year journey at State Street has not been a static one – it has spanned three countries and four different roles. Since it was always her plan to eventually move back to Asia, her first strategy role seemed like a great fit to understand the critical issues the organization was facing and to garner the exposure needed to a diverse and seasoned network.

This role allowed her to build a strong network with senior executives globally, and so when the head of State Street for Asia Pacific region heard of her interest in returning to China, he hired her in 2010.

Chen spent a year in Hong Kong running strategy, and was put up for promotion to senior vice president seven months after she took on this role. When her company opened a bank branch in China, she said she was pleased that her manager had the confidence to move her to Beijing to become deputy general manager. She enjoyed the diversity, as it was a completely different job from her previous strategy role to manage and grow a small branch, in addition to interacting with regulators and clients.

Fast forward a few years, her manager offered her a chance to move back to Hong Kong and assume a chief of staff role, which she seized on as a “great opportunity to work with a smart man and build new skill sets.” Her work involves driving organizational alignment to develop and execute business strategies and management priorities.

“My role is less about tangibly executing a particular strategy and more about navigating the company to build consensus and support to achieve end goals we have set.”

Willingness to Take Risks

Chen said she has always been proud of her desire to take the risk to try new things and not be afraid of failing when taking on something new.

“I’ve never been bored. Moving from location to location and taking on different roles is what has kept my experience fresh,” she said, adding that the organization is one where they encourage mobility and are willing to let their employees take the risks inherent in a new role. “They have the confidence to stretch you and develop you further.”

Her desire to learn new things comes from the excitement of seeing the “nervousness because you don’t know what you’re doing replaced by the sense of accomplishment when you master it.”

A Culture That Needs More Women

As she has climbed the career ladder, Chen has noticed an interesting trend among women. They enter the field in equal proportion and many times even grow faster, but then they plateau, whether from family obligations or other forces. “We need more role models at the top levels to help other women see how they can navigate organizations and respond to the tough questions. Sometimes I feel like I’m working in the dark, and having more women would help illuminate the path.”

Chen believes that authentic leadership is more sustainable in the long term but that women need role models to help them determine their own style.

At State Street, Chen has led the regional initiative of winning State Street the nomination by Asian Pacific Economic Corporation (APEC), as one of the 50 leading companies for women; just one of three American companies selected.

While Chen has long been focused on women’s issues, she recently took a leadership role in the State Street’s Women in Leadership program in Asia Pacific. This program focuses on three different yet interconnected initiatives: “Pay it Forward,” a structured mentoring process for younger women that helps them navigate substantive issues; Professional Women’s Network, which focuses on helping female staff build skill sets in areas such as presenting and networking; and a sponsorship program where key female talents are matched with senior executive sponsors to expand their roles and responsibilities. She also works with organizations such as Women’s Foundation in Hong Kong to build broader networks and sponsorship opportunities.

Helping Hands

For a woman to develop a sustainable career, a support network is absolutely critical. Chen says she is fortunate that her husband is sharing half of the family responsibilities and her parents are lending hands to help out.

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Voice of Experience: Frances Ni, Partner, Perella Weinberg Partners

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Frances Ni“When senior women get together, we tend to share our feelings about our work, but I encourage my peers to turn the support into action to help others,” says Frances Ni, a partner at Perella Weinberg Partners.

Throughout her career, mentoring others has been an important goal for Ni, given the support she herself has always received.

When Ni arrived in the United States from China, she didn’t have a clear focus for what she wanted to do so she did what many in a similar situation do: went back to school. Based on her exceptional scores, a professor recommended she enter an honors program, and she earned a full-time job in public accounting at PwC after an internship.

While she enjoyed her work auditing and conducting due diligence for M&A deals and partnering with clients, she decided that her public accounting career would benefit from a stint in the private sector to get an idea of that side of the business, which is how she began her career in asset management. She joined Perella Weinberg the year it launched in 2006, as one of its first employees, and in 2014 was named a partner.

A Talented Team

While she is proud of becoming a partner, she knows that her success has come in large part from a talented, cohesive team. “It’snot a one-man show, and I am proud that I have been able to recruit and retain such exceptional talent over the years,” she said.

Ni appreciates that the firm puts as much value on the back office as the front office, where revenue is generated and which is often the sole focus of many firms. In fact, the partner who nominated her said that when he raised her name, there were no objections. “Being named partner really made me feel all the hard work was worth it,” she says. “It’s the recognition and acknowledgement that I have achieved something important.”

Currently, one of Ni’s focus is working with the compliance team on understanding the industry’s changing regulatory environment and related reporting. She believes the industry is going through a fundamental transition. She finds her firm to be well positioned to weather what can be perceived as a costly and challenging change because they have been solid in the areas of regularly reporting. “I have heard others struggling with implementation but we have always run a tight ship,” she says. “While I believe that there will be challenges, higher entrance barrier and even consolidation in this business, it will ultimately come down to the strength of the organization.”

Advice from the Top

Ni knows that every step along her career path has made her a better professional. “While there are some things that I wish I had known earlier, looking back I am glad I didn’t do anything differently despite all the ups and downs. If I hadn’t made the mistakes, I wouldn’t have learned the lessons,” she says.

A lesson she thinks is vitally important for women to take to heart is to understand that they shouldn’t take criticism personally. “You can’t appear to be emotional,” she says. “Early on in my career I received valuable advice to always walk around with your head and chin up.”

Even with the strides that have been made, Ni sees thatwomen are underrepresented in the industry. Some are put off by what they perceive as a “boy’s club,” and others find that the intensity of the work, travel and hours take their toll.

She did not feel the effect of a “glass ceiling” at the beginning of her career. “I heard stories and warnings when I started in the industry, but at that time, I didn’t feel its impact. Maybe was a little bit ignorant and just jumped in,” she says. However, as she advanced, she started to see the pressure but believed the general environment, awareness and willingness to advance women in the industry “has improved compared to a decade ago.” She believes that if she focuses on the good, then she will find the good.

An Additional Layer for Networking Success

According to Ni, the professional women who preceded her and her peers pioneered a more female-friendly work place, and they owe it to them to continue.

“These women paved 2/3 of the way, but we need to do the rest,” Ni says. She believes that women can make a big difference by being more actively involved in networking with others, and to her that means going beyond inspirational speakers to something more actionable. While she knows that women can benefit from hearing about the path women took to achieve success, she thinks women need to go the extra step: how can women help each other beyond just sharing their stories.

Ni sees in her own company a focus on recruiting, retaining and developing women.

The firm started a Women’s Initiative a few years ago that is unique in its structure of inviting all the partners – male and female – to participate, which allows junior women to get to know the partners with whom they might not always interact in the course of a busy work day.

“This allows for more informal networking and a better working relationship in a situation where younger women might be intimidated by the partners,” Ni said.

Another way that Ni helps with retention of younger professionals is to allow them to take a course related to their position. “They appreciate that the firm wants to invest in them,” she said, adding that she is always dedicated to supporting her team with their professional and personal goals.

Outside the Office

With a husband who works in Boston, Ni focuses on quality time with her family whenever she can, which often includes travel. She is also very focused on education, having worked with Junior Achievement and other educational endeavors and is formulating plans to bridge the needs of schools in China and her current community to ensure that all children receive the education that will propel them to success.

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Mover and Shaker: Tasneem Hajara, Director, Online, Mobile and Social Channels, TIAA-CREF

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Tasneem“Take risks, fail fast, tell your story and build partnerships,” says Tasneem Hajara, director of online, mobile and social channels for TIAA-CREF. Hajara’s advice stems from a fast-paced career path spanning roles and continents.

Hajara began her career path in India, where she earned a master’s degree in computer science before joining a startup. She found that a startup, with its exciting work and passionate mentors, to be the ideal foundation from which to launch her career.

“It was fast paced, and that’s the type of environment in which I thrive,” Hajara said of the experience.

Then, in a move which she describes as destiny, Hajara was sent on a two-month assignment to the United States, where she met her husband, and subsequently stayed. She became a consultant, which opened up a new path for her future. “Back in India, I had been leading a team and now I was an individual contributor again in a foreign location. I had to relearn the work environment and understand the differences in culture.”

She joined Merrill Lynch, where she stayed for nine years, steadily earning promotions. Hajara soon became vice president of their online technology group and was responsible for the retirement benefits online and mobile channels. She then joined TIAA-CREF, where she is responsible for the Sole Recording Keeping Online platform. Additionally, Hajara leads the social and mobile platforms, a key business for the company, and most recently was asked to help lead the Digital transformation efforts at TIAA-CREF.

She says that it’s an exciting time to be pursuing a career in technology, given how technology is disrupting and creating new business value and how it is virtually shaping everything in business. And that brings challenges, too. “We have to be prepared because we don’t know where our competition is coming from. You have to be at your ‘A’ game at all times.”

An Affinity for Startup Culture

Looking back, she credits her time at the fast-paced, delivery-oriented startup environment with having a major impact on her. Telling one anecdote, Hajara remembers surprising the entire team when she was a developer doing systems programming work. She was tasked with gathering an effort estimate for a pre-sales tool for a product that the startup was selling. Instead of returning with the expected plan and estimate, she actually produced a working tool in two days, a feat which earned her great recognition early on in her career.

“You have this energy when you’re young and the startup environment encourages innovation. They had projected it would take two months to build the complete sales tool, but I just worked until it was done,” Hajara said.

It was at the startup that she learned to take risks and experiment. As she works on the digital transformation program, one of Hajara’ s goals at TIAA-CREF is to bring a sense of the Silicon Valley culture to a large organization. “It’s an interesting culture shift that won’t be easy, but we believe that we will get there.”

Lessons Learned

During her career, Hajara became cognizant of the importance of ensuring that others know the good work that you are doing. “Because of my technology background, I was always a doer, but I missed out on the sales component,” she reflects, adding that she just expected that people would understand how hard she was working.

As she navigated the work world, Hajara also found that an unconscious bias exists; something she believes that women should be aware of, but not see as a limiting factor. “Women in general are hard on themselves,” she said. “We have a lot of expectations on ourselves and we also tend to set goals that are less aspirational, as compared to men. We might have the capabilities, but we are more careful of where we set our sights.”

For that reason, she thinks it is important that women take big risks, because the bigger the risk, the bigger the result. But, she cautions, “There will always be new goals so don’t get too caught up in chasing them. Take people along with you and build partnerships; enjoy the journey.”

Hajara believes it’s important for women to mentor one another and is involved in programs at TIAA-CREF that support diversity, such as the IT diversity and inclusion council.

“I enjoy being able to share what I learned trying to immerse myself into another culture. I think it’s important to bring similar experiences to the attention of others who are in the same boat and might be struggling. Ultimately we can learn from each other.”

Outside of work, Hajara enjoys spending time with her two daughters, ages twelve and seven. She also loves to travel and garden. “I have an emotional attachment to gardening, you could say. It’s very gratifying to see something you’ve planted grow, and just working in the garden is relaxing. It’s a highly rewarding activity.”

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