Voice of Experience: Carolyn Vardi, Partner, M&A Practice, White & Case

carolynvardiBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Carolyn Vardi, M&A Partner in White & Case‘s New York office, says one of the primary challenges for women in the legal profession is the relationship between time and family responsibilities. “The practice of law is based fundamentally on time: the time you spend with clients, the time you spend on deals, the time you spend on cases. It’s a kind of war on time in how you allocate those hours,” she said. “For women, the question is how to maximize the efficiency of your time.”

Vardi continued, “How do you devote enough time to your career, your families and friends, and anything else of interest? Balance isn’t the right term – there never is a balance. It’s all about where you allocate time at any given moment so you’re most fulfilled.”

“It’s really hard to fit everything in on any given day. That’s true for anyone in the industry, but can be uniquely true for women,” she added.

So what is Vardi’s advice? “Taking ownership and actively managing my time. No matter what your seniority level, it’s never too soon to take ownership over what it is you are doing. As soon as I began taking ownership over my work and career path as well as my personal goals, my picture became clearer and my goals more defined. Without a doubt there are challenges left and right, but when you take ownership over your time, managing everything seems a bit more feasible.”

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Voice of Experience: Jody Hrazanek, Head of Portfolio Implementation and Management, ING U.S. Investment Management

JodyHrazanekBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Jody Hrazanek, Head of Portfolio Implementation and Management at ING U.S. Investment Management (ING U.S. IM), has a suggestion for senior women executives: build stronger working relationships with one another. “As women we focus so much on our individual careers that it’s easy to forget about building a support network with other women. If we could find more ways to stay connected, we would all benefit,” she says.

In addition to networking events or participating in online networks like The Glass Hammer, Hrazanek envisions greater success for women who collaborate more in the day-to-day business environment. She commented, “Committing to events after the workday isn’t always easy for women so we need to find effective networking opportunities in our daily interactions too.”

Hrazanek suggests looking for collaborative projects or seeking out the support of female peers when possible. “These things seem to be much more common among men.” She continued, “I think strong networks would develop naturally” as a result of these connections.

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Voice of Experience: Renee Haugerud, Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Galtere Ltd.

ReneeHaugerudBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Renee Haugerud, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Galtere Ltd., issued a challenge for young women in the investment space. “It really is an industry where you have to be a self starter. So dare to be bold. Dare to have a view point. Take everything you know and make a decision. Put your money where your mouth is and dare to start a company.”

Haugerud founded Galtere 15 years ago, and she is enthusiastic about increasing diversity in the investment space. She believes it will strengthen the entire industry. That’s why she and her husband founded the Galtere Institute at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga – to encourage women to go into trading, to examine the gender differences that have made the industry the way it is today, and to examine how it can evolve in the future.

“If we can teach men a more female-centric view of trading, and we can teach women a more male-centric view of trading, we’ll have the best of both worlds,” she said.

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Voice of Experience: Suzanne Muir, Global Client Partner, Capco

suzannemuirBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Suzanne Muir, a Global Client Partner at Capco, a financial services consulting firm, women would benefit by reaching out to one another more often. “We don’t collaborate enough. I don’t see enough women keeping up with peers. Women need to stick together and I really encourage a lot of that.”

In fact, she is helping launch a new mentoring circle initiative at her firm. “We launched our executive women’s network about two years ago, and over time it’s really gelled into a great group of women at all levels. Now we want to add that mentoring component.”

Each circle will include a senior woman and nine to ten junior women with the goal of attracting and retaining high performers. “The junior women will lead and facilitate the circles and bring ideas and thought leadership forward to create their own community of interest. They are still looking for their best fit in their career, and giving them a sense of community will enable them to feel comfortable. I think that’s important.”

She continued, “Our future leaders are those women, and it’s incumbent on us to provide that path forward.”

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Voice of Experience: Maureen L. Beshar, Managing Director, Head of Institutional Sales, ClearBridge Investments

MaureenBesharBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Maureen L. Beshar, Managing Director and Head of Institutional Sales and Consultant Relations at ClearBridge Investments, believes strongly in the importance of building self confidence.

She said, “For women in any business – but especially a male dominated business like this – just believe in yourself. Your talents and qualifications are the reason you are sitting in the seat. It’s because of what you offer.”

Having spent three decades in the investment business, Beshar has the experience to know what propels women to the top. “I think women don’t always have the same amount of confidence as our male counterparts. We need to value ourselves more than others value us. That way we can push things forward.”

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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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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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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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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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Voice of Experience: Jennifer Wu, CFA, Senior Vice President, Institutional Sales and Relationship Management, ING US Investment Management

JenniferWuBy Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

“My advice for women starting out in the asset management industry is to seek out mentors within their respective firms and broadly in the industry,” began Jennifer Wu, CFA, Senior Vice President of Institutional Sales and Relationship Management at ING US Investment Management. “When I entered the industry, I asked people for their insights on career advancement and everyone had the same advice: find mentors who can champion for you.”

She continued, “As long as they are in a position to influence your career development, you need to be open-minded and thoughtful about finding someone who identifies with your ambition, understands your constraints, and someone who is willing to invest in your career.”

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