By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

As Global head of Diversity and Inclusion at Credit Suisse, Michelle Gadsden-Williams says she is the person ultimately responsible for ensuring the Bank fulfills its commitment to building a culture of inclusion for high-performing, engaged, diverse employees. She explained, “Early in my career, I found the subject of diversity to be extremely powerful on a number of levels.”

She continued, “Diversity is strategically important for a number of reasons. It provides organizations with the opportunity to attract, develop, and retain the best talent, creates an inclusive culture for employees to thrive and, most importantly, addresses the needs and wants of a diverse customer base. There aren’t many positions that can have an impact across the critical areas of talent, culture, and customers.”

Gadsden-Williams spent more than 17 years working in the pharmaceutical industry and several years in the consumer goods industry before transitioning to her current role in financial services. She began her career working in product development and marketing then pursued a career in human resources a few years later. She transitioned to Merck & Co., assuming various positions of increased responsibility in human resources. She joined Novartis Pharmaceuticals in 2002 and became the Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer before joining Credit Suisse in January of 2011.

She recalled, “I spent a good portion of my career in the pharmaceutical industry and got to know the industry extremely well. I knew that if I wanted to continue to stretch, grow and develop as a Chief Diversity Officer, I would have to step outside of my comfort zone and purse the work that I love in another industry. “

“Credit Suisse is a company that I have always respected and one I was familiar with living and working in Switzerland. When the opportunity presented itself to join Credit Suisse, it was not a hard decision to make the transition,” she continued.

One of Gadsden-Williams’ proudest moments was receiving the 2010 Leadership in Diversity Award from the See Forever Foundation and Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools in the presence of two women that she idolized and held in high regard, Dr. Maya Angelou and Dr. Dorothy I. Height.

“I received the award in the presence of two of my heroines, the incomparable Dr. Maya Angelou and Dr. Dorothy Height. Unfortunately, Dr. Height, a highly regarded social activist, passed away two weeks after I received the award. Dr. Angelou is a national treasure in the United States and a global icon but a renowned and revered voice of our time. I have had the grand opportunity to meet her on several occasions through my work in diversity over the years. Every time I am in her presence, I am humbled by her wisdom, her strength, and her ability to make each individual that she encounters feels special,” she said.

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

According to Chloe Barzey, Senior Executive at Accenture, one of the most important things professional women can do, especially as they advance, is make sure they are actively managing their career.

She explained, “As you move up in your career, it’s important to take steps to receive more education or training. You must continuously fine tune yourself in order to remain relevant in the marketplace. Being aware of your strengths and limitations and how others perceive you is key to advancing in your career path.”

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By 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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By 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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By 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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