Tag Archive for: Chief of Staff

Mover and Shaker: Amelie Jeangeorges, Senior Manager, Chief of Staff to the Global Human Capital Leader, PwC

Amelie JeangeorgesBy Cathie Ericson

“Be authentic, passionate and energized. Never give up as you work hard to get what you want to achieve.”

That’s the advice that Amelie Jeangeorges has for other women who want to succeed.

When Amelie first began her corporate career, she feared she might lose her personal brand and just become a ‘number’. But, at PwC, she’s found she’s only ever been encouraged to build her own personal career path and differentiate herself to create the experience she really wants.

Embracing the Challenge of an International Career

In 2009, having graduated from the French business school ICN with a Master’s degree in Finance and Business, and having completed two internships in London and Luxembourg, Amelie started a career in audit, taking on a role in the Banking Capital Markets (BCM) in Assurance at PwC France in the Paris office. After five years in France, she applied for a tour of duty in PwC’s New York office in BCM audit, where she had the opportunity to serve one of the firm’s largest global clients.

At the end of her audit tour, Amelie realized she wasn’t quite ready to return to France, and chose to pursue an additional international learning experience: supporting the Global Human Capital Partner as Chief of Staff, and helping to deliver the global human capital strategy to empower PwC people in their own careers.

Amelie’s current role is one of her proudest professional achievements to date — having the opportunity to grow personally and professionally despite living in a different cultural and working environment. “I’ve now lived in four different countries, and need to keep challenging myself to forge my path outside of my comfort zone,” she says.

“It’s not always been easy, but I’m proud of what I’ve achieved and where I am today within PwC,” she says, acknowledging that taking on this position after almost 10 years in audit has been one of the most important learning experiences and one her best decisions.

Amelie describes her current role as that of a ‘conductor,’ supporting the team to deliver the strategy and coordinate and even lead the projects.

“This experience adds another arrow to my professional quiver because I am gaining additional soft skills,” she says, noting that these are more important than ever given the rate at which technology is disrupting how we work. She believes that the future workplace will not be ‘machines versus humans’ but rather ‘humans enhanced by machines.’ Human skills such as creativity, agility, relationships and leadership will matter more than ever.

Promoting Wellbeing Throughout the Organization

Amelie sees this as an exciting time to be in human capital, as her team focuses on delivering transformational projects in a complex organizational structure.

Recently, Amelie helped launch ‘Be well, work well,’ PwC’s global initiative underscoring the business necessity of addressing wellbeing at work.

“Poor physical and mental health and a lack of personal and organizational purpose, are among the world’s most important societal problems, threatening individual resilience and business sustainability,” she says.

She believes that part of the success of ‘“Be well, work well’” is that it promotes flexibility, which increases the overall diversity, advancement and retention for all employees. The initiative looks at wellbeing not only as a physical component, but across three other dimensions — spiritual, emotional and mental.

“The right energy balance has to be a priority for women, men, parents, non-parents, different generations – everyone. I see that successful people prioritize wellbeing, making it relevant for all profiles and all geographies. It is very important that we all role model wellbeing in our respective private and professional spheres to make our life better and healthier and to appreciate each day,” Amelie says.

In pursuing her own wellbeing, Amelie has seen the importance of balance and spending time with friends and family as it allows her to disconnect from her often-intense working life.

Emulating Women Who Have It All – Success + Balance

Throughout her career, Amelie has been accompanied by key mentors who’ve helped guide her in making the right decisions and analyzing obstacles from all different angles.

“It has been critical for me to leverage their experiences and get their coaching and advice as I am building my own career,” she says, adding that being open-minded to other opportunities and keeping her relationships with her network has helped her earn sponsors who have helped her navigate her way.

There have been a number of career models who have inspired her — most notably women in senior positions, such as her current boss, Agnes Hussherr.

“The women who impress me have earned key positions with numerous responsibilities and yet continue to strive for bigger and better objectives while maintaining work-life balance.”

Initially apprehensive about gender equality and the risk of women not having the same opportunities as men, Amelie sees there have been advances, but still feels there is a lot of work to be done, and it will take time to change the culture and old principles.

“I am very passionate about this diversity topic, and I think we — women and men — should all be feminists to change our world and allow women access to the same level of responsibility with the support they need as a female, a spouse or a mother.”

She embraces diversity on the cultural level as well, given her experience of traveling around the world, which has helped her to develop her global acumen and promoted the importance of being open-minded to different cultures and diverse perspectives.

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Voice of Experience: Jacqueline Arthur, Chief of Staff to the Co-heads of the Investment Management Division (IMD), Goldman Sachs

Jacqueline Arthur“Change doesn’t always happen when you expect, but it has altered my career and outlook for the better. Even when I have had second thoughts about past decisions, those have been my best learning moments. Taking risks throughout my career has made me more confident and resilient,” says Goldman Sachs’ Jacqueline Arthur.

From Law to Investment Management

Arthur attended law school at George Washington University after earning her undergraduate degree at Duke University. She began her career as a corporate attorney advising private equity (PE) clients, and five years later joined Goldman Sachs in the Investment Management Division (IMD), parlaying her PE experience into her new position.

Arthur noted that even though she was in a similar industry, she was looking at it through a different vantage point and in some ways felt like she was starting from the beginning. “When I started my career as a corporate attorney, I never would have envisioned this trajectory,” said Arthur. “I’m proud of risks I’ve taken to step out of my comfort zone. I’ve become open to trusting my instincts and leveraging my network and mentors, which has allowed me to be more confident in taking on new opportunities.”

One particularly exciting challenge was when she joined the Global Portfolio Solutions team in 2008, focusing on multi-asset class solutions for clients. “Our clients were relying on us to ensure their portfolios were in safe hands during a volatile time,” Arthur says. As part of the move, she was given the opportunity to broaden her responsibilities as the group focused on expanding its capabilities. “This was a terrific growth opportunity and gave me a chance to stretch beyond a pure client role to focus on management and strategy. While I had always enjoyed advising clients, I found that I also really loved thinking about how to grow our business and to ensure we are best positioned to serve our clients.”

When a position opened in 2011 to work with the chief operating officer of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, she says she leapt at the opportunity. Her role has grown significantly in the last several years, and she currently serves as chief of staff to the heads of IMD, where she focuses on a broad spectrum of initiatives across IMD’s businesses.

“Our clients come to us for comprehensive solutions, and one aspect of my role that I have found particularly rewarding is focusing on our efforts to tap into not only the intellectual capital of the people in IMD, but also the expertise of the rest of the firm. This is a powerful tool for clients, and one that differentiates us,” she says.

“I love the diversity of my work and the people I get to interact with across the firm. Every day I am reminded that I work with such a talented group of people.” Arthur says a priority for her is to identify junior talent who have the potential to excel at leadership roles within the firm.

Viewing Your Career With a Long-Term Perspective

Approach your career as a marathon not a sprint, Arthur advises, wisdom she received from a managing director when she first began working at Goldman Sachs.

“This mindset ensures you avoid burnout and retain resilience for speedbumps you might experience during your career,” she notes. “Staying the course and having a long-term perspective has served me well in the ups and downs of work-life balance.” Arthur, who is the mother of two young children, notes that while she was initially anxious to be out of the office for maternity leave, the culture at the firm is collaborative and team-focused, and she was able to resume her role seamlessly following her return to the office.

She appreciates that Goldman Sachs has a “mentorship culture.” Arthur serves as an advisor to the IMD Women’s Network on its community engagement efforts and has found the network to be a very impactful resource. She says she has also received terrific support from mentors and sponsors at key moments. “The relationships I’ve created at the firm and in the industry enable me to tap into resources that make me better at my job and have made my career more meaningful,” Arthur says.

“The Best Part of My Day”

Arthur looks forward every day to the moment when she returns home from work and her kids run to the door to greet her. “It can be hard to maintain a work-life balance, and before having children I couldn’t envision how I would be the mother I wanted to be.” But, she says that being a mom has made her more focused at work, and she believes working has also made her a better mom. “When I am with my children, I focus on being very present and engaged. They also love coming to work with me and asking me questions about my job.”

Her family loves traveling and Arthur thrives on seeing the world through her kids’ eyes and learning about different cultures with them. Closer to home, they appreciate the access they have to restaurants and the arts in New York City. “Having grown up in a small town, the experiences we can have locally constantly amaze me, and we really try to make the most of it as a family.”

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Voice of Experience: Melissa Barrett, Managing Director, Chief of Staff Global Compliance & Head of Global Compliance Training, Goldman Sachs

Melissa Barrett By Cathie Ericson

“Work hard, seek advice from mentors, and the advancement opportunities will come,” says Melissa Barrett, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, who has experienced that firsthand in her journey with the firm.

Barrett has spent 19 out of her 20 year career at Goldman Sachs, beginning in the Investment Management Division and then moving through several locations and departments to her current role in Compliance. “What is unique about Goldman Sachs is that there are so many opportunities to take on diverse roles while staying with the same firm,” she says. “I’ve loved having the opportunity to do different things at the firm and that I haven’t had to look outside of the company to be able to take on new challenges.”

Much of her current focus in Compliance is helping employees achieve a similarly diversified career, as she spends time on people initiatives for the division. Her goal is to determine what motivates employees and help them identify rewarding career paths at the firm. To address research showing that millennials are apt to job hop, Barrett spent time last year reaching out to other managing directors on ways to engage specifically with millennials. This year, she is doing the opposite and ensuring that millennials are best prepared to engage with people of different generations. “I want to figure out how to retain this generation and ensure they carry on the firm’s culture of employing high performers over the long-term,” she noted.

Mentors Can Make the Difference

Barrett attributes much of her success to trusting her mentors and managers, who encouraged her to take risks that she says she otherwise might not have considered. That’s why she believes it is important for professionals at all levels to find people who will be their sponsors or mentors. “Some of the moves I’ve made in my career were a result of someone I trusted advising me that taking a risk was the best move for me. Use your mentors’ guidance to help you navigate your career. No matter what their level, or whether they’re inside or outside the firm, find people who can answer questions and provide solid advice,” she says. “Have a diverse group of people you can turn to – at various points in your life and career you will need to seek advice from different people.”
Based on her positive experiences with mentors, she encourages her peers to sponsor women and act as a role model. “Think about what the younger generation is searching for and realize that you are what they aspire to be. Make an effort to support them and be open and honest about what attributes will lead to success. Being transparent about your personal struggles allows people to connect with you.”

Barrett advises younger women to be confident and trust in their abilities. “Have a voice and know that you have a place at the table and your opinion is valued,” she said. She also recommends that women get involved in activities at the company beyond day-to-day work, such as an affinity network. “I think one of the things that has kept me so tied to Goldman Sachs is that I’ve worked with and met so many people, and coming to work each day becomes more than just a job,” she noted.

She herself participated in the year-long Vice President Leadership Acceleration Initiative (VPLAI). One of the most unique facets was a feedback component that was directly targeted to specific areas of development. “I really appreciated that direct feedback so I could understand what skills and areas I needed to improve to get to the next level,” she said.

Balancing Work and Home

Barrett was already established in her career when she had her child, now three years old, so she has been adjusting to the challenge of being a working mother in the finance industry. “Every day is a juggling act to find time to be a good mom, a good spouse and take time for myself. Each person has to figure out how to make it work.”

Barrett also notes that flexibility and a work-life balance aren’t solely for working parents. “Ultimately, I think it’s up to you as an individual to determine what’s important to you and ensure you prioritize things outside of work. I try to lead by example in this regard.”

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