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Launch With GS: Lead Investors on Their Investing Philosophy and Keys to Success

Launch with GS
Last month, Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs’ commitment to invest $500 million in women-led companies and investment managers, celebrated its one-year anniversary.

The initiative aims to narrow the gender investing gap and build a global network of business leaders to facilitate connections, share ideas, and uncover opportunities.

Launch With GS was founded based on the view that diversity of gender, thought and background leads to outperformance, driving growth for Goldman Sachs’ clients, shareholders and communities. In this edition of The Glass Hammer, we spoke with three Goldman Sachs partners who are lead investors for Launch With GS on their approach to investing and their advice for entrepreneurs, as well as individuals interested in pursuing a career in investing. Meet the Goldman Sachs investors:

Nicole Agnew is a partner in the Merchant Banking Division and a lead investor for Launch With GS.

Stephanie Hui is head of the Merchant Banking Division in Asia Pacific. She is also on the Board of Advisors of Launch With GS.

Jo Natauri is a partner in the Merchant Banking Division and a lead investor for Launch With GS.

How do you think Launch With GS is helping to change the investing landscape?

Stephanie Hui: It’s not just about supporting diversity, it’s fundamentally good for business to have the whole investing ecosystem become more diverse. As an investor in Asia, I’ve seen that women have a more difficult time accessing capital than male entrepreneurs, and Launch With GS is particularly impactful because it helps transform the whole supply chain – we’re seeking out women entrepreneurs who are high potential and who require funding, but might not have received it through traditional means.

Nicole Agnew: I think it’s a great initiative that the firm has started to support and invest in female-founded and female-led businesses. The inbound interest has been very high, and we’ve seen that a network and community of female entrepreneurs is being developed around Launch – and we hope this ecosystem continues to grow to generate even more investing opportunities for female founders.

Jo Natauri: Launch With GS has helped to raise a level of awareness around the importance of diversity when evaluating potential transactions. Diversity is now a key factor we think about when moving forward with deals.

What factors help you decide to make an investment?

Jo: First and foremost, we evaluate if a potential investment is a good business – we look at industry trends, competitive dynamics, how the business is run, what if any, upsides there are to the business, and support the management team might need from investors.

Nicole: We are generally interested in businesses with a strong financial record, high return on capital, a growing top-line and strong margin performance. As a general philosophy, we love to back excellent management teams, and the talent that a business has is a very important factor as well.

Stephanie: We evaluate potential investments from both a top-down and bottoms-up perspective. Top-down refers to the size of the market, the growth potential of the sector, and the number of competitors and economics of the company. Bottoms-up means that we evaluate the quality of the management team, market positioning of the business, and “moat” around the business (e.g., distinguishing technology).

What advice do you have for people who want to go into investing?

Nicole: People who are happy and fulfilled in an investing role generally have a natural curiosity about businesses and want to go deep to learn how things work. Investing is also a relatively analytical business, so people with an ability to dissect information are more likely to be successful.

Stephanie: You should have a very long-term view if you’re interested in a career in investing, because typically investments take at least five years from gestation to fruition. You have to think about a career in decades – and the good thing about this business is, the longer you’re at it, the better you become as your judgement is refined over time.

Jo: It’s important to have a mix of skills sets. You need both analytical qualities in order to assess businesses, but you also need to be able to work well with others, such as the management teams of businesses you invest in.

What advice do you have for entrepreneurs / individuals interested in starting their own business?

Stephanie: Particularly for female entrepreneurs, it’s important to think big and evaluate how they can scale their business. I would also recommend that entrepreneurs develop a network around them that helps ensure they have support across all different specialties – it goes back to the old saying, ‘hire people who are more capable than yourself.’

Jo: The key is to remain open-minded, pay attention to how your industry is changing, and be able to adapt, particularly as technology continues to alter businesses.

Nicole: Number one, you have to be very passionate and ensure you’re well prepared to start your own business. In addition, people who are able to adapt and be flexible in their thinking and approach seem to be more likely to succeed.

What do you look for in a founding team?

Jo: Leadership teams that have a long-term vision and are able to execute on that vision are typically teams that we’re most interested in. It’s also important for management teams to be flexible and adapt, because every industry is constantly evolving and changing.

Stephanie: Being humble, down to earth and hard-working are characteristics we look for in founding teams. Complementary teams that are able to share feedback and have honest conversations with one another tend to be the teams that succeed.

What interesting market trends are you seeing / what opportunities do you expect?

Nicole: The traditional aspects of consumer and retail are being disrupted by technology and changing consumer preferences – businesses successful in these industries in the past are not necessarily growing today. As a result, we’re interested in companies that are focused on the experiences they’re providing to their customers, as opposed to solely the product.

Stephanie: The digitization of traditional businesses via e-commerce platforms and the availability of data is substantially changing the way we approach, understand and speak with customers. A second big trend is that the younger generation is very formidable in terms of spending. And third, social media is changing purchasing behavior – people now rely more on friends’ recommendations.

What are you passionate about outside of the office?

Stephanie: I have three teenage boys, and they’re my passion and focus outside of the office. I was previously on the board of the Women’s Foundation, which is an organization based in Hong Kong that advocates for the female population and diversity in the workforce in Hong Kong. In addition, I’m on the board of the Save the Children Hong Kong chapter – as a mother of three it’s really important to me that all children have access to opportunities and life changes.

Nicole: I try to live a very balanced life, because working in investing and private equity can take up 100 percent of your time if you allow it. I place an emphasis on spending time with my family and friends and supporting them in all that they do.

Jo: I have three young kids, so my family is top of mind and my top priority. I also spend a lot of time in the nonprofit world around domestic violence – I sit on the board of Safe Horizons and I’ve also started my own foundation that is developing a device to help reduce violence against women, which is in the late development stage.

 

Learn more about Launch With GS.

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Nell Hutton, Partner, Securities Division, Goldman Sachs

Nell Hutton“Be passionate about your role and responsibilities – always apply yourself with energy, enthusiasm and commitment,” recommends Nell Hutton, a partner and head of the Securities Division franchise in Australia and New Zealand at Goldman Sachs.

A native Australian, Nell Hutton traveled to the UK to pursue postgraduate studies at Cambridge University. From there, she joined Goldman Sachs’ debt capital markets (DCM) team in London, where she aimed to infuse those three core traits – energy, enthusiasm and commitment – to her projects.

“I worked extremely hard in DCM, and during that time period I learned an incredible amount and received a lot of great client exposure,” said Hutton of her time working in bank capital transactions.

After several years in DCM, Hutton was in search of a new challenge and joined the derivatives corporate team, where she covered corporate clients from a risk and liability management perspective. From there, she transitioned to the Financing Group, supporting Nordic and Dutch clients in the derivatives space. “I really enjoyed my time working with these clients because I built strong relationships with them, and we developed some innovative financing and hedging solutions which really differentiated Goldman Sachs at the time.”

Leveraging Mobility Across Regions

After nearly a decade at Goldman Sachs in the UK, Hutton explored moving back to Australia. “In 2006, I began to talk with my managers about potentially transferring to a role in Sydney, so I could be closer to my family.”

Although she was moving more than 10,000 miles, Hutton was able to take on a similar role in Sydney, covering corporates, financial institutions and pension funds within the derivatives space. However, Hutton soon recognized differences between the London and Sydney offices: “As a vice president, I realized I was one of the few senior women in Australia, and I had to figure out how to reinvent myself and build a business – but I surprised myself by how quickly I was able to build relationships in the local market and translate my experience from Europe to bring innovative financing and hedging solutions to Australian and New Zealand clients.”

Navigating Parental Leave

After having her first child and taking 12 months of parental leave, Hutton experienced trepidation about returning to the office. “In the moment, I thought taking off so much time was a career-ending decision, but I really enjoyed the months I was able to spend with my daughter at home. Ultimately, I came back to work part-time, which my bosses in Sydney were very supportive of and in the long run I think that had limited impact on my career at GS.”

In 2009, Hutton had her second child, and again her managers were supportive of her coming back to the office on an initial part-time basis, which later morphed back to full-time given the exciting opportunities Hutton was offered in her role leading the derivatives business within the financing group.

Looking back, and after having her third child, she says: “I wish I had been more open-minded and had trust that I would have the firm’s support navigating these inflection points in my life.”

In addition, Hutton recommends that individuals considering parenthood keep in mind the following Lean In adage: “Don’t leave before you leave.” She cautions, “If you’re planning around potentially needing to take time out of the workforce, then you’re already making decisions that are holding back your career. Don’t worry about how you might navigate things in the future – assume you will find whatever balance you seek and focus on the present.”

Pursuing Opportunities for Growth

In 2014, Hutton was named head of Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Sales in Australia and New Zealand, overseeing more than 15 people. “We set about trying to grow our market share and find new business opportunities, and it was exciting to cover a broad client base.”

Today, Hutton is focused on growing the firm’s Securities Division in Australia and New Zealand and engaging more clients. “The firm has laid out a clear strategy, and in Australia we have the opportunity to grow wallet share in existing businesses, as well as new business lines.” Hutton cites the development of a corporate cash management business in-house, as well as opportunities to engage superannuation funds across the country, as clear areas of growth.

For young women focused on their own careers, Hutton stresses that when individuals are passionate about their role, “people notice and doors open.” She notes: “When those doors open, you have to overcome fears of failure, be agile and take risks to succeed. It’s not always easy, but if you can navigate the difficult times and learn from them, then you’ll come out with greater strength and resolve.”

A Full – and Joyful – Life Outside of the Office

“When you work at Goldman Sachs and have three young kids, life is full but it is also joyful,” says Hutton. She notes that “family time is incredibly special” to her, and she loves reading to her children each night. “I’ve had the chance to go back and read with my children all the books I loved growing up – those moments are precious.”

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Erika Irish Brown, Chief Diversity Officer, Goldman Sachs

Erika Irish Brown“Be Bold and Take Risks to Be an Agent of Change”

“If you expose people who are smart and hard working to opportunities – and provide them with an access point to begin a career – success follows,” says Goldman Sachs’ Erika Irish Brown.

As Goldman’s new Chief Diversity Officer, Brown is responsible for driving inclusive culture initiatives and efforts related to the firm’s recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse professionals.

She notes she is genuinely passionate about promoting diversity and inclusion in the financial services industry. “The sense of purpose I have for my work drives me every day.”

A Beneficiary and Proponent of Diversity and Inclusion

Brown’s first introduction to financial services came via a year-long internship as a college student, which was offered specifically to students from underrepresented minority groups by a state-run bond agency. She describes the internship as a huge win given her alma mater – the State University of New York at Albany – did not send a high volume of graduates to Wall Street at that time.

This internship helped her land an analyst role at Lehman Brothers, which she says was a life-changing opportunity. “Very often, people ask me, why am I so committed to diversity and inclusion?” says Brown. “One reason is because I got my start on Wall Street as a beneficiary of what we now call a diversity and inclusion program.”

After working in investment banking at Lehman, Brown went on to issue bonds for the City of New York and served as a Presidential appointee at the US Treasury in the Clinton administration, ultimately earning her MBA from Columbia University and serving in roles at Morgan Stanley and Black Entertainment Television. She enjoyed the financial markets, the fast-paced nature of her work and the variety of people she was able to work with, but added: “It was a different time – gender, ethnic diversity was low.”

Brown took an interest in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) space, serving as a recruiting liaison for both on-campus and experienced hires – on top of her day job as a banker.

Prior to the financial crisis, Brown began her first ‘official’ diversity-focused role, once again, at Lehman, where her team focused on enhancing diversity at the vice president level and above. Post-crisis – and a brief stint on the Obama administration’s Treasury transition team – Brown joined Bank of America, where she built a team focused on executive diversity recruiting. From there, she went on to serve as Bloomberg’s chief diversity officer, building the company’s D&I platform from the ground up.

“Being considered a subject matter expert on diversity globally has made me very proud,” says Brown. “This is not easy work, it is not easily measured and you have to be bold and take risks in order to be an agent of change.” This risk-taking has led Brown to Goldman Sachs, where she has a large, global platform to influence diversity.

Evaluating and Developing New Approaches at Goldman Sachs

“It was important for me to come in and listen, learn and talk to people,” says Brown of her approach to her new role at the firm last year. “I wanted my expertise to be informed by the culture here.”

After connecting with stakeholders across regions and divisions and gaining a global perspective, she now feels well informed to have opinions, make assessments and execute on the best practices and strategies that will work for Goldman Sachs.

Brown outlines some of the many opportunities in the D&I space she hopes to focus on in the coming months:

  • Enhance the Goldman Sachs brand as an employer of choice in diverse communities;
  • Embed D&I practices into all aspects of the Talent process;
  • Advance the firm’s inclusive culture and work environment; and
  • Ensure accountability for furthering D&I at every level

Her team has the support from CEO David Solomon and the firm’s Global Diversity Committee. Brown notes that it is crucial to have senior leadership setting the tone – particularly when diversity impacts each and every area of a company, from business performance to client engagement.

“Today, no topics are off the table in the workplace, and people expect to bring their authentic selves to work,” says Brown. “I’ve seen firsthand that this approach has been adopted at Goldman Sachs as well.”

Recommendations From a Life-Long Learner

Describing her roles at several investment banks and why young women should pursue financial services careers, Brown says, “The skills sets you develop in a short period of time, the amount of responsibility and high bar for expectations, and the seniority of people – both internally and clients – that you engage with is empowering.”

Her advice to women as they progress in their careers is to continuously innovate and be life-long learners.

“Ask yourself – are you pushing the envelope, taking risks and being ambitious,” says Brown. “We should all reflect upon our legacy and ensure we make a difference in our workplace – it can be anything from launching a new product to creating opportunities for others.”

Outside the office, Brown continues to push for change in her community. As vice chair of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, she works to ensure the Central Brooklyn community has access to housing, education and economic development opportunities, arts and cultural activities and capital for small business owners.

Brown stresses: “giving back is important to me – anything I can do to contribute and give back to others, I’ll do.”

And, a mother to three sons, Brown also keeps busy on the slopes, skiing in the winter with her family and cheering on from the sidelines of elite AAU basketball games. “We’re very active as a family, and our time together is so important and a priority to me,” she says.

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Miriam Wheeler, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Miriam WheelerTo progress in your career, you have to get out of your comfort zone, says Goldman Sachs’ Miriam Wheeler, who was recently named a partner at the firm – a role that will come into effect in the New Year.

“If you’re never uncomfortable, you’re not growing professionally. And even if you fail, you will learn valuable lessons that are relevant for the next undertaking,” she says. When those successes inevitably come, she thinks it’s important to celebrate as a team. “We have a tendency to jump right into the next deal, but giving the team recognition and celebrating wins together helps morale and overall job satisfaction,” she notes.

Exploring Different Areas of Finance

Wheeler joined Goldman as a summer intern in securities in 2004, working in mortgage sales for two years before moving to the finance group. She had always wanted to work in real estate, with a specific interest in land use policy and city infrastructure. She found her perfect fit in the Real Estate Financing Group, a role she finds continuously challenging and interesting. “As a deal junkie, I love the thrill of when a big project comes together for a client,” she says.

In fact, the professional achievement she is most proud of so far was seeing Goldman Sachs vault to the top of the 2017 CMBS (Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities) league table. “It was truly a team effort where we delivered on a lot of transactions. Not only did it represent a huge leap in position, but it signified how relevant we had become to our clients,” she says.

The GS real estate lending platform has expanded considerably in recent years. While the team previously focused only on securitized lending, they now have a much wider array of products to offer clients, including real estate loans that sit in the Goldman Sachs’ Bank USA, which clients have found to be a useful and relevant product offering.

Helping Women Advance in the Industry

As Wheeler surveys college resumes, she is surprised that there are still so many more men applying to roles in the finance sector right out of college than women. “We need to continue to recruit women and educate them on the benefits of a long-term career in finance, as many are self-selecting out of the industry before they even have a chance to begin a career,” she says. In fact, when she looks back over her own career, she notes that initially a lot of the senior positions were predominantly held by men, which can be a barrier to women when they only see men across the table. She is encouraged that the mix is changing, particularly among her client counterparts. “It’s vital to show women who are considering a career here that it is a viable place for them to have a successful long-term career.”

She encourages women who enter the field to build relationships with peers at their level, as those peers will also become more senior over time. “Build as many relationships as possible both internally and externally.—get to know your peers and clients of both genders. You can build great relationships by delivering excellent execution and client service, even if you don’t have a lot in common with someone on the surface.”

As a woman at Goldman Sachs, she has found the firm to be very supportive of women’s family needs, including a robust maternity leave program that she took advantage of when both her daughters, now ages 1 and 3, were born, as Goldman offers 16 weeks of paid leave and the option to extend maternity leave as well. Goldman also offers a month of paternity leave and has recently begun to offer a milk shipping program, allowing women traveling on business to ship breast milk home to their baby. In addition, she has taken advantage of the firm’s onsite back-up childcare, when her regular childcare is not an option. “All the support is incredibly beneficial when you are trying to balance your family and your career,” she says.

Looking ahead to her daughters’ future, Wheeler is excited to think about opportunities that will be open to them. “We all have the responsibility to create an environment where future generations of women can thrive,” she says.

That ethos expands to her philanthropy work as well; as a board member for WIN Partners, she is proud of her involvement with a group that is dedicated to helping homeless women and children transition from shelters to their own homes. Over the past year, WIN has supported 10,000 homeless individuals, including 6,000 children.

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Katie Koch, Partner, Goldman Sachs

Katie KochGiven the sizable success that Goldman Sachs’ Katie Koch has had in her career, it may seem surprising that failure is one of the factors that drives her.

“Taking risks and refusing to be paralyzed by a fear of failure has served me well,” she says, explaining that she has developed a sound personal philosophy and approach to taking risk. “I approach every challenge with a philosophy that my mom introduced to me and my siblings when she would say, ‘What choice would you make if you knew you would not fail?’”

Taking that approach has allowed Koch to make decisions based on optimism rather than fear and has biased her towards taking calculated risks. “When you’re taking risk repeatedly, you’re naturally going to occasionally fail, so it’s important to view failure as fuel,” she says. A quote that has resonated with her came from an inspiring commencement address by soccer superstar Abby Wambach, who said, “Failure is not something to be ashamed of, it’s something to be POWERED by. Failure is the highest octane fuel your life can run on. You got to learn to make failure your fuel.”

If something doesn’t work out the way you wanted it to, figure out why, and move forward with those lessons, Koch advises.

Taking Risks Leads to Diverse and Rewarding Career Path

Although Koch has spent 16 years with Goldman Sachs, it’s as though she’s had several careers, given the diverse portfolio of experiences she’s had – across different divisions, offices (Chicago, London and New York) and four different business lines. One of her favorite roles is working with incoming talent, and she always makes sure to express how this wealth of opportunities allows professionals at Goldman Sachs to experience a fulfilling career – at one firm.

Koch acknowledges it can be challenging to start over with a new business, team and mandate, but the advantages of working in a new business are immense.

First, she has been able to build a deep network, and secondly, working in different roles allows you to have additional context as you inevitably come across problems you’ve tackled before.

And while she was grateful to be named a partner at the age of 36, the aspect that was most meaningful was having so many people, including her own team, champion her throughout the process. “I believe that the more senior you become, the more dependent your success is on having the best team around you and the right sponsorship above you.”

Living Out a Commitment to Diversity

Koch’s belief in the importance of diversity permeates every aspect of her role at Goldman Sachs. She sees a strong business case for spending time and effort to build diverse teams, and her role helping to lead the equity business – which oversees $65 billion in assets – has proven that diversity of thought is critical to positive investment outcomes. “Successful investing requires the healthy tension of variant perspectives, so it’s a competitive advantage that we have a highly diverse investing team; more than half of our assets are handled by talented portfolio managers who happen to be women, an industry-leading statistic,” she notes.

At the firmwide level, Koch is a champion of Launch With GS, a new initiative that will invest $500 million of the firm’s and its clients’ capital in private, late-stage, women-founded, women-owned or women-led companies, through direct funding, as well as seeding women investment managers who are starting their own funds. “Our ambition is to become a partner of choice for women seeking to scale their businesses and build capital,” she says of the effort.

Sharing Advice That Has Propelled Her Career

Mentoring women is important to Koch, and one lesson that she is quick to impart is that you have to treat a career differently than school. Women in particular excel in the academic environment, where they are rewarded for subject mastery; however, when women transition to a career, they often remain on that path and focus on the content of their role and “keeping their head down.” While it’s vital to be a subject matter expert at your core, she finds women tend to overinvest in this, but chronically underinvest in developing their network.

“I encourage young women to be exceptional at what they do, but also be deliberate in carving out time to meet people in their direct line of business and across their firm, industry and client base, all of which will help you build seniority over the long arc of your career,” she says. “You need to balance what you know with who you know.”

As the beneficiary of a supportive community of other partners, she advises her peers to continue to signal ambition – appropriately of course – and create a plan to articulate career goals to the right people, at the right moment and in the right way.

“It’s so important to think boldly and have a clearly defined top-level goal. Knowing exactly where you want to go allows you to organize your time and efforts toward those aspirational roles,” she says, recommending that while women should focus on outstanding execution in their current role, they should also be asking themselves, “Am I working toward my next job?”

Koch comments, “One of the best ways to prove you are deserving of a job is to act as though you already have the title – even before it is officially yours. That communicates to others that you are hungry, proactive and will bring solutions as a leader.”

One of the programs that was particularly beneficial to Koch was the personal coaching that Goldman Sachs offers, where the coach solicits direct feedback from everyone you work with and provides insight to help you grow as a professional.

Koch noted, “As you achieve early success in your career you can lose sight of how much room there is to improve. This is compounded by the fact that as you get more senior, less people are willing to give you tough feedback directly.”

The coaching process can help you address your blind spots, and Koch found real value in getting this feedback to continue to grow and evolve in her career. She shares, “Once I really opened myself up to the feedback, I learned some profound truths about myself as a professional and a manager. I distinctly remember my coach trying to make the point that people felt shut-down when I interrupted them. I interjected to explain that I don’t interrupt people – I just help them reach a conclusion more quickly. She had to gently point out that I had just interrupted her to explain that I don’t interrupt people!” Taking feedback can be humbling, but Koch believes that self-actualization is only possible when you seek out areas to improve at every stage of your career.

Despite the many hats she wears at work, Koch’s main priority is her family—her husband, two daughters and a son born a few weeks ago. With three children aged four and under, she feels extremely fortunate to have bosses such as Tim O’Neill and Eric Lane, who don’t see successful careers and meaningful family lives as mutually exclusive. “I have had an exceptionally positive experience at Goldman Sachs simultaneously growing my career and my family. I think it underscores the importance for women to choose their employer and their boss wisely.”

“My family is my biggest priority, but I always think of what we say in investing—we won’t get the stock picks right every time, but we try to get it right over time. To me that is the ideal metaphor for integrating life and family. My family can’t come first every time, but they must come first over time, and my goal is to organize my life that way.”

Prior to kids, she and her husband indulged a love of adventure travel; she has been to all seven continents—including Antarctica for her honeymoon—and has climbed extensively from Kilimanjaro to the Alps. For now, most of her adventures take place through books. As an avid reader, she averages about a book a week and frequently trades recommendations with her mom and her team.

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Shital Bhatt, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Shital Bhatt

A career is built by playing the long game, chess, not checkers, says Goldman Sachs’ Shital Bhatt.

“What I thought was most important when I was more junior, the technical and functional skills, need to be supplemented with attributes such as being resilient and having grit,” she says. “I wish I had learned earlier, especially as a woman in the financial services sector and with a minority background, how important it is to recover quickly, persevere and not let challenges get you down,” she shares.

Growing Her Career to Earn Those Two Important Letters

Bhatt joined Goldman Sachs as an analyst in 2004 in the Operations Division, and although she’s spent her tenure within this division, she’s had many different experiences, both in function, moving from derivatives to securities. Also moving geographically, beginning in the New York office, moving to New Jersey, and taking a global opportunity in Hong Kong before finally transferring back to New York in 2016.

While it was unexpected, as she was still at a relatively junior level, traveling and living abroad for work had always been enticing to her; although she had assumed the farthest she would transfer would be London. However, when her former manager asked her to join a team he was building in Hong Kong, she booked a one-way ticket in 2010 having never even visited before, and remained there for five-and-a-half years. “It was an amazing opportunity to learn many different functions, and living in Hong Kong was an equally enriching personal and cultural experience,” Bhatt says.

She considers building a life abroad one of the professional achievements she is most proud of thus far. Having always lived close to home, she found it to be a high-risk/high-reward opportunity, but she figured that if her parents could immigrate to the United States in the ‘70s with minimal support, she could take on this challenge.

Bhatt’s second notable career moment was being named a managing director. Reaching this level was always her aspiration, given the many MD role models she admired, but she also finds the accomplishment significant as a first-generation Indian American. “I was one of two daughters, and my parents wanted to give us a great education to fulfill the ‘American dream,’” she says.

“Telling my parents I was named managing director was one of the happiest days of their life, and it was a meaningful way for me to thank them for what they did to help me persevere and get to this level.” She laughs, since everyone in her family is in the sciences – and her dad always wanted her to be a doctor – that she was proud she could finally tell him she was an “MD.”

Bhatt finds that one of the best parts of the industry is seeing how technological advances will change things for the better. For example, she has been fascinated by the intersection between disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence as they converge with the highly regulated financial sector.

“We are seeing how we can incorporate the best technology available into our controlled environment at an appetite that regulators will be comfortable with. I love seeing how other industries outside of financial services are making it work,” she says.

Helping Build the Talent Pipeline

When considering the challenges of being a woman in the industry, Bhatt believes that key issues are numbers, retention and representation. “There aren’t enough women, so we need to not only attract women as junior candidates, but retain them over a long career.” She says one solution is to help women who are currently in school or graduating discount a misconception that the industry is overly conservative and rigid. “Other people have paved the way as the industry has evolved to be more welcoming, and that will only continue if we bring in even more people who are eager to ensure the industry is more diverse.”

She goes on to stress: “getting women in the door isn’t enough – it’s important for leadership to nurture and grow talent through the ranks by giving their team members interesting and challenging responsibilities.”

In addition, Bhatt believes that as firms work toward equal gender representation, typical stereotypes tied to gender – such as men being “assertive leaders,” and women being viewed as “good teammates” – will evolve.

She says it’s vital that women in top positions take care to spot talent and spend time mentoring the junior population. “Remember that you used to be that analyst admiring the MD and looking for advice and encouragement,” she says. “A good leader can listen to a wide variety of ideas and champion the great ones. It helps the team feel empowered when you listen and assess ideas, then help get the best ideas across the finish line.” She adds it’s equally important to make sure that men are also advocating for women.

Bhatt has benefitted from a number of programs offered by Goldman Sachs, notably when she participated in a program in Asia that brought women in the region together to develop their leadership skills, and provided them with the opportunity to forge connections with senior leaders and one another.

In addition, Bhatt is passionate about the firm’s affinity networks; she was a member, then a steering committee leader and now managing director sponsor for the Operations Asian Professionals Network in the Americas. “I love giving back to this community, and I am honored to be that role model, so if a junior person is hoping to go down the MD road, it will become more accessible when they see someone who looks like them,” she says.

Bhatt is a proponent of maintaining a work/life balance; including understanding when it’s time to engage in new activities to support that goal. While in Asia, she picked up a passion for wellness once she realized that the environment offered plenty of opportunities for socializing – but Hong Kong’s “concrete jungle” didn’t provide many chances for outdoor activities. Bhatt joined a boot camp and practiced yoga, eventually earning her certification – not to actively teach but as a personal achievement. She also traveled extensively in the region, visiting 20 countries across Asia.

One of the driving factors in her desire to return to the United States was family; she has two teenage nephews with whom she is extremely close. “I appreciate that I can give them a picture of a family member in corporate America, and I can help them navigate competitive waters to help shape their paths and give them guidance, such as putting them in touch with the right people and helping them engage in different hobbies and extracurricular activities. In that way, I get to serve as a life coach,” Bhatt says.

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Voice of Experience: Agostina Pechi, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Agostina PechiIt’s important to be patient when you are more junior and to realize that building a business can take several years.

“If you work hard and are consistent, you will get there,” says Goldman Sachs’ Agostina Pechi. Yet, she adds that you have to balance that patience with an ability to speak up and vocalize your intention to take on additional responsibility. “You have to make sure that management is aware of the work you are doing,” she says, adding that “mentors and sponsors who can vouch for your work are extremely valuable.”

Building an Expertise in Latin America

After studying economics at Torcuato Di Tella University in Argentina, Pechi moved to London to work for Deutsche Bank in their emerging markets group. Her work at Deutsche Bank took her to Mexico City and then to New York, where she worked as part of the Latin American coverage team. Through working in different environments and under different supervisory styles, she gained what she believes to be an important skill for success: adaptability.

In 2013, Pechi decided to move to Goldman Sachs. “I found it valuable to be based in the headquarters, close to leadership and decision making,” she says. She was tapped to build a Latin American institutional coverage team for the firm that has since expanded its coverage to smaller market countries.

“It was extremely rewarding to know that the firm trusted us to produce in these markets that don’t have as much access to Wall Street and liquidity in their currencies.” She says that the firm’s increased involvement in smaller markets has fostered its reputation in the region, generating new business, with revenue comparable to that of larger economies. “Direct investment is key for these economies to grow – it’s important for them to obtain financing to facilitate investments in key areas such as infrastructure, and it has been rewarding to help clients in these regions achieve their goals,” she says.

Pechi considers the growth of fintech to be one of the most important rising trends, namely due to the way the sector will disrupt existing business methods. She believes that Goldman Sachs is on the cutting edge of this change, and will be able to expand product offerings and support a greater array of clients.

“History has shown that doing things the same way because that’s how it has always been done is a disadvantage, and I believe we are at the forefront of the radical change that is coming,” Pechi says.

Sharing Her Passions With Others

At Goldman Sachs, Pechi is highly involved with two affinity networks. She sits on the steering committee of the Hispanic and Latino network, which provides tools and guidance to Latino individuals to navigate and excel in their careers. She is also co-head of the Securities Division Women’s Network, which hosts monthly meetings, events and a “Strategic Insight” series designed for women to connect with senior management across different divisions. The program has been so successful that other businesses across the firm have expressed interest in replicating it. She is currently in the midst of helping to plan a half-day seminar where network members will have an opportunity to interact with senior leaders of the firm.

She enjoys mentoring other women and recommends to others, “Surround yourself with people who believe in you along each step in your career.” She goes on to note, “Great leaders are innovative, and we will succeed when we realize we can’t all look at the world in the same way.”

Outside of work, Pechi channels her passion for improving her community into Project Art, a program that uses space in public libraries for children in under-resourced areas to meet and make art. The program has spread across the country to become the largest arts-related after-school program in the United States. Since Project Art relies on free public spaces instead of renting pricey classroom space, the majority of funding can go to hiring great teachers and acquiring materials. Pechi, who has a two-year-old daughter of her own, appreciates the chance to offer an avenue for children to stay busy after school and to learn to communicate through the arts.

“Helping communities around me is an important part of my life,” she says.

Another form of art is also important to her — dancing tango, which she learned in Argentina from her grandparents. Two years ago when she was involved in planning efforts for the firm’s Hispanic Heritage Month, she arranged for an external dance team to perform the tango – and even performed alongside them.

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Denise Wyllie, Partner, Goldman Sachs

Denise WyllieWhen Denise Wyllie joined the financial services industry, it was even more heavily male-dominated, but she believes progress has been made.

“When I initially joined the sector, there were very few women in leadership positions,” she says, but notes this did not hold her back from achieving her goals.

“As women strive to become more senior, they need to embrace their career and remember they would not be in their current role if they were not good at their job, and they also need to trust the process.” She adds that success in many ways is more an attitude than a skill. “You have to embrace your role with 100 percent energy, passion and commitment – take risks and if they don’t pan out then try something new.”

Wyllie also notes, “You also have to accept that you can’t have it all, all of the time, therefore at points in your career something may have to give – that’s ok but make sure it’s your decision.”

Advancing Her Career by Approaching Challenges Head On

As a “STEM student” before it became a common acronym, Wyllie studied biochemistry at university. While she initially considered a career in the sciences, she decided eventually to pursue a business career. Her first role was as a graduate trainee at the largest brewing company in the UK – the first female ever hired to train as a brewer and production engineer. In this role, she was able to leverage her biochemical degree and received fantastic managerial training, overseeing an all-male team on the brewing production line.

After nearly three years in this role, Wyllie decided she wanted to pursue a new challenge. She scoured the Sunday Times’ career section and was intrigued by an ad for Citibank in London, searching for people with engineering or manufacturing backgrounds to work in their Foreign Exchange & Treasury Division. Wyllie went on to work at Citi in a number of management and project roles across Europe for four years. She ultimately joined Goldman Sachs after she was recruited by a former coworker.

Wyllie spent the majority of the past 24 years in operational roles in commodities, derivatives, and as co-COO of the global Operations Division, with specific responsibility for Europe, India and Asia Pacific. In 2016, she transferred to Hong Kong, where she now serves as head of the Federation for Asia Pacific, operating as the COO for the region. In this role, she supports all of the firm’s business activities across the region, which she calls “massively exciting,” due to daily challenges and curveballs.

However, what she finds most thrilling is the opportunity for Goldman Sachs and the broader finance industry to potentially expand in China in the coming years. “Although it can be frustrating that markets aren’t opening up more quickly, we are on the cusp, and long after I’m retired I’ll look back and see the impact my team and I had to help move the firm forward,” she says.

In fact, building her team is one of the professional achievements Wyllie is most proud of – along with becoming one of Goldman Sachs’ female partners.

She notes that observing the number of people she’s hired and mentored, who have grown from analyst to Managing Director and even Partner, is extremely rewarding. “When I see my team flourish personally and professionally, it is very gratifying to think that I may have had a bit of an impact on them along the way.”

Balancing Outside Interests: 72 Countries & Counting

Wyllie is proud to be involved with Goldman Sachs’ affinity networks, including those serving women, military members and the LGBT community. She also is currently working with colleagues in London on “Music in Mind,” a charity that uses music to help promote wellbeing in people with Alzheimer’s as well as provide support for family members taking care of those with the disease. She has also worked closely with Opportunity International, which provides small loans predominantly to entrepreneurs in Africa, with the aim of pulling them out of poverty.

Wyllie is a firm believer in the importance of taking every vacation day you’re given to maintain both mental and physical health, as it will allow you to enjoy your job more as well as give you sustainability and longevity to your career. “As much as we love our careers, we all need a break!” She encourages others to “take advantage of down time to reflect on your career and your business. Often, it’s only when you have some time off that you really have ‘space’ to think.”

She also loves to travel, having visited an impressive 72 countries. Her favorite sojourns include going on safari – either Africa or India – to see wildlife. She also visits the UK frequently to see friends and family, and she stays active by going to the gym regularly and loves weight lifting as well as skiing, scuba diving and horse riding.

By Cathie Ericson

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Voice of Experience: Kristi Tange, Co-Head of Enterprise Operations, London, Goldman Sachs

Kristi Tange’s second day at Goldman Sachs’ New York office happened to coincide with a dinner party to celebrate her father’s birthday.

Initially, she was hesitant to ask to leave the office a little early, and then she realized that there was no harm in making the request.

When her boss said yes, Tange described it as a “profound moment.” Not only did it give her insight into the firm’s positive culture, but it helped her realize that it’s always wise to communicate and ask for what you need. This experience also helped inform her management style: “When someone asks for something, my first answer is always, ‘Of course; let’s see how we can make it work.’”

A Varied Career Across Three Regions

Tange recently celebrated her 21st anniversary at Goldman Sachs after beginning her career as an analyst in Japan, where she had studied to fulfill the foreign language proficiency required as part of her master’s degree program in Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

She then moved with Goldman Sachs to New York, where her husband was attending graduate school. Tange is now based in London and serves as co-head for Enterprise Operations, providing operational support for processes that service the breadth of the firm, including opening accounts for clients, managing collateral, and more.

When she first joined Operations, her division was much smaller, and there was just one managing director, which made her question if ultimately reaching that level was possible. Fast forward two decades, and the division has expanded significantly. She was named a managing director in 2009, which she describes as a “pleasant shock,” noting that when she was an analyst, reaching that level had seemed unattainable. “You learn over the course of your career that you can outperform your own expectations,” Tange says.

One of the most exciting programs she is currently overseeing is uplifting the firm’s onboarding program, known as “Know Your Customer,” in order to comply with new due diligence regulatory processes and enhance the client experience. While fulfilling these requirements has traditionally been challenging for clients, her team realized that revamping this program could be a differentiator for the firm, and began to rethink the architecture and streamline associated processes in order to more effectively introduce clients to Goldman Sachs. “To be in a role where we can deliver an effective solution that sets a positive tone for our client relationships is rewarding,” she says.

Using Your Voice to Earn Your Spot

Over the course of her career, Tange has learned that it’s important to speak out and be bold, to earn a voice and seat at the table — and that you will go farther and faster if you do that early in your career.

“When people join, they think they need to be trained for a long period of time before sharing their views, but bringing a fresh pair of eyes is where your value is — to point out things that others might not notice,” she says, adding that those who are hired by Goldman Sachs tend to already have the necessary education and talent to be contributors from the start. “The earlier you share your perspective, the more you will grow as a leader.”

She encourages women to adopt behaviors that have served male colleagues well, such as feeling empowered to boldly request a one-on-one meeting with a senior leader.

“We read about barriers that women face in their careers, but I’ve felt fortunate at Goldman Sachs because it’s a place focused on skill sets and meritocracy,” Tange notes. She believes it’s important that companies focus on retaining women through policies such as short-term leaves, flexibility and relocation opportunities in order to keep top talent.

Tange also notes that it’s important to have leaders who have been able to achieve a balanced lifestyle, to serve as a model for others. “We need role models who fit a number of profiles, who represent greater diversity, so that junior individuals can see more women at senior levels,” she says.

During her time at Goldman Sachs, Tange has seen the value of sponsorship. In her current role she and fellow women managing directors identify and support up-and-coming women in their division, in an effort to ensure they have effective sponsorship and work on initiatives that help develop and showcase their capabilities ‘to get to the next level.” Tange notes: “We are able to pay it forward as we help move these women up the career ladder.”

Tange actively works to achieve a balance between work, her family and addressing her own needs. After her son was born 10 years ago, she realized that her life had become revolved around work and her family, and she needed to carve out time to focus on her health by joining the gym. Tange notes that her husband was very supportive about her motivation to focus on her health, and she put the structure in place to carefully “protect” her gym nights. “This helps show others that I am balancing my health and personal needs alongside my job, which helps give the right message to my team that we should all do this.”

Since spending the past eight years in the UK, she has become very passionate about travel and has visited many European countries with her family. She also enjoys sightseeing in London, with memberships to horticultural societies and museums.

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Voice of Experience: Jennifer Barbetta | Partner, Goldman Sachs

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Jennifer BarbettaBy Cathie Ericson

“Be on the short list,” recommends Jennifer Barbetta, a partner in Goldman Sachs’ Investment Management Division.

From her own experience, she knows that unique and challenging projects don’t simply “fall in front of you,” and that when senior managers are kicking off a new business, they’ll look to add people to their team who offer both a specific skill set as well as those with whom they have built a relationship.

As such, she advises junior analysts and associates to be “willing to work hard at everything put in front of you,” because individuals who jump in to solve problems and also work on building honest, trusting relationships are rewarded. “When people think of someone they want to work with, you want it to be you,” she recommends.

Creating a Multi-Faceted Career

And being someone with that mindset contributed to how Barbetta has managed to enjoy such a fruitful and varied career at Goldman Sachs. She joined the firm directly after graduating college, assuming she would work at the firm for several years prior to pursuing an MBA or law degree. Fast forward 23 years, and she’s still enjoying her work at Goldman Sachs, having worked in a variety of different roles across businesses.

Today, Barbetta is helping to lead the Global Portfolio Solutions Group in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM), which provides custom asset allocation advice, risk management and portfolio construction to both institutional and retail clients. The business has steadily expanded its service offerings over the past few years, resulting in GSAM becoming one of the top providers globally.

The custom solutions-oriented offering is one with a lot of potential, Barbetta says, noting that the work GSAM is doing was referenced in Goldman Sachs’ annual letter to shareholders as an effort with significant growth potential. That’s partially because trends in the industry are aligned with the business’ growth, as pension plans or healthcare organizations look for greater expertise in generating investment returns, because they may not have the breadth of internal capability to support all asset classes, portfolio construction and asset liability analysis. In other cases, they may be looking to outsource this functionality to save costs. “What we offer is so customized yet we have the expertise, investment platforms and risk management tools to scale this work effectively.”

“There is clearly a trend in this space, and at Goldman Sachs, we feel we have the skills sets, scale and resources to deliver for our clients,” Barbetta notes. “We have a diverse and experienced team, and we have significantly added to our capabilities over the past several years.”

Proud to be Part of A Firm That Embraces Diversity

Barbetta notes that as women progress in their careers, firms experience difficulty promoting and retaining senior women as they begin to start families. “It becomes more of a balancing act, and I know there’s more we can all do to enhance flexibility,” she says.

She also finds it uniquely beneficial to be out at work, primarily because you can take energy that you might have spent covering up a part of who you are and redirect it to a more useful need. She is proud to be associated with Goldman Sachs, and notes that the firm focuses on building an inclusive culture, with the tone being set at the top.

“If someone feels confident that senior management gets it, it makes it that much more comfortable to be out at work,” she notes. For Barbetta, a defining moment came when Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein spoke out in support of marriage equality in 2011, highlighting to both employees and the public that he supports diversity.

Involved with the LGBT network since it was founded in 2001, Barbetta now serves as an advisor, and during Pride Month will be moderating a panel on embracing transgender talent. She also is active in Goldman Sachs’ women’s network, having championed strategic initiatives focused on high-performing women. She also has been involved with the Black network and led a mentoring cohort that worked with managing directors and vice presidents.

Barbetta has three children with her wife Victoria, and when not spending time with family, she is active in philanthropic organizations. For almost a decade, she’s been on the board of the Point Foundation, which offers scholarships and mentoring to LGBTQ students of merit. She is also on the board of Junior Achievement New York, where she recently helped host a Bowlathon that raised almost $300,000. In addition, she is a board member at her children’s school.

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