Tag Archive for: UBS

Voice of Experience: Meltem Cagan, Managing Director – Country Team Head for Turkey, UBS

By Cathie Ericson

Meltem Cagan made an assumption that many women do when they’re starting their careers. “I always thought delivering the results was the most important component, but now I see that relationships and how you position yourself politically are hugely important, particularly in financial institutions,” she says.

Very numbers driven, she underestimated the critical nature of perception, which created some unfair situations in her view. “If you concentrate on delivering results, that’s important, but there’s this other component I wasn’t aware of at first that factors equally,” she says. “As a logical and straightforward person, I realize I was naïve to not understand this as a significant element in the industry, and I am eager to share that knowledge with others.”

A Career Destined for the Top

Cagan’s career has had a clear theme: Start at the bottom and climb the ladder. That was the case when she started as a trader in Turkey: During her 10-year tenure, she ended up running the trading floor for a medium-sized bank. Then she decided to move to wealth management, which took her to London with Citi where she started as a private banker and built her business before being asked to head Citi’s private banking business.

After her Citi stint, she joined Morgan Stanley to fulfill her desire to work for an investment bank; three-and-a-half years later she was approached by UBS, fortuitous timing since at the time Morgan Stanley was planning to sell its business. She happily accepted UBS’ offer to join the biggest wealth manager in the Turkish market, where she has been for almost three years.

“My career has taken me through all types of banking, and due to my team’s success, I have always been offered increasing responsibility. That’s what drives me,” she says.

She appreciates the current flexibility she has and the opportunities she’s had to work in Turkey and London, where she is a managing director. “It was a difficult ascent as a woman and I am proud of my career path,” she says.

Over the past three years, she has been focused on growing the business and is excited to see how they can take it to the next level. “Rather than growing 10 percent, I’m wondering how we can double it,” she says, noting that it’s not just about growing the business but enhancing their reputation. “We would never grow the business at the expense of our reputation. The challenge is to successfully do both together.”

With that goal in mind, Cagan also acknowledges the industry is going through a difficult period in terms of growth. Still not fully recovered from the 2008 crisis, many countries are experiencing anemic growth, which keeps interest rates low and injects a great deal of volatility into banking, creating a low- or no-growth environment. In addition, in many markets there is much inefficiency and regulation, which can conspire to create a difficult environment to deliver results. “We have to deal with cost pressure and margin pressure, but we will be successful,” she says.

Barriers for Women are Largely Self Imposed

“Most women, including myself, are perfectionists. We expect too much of ourselves and can be harsh and critical. But this mindset puts you in a situation where you don’t highlight what you are good at and that can translate into a weak position,” she says.

The remedy is to change your focus from what you don’t have, to a “glass-half-full” perspective. Ultimately this will change how you present yourself and help you go into situations like negotiations with a stronger positon.

“Some people are good at marketing themselves and others find it degrading,” she says. “There’s the perspective that you do a good job; the numbers show it; people acknowledge it and you don’t find the inclination to market it, but that can work against you.”

That’s why she advises young women to work on honing self-esteem and confidence, which can be aided when you start as a subject matter expert with a specialization. “While you are increasing your general knowledge, you will increase your confidence. It goes together as a package.”

As women climb the ladder, she encourages them to stay results-oriented, noting that many women work hard and produce lots of activity but not necessarily the outcomes they need. She suggests finding an efficient way to get results, while being mindful of the importance of being supportive of one another and curbing rivalry.

“We can get into competition later when there’s more of us,” she says wryly. “Part of self- confidence is building others up.”

Cagan builds her own knowledge by being active in “A Women’s Network,” which is focused on top women in wealth management. She appreciates its networking environment and forums with trainings on topics such as personal brand, management skills and more.

An Eye Toward Philanthropy and Family

With a family spread between Turkey, the United States and the U.K., Cagan devotes much of her spare time to travel.

“I am naturally a curious person so the diversity of culture enriches me,” she says, not just with her family but with their friends and extended circles.

In addition, she is an active philanthropist and finds it particularly meaningful to support the education of girls in her country, a cause that is dear to her heart. She also is working to become an advocate for incoming refugees, especially girls, offering financial as well as one-on-one help.

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Voice of Experience: Michele Trogni, Executive Vice President, Consolidated Markets and Solutions, IHS Markit

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michele-trogniBy Cathie Ericson

With a longstanding career working for and selling to financial institutions, Michele Trogni, Executive Vice President of Consolidated Markets and Solutions at IHS Markit, shares her best piece of advice – success isn’t achieved by one person alone. It’s all about everyone involved, whether it’s your team, your customers or your community.

In her current role, Trogni leads the delivery of data-driven solutions for customers in product design, technology, and managed services including digital, tax solutions, counterparty manager, Know Your Customer (KYC) and Know Your Third Party (KY3P).

She is responsible for helping customers achieve their business goals and competitive advantage through focused, scalable solutions which reduce cost of ownership, improve decision making, lower risk and engage end clients.

Banking and Tech Combine for Ideal Career

As the first in her family to attend university, Trogni has always been a trailblazer. Her career in banking was built during the 25 years she spent at UBS. She first started as a financial controller, often working on integrations and merger-related projects. It was a very acquisitive time, and she was often required to close transactions in a tight timeframe. “It was a perfect fit for me as a tech-savvy accountant with a rambunctious personality,” she says.

As she took on more and more projects, her career took her from the UK to Chicago. She became more involved with the technology function, which spurred her enthusiasm as she saw the potential of combining tech into future strategy.

After a brief stint in Chicago, Trogni upped roots again and headed to New York in 1997. “My CIO at UBS was impressed with the directing I’d done on a wide variety of merger projects, but he told me that if I want to be given the opportunity to do something big, I have to really know the ins and outs of how it all works.”

Trogni was advised to move into technology to be at the coalface running the IT function, and that’s exactly what she did. “Learning how to run the division was an important milestone that propelled my career. I couldn’t have accomplished what I have, if I had stayed on a superficial level,” she says.

She was asked to become group CIO in 2009, overseeing a $5 billion budget and more than 17,000 employees – an impressive achievement considering there were still so few women in tech. After five years she decided to retire from banking, but her best-laid plans for a year off were undone when she was offered the opportunity to move from building tech to selling it through Markit after just six months into her retirement.

It is a perfect fit: selling products she understands to customers like banks and hedge funds that she knows well. “They know I have sat in the buyer’s seat which is compelling to them,” she says.

Now Trogni is responsible for a much larger role within her firm. In July 2016, Markit merged with IHS to create IHS Markit, a global powerhouse and leader in critical information analytics and solutions that drive economies worldwide. She is excited to bridge two firms from both the cultural and operating perspective, creating a new vision for the combined firm.

Making Sense of Diversity

While Trogni has the intellectual skills to succeed, she also has a high “EQ,” an emotional quotient that has served her well and, she believes, enabled her to navigate successfully as a woman in a world that is heavily male dominated. “Some colleagues ended up obsessing about that, but I never did,” she says.

Prior to the financial crisis, firms were working hard to embrace diversity, but Trogni believes that their emphasis on diversity shifted to crisis management. “We’re gradually getting back to where we were,” she says, but notes that there is still a lot of unconscious bias in the workplace that the next generation will have to deal with – something she feels positive about given the fact that millennials are a less-judgmental generation. “I’m very optimistic that they are the perfect ones to address and overcome it,” she says.

It’s the Team That Leads to Success

Over the years, she has had many peer sponsors and managers, and she believes in paying it forward, focusing on ongoing coaching. “No one’s career can be just about them,” she says.

Trogni feels professionals get the best results when they have multiple sponsors, rather than relying 100% on one person to offer the next opportunity, which can lead to burn out. These various sponsors have modeled qualities she wants to emulate, and she also takes inspiration from West Coast entrepreneurs – people who “break the mold,” like Sheryl Sandberg and Elon Musk.

She also has seen the importance of surrounding yourself with a team that offers different specialties. “I don’t need all Type A people, or sales guys or marketing pros,” she says. “You need a combination of a wide variety of skill sets because you only win when you cover all your bases.”

Of course, a sense of humor, and ability to laugh at yourself never hurts, she adds.

A Robust Life outside Work

Community service has long been an important component of Trogni’s life. She has been active with the UBS-sponsored Bridge Academy, a half industry and half governmental-supported school focused on math and music in a low-income part of London. Through fundraising activities she helped spearhead, the school was able to raise £1.5 million, allowing it to expand to offer classrooms for Sixth Form, the equivalent of US 11th and 12th grades. She also worked with the school to create female empowerment groups that introduced girls to coding and tech.

In addition, she spent four years on the board of NPower, a tech charity that trains young, underprivileged adults in the skills they need to build websites and then matches them with clients.

Mom to four kids, ages 18, 15 and 13-year-old twins, Trogni stays busy with their sports and enjoying the “loud family fun” that kids bring – fitting in CrossFit workouts when she can. The family likes to travel and relishes time spent at their home in Nantucket.

Closing thoughts

When asked to point to career achievements that she is most proud of, Trogni turns to her role leading Investment Banking Operations at UBS during the financial crisis. It was a time of high emotions in the industry as well as tremendous risk, she recalls. “Turning to sponsors, mentors and my team helped to ease this burden and proved to be a time when my EQ really came to the fore. The last thing a leader wants is to get to the top of the hill with no one behind you.”

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Mover and Shaker: Ciara Quinlan, Head of Electronic Principal Trading FX, Rates & Credit, UBS

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ciara-quinlanBy Cathie Ericson

Few would call banking a “flexible” career, but UBS’ Ciara Quinlan has found the secret to success in balancing work with family life.

“When it comes to being a great mum and achieving my career goals in parallel, I’m a believer in having it all,” she says. “I took off the time I wanted when I had my son four years ago, and initially came back part time while managing to roll out a major project and advance my career at the same time.”

She notes that one of the reasons she hasn’t felt she had to sacrifice is that she has always been
brave in asking for what she wanted and flexible herself in making it work. Even though flexible working wasn’t commonplace in trading roles at the time, she asked for a chance and worked hard to make it a success, noting that she would have burned out long ago otherwise. “Sometimes we have to create the environment we need,” she says.

From Engineering to Banking

After earning a Ph.D. in electronic engineering, Quinlan decided to join the banking industry after learning that the industry was eager for people with her qualifications. She was offered a position at Dresdner Bank as a junior quant trader in foreign exchange, applying the same type of algorithmic and statistical approaches she’d learned in engineering.

“I was looking forward to working in a fast-paced industry and instantly took to working on a trading floor with many diverse characters and cultures. I loved the pace, intensity and unpredictability of the market.”

Shortly after she arrived, the majority of her team was redeployed, and she ended up embarking on a project to rebuild the electronic trading systems with her boss. “It was the best thing that ever happened to me as I had to learn very quickly how to manage projects and figure things out for myself,” she says. One of her first project deliveries was the EFX pricing system, and shortly after it went live, Lehman went under. “I was very quickly thrown into the deep end, and our new system was really put to the test,” she recalls. “Thankfully it handled the unforeseen market uncertainty and volatility very well.”

Several moves followed: she joined Barclays to work as a mid-level quant trader and later became co-head of the quant trading team; then she was approached by an old friend and colleague who wanted her to head up electronic FX quant trading at State Street so she went there and was able to hire a new team of top talent to build the company’s electronic FX trading systems. Then, three years ago, her former Barclays’ boss approached her to run electronic trading for FX at UBS. That role expanded a year ago to running electronic trading for FX, rates and credit.

“All the moves I’ve made have given me an interesting outlook on the culture of different banks. I know what I value from a firm and now find myself in a very happy place at UBS,” she says.

Right now that includes a large team expansion and undertaking the massive project of rebuilding electronic pricing and hedging for the eFX principal business, as well as building from scratch UBS’ electronic interest rate swap business.

“Those are the moments I look back on with the most pride — the growth periods when you’re building new things and everyone’s involved and excited to be consumed with the work. Then after the tough slog, you have the reward of seeing the new business flow in and realizing your success.”

The Many Benefits of a Career in Banking

Quinlan’s experience in banking has been overwhelmingly positive, a sharp contrast from general media portrayals she had seen prior to joining that show the business as being full of ruthless people, a rat race where you sell your soul and burn out quickly.

“It’s been nothing like that,” she says. “I love banking and have found there to be such diversity in the different roles and potential career paths. It’s actually an extremely open environment where people are very interested in your views regardless of your level of seniority,” she says, adding that even as a new starter having never studied finance and economics her views were listened to and valued.

A Family Role Model and Sponsorship Helped Show Her the Way

Quinlan readily admits that her role model has always been her father, a senior manager at IBM. “He really inspired me and I still think about how he would handle certain situations when I’m faced with them,” she says.

She most admires that he tackled every job with the same high level of positivity and hard work, even long after he had retired. “It didn’t matter whether the job at hand was boring or he would get any personal benefit,” Quinlan remembers. “He tackled everything with enthusiasm and gave each job, no matter how small, his full effort.” She also admires that he was always incredibly positive and treated everyone with respect regardless of their position. “He was successful because people wanted to work hard for him,” she notes. “I always try to apply myself with the same level of enthusiasm.”

That outlook has been important as she has progressed from building models to managing teams, where it’s vital to have open communication and ensure their motivation and buy in.

“You can have the best strategy in the world but when you’re running a business, you have to motivate the workforce who are actually producing the work and get them to buy into your plans,” she notes.

Quinlan says her career has been shaped by informal sponsorship especially with bosses who exposed her to cross-business relationships. “I didn’t know it at the time but it was massively important in how my career has progressed,” she says. “Early in my career I focused solely on delivering my projects and didn’t give much thought to networking or career next steps. My bosses encouraged me to push myself forward and gave me the exposure needed across the firm.”

And now, she repays the favor when she mentors people who are new to the industry, reminding juniors who are focused on applying themselves to the immediate tasks at hand that they have to ask for more and put themselves forward. “If exposure across the firm doesn’t land in your lap, you need to take responsibility and make it happen.”

She shares her insight with a female networking group that she started at UBS, modeled after a similar one at State Street. One or two senior women meet with a small group of more junior associates to discuss different topics — anything that’s challenging them. “It’s the perfect environment to raise issues they are having and always involves interesting debate,” she says.

In addition, she has been involved with a UBS front-office-led maternity support group that pairs a “business buddy” with an expecting mom to communicate changes and help them stay in touch while they’re out. She’s been participating as a buddy and now is about to use it, as she is pregnant with her second child.

In the little spare time she has, Quinlan says she loves travel, music and watching her little boy grow up. “I feel fortunate I get to take such an active part in his life and am proud he’s growing up learning that gender plays no role in potential career success.”

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Voice of Experience: Dalia Ahmed, Executive Director, Ultra High Net Worth, UBS

Dalia AhmedYoung professionals tend to take everything personally – whether comments come from colleagues or clients. “It’s easy to be sensitive, but it’s important to realize that most of the time, the comments or feedback are not personal. Developing a thick skin, especially in a male-dominated environment, will help you succeed,” says UBS’ Dalia Ahmed.

Deep Relationships Propel Her Career

This observation has helped Dalia throughout her professional life, which has been focused on building strong relationships with her clients. She began her career in London, joining Coutts bank where she spent 8 years covering private banking clients in the Middle East. After the birth of her second child, she took a short break and then joined UBS in Dubai as the second client advisor in their first advisory office in the region, a position she still holds.

Over the past decade she is proud of the trusted advisor role she has achieved. “That’s the most important factor in this business — becoming part of clients’ lives and not just as a banker,” she says. “I’m proud of the deep relationships I’ve built with these amazing families and being invited to share in their success stories.” She notes that by nature her ultra-high net worth clients are very interesting people and although their conversations begin around finances — investments, risk and return, performance, etc. — these exchanges frequently turn to the personal side.

They’ll discuss issues much closer to the client’s heart, such as the client’s vision for the family and family business, whether the children are ready to take over and any specific educational needs for the next generation.

“Research shows that less than one-third of family businesses survive the transition from first to second generation ownership and another 50% don’t survive the transition from second to third generation. I meet many families whose main concern is how to efficiently transfer their business and wealth to the next generation,” she says.

One of the areas that she finds most interesting in the industry today is the rising trend of ultra-high net worth families setting up family offices for intergenerational wealth transfer. This has highlighted the need for private banks to think more radically about how they can best serve this type of client, she says, because a traditional wealth management setting will not be sufficient for the sophisticated demands of these family offices. “Increasingly private banks will have to include services such as global custody, lending, execution, investment banking, private markets and more, which of course not all private banks have the scale to provide.”

In her client-facing capacity, every day is interesting because she is constantly meeting new people and forging new relationships. “You have to make sure you are always doing something satisfying and inspiring or every day will be challenging. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, the pressure and hours can be very difficult to manage,” she says.

Helping Women Be Successful in the Industry

Although the industry begins with a 50/50 male/female split, female attrition happens as they rise through the ranks. The question, Dalia notes, is why women leave the industry. She believes that there are no structural barriers or barriers caused by overt hostility but rather an ingrained unconscious bias about what it takes to perform at the top, such as being aggressive and determined, attributes people are less likely to ascribe to women. “These issues are very subtle which makes them harder to identify and tackle,” she says.

The male-dominated culture can be intimidating to talented women, she says, but notes that much of the reason there are more men are because of lifestyle issues: late nights and overnight travel become more difficult, and many women are likely to look at that lifestyle and decide they don’t want to do that. “Financial industries need to change their old-fashioned work practices that reward people for working at the office late at night, because it’s not conducive to many women who have families at home,” she says.

That’s why she encourages women who have risen in the industry to realize the importance of being role models for younger women. “Since we are a minority it’s more important than ever for us to help each other, to be visible. We have to show the new female entrants that women can succeed in these positions.”

She is proud of the initiatives UBS has developed to support women and create change within the culture, such as the Diversity and Inclusion Council that ensures that the firm creates an open environment. As a service organization with a diverse client base, it’s particularly important that they be visible with a diverse workforce.

The firm is in the midst of rolling out training in unconscious bias that all wealth management staff will take by 2018. The training will cover gender and other diversity issues that she says forward-thinking firms have to learn how to acknowledge and overcome. One area ripe for additional focus is supporting and retaining women after maternity leave.

Ahmed participated in the Women in Wealth Forum, an annual event that provides a platform for women to network and bolster their skills and is very supportive of the Leading Women of Wealth Management group, which provides coaching and helps women develop their talents. She encourages young professionals to seek out similar groups to help them nurture relationships with a trusted mentor who can offer advice in the challenging situations that are sure to arise.

In her free time, Dalia likes to read and cycle, but most of all she focuses on spending time with her children, a son, age 14, and a daughter, age 11. “I love to listen to their views and opinions; their simple perspective helps me to cut through all the unnecessary complexities of life.”

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Voice of Experience: Marina Lui, Regional Market Manager for the China International Team UBS

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Marina LuiMarina Lui believes a strong team brings success, and that companies need to create an atmosphere that will attract and retain those solid performers.

As one of the early immigrants to Hong Kong from China, Lui says she appreciated the opportunity to receive the education that she did, both in Hong Kong and then attending the University of Texas at Austin in the United States.

She began her career as a branch manager in consumer banking, but wasn’t sure she was cut out for managing – ironic, given her current success in that arena. She joined UBS in 1995 as a client-facing relationship manager, spending 10 years covering the Hong Kong domestic market, and then once again moving into managerial positions.

At the time, the Hong Kong domestic market was quite established so she appreciated the opportunity she was given in 2011 when she was appointed as one of the team heads serving ultra-high worth clients in China and Taiwan. That allowed her to work in a sophisticated new market with a team of 50 experienced staff.

Soon she honed her focus solely on China, where she became regional market manager for the China International Team with a staff of 150. “I was very proud of being named regional market manager and subsequently building the team. In less than two years we have doubled the size of the business.”

Winning Because of the Team

Lui credits her team with that feat, but much of the acknowledgement surely should be given to her leadership style. “I want to be the team of choice and feel I have achieved that goal with the high morale we have. I want my team to be proud of what they do, and know that they have collectively contributed to our accomplishments,” she says.

Not only is she focused on success, but on developing the next generation of leaders. She admits it’s challenging sometimes when you can’t see quick results since talent development is a long process. However, she enjoys the role she plays in nurturing employees to help support the success of the firm.

Changing Demographics Mean A Changing Industry

The industry is currently in the midst of wealth transfer from one generation to another, and they need to accommodate the different way that the next generation thinks. Since many of her relationship managers are relatively young, they are in a position to relate to, and therefore confidently meet, the needs of this next generation.

And the changing demographics brings internal challenges as well, as companies grapple with providing employees with the diverse experiences they increasingly seek. “We have to question whether employees who are in their late 20s will want to work for the bank for 20 years, given their mindset that they don’t want to be in one place too long.” She says that they are addressing that through encouraging millennial employees to seek additional opportunities in other divisions of the bank, so they can have those varied experiences without leaving.

Growing the Next Generation of Leaders

Younger employees today also have the benefit of being able to research an industry before they join, and she encourages them to do their homework, to find out what exactly a banking position entails and confirm that it suits their interests and skills. But, it also has to be something they enjoy.

“When you join an industry or company, you have to be passionate or you won’t last long,” she says. She advises them to trust their gut feeling when determining a career path, but then to realize that success may be delayed. “The younger generation tends to want immediate gratification but often you have to be patient as you climb the ladder. Learn what you need to know on each rung.”
She encourages wealth management as an industry where women can be particularly successful, because it’s a people business, and women naturally exhibit interpersonal skills that allow them to excel at networking and building relationships with clients.

Within UBS, Lui is involved in the Global Key Talent Program, which helps develop high-performing talent. The group brings together emerging professionals and senior leaders to encourage mentoring and exposure. “It’s important to offer this opportunity for younger professionals to engage with senior leadership, both men and women, and show their capabilities.”

She also is involved with a group called “Half the Sky” that helps the bank better understand the needs of female clients who are becoming a larger part of their portfolio, as entrepreneurs and decision makers.

Work/Life Balance as an Imperative

Lui counsels her peers that it’s important to leave your stress at work and develop a healthy work/life balance that allows you to perform and focus better on the job. For her, exercise is a stress reliever, but she encourages women to find what works for them.

She loves traveling and spending time with her family but also believes in the importance of giving back through philanthropy. Two causes she is particularly passionate about are elder care and children. Recently she instigated a team project where they visited the elderly. “We need them to know they are important and not forgotten.” On the other end of the spectrum, she is involved with the group “Pencil of Promise,” which is working to build schools in Laos.

“I know that I am fortunate to work in the banking industry and make a good living compared to many families who struggle on a daily basis. We all need to make giving a part of our lives, to remember to reach out and support those in need. “

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Men Who Get It: Ashutosh Mondal, Business Analyst, UBS

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Ashutosh mondalLeaders make all the difference in encouraging and supporting a culture of diversity, says UBS’ Ashutosh Mondal. “They set the standards for the team and model acceptance,” he says, adding that not only does it create a more positive internal culture but it helps with recruiting as well. “Actions speak loudly and it’s important for leaders to show their commitment to diversity and not just support it in theory.”

With a background in computer science and engineering, Mondal started with UBS in a technology and project portfolio management role as part of his graduate training program and has been with the firm ever since, holding diverse roles in finance, project management and analytics. He recently participated in a high-profile project within the Investment Bank, the Client Data Lab, which entailed mining data from different sources and teams to develop an analytical structure to help facilitate a better understanding of clients.

Acting as a Role Model Internally and Externally

As an openly gay man in banking, being a diversity champion is extremely important to Mondal because of the role models he himself was fortunate to have. “When I first joined UBS, I wasn’t sure what the protocol was for telling my team and others, and I appreciated the support I got which allowed me to be comfortable being out and open.”

Mondal has since very actively paid it forward. He is involved in the graduate training programs and with interns to ensure that they see diversity role models so that they know there are resources to assist them if and when they need them. Interns attend several internal education sessions, one of which is a panel discussion introducing various employee networks including LGBT support, which Mondal helps lead.

He is active with UBS’ internal community affairs team and also helps represent UBS in external outreach like Inside Out and other industry programs.

Since joining UBS, he has been part of the Pride network and is now part of the steering committee where he helps answer questions for those who need mentorship. One of their outreach efforts has involved an anti-homophobic bullying education campaign, part of which was to run a workshop with a video and discussions in local schools. It was so well received that it has been launched nationally for all primary schools within the U.K. Looking back, many students have said that it was one of the most impactful experiences they have had during their school career.

Along the way, Mondal has been impressed by the support the program has gotten from people to volunteer and be involved.

“UBS has an extremely open and accepting culture, and I haven’t ever felt prejudiced against,” Mondal says. “It is my pleasure to help share that value with others internally and externally. “It’s not always easy to make the time commitment but it’s worth it.”

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Voice of Experience: Christine Low, Corporate Client Solution Operating Officer, Asia, UBS

Christine Low, UBSBy Cathie Ericson

To succeed in today’s financial industry, you need stamina, says UBS’ Christine Low. “When you first start out, you have plenty of energy, but as you progress and strive for longevity, you find that you constantly have to rebuild yourself — your stamina and your mindset — and stay fit in your body and mind so you can handle the pace and the diversity.”

Based on Low’s success, it’s clear that she has what it takes.

Moving Around – and Up

Originally from Singapore, Low attended college in Australia and started her career in Singapore. Along the way she has also spent time in Hong Kong and Beijing, finding new opportunities along the way.

Low first served as an auditor for PwC Singapore in the financial services group, then began her compliance career at Merrill Lynch before relocating to PwC in Hong Kong to further expand her experience in the regulatory compliance space.She then spent nearly 10 years at UBS where she started to see her career transform in the hot and expanding space working in different locations and functions.She started out with compliance in Hong Kong, relocated to Beijing to be the first Investment Banking Chief Operating Office for UBS’ China Domestic JV before returning to Hong Kong to take on a wider role as the Investment Banking Chief Operating Officer for Asia.She joined a Chinese boutique investment bank in 2013 focusing on the new economy sector, but returned to UBS in 2015 where she is now Corporate Client Solution Operating Officer for Asia, enjoying the challenge of overseeing more than 300 bankers in the region and working to build the business.

Her move from a regulatory role to COO was a big shift, but one that she was able to accomplish because of the many years of experience she’s had in the industry. She has found her integration in the Chinese culture to be a rewarding aspect. “Since China is an up-and-coming economy, just opening its doors in the financial services area, it’s a fascinating and exciting place to be, learning to adapt and gain the trust of my international colleagues.”

Since China has historically been an equities market-driven industry, she says that her newest challenge is switching the mindset of bankers to focus on M&A in today’s rough IPO environment. “Every day is a learning experience as they become more open to M&A.”

Encouraging the Next Generation

Over the years, she has seen the industry transform to be more diverse, with both men and women seeking balance in their work and personal life. “The industry has embraced this and there has been a big change to now offer the flexibility we need,” Low says, a stark contrast to her early years when it was much harder to be a woman in what was then a man’s world. “Many of the barriers have tumbled.”

She encourages young people considering a career in banking to make sure they understand the industry before jumping in. “It used to be that you learned about banking by working in it, but now you can get a good sense of what it’s like before you start with all the information that’s out there,” she says.

When recruiting or counseling younger colleagues, she says a lot of them view the industry as glamourous, but she makes sure they realize that it’s also very hard work with frequent long hours.

“Young people should consider what they’re good at and what they like so they can focus on that,” she says. She points to her current position as COO as a good fit for her style, working with people, yet not in a client-facing role.

Throughout her career she has made sure to be approachable and to offer informal consultations, where younger professionals can discuss their career path and opportunities within the firm. “I like to work with both men and women to discuss how personal life and work intersect,” Low says.

Travel Relaxes and Opens the Mind

Low makes it a priority to travel and see something new and unknown every few months. “You have to take your eyes off work and then you return stronger and more rested to continue your journey.”

She finds that visiting other places opens her mind to how fortunate she is to be working in Hong Kong and the industry. “We have a good life even though we work hard, and traveling shows us that there are other parts of the world where people are much less fortunate.”

As an example, she relays her eye-opening experiences in Cuba over the holidays. “It makes me realize that despite the frustrations we sometimes feel, we are actually far more fortunate than many people.”

In addition to traveling, Low unwinds by cooking, something that she can use as a daily escape to relax and use her senses.

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