Tag Archive for: voice of experience

Voice of Experience: Mara Glaser McCahan, Partner, Katten

Mara Glaser McCahan“I would have saved myself a lot of angst if I had known earlier in my career that everyone has their own style, and I don’t have to mimic others to be successful,” says Katten Corporate Partner Mara Glaser McCahan.

For a number of years, she tried to imitate the style of successful people who surrounded her, but she realized that it wasn’t working because she wasn’t being genuine. “Once I was able to hone in on my own style and trust that my style, although different, was every bit as good as others’, I was not only more comfortable, but more successful.”

A Career Path Forged From the Start

As Glaser McCahan puts it, she was that person who always knew what she wanted to be—a corporate lawyer—even proclaiming that to her high school newspaper as her post-senior year plans. And her career as a transactional lawyer has not disappointed. She terms her path as “fairly straightforward,” having dabbled in litigation and regulatory work as a summer associate but finding her right fit during her initial corporate assignment.

Of course, since she has been practicing for more than 20 years, the path itself has taken lots of turns. For example, the types of deals that she has handled have varied greatly, depending on the fluctuations in the economy. She first began practicing in the “go-go” days of the late 1990s, when money flowed fast and furious into startups, and companies went public on projected future earnings.

Then came the tech bust, and while those transactions stopped, different deals emerged—such as distressed deals, bankruptcy deals, bridge financings and other types of transactions where someone saw an opportunity in the fallout. While the twists can be challenging, Glaser McCahan believes that is what has made her career interesting. “While many of the basic principles are applied over and over, no deal is ever the same, which makes my job enjoyable and intellectually engaging,” she says.

Being a transactional lawyer requires the ability to adapt—to different types of deals, changing market conditions, different structures and more. “You learn from every change by absorbing it and applying it to future situations, which ultimately makes you a stronger lawyer with increased wisdom and better insight to advise your client,” Glaser McCahan says. And, she adds, this experience is what makes you valuable to clients. After all, a lawyer closes many deals in any given year, while the client may only do a deal every few years so they look to their legal team for guidance.

Given that depth of experience, having to choose a professional accomplishment she’s most proud of feels to Glaser McCahan like being a parent choosing a favorite child. “Every deal requires a lot of effort, and I throw myself fully into each one, with its accompanying unique set of circumstances that require creative solutions to get them across the finish line.” In addition, she notes, transactions require coordination and teamwork to keep moving toward a common purpose, both with the client and with the internal team. “Whenever a deal I’m working on closes, it is a feeling of accomplishment that through teamwork you were able to successfully help your client achieve a goal.” But basking in the high is short-lived, as Glaser McCahan then looks forward to doing it all over again with a new deal.

Helping Bring Others Along Is a Two-Way Street

Glaser McCahan recommends that young women take ownership of their own career; rather than sitting around passively and waiting for someone to take interest in shaping their trajectory, she urges them to ask questions, show interest, request help when needed and ask to be staffed on various assignments if they desire to work with a particular senior associate, partner or client.

“The answer may not always be ‘yes,’ but if you don’t ask, you won’t get what you want,” she points out. And, even if the initial answer is “no,” it’s a way to put yourself on their radar to hopefully have your request met later. For that reason, she says it’s okay to be aggressive, while never obnoxious, of course. “I think that folks are always interested in helping others who have demonstrated that they care and are willing to put in extra effort.”

And then the onus is on professionals at upper levels to make the effort to assist those who are just starting out in their careers. She recommends thinking back to your early career, as everyone can describe instances where someone helped—by taking an interest in their career through mentoring, providing useful advice or staffing them on an important transaction or case with an important client.

The need is particularly great for women. Despite the immense strides that have been made in many traditional practices, there is still a long way to go. Glaser McCahan remembers being the only female attorney in the corporate group when she was hired 20 years ago; even though more women are choosing to practice law in areas that have been traditionally male, such as corporate, real estate and finance, the numbers remain small. And they get even smaller when you consider the number of women who choose to continue to stay on the partner track and who actually make partner. “Despite the fact that women graduates outpace men, the business professionals sitting around deal tables generally tend to be all men. Even 20 years later, I am almost always the only woman; we have to do better to get women more seats at that table.”

And that can happen by being that person who helps create a career-changing opportunity, Glaser McCahan says, acknowledging that it’s easy to get wrapped up in your own career and busy schedule, and thus forget to pause and give a helping hand. “But even the smallest act can have a profound impact and we should strive to give back.”

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Stephanie Rader, Partner, Goldman Sachs, Securities Division

Stephanie RaderStephanie Rader, head of the Distressed Sales and Bank Loan Sales Group, is a program co-sponsor of the 2019 Women’s Career Strategies Initiative (WCSI), an annual program at Goldman Sachs that provides high-performing women associates access to training sessions, resources and touchpoints with senior leaders across the firm. Associates are encouraged to develop their leadership skills, identify ways to enhance their commercial impact, evaluate the work-life equation, and manage their careers proactively. In a roundtable session hosted for WCSI participants, Rader reflected on her career at the firm and shared advice with this year’s WCSI class.

A 15-year veteran of the firm who initially began her career at Goldman Sachs as an intern, Rader started by reminding attendees to have the courage and confidence to ‘go for the ball.’

Rader shared: “As Billie Jean King said, pressure is a privilege; if you’re doing well and excelling in your current role, others will inherently begin to give you more work because they know you can deliver.”

She adds, “While being responsible for a significant number of deliverables and leading on projects can be stressful, you need to remind yourself that you’re being given a chance to excel – one that others around you might not receive – and you should take advantage of those opportunities.”

Rader, who joined the firm after graduating from Duke University with a bachelor’s degree in public policy and economics, was presented with many such opportunities during the financial crisis.

“Throughout, I jumped in and helped out with various clients, because everyone was moving so fast,” she told the WCSI Class of 2019. “I learned an incredible amount during this time period and it helped set me up for success down the line.”

Taking Advantage of Rapid Change

“If you find yourself in a moment in your career where you feel stalled, remember that things can change very fast,” Rader recalled. “Create your own luck by putting in the work and preparation now so you can take advantage of opportunities when change occurs, which it always inevitably does.”

Rader acknowledged that in the absence of change, individuals can identify other ways to present themselves as rising leaders. Her recommendation: “Be vocal in meetings with your questions and ideas, invest time developing the analysts on your teams and be the go-to expert in your space.”

Leveraging Methodical Postings

Rader, who covers both asset managers and hedge funds, also manages a team of 14 sales people. When working in a fast-paced environment, Rader highlighted the importance of ensuring your manager and stakeholders are aware of the internal and external projects you are working on. “Don’t wait until your annual feedback to connect with your manager.” She recommends scheduling a regular touchpoint and sharing a comprehensive list of your completed deliverables and ongoing projects.

“It’s so important for people to know and be aware of the work you’re doing – while we expect our colleagues and our manager to automatically know about our projects, do not assume they are aware of what you are working on unless you post them directly.”

The Work-Life Equation

“At different points in your career you’re going to need different things, whether that’s time to adjust to being a new mom, caring for a parent, or tending to your own health,” Rader reflected. “While it’s good to make plans and set goals, both our professional and personal lives can take unexpected turns. Be flexible in adjusting course, be patient with yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

As a mom to a six-year-old and one-year-old, Rader told participants she tries to be fully invested in the present moment in order to maximize her time at work and her time at home: “When I’m at work, I’m completely plugged into the desk and work as efficiently as possible. When I’m at home, my kids are my priority.”

Reflecting on Goldman Sachs’ work environment since she joined in 2004, Rader notes, “Managers recognize now that if you’re happy outside of Goldman Sachs, you’re going to be more productive when you’re at the office – as a result I think our culture has become more flexible and inclusive over time.”

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Voice of Experience: Elyse Lesley, U.S. Consumer Partnerships and Franchise Development, Citi

Elyse LesleyAdvocacy matters, says Citi’s Elyse Lesley.

“When I started, I placed more of a premium on what I did than the people I worked for, but I have realized throughout my career that ultimately advocacy is the magic that will get you to the places you want to be,” she says. “Your advocates may tell you things you don’t want to hear, but those moments will help you get out of your comfort zone and take the chances that allow you to learn and grow. Those are the people you need in closed door forums, pounding the table for you before others even know who you are.”

A Career Path Built On Diverse Experiences

After graduate school Lesley went into consulting, which she found to be an unmatched experience; as she notes, there aren’t many jobs where you get to experience such a diversified slate of issues and companies and actually sit at leadership tables. “When I worked as a consultant, it was almost as though I was earning a second graduate degree. I learned how to deconstruct problems and talk confidently with professionals who were a decade or two older than I was,” she says.

While she believes it’s a top way to broaden your skillsets, she eventually decided to leave consulting and focus on a career in financial services. Lesley was looking for an opportunity that would allow her to do interesting consumer-facing work while also providing a platform to build out a long-term career.

Over the years she has worn many different hats and taken on varying responsibilities charting overall strategy; helping develop a retail business; offering insight into segment value propositions; building and deploying new product solutions; amplifying the company’s voice in the marketplace; and improving the end-to-end client experience.

“I have led a diverse set of functions over time while remaining close to the consumer, which has been fascinating and rewarding,” Lesley says. She has been with Citi for eight years in various roles and in October took on a new role leading partnerships and franchise strategies at Citi’s US Consumer Bank.

“I really appreciate that the role I have allows me to think about growth and the continued transformation of our industry,” she says.

As clients become more comfortable with opening an account and servicing it online, Lesley is currently spearheading efforts on how to scale the franchise through digital channels. She is also exploring ways for Citi to continue to build deeper relationships with its clients by leveraging data to provide personalized services and offerings that clients are looking for.

“Banking is an exciting industry especially as physical and digital continue to converge and how banks evolve to make a difference in clients’ lives and reward their loyalty. We are helping to create new product and distribution solutions that allow Citi to scale and encourage our clients to have a lifelong relationship with Citi,” she says.

An Attitude of Mentoring

When considering all of her various contributions over the years, the work Lesley is most proud of is seeing the individuals whom she has mentored subsequently achieve their professional goals. “I take intense pride in the people I have worked with over my career who are now in impressive roles. It feels good to have been part of a chapter in their career that got them to that point,” she says. “I am deeply invested in helping the people I hire and working with them to achieve their aspirations.”

Lesley sees that one of the biggest challenges in the financial services industry as a whole continues to be representation. “We need to have more women at senior levels of organizations in every industry to ultimately build the gender balance we need,” she says. “While we are making progress in financial services broadly, it is slower than I would ideally like to see.”

Lesley is a proud member of Citi Women, a community of female employees at all levels working to help one another through skill-building and advice sharing. Besides encouraging internal networking, it also includes elements of training and leadership development that allows women to hone their self-advocacy skills. “I believe the knowledge we are imparting here will translate into positive outcomes for years to come,” she says.

Lesley offers several pieces of advice for women, most importantly to know what’s really important in a day, week, month or year and stack their time accordingly. “You get credit for transformative wins, but the little tasks can crowd that out. Know what matters and make that your focus.”

With three daughters and a son between the ages of 11 and three—Lesley says her current hobby is her family. “I choose to do two things well: to make a difference at Citi and achieve my career aspirations and to raise some really good human beings. For now with four young children, that’s my version of balance.”

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Voice of Experience: Tatiana Segal, Head Of Risk Management, Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Tatiana Segal
Don’t underestimate the importance of the company culture when making a decision about your career choices.

“Make sure the company’s values and philosophy are aligned with yours.” says Segal. “You need to be assertive and understand your options, and then put yourself in a position where you can leverage your skills to the highest possible degree,” she says.

A Career Rooted in Seizing Opportunity

Segal has a wide-ranging experience with both buy-side and sell-side firms. She started her career as an intern at BlackRock while earning her degree in economics at Columbia University and then joined full time as an analyst, a position she held for three years before moving to Goldman Sachs.

After having two children, she began looking for a healthier work-life balance and moved to Banque Nationale De Paris and from there to Nomura Securities. Ultimately she sought experience with alternative investments and went to Citi to assume a risk oversight role for the liquid portion of Citi Alternative Investments.

Segal left for a prestigious hedge fund launch, which ended up not getting off the ground as seed commitments evaporated in the midst of the 2008 crisis, and she found herself looking for work during the downturn. Segal joined Cerberus Capital Management as their first-ever head of risk management and built out both a risk team and risk capabilities to support both private equity and hedge funds. In 2011 she joined SkyBridge Capital as the head of risk management. In August 2019, she joined Morgan Stanley Investment Management as Head of Risk Management. Tatiana is enjoying the global and dynamic nature of the role and is looking forward to living up to Morgan Stanley’s four core values: Doing the Right Thing, Putting Clients First, Leading with Exceptional Ideas and Giving Back.

Understanding Your Worth

In addition to her impressive career Segal prioritizes her family—as mentioned earlier, she made choices based on the desire to have more time with her kids. “In the late ‘90s, the expectations of face time were immense, which could conflict with your desire to be with your children. It is astonishing to me that at many firms face time is still used as a measure of productivity. I believe that successful firms will be the ones that nurture more flexibility.”

Segal feels that the younger generation has been more likely to understand early in life that balance is important. “Rather than just living to work, they tend to prioritize spending time with friends and family,” she says.

In fact, Segal encourages women who are coming up the ranks to realize they need to stand their ground; it’s important to be assertive or you can end up unfulfilled. “Know your worth and your value, and be objective about what you can offer the company—that’s how you will earn respect and eventually flexibility. You need to put yourself in a position where your supervisors understand you can be equally effective without spending long hours at the office.”

Segal is part of 100 Women in Finance group where she co-chairs the risk peer advisory group. She believes it’s important to network with her peers, compare stories, and share views.

Segal carries on this mentoring spirit in her personal life, as well. In fact, one of her most impactful roles is as a board member for the Tenement Museum, which shares the hard stories about immigration history for the various groups who made America the “melting pot” it is today.

“There were women who couldn’t have their fingerprints taken because they had literally worked their fingers to the bone,” she says. “The museum did a remarkable job restoring the tenement building, and looking at where we came from—to really see the strides we have made—is both humbling and life-affirming,” she says.

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Voice of Experience: Kelly Hutchinson, Special Counsel, Katten

Kelly HutchinsonKelly Hutchinson cannot stress enough to young professionals the importance of networking with their peer group.

“I tell young people that there is a counterpart to your role across the table, and you should get to know them because they will rise in their careers as you do in yours,” she said. As Hutchinson, a member of Katten’s Government and Public Finance practice group, points out, “You might not have a connection to the director but you might have one with the analyst, and eventually he or she will become the Managing Director, or Issuer, and you will have a great relationship that you forged many years ago.”

She also believes that employees at a junior level should realize the value they can bring every day. For example, a supervisor might not have time to read a wide variety of articles related to their industry, but more junior staff members often do have time, so they should so that they can educate themselves and contribute valuable insight to the discussion.

Finding Opportunities in Down Times

Hutchinson attended Pomona College in Southern California where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in media studies. While in college, she attended the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College’s Business Bridge Program, a four-week immersive summer program with experiential project-based learning and personalized coaching and career development. The experience set Hutchinson on a career path that led her to become an investment banking analyst in the oil and gas industry.

A few years later, Hutchinson enrolled in Tulane University Law School in New Orleans. But the year before she was set to graduate, the disastrous Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, forcing her to flee the city and the university to close for months. Hutchinson returned to Chicago where she finished classes as a visiting student at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

While in law school, Hutchinson started working for a financial advisory firm and coincidentally found herself at Katten, working with attorneys there, on her first day. After graduation, she stayed on with them for more than 10 years, advising large municipalities on bond financing and eventually serving as director and chief compliance officer.

During the financial crisis, Hutchinson found that opportunities were available to really dig in and become known as a problem solver. She was offered the chance to work for the State of Illinois as director of capital markets to manage debt issuances and the debt portfolio. That was in 2015, during a time when the when the state was in the midst of an unprecedented budget impasse. Hutchinson found herself in the right spot to navigate complicated problems that were similar to others she had handled in previous positions.

“I believe the best time for public service is when your expertise will be valuable,” she says. “Every day I could go in and add value.”

Her first year in that role, Hutchinson conducted seven public market transactions totaling nearly $3 billion right before she gave birth to her first child. All in, she spent 3-1/2 years with the State, managing $30 billion of debt and raising over $10 billion of debt in the capital market. In May, she joined Katten, where she is familiar with many of its attorneys in the municipal bonds market and can leverage her transaction experience, making for an easy transition to this, her next chapter. “I decided it was time to try another spot at the table, providing counsel from a different perspective,” she explains.

Control Your Destiny

All those experiences have shown Hutchinson that the only thing you can control is what you do—you can’t take ownership of how people see you and want to interact with you, but you can take charge of how you present yourself and live according to your values.

Part of that is merely showing up and taking advantage of opportunities, she says. “As a minority, you’re taught to put your head down and work hard, but you also need to take that extra step of making an effort to be present at meetings and social events and getting out to know your clients,” she says.

She predicts a long career, given that her late great uncle was an attorney who didn’t stop going to court until he was 95 years old. For now, Hutchinson enjoys her time with her 3-year-old son, especially appreciating the times that they travel together. “I want him to be a citizen of the world so we take one international trip a year,” she says.

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Krista Goryl, Regional Manager and Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Advisors

Krista GorylAlways build your skills for the next job, suggests Krista Goryl, regional manager at Wells Fargo Advisors.

In fact, she added that one of the best options is to look at a job description for your ideal job to identify the traits that are needed and then then begin to both develop and showcase them to others to position you for that next opportunity.

“You have to articulate your career goals explicitly and surround yourself with people who can help guide you on that path. I have been fortunate to benefit from extraordinary managers and mentors that continue to challenge me and advocate for me when I meet those challenges,” she says.

Goryl says that she was recently inspired by a speaker who offered an interesting viewpoint: When presented with something that might be outside your comfort zone, don’t dwell on the potential negative, but instead ask yourself, “What is the best that can happen?” if you were to take the risk.

Developing Talent from Outside and Within

Goryl began her career as an analyst with Goldman Sachs, but soon relocated to the West Coast where she joined Merrill Lynch as a financial advisor (FA) before joining Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA). She became a regional manager for the company’s Western region in 2016, which she says is the role she’s most proud of so far because she is able to share best practice and help shape the culture of in her region. Not only that, but when she accepted the position, she had a toddler and a newborn—proving not only her ability to balance work and life but also that WFA was a place that valued its team.

As a regional manager, she particularly enjoys helping managers to recruit experienced advisors to the company. “WFA provides an unprecedented choice and flexibility for FAs and their clients through distinct business channels supported by established products, services and technology,” she says. “The breadth of resources—such as lending, philanthropic services and real estate asset management, for example— offered at WFA really resonates with advisors that want the ability to provide all wealth management solutions to their clients locally.”

Goryl is also an active member of the women’s recruiting committee, which focuses on hiring more female advisors, as well as attracting female clients as there continues to be an incredible wealth transfer to the hands of women.

The need for new talent is also crucial as approximately one-third, or 32,000, are likely to be retiring in the next 10 years, across the industry. WFA’s Next Generation Talent program is helping to address that.

Since its start, the program has brought new career opportunities to more than 1,800 team members, enhancing the WFA team with increased diversity in age, sexual orientation, gender and ethnicity. “I love coaching them and seeing them use their training to help clients create successful financial plans,” Goryl says.

While WFA is a woman-forward firm, Goryl finds that it’s still often necessary to overcome the feelings of intimidation that women can face in a male-dominated industry, particularly as their career level rises and the female representation dwindles. For example, according to global research and consulting firm Cerulli Associates, of the 310,504 total advisors across the industry—48,631 or about 16 percent—are women. “If we socialize the benefits of our industry, we can bolster its reputation as an ideal career for women,” Goryl says.

And she believes that women in upper levels have a responsibility to sponsor future female leaders. “We have the opportunity to create a brand that underscores that our company, and industry as a whole for that matter, are female-friendly,” she added.

Goryl suggests that a great way to do that is by getting to know the women who are climbing the ladder in your organization and advocating for them, adding, “Challenge the way things were always done with a fresh alternative. Women can be excellent at effecting change.”

One program she has found particularly meaningful over the years is WFA’s Women’s Best Practice Forum, which provides the opportunity for female finance professionals to convene and build a supportive network and discuss practice management ideas. Since the forum’s launch eight years ago, the company has hosted 75 events around the country.

Encouraging Balance

Goryl finds that the ability to juggle roles as a manager, spouse and mother is only possible if you create a village of people to support you—such as family, friends or babysitters. And she says coworkers can play a role, too. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t minimize the importance of self-care, particularly in this fast-paced, always-connected digital world,” she advises.

She and her husband took that advice before having children and embarked on a six-month trip around the world, covering 43,000 miles and visiting 16 countries.

While spending time with her family and on her hobbies helps replenish her enthusiasm and commitment, Goryl also appreciates the opportunity to give back through WFA’s volunteer program. Currently, she helps to recruit veterans to WFA and serves as a liaison between the company and Camp Pendleton, a nearby military base.

When Krista isn’t working, she enjoys traveling, spending time at the beach just a mile away from her home and one favorite hobby: as a dancer for a popular San Diego band.

“I’ve always been passionate about dancing and was very active in high school and college,” Krista says. “Four years ago, I was at an event and was watching the band when I noticed one of the dancers was a woman I’d worked with at a brokerage firm years ago. She helped me land an audition and now I perform with the band multiple times a month. I’m so proud to be a part of the Atomic Groove experience.”

“I had a corporate coach who endorsed the idea of maintaining a hobby 100 percent. I learned to prioritize and to say “No” to things that were unfulfilling and to say “yes” to things that helped me grow as a person like this,” Krista says. What matters is that it’s rewarding and fulfilling—like my career.”

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Voice of Experience: Aamena Khan, Partner, PwC Middle East

Aamena KhanAamena Khan’s background is not reflective of a traditional career consultant.

She began her professional life in industry, starting in Washington D.C and 15 years ago in 2004, she followed her career to the Middle East with her son, a student at New York University. Today, Khan is a Financial Services Consulting Partner focusing on People and Organization at PwC Middle East, and more recently, was appointed COO of Financial Services, a huge area of investment for the firm.

Khan is an accomplished professional with over 20 years of industry and consulting experience in multiple other industries including aviation, technology, media, logistics and higher education. She is also a subject matter expert on organizational design, change management, employee engagement, leadership development, succession planning and workforce nationalization. However, in the present moment, her passion is fuelled by the limitless possibilities of FinTech and the level of disruption financial institutions are experiencing.

Embracing her profession in consulting today, Khan recognizes that she can make a greater impact as a consultant than when she was in industry. She is excited about working with and leading some of the world’s best and brightest talent, in the face of extremely challenging environments and opportunities.

“I am learning more now than I ever have over the course of my career,” she shares. Her passion for learning is clearly what drives her excitement – energized by ongoing growth and development in all areas of her business, while leading with the attributes of a true leader. “I don’t believe in old school leadership such as command and control. My role is not to be the person in the room who knows everything, it is my role to listen and understand the client’s problem and bring the best people from around the network together to solve their most important problems. For me, it is very important to give other people a chance to be part of the story and to make their mark too – there is a greater purpose in everything we do, than simply ourselves.”

Khan joined PwC as a director and impressively made partner within two years. Coming from outside the firm and profession, this was an incredible achievement for Khan while also acknowledging the firm’s commitment to advocating and promoting different archetypes of leaders and partners.

As a strong advocate for gender balance, Khan also leads the firm’s Women in Tech initiative for the region, which is based on three pillars: promoting, advocating digital thinking in the way PwC teams conduct their work and contributing to community outreach programs by connecting with schools to reach the grassroots level of tomorrow’s talent. She is also working on a digital platform that centers around employee engagement and related predictive analytics.

Her inspirational leadership style is clearly a reflection of a very self-aware and grounded person: “Success comes in many different forms, I know that now. I used to see scope of responsibility and the size of budgets or teams I managed as the only indicators of my success, but today my definition of success is very different. Today I am driven by opportunities to learn, do interesting work and have fun! To work in line with my values, to give good people the opportunity to have a voice – I don’t need to be the person in the room to have all the answers, my role is to empower others. This is far more powerful and enables us all to be successful.”

In her journey to be successful, she also embraces failure. When asked what advice she would give to her younger self, Khan replied: “Don’t be so brutal – if you don’t show yourself some humanity, how will you give it to others? If you fail, fail fast and move on but more importantly, don’t avoid failure – don’t stagnate in a safe zone. Step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself because when you do that, that’s when magic happens for you and those around you.”

Magic, humanity, continuous learning, fun and excitement; Khan clearly proves that these can be our most effective capabilities and emotions to be a strong, ambitious, successful and driven leader of the future.

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Voice of Experience: Adina Brownstein, Managing Director, Barclays Investment Bank

Adina BrownsteinWhen you start your career in your 20s, you think you have to do everything by yourself, says Barclays’ Adina Brownstein.

However, before long, she notes, working collaboratively evolves your thinking, and you realize that having someone help you with your work is a benefit, rather than a risk. This co-creation also helps you build relationships, which are crucial down the road. “Having firm and industry sources who can help you out when you have a question is invaluable, and something you could never imagine when you’re starting out.”

A Non-Linear Career Brings Success

Those relationships have helped bolster Brownstein throughout her career. While her path has been built on diverse experiences, there is a thread that runs throughout—taking on new challenges, all different, but all including her core skillset. While she adroitly changed industries and types of roles, in each she brought her expertise in building relationships and exercising soft skills, then learned the necessary technical skills along the way.

“I believe that anyone can learn the content of a role if they have the willingness. But at the core, you must have strong writing and communication skills and the ability to flex your style to deal with different stakeholders.”

The first part of Brownstein’s career was in the telecommunications industry, the latter part spent at KPMG Consulting. In 2007 after she had started her family, she realized the life of a consultant had become a challenge; she started looking for a new opportunity and delved into her resume from a skills and toolkit perspective, finding commonalities in the work she’d done with clients and in the regulatory space.

She realized client management and regulatory knowledge was a good fit for large-scale program management and client management projects, and before long got a call from a friend at JP Morgan, who knew of a division that needed those two skills sets. In her new role, Brownstein was working on a multi-million dollar program that used her skills in managing multiple work streams and external and internal stakeholders.

Soon after, the financial crisis hit and her skill in working with large regulatory programs went from being an added value to a critical service. In 2010 she was recruited to Barclays, where she first managed a large regulatory program, and was quickly asked to work on a new regulatory request to create a resolution plan to unwind the broker/dealer function in an orderly fashion. They learned from the ground up, working hand-in-hand with consultants and attorneys; then with the Federal Reserve and the FDIC and also the Bank of England for a UK perspective on what resolution plan should include.

“It was exciting and daunting at the same time,” she says. “None of the jobs I did at that time were what I thought I was going to do, but I learned what I needed to.”

Before long it was clear that the relevance around financial services and regulation was more a requirement than a driving force. She saw a great opportunity to move to American Express as the head of regulatory relations, where she could again start something from scratch—a skill she was known for: learning quickly and helping businesses adapt. She had kept in touch with her Barclays colleagues and eventually was asked to come back in a similar role, as Head of Recovery and Resolution planning in the United States, also working with UK counterparts.

She finds it thrilling to be part of a space where she can have a seat at the table. “It’s exciting to be an advocate who can meet with regulators and share insight; we hope that our work is influencing regulation as they are tailoring rules in today’s political climate.”

Creating a Better Workplace through Mentoring and Coaching

As the mom of two daughters, Brownstein hopes that things will have evolved by the time they are in her seat. She finds that although the issues of pay gap and responsibility have improved, we are not yet to the point of equality.

She knows that different industries face different challenges, and in financial services, for example, it’s not the just the people but the nature of the work that can make balance challenging. Yet while it will never be a 9-to-5 job, Brownstein sees improvement via initiatives designed to promote better work/life balance and flexible work schedules.

As part of her commitment to an improved workplace, Brownstein believes that it’s vital to invest the time to coach and mentor. “I’ve learned you have to figure out your management style and how you want your team to perceive you, which allows you to build a collaborative group that’s adaptive,” she says. “I am really proud of my current team and our reputation for our ability to help people on different projects and engagements.” And, she adds, not only did she get to build her current team from scratch, but she has been able to help them evolve and grow, which pays dividends in a cohesive work environment, where team members will gladly abandon plans as needed to help one another.

And she shares her mentoring skills outside of her division, too, as a member of the Women’s Initiative Network steering committee that focuses on engagement and development. For the past few years she has helped with a group mentoring cohort of five to seven more junior women, where she hosts a series of mentoring sessions that cover topics that are immediately applicable to their current job status. “Helping the next generation is invaluable; even though it takes more time at the moment, the payoff is lasting.”

A supporter of the firm’s Encore! program, she recently hired a woman who had been temporarily out of the workforce. Barclays’ program is different than some in that anyone who sponsors an Encore employee has to have head count availability for them, making it a true path to a career option.

And she just joined a reverse mentoring program with a junior employee, eager to get their perspective and how they see things from a different lens.

An active volunteer, Brownstein has served on various boards with the Jewish Federation in MetroWest New Jersey, this year sitting on the allocations committee. She was recently asked to serve on the advisory board for the LEAD Program, an organization which provides high potential teens of diverse backgrounds with the opportunity to spend time on a college campus and meet with companies to learn more about different skillsets that will be needed in the workplace.

Tennis is her go-to for relaxation. And with two teens, including one a senior who is heading to college, Brownstein appreciates all the time she can enjoy with her family.

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Thalia Chryssikou, Partner, Goldman Sachs, Securities Division

Thalia ChryssikouAfter graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a PhD, Thalia Chryssikou, now a partner in Goldman Sachs’ Securities Division, had initially expected to pursue a career in academia.

However, she wanted to explore other opportunities, and joined Goldman Sachs in 1998 following an internship in the firm’s Risk Department.

“While I love teaching and cherish opportunities to share learnings, I realized early on that working alongside smart, capable, energetic people is what motivates me the most,” she says. “After joining the firm, I appreciated the power and energy of a smart collective – ultimately, it’s not about an individual, it’s about what we all collectively are able to achieve.”

Discussing the switch from academia to financial services, Chryssikou also notes: “I fell in love with Goldman Sachs’ goal-oriented research culture the summer before completing my PhD. I had the opportunity to engage in innovative quantitative and analytical work, as well as experience the teamwork culture ingrained in the organization.”

Continuously Reinventing Oneself

“Over time, as the firm expanded into new businesses and grew its client footprint, my ability to keep reinventing myself kept me engaged at Goldman Sachs,” notes Chryssikou.

Today, Chryssikou is the global co-head of Sales Strats & Structuring across FICC and Equities, a 250-person team spanning different regions and client segments. She says of her team’s work: “Our focus is centered around three pillars: a) providing solutions for both institutional and corporate clients, either on the investing or financing side; b) curating market and industry specific content for our clients; and c) developing client-solution digital platforms to engage on both structuring and execution services.”

Describing how she expects the business might change in the future, Chryssikou references Apple’s transformative effect on day-to-day business: “At Goldman Sachs, we’re trying to bring financial professionals into the digital world by allowing them to simplify and scale their business services utilizing our content and risk management expertise.”

Chryssikou acknowledges the anxiety that technology and automation could disrupt existing industries and replace jobs, but says she believes it is an “opportunity, not a threat.” She goes on to note: “When I began my career, providing internal analytics to clients was viewed as disruptive – however, we learned that offering analytics was a significant value-add for clients. My team continues to embody that philosophy, allowing us to serve clients more effectively and spend more time developing value-add services.”

Working to “Support, Attract and Retain” Women in Technology

Working alongside another female co-head, Chryssikou has remained focused throughout her career on ensuring greater female representation within her team.

“When I began my career, there were very few women on the trading desk, especially in leadership positions – it was a male-dominated environment,” Chryssikou says.

“When I reflect on the journey we’ve made, and the current gender breakdown on our team, I am proud of the evolution my co-head and I have overseen,” she adds. “We’ve made a real effort to support, attract and retain female hires.”

Chryssikou acknowledges the need for ongoing focus – by both Goldman Sachs and society at large – to improve female representation in technology roles.

“We all need to invest in and encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to deepen the pool of female talent,” she notes. “Technology is creating a level playing field where women can engage and excel.”

Have Clarity on The Mark You Want to Leave

Chryssikou recommends that others identify the mark they want to leave on their organization.

“Have clarity on the mark you want to leave and reflect upon how you want others to perceive you – do you want to be viewed as an innovator, business leader, detailed-oriented? Understanding how you are perceived by others – combined with tenacity and grit – will allow you to build on your strengths and continue to evolve in your professional career.”

Chryssikou also acknowledges the importance of actively managing your career in order to develop skills and work on projects that will help you succeed, as well as your team.

“Embracing your role with passion and commitment is important,” she says. “Diversity of thought and skillset is an imperative ingredient to a team’s long-term success, complementing the collaborative nature we seek across the firm.”

Combining Work and Family

When she’s not on the trading floor, Chryssikou is a mom to two sons – a 17-year old and a 14-year old. Reflecting upon her experience taking maternity leave, she says: “Goldman Sachs was an extremely supportive place to have children and my managers helped create an environment where I could balance my professional aspirations with our family needs.”

Outside of work, Chryssikou has continued to travel extensively with her family, collect contemporary art, and give back to her academic and cultural community.

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Voice of Experience: Marianne Bachynski, Chief Transformation Officer

Always be networking, suggests Marianne Bachynski.

Marianne Bachynski “Men are so good at this, and often we as women are so busy trying to deal with the work at hand that we don’t make the time to engage. But you must always treat your career as a project. Ask yourself if you are in a promotable position, and if not, determine what you have to do to get there.”

The reason is simple, she says. “My father always reminded me that you are the only person who knows your entire history and can best tell your story. Make it known what you’re good at, what you have achieved and what you want to do. Build a personal brand.” For example, she found that people would make assumptions about what roles she might like as a working mom. It’s up to you to dispel inaccurate assumptions and voice your interests, particularity to new managers.

Finding Her Niche in Technology

As Bachynski explains, she “grew up at Morgan Stanley” where she spent 25 years from the start of her career. Always focused on technology, she began as an application developer, supporting many different businesses on the sell side and then pivoted to the buy side. The technology on the investment management side wasn’t nearly as mature as the sell side, so she found it to be an ideal opportunity to spur growth and innovation.

When she was moved to support investment management, she found they had so much capacity to evolve, making it akin to a startup embedded in the bigger firm. She built it out, front to back, creating a team from zero to 700. Since some of them came from acquisitions along the way, she learned about integrating companies both technically and culturally. “We had to design a Brady Bunch-style blended culture that could work well together because we couldn’t execute or communicate effectively if we didn’t have a common way of working,” Bachynski explains.

She eventually moved to Citibank, providing technology solutions to external clients for whom they covered investment management, private equity and hedge funds. She reveled in the fact that it was such a global company, with clients in 160 countries. She then became COO of North America Wholesale Banking at Rabobank, which specialized in food, farming and agriculture. She then spent a year at a fintech company, FIS, which supports banks of all sizes with banking and payments and brokerage technology. She enjoyed her role creating products that serve multiple clients and being more directly tied to revenue.  But when Marianne was offered the lead role in a multiyear transformation program working for the CEO of the #1 most innovative InsureTech firm, she couldn’t resist.

Bachynski helps transform companies to become more agile. She recognizes the importance of speed, which in many ways is replacing size and scale as the key metric.

More Gains To Be Made

Bachynski finds it sobering how little has changed for women in technology from when she began. For instance, her daughter, who is 25 and went to MIT, works at Instagram as a data scientist, and she is still many times the only woman in the room.

“Women need to come together and support each other and have meaningful dialogue,” Bachynski says, adding that she has had few tech peers who were women.

She advises women to take the advice she heard early on from one of the few senior women she worked with. “Don’t ever apologize. If you must leave early, just walk out the door.” In other words, take control of defining the critical parameters for your work-life balance.

Bachynski is a big believer in mentor programs, where you are assigned to someone more senior outside of your purview. Mentorships are an opportunity to gain a different perspective and a chance to glean valuable insights on what really goes on in senior management. “It’s so enlightening to create a line of sight to the big picture,” she says.

Her routine has always included one hour a day all to herself, which she typically devotes to working out. In the past she has run marathons, which she found helped build both physical and emotional stamina for the work roller coaster you often ride on; and the discipline allows you to think calmly and look to the long term.

Even when her work was calling, Bachynski made the effort to be home at a decent hour every night to spend time with her children and held sacred time each year to take a trip. “We intentionally chose to travel internationally, because it allows you to experience and learn about so many ways to live your life, and it’s invigorating to step out of our element and focus on each other. Vacations are critical to reenergize.”

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