1. How did you start your career in finance? First job out of college was with Charles Schwab – both trading and client service. From there, I moved to an at-the-time small British brokerage firm that provided research on West Coast companies in the United States for European clients. The company – Rowe & Pitman – was subsequently purchased by S.G. Warburg and a global finance career became possible.
2. What obstacles did you face when starting out in financial trading and how did you overcome them? There were no obstacles, only opportunities.
3. In your opinion, what makes women successful in finance? As in any career, diligence, tenacity, endurance, and a willingness to learn by doing a variety of tasks.
4. What advice would you give to women who are looking to get into finance and investing? Follow your passion and your gut, make sure you have a strong educational grounding in finance, hone your investment skills by working with a mentor, be willing to work hard, learn from mistakes, accept constructive criticism graciously, and lastly, believe in your abilities.
5. What is the future for women in finance? Is the number likely to be steady, on the rise or falling?Bright future and numbers on the rise.
6. What do you think about women needing to act like men to be successful? I think that is absurd. Success is not built on following, it is built on leading. That being said, a good leader can be a man or a woman, and learning by paying attention to what successful ethical leaders do can be a worthwhile endeavor.
7. What has changed since you started your career in investment? There are more women in finance, and they are accomplishing more. The opportunities are more widespread. As well, finance is much more globally-oriented than when I started.
8. How did your career influence you and your personal life? My career has given me freedom and choices in life which I value; It has also given me the ability to hopefully set a positive and meaningful example for my children as they mature. Lastly, I so enjoy my career and that makes life that much better.
