8 United Kingdom What was it that first attracted you to derivatives and trading relationships? Growing up, I would never have imagined that I would go on to head up global legal derivatives teams for leading financial services company Credit Suisse and Man Group plc, the world’s largest listed hedge fund. When I was young, the women around me – my older sister, mother and grandmother – all worked extremely hard, but in roles that were very much stereotypically characterised by society-imposed gender norms. This was the catalyst that ignited the fire in me to go out and pursue international opportunities and build a successful career in the corporate world. It was a difficult journey and I had to adapt and thrive in a very competitive world. Making my way to the UK (having won an international scholarship at the University of Plymouth to study International Relations), I then went on to study law and secured a sponsorship with local law firm Foot Anstey. I started working with them in 2006 in Commercial Litigation. While a fantastic experience, it made me realise that the rigidity of private practice was not something I could fully embrace. After taking a year out to pursue my passion for travel, I was missing the hustle and bustle of the corporate world and decided to ‘try and make it’ in London. At that time, I did not quite know what kind of role would be best suited for me. With some litigation and corporate experience, I was always attracted to the idea of having a ‘Wall Street career’. I trusted my intuition and kept applying to places that triggered my interest. During this process I came across a niche of lawyers specialising in trading agreements and derivative negotiations; like tax lawyers, they seemed to be representing a very different breed. Soon enough, the vision of becoming a legal counsel working for a global investment bank became an attainable goal. I decided to pursue a career in this field, going on to join Credit Suisse as their legal counsel and negotiator shortly after leaving private practice, and I did not look back. I was totally hooked; I knew that banking and finance was my niche and where I wanted to develop and advance my career in the derivatives market.
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