Women in Banking & Finance Trailblazer

Truly honored to be featured as the March trailblazer by the Women in Banking and Finance UK Network. This is my conversation with them, originally posted in the WiBF website

How did you get involved with WIBF?

I first learned about the WiBF on LinkedIn and started following their content straightaway. Then, someone in my network invited me to an event here in London and I had the chance to learn more about what they do. The community is just amazing!

What action have you taken in your career to help you find opportunities to develop and continue your growth?

Being curious and proactive. Every time I start a new role; I make it a priority to understand the big-picture goals of the team and how my skills align with them. This allows me to identify:

1. where I can contribute effectively, and
2. what additional skills I need to develop to provide even more value.

By taking the initiative to learn and ask questions, I not only improve my technical expertise but also gain a deeper understanding of the business and industry. This mindset has helped me become more adaptable and strategic in my career decisions, ensuring that I continue evolving in a meaningful direction.

Self-awareness. Self-awareness has played a crucial role in managing my career. Being mindful of both my strengths and weaknesses gives me perspective.

1. Knowing your strengths allows you to seize opportunities confidently. When I see an exciting project where my skills can add value, I don’t hesitate to raise my hand.
2. At the same time, I can recognise my knowledge gaps and actively work to bridge them whether through self-study, mentorship, or hands-on experience.

Continuous Learning. As a result, continuous learning has become an essential part of my career. I regularly attend industry conferences (such as Quant Minds, Bloomberg Quant Seminars, etc.) pursue certifications, and make the time to stay updated with the latest research by reading academic papers and industry articles. These efforts help me stay informed about emerging trends and advancements in financial mathematics, programming, and data analysis. By prioritizing lifelong learning, I ensure that I am constantly evolving, refining my expertise, and adapting to new challenges and opportunities.

Sharing my experience and showcasing my work. In 2019, after much hesitation, I launched Quant Girl, a platform where I share insights on financial mathematics, programming, statistics, and data visualization with the wider quant community. The response has been overwhelmingly positive—today, the blog has garnered over 100K views and has allowed me to connect with professionals from all around the world.

Beyond blogging, I also share my open-source projects via GitHub and social media platforms, allowing me to showcase my technical skills, as well as problem-solving and communication abilities. This visibility has not only helped me gain recognition but has also opened doors to new career opportunities, collaborations, and meaningful professional relationships.

The power of networking (from an introvert perspective). Yes, I know it sounds cliché, but making connection is important for your career. Being an introvert, networking does not come easy or natural to me. However, I try to go out of my comfort zone to find opportunities to connect with professionals in my industry. This can be done in person or joining online communities –which can serve as a great starting point if you feel nervous attending in-person events. These interactions have helped me gain fresh perspectives, exchange knowledge, and stay informed about industry trends. More importantly, building strong relationships has led to invaluable mentorship, career opportunities, and collaborations that I may not have encountered otherwise.

Do you have any helpful tools, methods, or resources you can recommend to our members, such as books or podcasts for example?

I would like to share three of my favourite books, along with and some of my heavy rotation podcasts

Books

Inside the Black Box. A Simple Guide to Quantitative and High-Frequency Trading. Rishi K Narang offers in a straightforward, nontechnical style―supplemented by real-world examples and informative anecdotes―a reliable resource takes you on a detailed tour through the black box. He skilfully sheds light upon the work that quants do, lifting the veil of mystery around quantitative trading and allowing anyone interested in doing so to understand quants and their strategies.

My life as a Quant. In this book, Emanuel Derman relives his exciting journey as one of the first high-energy particle physicists to migrate to Wall Street. He details his adventures in this field—analysing the incompatible personas of traders and quants and discussing the dissimilar nature of knowledge in physics and finance. Throughout this tale, he also reflects on the appropriate way to apply the refined methods of physics to the hurly-burly world of markets.

Manifesto: On Never giving up. This is Bernardine Evaristo’s intimate and inspirational, no-holds-barred account of how she did it, refusing to let any barriers stand in her way. She charts her creative rebellion against the mainstream and her life-long commitment to the imaginative exploration of ‘untold’ stories. And drawing deeply on her own experiences, she offers a vital contribution to current conversations around social issues such as race, class, feminism, sexuality, and aging. This is a unique book about staying true to yourself and to your vision. It’s about how to be unstoppable – in your craft, your work, your life. Finance Podcasts

Podcasts

Masters in Business by Barry Ritholtz (Bloomberg) is probably my favourite finance podcast. It covers everything from investment strategies and risk management to behavioural finance and macroeconomics—so it is useful for both traditional and quantitative finance professionals. Moreover, most guests share their experiences navigating the finance industry, providing valuable advice on skills, mindset, and professional growth (they even share book and show recommendations!). The perfect podcast if you are looking for deep, thoughtful conversations rather than just quick market updates.

Odd Lots by Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway (Bloomberg). It explores financial markets, economic trends, and career insights from top finance professionals. The guests range from hedge fund managers to policymakers, providing a well-rounded perspective on different career paths.

Flirting with Models by Corey Hoffstein. It explores quantitative investing, risk management, and model-driven strategies. It features discussions with top quant researchers, portfolio managers, and data scientists, making it an excellent resource for Quants. Programming Podcasts

Talk Python to Me by Michael Kennedy, this podcast is perfect for both beginners and experienced Python developers. It covers Python frameworks, data science, AI, web development, and best practices, often featuring interviews with top Python developers.

Data Framed by Adel Nehme and Richie Cotto (DataCamp). A weekly podcast exploring how artificial intelligence and data are changing the world around us.

What advice would you give to yourself at the outset of your career?

Regular self-reflection and tracking personal growth. It is easy to get caught up in daily tasks and lose sight of how much (or how little – which can serve as a red signal) you are learning and improving over time. To counter this, I would recommend setting a monthly, quarterly, or yearly reminder to sit down and write down what you have learned—both on the job and in personal projects. This practice helps provide perspective on progress, highlights strengths and weaknesses, and ensures that you are dedicating time to what truly matters to you. By reviewing periodically, you can identify patterns, refine your goals, and stay intentional about your career development.

Actively seek conversations with people who offer different perspectives, particularly those with complementary skills. Growth often comes from engaging with individuals who think differently, whether they come from different backgrounds/industries, have more/less experience than you, or specialize in areas outside your own expertise. These interactions can spark new ideas, offer fresh solutions to old problems, and even create unexpected career opportunities. Whether through networking events, mentorship, or simply informal discussions, connecting with others will broad your view and help your professional growth.

Finally, don’t forget that rest is just as important as hard work. It is tempting to push forward relentlessly, especially early in a career, but burnout is real and can be counterproductive in the long run. Taking time off—whether through vacations, short breaks, or simply setting boundaries between work and personal life—is essential for maintaining creativity, productivity, and mental well-being. Rest allows for better problem-solving, improved decision-making, and sustained motivation.

P.s. Many thanks to the Women in Business and Finance for thinking of me for this series.

Networks like this are vital in promoting the representation of women in hashtag #finance, #STEM, and other historically male-dominated fields. By breaking barriers and creating opportunities, we can ensure that more women have the visibility, support ❤️ and resources they need to thrive in these industries ✨