The Investment Conference was closely followed by our Women in Investment Management (WIM) Workshop on Friday, 9 November 2018 at Eko Convention Center Lagos.
WIM is an initiative of CFA Institute launched in Nigeria in 2017. It focuses on improving investor outcomes by encouraging diversity in the investment profession. As a leading voice for advocacy in the investment industry, CFA Society Nigeria champions the promotion of gender diversity in the investment management profession.
The WIM Workshop had a record attendance of more than 500 attendees made up of both men and women in the investment industry. The ultimate objective of the workshop was to equip women in the investment industry with the necessary skills and mentorship required to succeed in the industry.
We had the pleasure of hosting Carla Harris, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Morgan Stanley to an On-Stage interview with Paul Smith, the President and CEO of CFA Institute. Carla who is a successful black woman in the investment banking/asset management profession globally and a renowned author of several career books used her story to inspire women during the workshop.
This was followed by a panel session with leading female executives in the industry; Aishah Ahmad, CFA, Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria, Bola Adesola, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria & West Africa, Ibukun Awosika, Chairman, First Bank of Nigeria Limited. This session was moderated by Folasade Odunaiya, CFA, Board Member, CFA Society Nigeria. The discussants shared their thoughts on “The Power of Networking”.
In their words; “Competence is important in networking. What you bring to the table is important. As a woman, let your voice add value to what is being done at the table.” – Bola Adesola
“Build relationships and make it genuine; not based on anything you want. You must never lose yourself in the effort to relate” – Ibukun Awosika
“Don’t have a network that is only restricted to your career, have a wide variety of relationships.” – Aisha Ahmad.
Carla Harris took the stage again to share with us on the “Tools for Maximizing Your Career Success”. Here are a few take aways from her sessions; (1)“To achieve work-life balance, do not compromise. Be intentional about what you put in the calendar” (2) “When people give you a role that has never been occupied or ask you to do something that has never been done, it means they have a very high view of who you are” (3) “Know the adjectives that are consistent to the seat you are occupying and the seat you are aspiring to get to. Pick three adjectives that absolutely consistent about who you really are, three adjectives that are valued in your organisation; where they intersect is the character that you should project” (4) “You can train people to think about you in the way that you want them to think about you. How people perceive you, will determine how they relate to you.”
There was a book signing session with Carla Harris for her book “Strategise to Win; The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career” which was shared to all our attendees The workshop was brought to a successful ending with a Networking Lunch session.
Find more event pictures below.
