How Moody’s Women’s Initiatives enhance my impact and influence

Moody’s Women in Leadership programs provide development opportunities for officer and senior level women. Focused on building Moody's leadership pipeline, it helps participants refine their skills and gain visibility across the company. Moody's continues the global rollout of Building Leadership Presence Through Powerful Communication and the Senior Women's Leadership Forum.

Ana Arsov is Managing Director in the Financial Institutions Group at MIS and talks about her experience at Moody’s and with the program.

How do your past experiences help you in your current role?

My prior roles prepared me well for my role at Moody's, as I was able to gain in-depth knowledge of credit analysis for various financial institutions. Working in various risk roles at investment banks has been very helpful in helping me to understand risk analysis, processes and governance of these very complex organizations, which is critical in our analytical engagement with these issuers.

What are the most important skills you bring to this role at Moody's?

I think my extensive experience in credit analysis is very helpful towards the analytical part of my job, but I also bring prior management experience and organizational skills which are helpful towards the people, projects and process management aspect of being in a Managing Director role.

You recently were accepted into the Institute of International Finance's Future Leaders Program. Can you say a few words about this honor and what your involvement entails?

I am very grateful for this recognition. Moody's nominated me for the IIF 2018 Future Leaders Program which was created in 2014 by the IIF Board of Directors to recognize future leaders within the financial industry. Participants are nominated based on a track record of achievement and their potential. The 2018 class consists of 51 individuals from 50 institutions and 26 countries. We'll work together to share ideas and experiences and to discuss and prepare for future challenges ahead in an ever-changing global economy. This is the first year that Moody's has a representative and I could not be prouder to represent the company!

What is the leadership quality you most admire?

Leaders in today's complex world need to have many strong qualities, but I think ultimately humility, genuine care for people, and openness to diverse and critical thinking are key characteristics of leadership that I admire and try to emulate.

What is the best career advice you've been given and/or have given others?

If you want to be successful professionally, first choose a job you love. Don't focus too much on managing your career, but do everything you can to be prepared when that calling happens.

What advice do you have for people who want to consider a career in your line of work?

Embrace learning as a lifetime process and surround yourself with smart and capable people. MIS is in essence an analytical organization and one needs to be always curious and enjoy analysis to be successful in an analytical role. And beyond MIS and Moody's, broadly speaking in an ever-changing and dynamic world, one needs to always keep abreast at most current and recent developments in their sector and industries to stay relevant. I spend a significant part of my week reading research and related material not only by our analysts but also from other sources to keep my skills fresh and challenge my own or my team's views. On my other point and with the managerial hat, I am a firm believer that successful outcomes for any manager and organization is dependent on getting and retaining the right talent for the job and facilitating an environment that allows them to thrive.