Women in Markets at State Street Make it Happen

State Street has made a systemic impact on the way the world looks at women in leadership roles. Championing gender diversity, the organization believes in offering equal opportunities to every individual, regardless of background, race, gender or ethnicity. Since State Street Global Advisors, State Street’s asset management business, launched the Fearless Girl campaign in 2017, 862 companies that previously had no women on their boards have appointed at least one female director. From being included in Bloomberg’s Gender Equality Index five times in a row to being recognized as one of Working Mother’s 100 Best Companies for women in the workforce for the second year in a row, State Street has led by example when it comes to gender diversity.

In this feature, we present our leading women from State Street Global Markets, a field that is often perceived as male-dominated. We encourage gender diversity in the industry by sharing stories and insights on how these leading women overcame challenges in their career and life, and how their experiences have helped them reach where they are today. Here’s a look at some of the leading women at State Street and their inspirational journeys:

Su-Jung Lee, head of FX Sales, Korea

“Looking back, I realize that it was my will to succeed that has helped me build a career in the banking industry even without a degree in finance-related studies.” With more than 25 years in financial services, she strongly believes, “knowing what to achieve in life holds more importance than focusing only on what you have studied or your work history.”

Find out how Su-Jung played an instrumental role in setting up the sales business in the Seoul branch where she led the business expansion into new client segments, making a huge impact.

Clare Marlow, head of Client Service and Business Development for Portfolio Solutions, Australia

For women aspiring to roles within a financial services organization, Clare encourages them to be curious, build their knowledge and learn from the people around them. “Understanding of financial markets, asset classes and products builds over time – and it doesn’t stop. Too often I hear women worry about what they don’t know. Instead, try focusing  on what interests you and empower yourself to succeed.”

Read more about how Clare realized the importance of asking questions and how she climbed the ladder despite being only one of two women on the trading floor of a bank.

Lay-Kuan Soo, head of FX Sales, Singapore

“Recognition is always earned, and it entails diligence and hard work. As the job is demanding, balancing professional and personal life needs more focus,” says Lay-Kuan. According to her, finding this balance is difficult, but can be done by bringing discipline into our lives.

Learn more about how she ensures that her personal and professional lives strike a perfect balance and how she capitalized on her inclination towards banking to build a successful career in finance.

Despite coming from different backgrounds, these three women share similar values in constantly seeking knowledge, being open to learning from others and proactively pursuing their goals. They all had their fair shares of personal and professional challenges to overcome but they made it work while wearing multiple hats.

Explore career opportunities in finance and technology at State Street here.