Blogs by tag - People Moves

People Moves: Leena Nair Is Chanel’s New CEO

“Inclusion is at the heart of everything I do,”When you talk about branded luxury goods, of course, we would include Chanel in the list. Be it bags, attires or perfume, this brand is as iconic as it can get.However, things are about to get even more interesting at this haute couture label as they recently named Unilever's former Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Leena Nair as their chief executive officer and the first woman to hold this position. Even more impressive as an Indian-born British Citizen, she is one of the few women of colour who are in the industry’s top positions.Leena Nair started her career at Unilever where she climbed the ranks and in 2016, Leena was Unilever’s "first female, first Asian, youngest ever" chief human-resources officer where she helped to achieve the company’s goal to be more inclusive and diverse. In a podcast episode by the World Economic Forum, Leena has said that the title of being “the first” is both “a privilege and a burden.”“You get to do things you didn't think were possible before, but also there's the burden of making it easier for those who come after you, and the burden of success," she said."What tends to happen to you when you're the first is that people tend to think that you represent all women or all brown people, or that you represent all Asian people. But that's not true."She further elaborates the underlying meaning of the title to her: "What happens is your successes get amplified massively, and your failures get amplified massively. When you fail, they say, 'That's why we shouldn't put a woman in the role.'"Even though it is a tough job to bear, the iron woman embraces it with open arms and she will continue to make inclusivity the core of her values. In a 2019 interview, she said, "Inclusion is at the heart of everything I do."We are definitely very excited to see the changes that she will bring to Chanel and the path she will forge for female leadership in the fashion industry.

People Moves - Walgreens new CEO the only black female of Fortune 500 Companies

Rosalind "Roz" Brewer became the latest champion of C-suite diversity after she was slated to join Walgreens Boots Alliance as its next CEO later in March 2021. The move will place her as the only black woman to be leading a Fortune 500 company.Throughout her career, Brewer has established a strong presence in the name of diversity and inclusion. Her past experience as head of Walmart's Sam's Club business helped shape much of her tenacity and skill.When Brewer left Walmart to join the Starbucks executive team in 2017, she displayed the fruits of her efforts by introducing more discipline in their operations, improving stores and adding great value to the business. She also led many of the coffee company's diversity initiatives during her time.By the time Brewer joins Walgreens, there will be around 40 women CEOs in the Fortune 500 list of companies. In terms of diversity and inclusion, the number marks some progress but with Brewer being only the third black female CEO in its history, there's certainly a lot of room for improvement.

People Moves - FAB bank hires Al-Rostamani as first female CEO

First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC selected Hana Al-Rostamani as its first female Group CEO in a historic move last week. Taking over from Andre Sayegh, she will become the leader for one of the United Arab Emirates' largest financial institutions.Currently, Al-Rostamani is FAB's deputy group CEO and head of personal banking, as well as chairperson of Private Bank Suisse. Her new move marks a step forward not just for women CEOs in the Middle East, but also for all working women who wish to succeed in male-dominated industries.Women in the UAE have long been fighting for equal rights and recognition. They have long sought to overturn certain discriminatory aspects in law, such as requiring permission from a male guardian to remarry. It was only in the 1990s when women were allowed to expand their roles beyond the home and family.While the UAE has made significant progress since then, a study by JPMorgan Chase & Co. reports that the countries in the Gulf region still have a long way to go when it comes to increasing women's participation and employment levels in the economy.Al-Rostamani's appointment indicates the slow but gradual progress to C-suite diversity around the world. As she joins the ranks of the few female CEOs in the Middle East, the opportunity to widen cultural perspectives on the role women can play in the economy can become more prevalent.

Singapore’s OCBC names first female CEO

Singapore: In an historic first Singapore’s second-largest lender, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC), appointed Deputy President Helen Wong as group CEO, succeeding Samuel Tsien who is retiring after nearly nine years.Ms Helen Wong is poised to become the first woman to head a Singapore bank and among the very few to lead an Asian bank. The appointment is effective April 15, OCBC said on Friday.Ms Wong joined OCBC in February 2020 from HSBC where she ran the bank's Greater China operations, and her appointment brings her banking career full circle as she will now lead a bank where she started her banking career as a management trainee in 1984 in Singapore.Wong's appointment comes as local banks are battling low interest rates and weak growth in pandemic-hit markets. Lenders are also soaking up bad loans as regulators prepare to ease conditions for billions of dollars in lending moratoriumsAfter decades of being largely underrepresented in leadership roles, in the banking sector, the number of female executives is finally beginning to improve. Last year September, Citigroup appointed Jane Fraser its next CEO, making her the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank, this also followed the appointment of Alison Rose as CEO of Natwest Bank in the United Kingdom.There is still a long way to go but appointments such as Ms Wong’s provide greater hope and inspiration to others.

People Moves: Kathy Matsui - 'Womenomics Pioneer To Leave Goldman Sachs'.

TOKYO -- Kathy Matsui, an acclaimed Japan strategist known for introducing the workplace empowerment concept "womenomics," is leaving Goldman Sachs at the end of the year.The vice chair of Goldman Sachs Japan and chief Japan equity strategist will retire, according to a memo to employees Friday.Womenomics is the concept that the advancement of women will give a much-needed economic boost to a graying Japan. Matsui and her team started publishing reports in 1999 on the idea that bringing more women into the workforce and investing in them would help lift Japan's gross domestic product, spurring former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to launch measures promoting the role of women.The mother of two has served on Japanese government panels on gender diversity.Matsui, a specialist also in macroeconomics in Asia, was promoted to vice chair in 2015 after becoming managing director in 1998. The California native joined Goldman Sachs in 1994 after stints at other institutions, including Barclays.This article was originally posted in Nikkei News Asia.

Canada's Leading Bank Names First Woman To Hold Top Job

Laurentian Bank one of Canada’s leading banks has named Rania Llewellyn to be its next CEO, a move that the bank says makes her the first woman to hold the top job at a major Canadian lender.Born in Kuwait, Rania immigrated to Canada in 1992. She comes to the top job at Montreal-based lender Laurentian after a 26-year career at Scotiabank, where she started as a teller before moving up to a series of managerial and executive roles, most recently the executive vice-president of global business payments. "Rania Llewellyn is the right leader to usher in a new era at Laurentian Bank," board member Michelle Savoy said in a release. "She has a proven track record as an energetic, strategic thinker focused on customer experience and tangible results. Following a rigorous search process, we are confident she is the change agent this bank needs to address the headwinds it faces and to establish a foundation for future growth and success," said Savoy, who headed up the search process for a new CEO.In a release, Llewellyn said she was "thrilled and honoured" to join the bank and added that she is "committed to always putting our customers first in everything we do. I look forward to working with my new colleagues across Canada and in the U.S. to develop a strategy for long-term growth and success that meets the needs and expectations of all our stakeholders."None of the so-called Big Five Canadian Banks — Bank of Montreal, Bank of Nova Scotia, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Toronto-Dominion Bank and the Royal Bank of Canada — have ever had a woman as CEO.Laurentian bank has 2,900 employees and more than $28 billion in assets under management.

People Moves: Jane Fraser appointed CEO of Citigroup.

Citigroup Inc C.N on Thursday named consumer banking head Jane Fraser as the bank's next chief executive officer, making her the first woman to lead a major Wall Street bank.Fraser, 53, joins a small group of women who have broken through the glass ceiling to reach the C-suite at major financial firms.Here are some comments Fraser made at public events in 2014 and 2016 about being a working mother and a woman in finance.“I am a working mother. I always joke with my team and say I have three boys at home: I have a 14-year-old, a 16-year-old and a 59-year-old.”“It’s a fairly normal home life for me but I’m often asked, ‘Can you have it all? Can you do it all? And I say, ‘Yes, you can, but you can’t do it all at once and don’t expect everything at once.”"There were so few women there. There were so few women in financial services. And those who were there were rather scary. It was the days of wearing these big padded shoulders, dressing practically like a man or these suits that were horrendous. And none of them were that happy," Fraser said about her early days as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs Group Inc GS.N, which she joined when she was 20.“Against all the advice I was given, I planned on getting pregnant the year I was right in the run-up to partner. Everyone said, ‘Oh, don’t be so stupid,’ but I thought, you can’t just lead your life that way. So I was told I was partner in McKinsey & Co two weeks after I’d given birth.”“I remember getting the phone call from my boss and just thinking, ‘Would he please just get off the phone, because I’ve got to feed the baby, I’ve got to get the food.’ It was chaos around,” Fraser said about being told she had made partner at McKinsey & Co.“It’d be fair to say it wasn’t an obvious career move. Indeed, quite a few of my friends at work called me to ask me if I was out of my mind making that particular transition. The British term for that is daft. Others puzzled and politely just asked me why,” Fraser said about making the transition from running Citigroup’s private bank from London to handling its troubled mortgage business in St. Louis.“It took me a while to get over this fear that I wouldn’t be doing a great job, day one. And I see that in a lot of women. And I urge all the younger women in the audience, not to feel that you do have to be 120% qualified for a new job. You don’t, you can’t possibly be. So don’t let that hold you back... But at the same time, just keep enough of that fear, just to keep you on your toes.”“So my teenage son ... he was thrust into a new life in New York City. He left a very happy childhood home, a great life in London, which he does miss sometimes quite a lot. But he’s entered New York with intent and he is playing to his strength. His strength is, he has discovered his English accent. It is very appealing to New York’s young ladies. And every now and then I catch him listening to the BBC dramas on my iPad because he is worried he might lose said accent. Know and invest in your strengths. Whatever they are. It works. Take it from a 13 year old.”This article was first published in Reuters FactBox

People Moves: Bridget Loudon appointed youngest ASX 200 independent director by joining Telstra board

Expert 360 co-founder Bridget Loudon has smashed the age record for a non-executive director on the ASX 200 by 12 years, and has created another dent to the glass ceiling for independent female board directors.Bridget’s youth, entrepreneurial experience and drive provides unique attributes to the traditional board structure of Telstra.Her background doesn’t follow the usual trajectory of an ASX board director either — Loudon wasn’t actually seeking out a role. Instead, she was approached by Telstra chair John Mullen more than a year ago.On her appointment, Mullen said Loudon will bring a unique perspective to the board, and highlighted her expertise in transformation, notably as Telstra is embarking on massive organisational change through its T22 strategy.It is clear that Australia’s largest companies see the value of board diversity; a diverse mix of views and perspectives around the table increases board performance and reduces the risk of group think.In these uncertain and transformational times that’s something we should all be applauding.

People Moves: Citi makes Asia wealth Management appointments

Citi Private bank has made two Singapore-based senior appointments effective October 1, including the creation of a new role, to further support both existing and new clients.San San Chan has been appointed Asia Pacific and EMEA Citigold Private Client (CPC) business head, a newly created role to drive the execution of regional sales and advisory strategies for the CPC segment, which caters to customers with $1 million to $10 million in investable assets. Chan, who joined Citi in 2003, is currently head of Wealth Management and Segments, and acting Retail Banking head, for Citibank Singapore.The bank also named Ashmita Acharya as head of Retail Banking for Citibank Singapore, a role in which she will support Citi Singapore’s plans to double Wealth Management clients by 2025. The appointments indicate a gradual shakeup of the once male-dominated field:In a world in which women control more and more private wealth, both directly and indirectly, the wealth management industry globally acknowledges its approach to female clients and the prominence of women in key roles in private banks and asset management needs to radically change. If the industry is able of sieze the huge opportunity of female controlled wealth in the coming decade..

People Moves - Microsoft exec Peggy Johnson joins augmented reality start-up Magic Leap

Microsoft leader Peggy Johnson is departing and will become the new chief executive officer at the world’s most innovative augmented reality start-up Magic Leap.Johnson joined Microsoft in 2014 as executive vice president of business development. She led deals such as the blockbuster LinkedIn acquisition and launched Microsoft’s venture fund. Johnson previously spent 24 years at Qualcomm and is a board member at BlackRock.Now she’ll be in charge at Magic Leap, the innovative and well-funded start-up headquartered in Plantation, Florida, Johnson’s last day at Microsoft is Tuesday, and she will start at Magic Leap on Aug. 1.

People Moves - Levi Strauss & Co announces Tracy Layney as New CHRO

Levi Strauss & Co has years of experience in human resources and organization strategy, including deep experience in apparel and retail. Most recently, Layney was Senior Vice President and CHRO at Shutterfly, Inc. where she was responsible for recruiting, employee engagement, talent management, compensation and benefits, HR technology, corporate communications and the Shutterfly Foundation. Earlier in her career, Layney worked at LS&Co. as a Senior Organization Readiness Manager supporting a global reengineering project. “Tracy is the right leader to help us continue to build an engaged, inclusive, and high-performing culture at Levi Strauss & Co.,” said Chip Bergh, Levi Strauss & Co. President and CEO.He added, “She understands the unique needs of a retail organization and leads with her values. We are excited to welcome her back to LS&Co.” Prior to her time at Shutterfly, Layney held numerous senior leadership roles at Gap Inc., including Senior Vice President, HR for Old Navy and VP, Gap Inc. Global HR Strategy, Technology, and Operations. During her 10 years at Gap, Inc. Layney provided strategic leadership, and introduced innovative, holistic solutions to the company’s strategy, technology, operations, and talent management challenges.Sharing about her new stint with Levis, Layney said, “I have long admired LS&Co.’s strong brand and values-driven culture.” She sees tremendous opportunity in the HR team to continue to advance LS&Co. as a destination for top talent and great place to work. Layney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania. Enjoyed this article? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below:

People Moves - Bank Of Singapore Appoints its first chief data officer

With a growing acknowledgement of the disruptive forces that have swept across other industries and are now squarely centered on banking. Bank of Singapore, the private banking arm of OCBC Bank, has hired a chief data and innovation officer to boost its digital transformation efforts.Bank of Singapore appointed Celine Le Cotonnec to fill the newly created role.Ms Le Cotonnec will be responsible for the bank's data strategy to "unlock new opportunities and deliver actionable insights" for clients and business functions.She will also head the bank's innovation unit to drive digital innovation initiatives."The creation of this role affirms Bank of Singapore's commitment to leverage analytics and innovative technology to provide quality personalised insights to clients, and optimise business efficiency as part of its digital transformation programme," the private bank said in a statement.Ms Le Cotonnec joins from AXA Insurance Singapore, where she was chief data and innovation officer.She brings more than 15 years of experience in business transformation and data analytics in Asia.Prior to her AXA stint, Ms Le Cotonnec was head of connected services, digital and mobility at the Asian arm of French automobile manufacturer PSA Peugeot Citroen in Shanghai.She will report to Bank of Singapore chief executive Bahren Shaari in her new role.Mr Shaari said: "Our digital transformation programme is an integral part of our overall corporate strategy. It is for our clients and for our employees.""That is why we have, over the past few years, invested extensively in this area," he added. "Celine's stellar track record in the area of data analytics and innovation will help us to continue to build deeper relationships with our clients."This article was first published in Business TimesEnjoyed this article? Let us know your thoughts and comment below:

People Moves - Fortune 500 loses another female CEO - Ginni Rometty steps down.

Ginni Rometty, the first female CEO of IBM, will step down later this year after serving eight years in the role. With Rometty’s departure on the horizon, Fortune reports that the number of women leading Fortune 500 companies will dwindle from 35 to 34. Though this number is slightly higher than the record 33 women who were listed in the annual Fortune 500 issue last May, the fact still remains that women hold less than 7% of Fortune 500 CEO seats, while women of color hold even less.Rometty, who first joined IBM in 1981, understood the power of women in leadership and credits her experience at IBM with teaching her early on that there were no limits to what she could become.“While there was never a watershed moment that I can remember saying to myself, ‘Gee, I want to be CEO,’ what I do have is a really strong memory throughout my whole career that anyone at IBM could be anything they wanted to be at IBM,” she said in a 2019 interview with Fortune. “And that, to me, I think always gave me that feeling to just keep going because you can be whatever you want to be.”Following the news of Rometty’s departure, several top CEOs praised the executive for her work at IBM, including General Motors CEO Mary Barra who referred to her as a “great partner and an inspiring leader.”Enjoyed this article? Let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves -Credit Suisse Names Wang Jing Head Of Private Banking China

Swiss bank Credit Suisse announced that it has hired a new head of private banking (PB)operations for mainland China as part of its plans to become the top foreign provider of high-end wealth management services to customers in the country.Starting in April, Wang Jing, formerly the head of PB operations at the China Merchants Bank(CMB), will oversee Credit Suisse’s onshore wealth management operations and mainly focus on helping the lender reach its private banking ambitions in China, which is now integral to the health and wealth of the PB sector. Recent research by the bank highlighted global wealth expanded by 2.6% year-on-year, or $9.4 trillion, to a total $360 trillion in 2018; China accounted for $1.9 trillion of the net gain. Wealth-X’s latest billionaire census, published in May, counted 285 Chinese dollar billionaires with a total net worth of $996 billion, second only to the US (705 billionaires; cumulative wealth of $3 trillion).Wang’s new role will give her direct access to the lender’s global PB network composed of 3,800 relationship managers across 50 offices. In her previous role at Shenzhen-based CMB, Wang transformed the bank into China’s best onshore wealth manager. Last year, CMB won 12 China awards in Euromoney’s annual Private Banking and Wealth Management Survey, including best overall provider of onshore PB services. Credit Suisse took the award for world’s best bank for wealth management.Enjoyed this article? Let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves - Former HSBC Greater China CEO Helen Wong to join OCBC

OCBC has appointed former HSBC Greater China chief Helen Wong as deputy president and head of global wholesale banking.The appointment takes effect from Feb 3, 2020.Ms Wong brings to OCBC 35 years of banking experience, including 27 years at HSBC. She was appointed group general manager of HSBC Group in 2011 and her last position was chief executive of HSBC Greater China, based in Hong Kong. She had held various senior management positions in corporate and investment banking at HSBC, including president and chief executive of HSBC China and head of global banking (Hong Kong).In her new role at OCBC, Ms Wong will undertake global responsibilities for all banking relationships with small- and medium-sized enterprises, large corporates and financial institutions, two product groups - cash management and trade under the transaction banking business, as well as the investment banking business, said OCBC in a statement on Wednesday."Helen is widely regarded as a top female banker in Hong Kong with deep Greater China experience and extensive market knowledge. Given her breadth of experience and exposure, we are delighted to have Helen join our senior management team," said OCBC group chief executive Samuel Tsien. Enjoyed this article? Let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves - Gaëlle Olivier named Chief Executive Officer for Societe Generale Asia Pacific

Gaëlle Olivier replaces Hikaru Ogatawho decided to pursue new projects outside the Bank. This appointment will be effective starting 2 January 2020 and is subject to the approval of regulatory authorities.Based in Hong Kong, Gaëlle Olivier will report to Séverin Cabannes, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Societe Generale, and will become a member of the Group’s Management Committee.“I would like to thank Hikaru Ogata for his long-term commitment towards Societe Generale and for his contribution to the significant development of our activities in the Asia Pacific. Hikaru has strongly contributed to the strengthening of our regional platform and to the expansion of our client franchise in the countries where the Group operates," said Séverin Cabannes.Gaëlle Olivier's experience, including the beginning of her career in market activities as well as her various senior executive positions at AXA in Paris and in Asia-Pacific, where she spent ten years of her career, will be key assets in strengthening our strategic positioning and pursuing our growth strategy in the region", added Cabannes.Societe Generale is one of the leading European financial services groups. Based on a diversified and integrated banking model, the Group combines financial strength and proven expertise in innovation with a strategy of sustainable growth, aiming to be the trusted partner for its clients, committed to the positive transformations of society and the economy. Enjoyed this article let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves - Citigroup appoints Jane Fraser its new president

Latest Career News on Prominent Female Executives across Industry:Citigroup ranked the 3rd largest bank in the United States named Jane Fraser as President Thursday, putting her in line as a possible successor to CEO Michael Corbat and the first woman CEO of the bankCorbat said he tapped Fraser for the role to make sure the bank is well-positioned for the next decade and beyond.“I remain committed to leading our firm in the coming years and look forward to working even more closely with Jane in her new roles,” the CEO said in a memo.Fraser will also replace Stephen Bird as the head of global consumer banking. Bird is leaving Citi after 20 years, having served in several key roles, including CEO of the bank’s Asia Pacific division.Fraser has been at Citi veteran for 15 years since she joined McKinsey to run client strategy in the corporate and investment bank. She also led the bank’s corporate strategy and M&A group during the financial crisis. In her most recent role, however, she served as the CEO of Latin America. Ernesto Torres Cantu who is currently CEO of Citib Ana Mex will now take over that role.The position of President opened up in April when Jamie Forese retired after more than three decades at the bank. Citi's announcement to elevate Fraser is the latest hope that women are inching closer to cracking the glass ceilings at some of the world’s largest organizations.Enjoyed this article let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves - Asset Management Firm Frank Templeton, Appoints Dora Seow Country Head.

Latest Career News on Prominent Female Executives across Industry:AMERICAN asset management firm Franklin Templeton has appointed Dora Seow its country head for Singapore, effective Oct 1.Ms Seow will take over from Adam Quaife, regional head for South-east Asia, who will be relocating to Australia in December.She will assume the new position of country head for Singapore while continuing her oversight of the firm's business in Thailand, Philippines and Brunei.Ms Seow joined Franklin Templeton in 2001 and has held various leadership positions throughout the years, including a tenure as head of the portfolio administration group in Asia and head of the institutional distribution channel for South-east Asia. In the latter position, she established and developed the region's institutional business. Enjoyed this article let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves: UBS Appoints Suni Harford President Asset Management

Latest Career News on Prominent Female Executives across Industry:Suni Harford was recently named president of asset management and an executive board member at UBS, a spokeswoman said.Ms. Harford replaces Ulrich Koerner in the role. Mr. Koerner will remain with UBS as senior adviser to Group CEO, Sergio P. Ermotti until March 31, 2020, to support the transition, the spokeswoman said.Ms. Harford joined UBS in 2017 and was head of investments for UBS Asset Management. Ms. Harford is widely recognized as one of the most influential and powerful women in banking and finance and an advocate for driving positive change in the culture and diversity of the financial services industry.Enjoyed this article let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves: Anne Chow Appointed As First Female CEO Of AT&T Business

Latest Career News on Prominent Female Executives across Industry:AT&T Business part of the AT&T media & telecommunications powerhouse has named longtime employee Anne Chow CEO, making her the first woman to hold that position.Chow, who's been with AT&T Business for nearly 30 years, was one of the first Asian American officers at the company and is now the highest ranking Asian American at AT&T, male or female.“This is an exciting time at AT&T, and in AT&T Business, as we have a unique opportunity to provide our customers with the innovative solutions they need to better run their businesses and serve their customers," Chow told ABC News in a statement. "With breakthrough technologies like 5G, businesses around the world will be poised to transform and disrupt their own industries. I look forward to this journey with an incredible team of women and men.”The newly named CEO tweeted a photo of her desk with cards and bouquets of flowers, expressing her gratitude with a quote from the late motivational speaker and businessman Zig Zigler."In her nearly 30 years in the industry, she strove to 'break the bamboo ceiling' by succeeding in non-traditional roles that spanned direct and indirect sales, to operations, to P&L management," AT&T Business said in a statement. "She created one of AT&T's fastest growing Employee Networks -- AT&T Women of Business -- which has 4,800 members across 27 countries."Chow has held leadership positions in engineering, direct and indirect sales, sales operations, marketing, customer care, international operations, product management, and strategic planning.In her new role, Chow will be responsible for an organization that serves nearly 3 million business customers in more than 200 countries and territories."As a founding member of AT&T University's governing board, Anne actively supports the company's leadership development imperative," the company continued. "Anne also serves on the National Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of the USA, is a member of the Committee of 100, Co-Chairs the Parents Board at Georgia Tech, and sits on the Board of the Directors of Franklin Covey Co (NYSE: FC)."AT&T Business said Chow "has acted as a role model for diversity and inclusion, she co-championed the recently launched Women of Color initiative, which focuses on promoting an inclusive and thriving environment for this critical, rapidly growing community."Chow earned her BS and MEng degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University before earning an MBA with distinction from The Johnson School at Cornell University.Enjoyed this article let us know your thoughts comment below:

People Moves