Earlier this month, I was a speaker at the Linux Foundation Open Source Strategy Forum (OSSF) in London. I moderated a panel on women’s career progression within Fintech with Clair Grayston, Executive Director and the Technology CAO, Morgan Stanley, Jane Gavronsky, Chief Technology Officer, FINOS, the Linux Foundation, and Rita Chaturvedi - Executive Director, WMT Release and Change Management, Morgan Stanley.

In this post I detail my thoughts on the key takeaways from the panel:

The goal was to give people in our industry insights on how to progress their career.

On networking:

  • Networking is not about the number of people you connect with, but rather about building meaningful relationships.
  • These relationships can be external or internal to your organisation.
  • The best ones are based on a common interest or a personal connection.
  • Today’s interns are tomorrow’s CEO and you never know when you will cross paths with people again.
  • Nurturing relationships with mentors and sponsors is key to your progression.

Make the most of Open source and leverage its benefits including:

  • Broadening your network and making it less intimidating to meet new people.
  • Showcasing your work and making you visible to people that can vouch for you.

When dealing with sensitive topics, there is no one answer, and it is important to follow what you’re comfortable with but the panelists offered the following tips:

  • On promotion and maximising your pay,

    • Make sure you are delivering on what your manager’s expectations are.
    • Set a plan on how to move forward and keep going back to it frequently.
    • It is important to spot who is not quite convinced that you are where you need to be, and get them to become your advocate by getting them invested in the plan.
    • Know where your line is and when to move on.

  • On standing up for yourself in meetings if you are undermined or if your suggestions are ignored,

    • Find a way to get support in the room.
    • Confront the person or have a side conversation with them.
    • Be vocal and make your point.
    • Escalate if need be.

You can now access the recording of the panel.

I am looking forward to returning to this topic for a second session at OSSF New York on the 10th of November 2021. Alejandra Villagra, Global Head of Citi Velocity and Digital Solutions, Citi and Kim Prado, CIO, US Capital Markets, I&CB and office of the COO, BMO Capital Markets will be on the panel in addition to Rita Chaturverdi and Jane Gavronsky.