Winner of our Excellence in Trading Platforms Award, Mélanie Hazan, Director, Product Management – International Fixed Income, Tradeweb
How are you seeing diversity impact the industry?
We’ve come a long way since when I first started working in this industry. Today, there are a lot more women in leadership roles than ever before, both at large financial institutions and across the trading floor. We’re about to see the first woman leading a big four auditing firm as its Global Chair and CEO, which is fantastic progress. When we empower more women to lead, we’re embracing different perspectives and approaches to business, resulting in a more inclusive workplace. At Tradeweb, we prioritise celebrating people’s differences, empowering women to challenge the bias through actionable change.
This year’s theme of International Women’s Day was #EmbraceEquity, with the aim to shift focus on achieving equal outcomes while taking into consideration each person’s special circumstances and needs, and true inclusion requires equitable action. Last year, we launched our Spotlight Dealer Diversity Program, an initiative designed to promote the capabilities of woman-, veteran-, disabled-, and minority-owned dealers on the Tradeweb platform. It’s one thing for companies to voice their support for a more equitable and inclusive financial services industry. For us, this initiative reflects our commitment to taking a look at the underlying systems and processes that drive financial markets, and working to remove the barriers to access and level the playing field for all market participants.
What still needs to change for the better?
As a mother to two young children, it’s crucial for an organisation to have the support systems in place to help not only women, but men as well, navigate a healthy work/life balance. Tradeweb’s Working Parents Network provides education and resources to help parents do just that, as well as giving the opportunity for parents to share their experiences in overcoming parenting dilemmas and raising positive and confident children. I believe our industry has made substantial steps towards giving working mothers the tools and confidence to establish effective boundaries and have more flexibility in their workplace. However, it’s important that organisations continue to exert their power in making policy changes that can help better attract and retain these individuals.
Recruitment can heavily impact diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Organisations should ensure they’re implementing inclusive techniques that attract a wider talent pool, not only for more senior positions, but for internships and graduate programmes as well. Earlier this year, Tradeweb partnered with Inclusively, a diversity recruitment platform helping companies connect with job seekers in the disabled community. This partnership reflects our commitment to investing in creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
What does this award mean for you?
To be recognised as a woman leading in the trading space is an incredible honour, but one that wouldn’t be possible without working for an organisation that champions women and offers endless opportunities for us to really thrive. I’m privileged to work with a team of smart, dedicated and innovative people at Tradeweb. Collaboration is what makes us who we are and I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the incredible team that I’m lucky enough to work with each and every day. I want to share this award with all of my colleagues, because we strive for excellence and we do it together.
What would you like to do to support positive change in the industry?
Our initiatives like the Global Women’s Network and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee and Mentor programme help make sure every voice at Tradeweb is heard. They’re meant to give everyone the access and ability to grow as an individual and, eventually, a leader. Whenever someone reaches out to me on LinkedIn or any other platform asking about how I broke into this industry, I always enjoy sharing my experiences and supporting aspiring technologists. The only way to address and overcome preconceptions about women in our space is to have more women in positions of leadership, and by providing support and being a kind of role model can help young women confidently advance in their careers.
In November, we held our inaugural Global Women’s Network event in Paris for employees and clients to discuss the challenges faced by women in the industry, and the tools to help them advance. I’d like to continue engaging and hosting more debates about the importance of diversity and inclusion in our industry, especially across Europe and Asia. Sometimes, this may require initiating difficult conversations about diversity and inclusion, and I want to ensure I’m always creating a safe, respectful, and supportive work environment where these types of conversations are always welcomed.
At what point would we not need to have a Women in Finance Awards?
Women are still the minority in the trading industry, often deterred by its decades-old reputation as a male-dominated environment. A study conducted by Sheffield Haworth a few years ago found that women generally account for 12 to 15% of trading roles. While progress has been made since then, Women in Finance Awards are important in promoting women who are leaders in their field and informing young women about the endless possibilities a trading career has to offer.
We want to get to a point where if a woman wants to enter a specific industry, she can do so without any barriers to entry, or misconceptions about the skills that it requires. But forging this path isn’t limited to women solely challenging gender stereotypes and seeking out inclusion. I wouldn’t be where I was today if it wasn’t for some of the men that have supported me throughout my career, and I’d like to see this strong allyship continue.
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