Portrait of Sonia, Wealth Management, Zurich

More insights from Sonia

Can you tell us a bit about your role and your experience prior to joining ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ?

I started my career as a certified charted accountant at Arthur Andersen. I began my career at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ as a program manager and in 2015 I became the Managing Director for ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ Wealth Management in Germany and Austria.

How does ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ support you in your career?

I have been with ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ for 14 years. Any time I felt like I wanted to make a change, there was always an attractive and interesting role available.

What does diversity mean to you and how do you see it implemented in the corporate world?

Diversity to me means surrounding myself with people unlike myself; people I can learn and grow from. In the corporate world, it is about grouping people in a team according to the set of skills required to accomplish the team's objective, whatever their backgrounds, ages or other traits may be.

Can you share an example of the benefits of diversity and inclusion that you've experienced first-hand during your time at ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ?

Over time, I decided to reduce my working hours from 100%, to 80%, to 60% and back to 80% without it being a big deal. I have had the privilege to work with people from various nationalities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, educational backgrounds, sexual orientations; every person I have met and worked with has been an enrichment to me as a person and to the team.

What in your opinion, is one of the biggest challenges facing leaders today?

Being able to adapt to the fast and continuous pace at which change occurs. The more diverse the team, the more chances the team will have to spot the trends and to adapt.

What will be the biggest challenge for the next generation of women?

Change. The next generation of women has a great opportunity to take advantage of the digitalization of the financial industry. Remote working from anywhere at any time might - if done wisely - make the life of a working mother easier to embrace.

If you had to pick one thing that sets ÃÛ¶¹ÊÓƵ apart from the competition, what would it be?

The amazing global reach and combined strengths and capabilities of the organization is second to none in the market.

How do you maintain your work-life balance?

I am very disciplined with the way I spend my time. I plan a lot. I have time planned for exercise, for yoga, time with the kids together and individually, time with my partner, time for clients, time to think, time to eat and time to have good nights of sleep. Exceptions may happen but are not the rule.

What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning and come to work?

I love what I do. I love spending time with people and with clients. I am very clear about why I do this job, what is expected of me and how to do it.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to sell flowers and vegetables, then I wanted to be a flight attendant and finally a heart surgeon.

What is the best thing that happened to you during the past week?

When my 8-year old daughter told me, "I love you sooo much, you are the best mother in the world" as I kissed her goodnight.

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