In its 16th year, American Banker will be hosting their annual “Most Powerful Women in Banking” awards dinner. Protiviti is proud to be the exclusive Diamond Level sponsor for this prestigious event. In anticipation, we are excited to spotlight inspiring women who work within the financial services industry (FSI) here at Protiviti. While these women do all have their industry expertise in common, their stories are all unique and each offers wonderful perspective. We hope you enjoy our #ProtivitiWomenInFSI series!
“One of my favorite things about Protiviti is the behind the scenes problem-solving. I love when our team is in a conference room with all different perspectives and levels and everyone is brainstorming. Most of the camaraderie happens during this time – when we get to see minds at work .”
Meet Adelina, a Manager in Risk & Compliance out of our Chicago office. After receiving her MBA from Loyola of Chicago, she started her career in Consulting for a boutique firm before coming to Protiviti, where she’s been for the last three years! I had the chance to catch up with her and talk all things leadership and career advice.
Leadership
The recipe for a strong leader:
“A leader is someone who has perseverance and resilience. They face many dynamic situations and challenges, especially in the digital revolution we are in. And so, a leader is someone who has the grit to make it in that type of environment, who is adaptable and understands what the organization’s vision is and can propel that vision forward.”
On female leadership in FSI:
“Sure, the industry we are in is male dominated, but when talking about men and women, the qualities of a leader are the same — perseverance, resilience, strength. However, I do think female leaders continue to face unique challenges, and often must exhibit these traits in different circumstances than male counterparts. This just means that women have to know themselves and understand their qualities and strengths and not feel guilty about the value that they bring to the organization – oh, and be assertive!”
Career Advice
Stay curious. “This is a big mantra of mine!” The more you want to learn and know, the more you will learn about what is out there and how you can augment your current skill set. Your interests will evolve because of your curiosity!”
Know yourself. ” One thing I wish I had recognized earlier is how important it is to know yourself and play to your strengths. It’s not the easiest thing to do but I do believe it’s a factor in success. If it doesn’t feel right and you are not passionate about it, make a change with confidence to better align with your values and strengths.”
Build a network that you can trust. “Know who your champions are. Find people that have your back and maintain those relationships. Those are mentors, advisors and have your best interest at heart and they understand your goals and help you to reach them.”
“The moments I’ve embraced challenges or discomfort in my career have been the most gratifying moments.”
Rapid Fire
Hobbies?: “Travel — it’s one of my favorite things!”
If you could have any job in the world, what job would you have? : “I’d still be in financial services, maybe with a bit more focus on battling international financial crimes. I have a strong passion for human rights, specifically around eliminating human and narco trafficking. So, I would continue to work on applying disruptive technology and solutions to transform outdated anti-money laundering programs and financial crimes investigations units.”
If you could only have one food for the rest of your life, what would that be? : “Pizza.”
On behalf of Protiviti, we’re proud of all that Adelina has accomplished and we know she has many successes to come. Thank you for leading with strength and confidence!
