Sabrin Chowdhury, Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity at PIMCO, won the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award at Markets Media Group’s 2023 Women in Finance (U.S.) Awards.

What was that first experience for you being a woman in financial services?

I started my career as an analyst at Lehman Brothers in 2007, right before the Global Financial Crisis, specifically in securitization banking. It was an interesting time to enter the finance industry, as the very area I joined, securitization, completely changed and nearly ceased to exist within 18 months of my joining. I went on to join Barclays Capital where during my years as an analyst, I often noticed a lack of women in senior decision-making roles who looked like me. There were very few women, and even fewer women of color. This realization prompted me to leave the industry and pursue graduate school, where I focused my research on women’s leadership and gender violence.

After completing my graduate studies, I transitioned into management consulting at McKinsey & Company. It was at McKinsey where I returned full cycle to the financial services industry and worked to advise financial services clients on topics such as culture, talent development, inclusion, and inclusion and diversity strategies.

Through my own professional journey, I have witnessed a significant shift in the financial services industry over the past 10-15 years. There has been a genuine focus on valuing diverse perspectives and investing in strategies such as leadership development programs, manager capability building, and senior leadership accountability. I believe my experiences reflect this positive change and the industry’s commitment to fostering inclusion and diversity.

Who have been the main influences in your career? / What have you gained from those relationships?

I have been fortunate to have an incredible support system consisting of my family and friends who have guided me through the ups and downs of both my personal and professional journey. Additionally, I have had the privilege of encountering remarkable sponsors and mentors throughout my career who have had a significant impact on my growth.

I am truly thankful to my sponsors for recognizing my untapped potential and envisioning what I can achieve even before I have often realized it myself. One particular story that stands out is from my time at McKinsey, during one of the most challenging periods in my career. My daughter had just completed her chemotherapy treatments and operations and was finally in remission, and I found myself struggling with a difficult project. I was working with a mix of Partners at McKinsey, some who hadn’t worked with me before, and based on my performance, I wouldn’t have blamed them for lacking confidence in my abilities and asking me to leave the project. However, I had two incredible sponsors who played a pivotal role. One was a Partner on the project who was both a trusted mentor and sponsor who consistently provided me with actionable feedback to improve. The other was a Senior Partner in New York who had spoken highly of my potential and what he had observed in me to the Partners who were unfamiliar with my work, which gave them confidence to keep me on the project.

Because of the sponsorship I received, this experience became a turning point in my career growth and I felt I tapped into leadership potential that I didn’t realize I had.

These sponsors and mentors have not only provided guidance and support but have also believed in me when I needed it the most. Their influence has been instrumental in shaping my career and helping me realize my full potential. I am incredibly grateful for their belief in me and the opportunities they have provided.

There are all kinds of diversity (gender diversity, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ, economic background..)/ How are you thinking about those kinds of diversities and how you can embed them in the work that you do?

At PIMCO, we place a strong emphasis on embracing diversity in all its forms and recognizing the intersectionality of identities. As someone who embodies multiple identities – a Bangladeshi American-Australian citizen with a Muslim heritage and a working mother – I understand and believe we all face unique challenges and opportunities that arise from the combination of our identities.

To ensure we embrace intersectionality, we foster collaboration across our 8+ Employee Resource Groups. These groups co-host speaker events and create connections among various communities. Additionally, we have shared research highlighting the importance of intersectionality and organized a panel on Intersectionality during our annual PIMCO Women’s Summit which aimed to acknowledge and honor the experiences of women across different races and sexual orientations.

By embracing intersectionality and respecting all dimensions of identity, we strive to cultivate an organizational culture where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.