Kimberley Stafford, Managing Director, Global Head of Product Strategy, PIMCO won the Crystal Ladder award at Markets Media Group’s 2022 Women in Finance (U.S.) Awards.

What was your reaction to winning the award?

I was truly honored and humbled.  It is so inspiring to be considered among a group of such talented women.  I am very encouraged by how much progress we have made in our industry and the broad network of talented women who are making such a big impact.

What have been the main drivers of your success? 

I think the main drivers of success have been a strong intellectual curiosity to learn about our business and listen to our clients to help them solve challenges they are facing.  I also think there is a misnomer that women need to act like men whether that is around communication or decision making styles and while I think it is important to adapt and learn in any environment, knowing and sticking to the leadership and communication style that its authentic and comfortable for you will help you thrive.

How do you measure success? 

We all certainly measure success in the business results, but I also measure success around how we are able to help our clients, how we are able to enhance our firm processes and importantly how our people feel motivated and engaged in our mutual objectives.

What inspires you to work in this industry?

I think the aspect that has been so inspiring over the 22 years I have been in the industry is how much it has changed and evolved – from markets to technology to products and solutions. It makes for  such a dynamic industry that affords a consistently steep learning curve and tremendous opportunities to learn and grow.

What is your greatest accomplishment? 

I find one of the more fulfilling aspects of my career is developing and mentoring the next generation.  For me, it is so enriching to watch a young professional grow and thrive in their careers and if I can help enable and support that growth, it is really rewarding to watch.

What’s your advice to the next generation of women in finance? 

I think there are some myths about what a career in finance can be and what your life can be like.  Unfortunately, we have seen women opt out of finance either because they think there are only single-dimensional career paths (for example, just an investor or portfolio manager) or they don’t think they can have a fulsome life outside of their career whether that be family or other interests.  So my advice would be to ensure women are aware of the broader spectrum of career paths available in finance and also convey that you can achieve both our professional and personal goals through a career in finance.