I was promoted and then I walked away – why?!

2019 was probably one of the most challenging years of my life so far. I returned to my investment banking job after a year off, leaving my daughter in the care of a nanny while I worked hard to re-establish my position in the team, headed by a new boss. I felt like I had Read More

The most inspiring pep talk I’ve received as a career mum

I recently attended a training course called “How to make an impact in meetings” which I had thought would be very relevant to me since I’m in a client facing role in investment banking. The intensive, one-day course was lead by Esther Stanhope who, in my opinion, is a brilliant public speaker and an influencer Read More

Career Mama? Tips on how to make it work

“After a baby, don’t bounce back. Bounce forward.” (Tiffiny Hall, Ted Talk) Now that I’ve survived my first three months back in investment banking after the 13-month career break also known as the maternity leave, I wanted to share what has helped me get through this rather testing period and how I intend to go forward. Read More

Can you go back to investment banking after becoming a mother?

I’m going to resist the temptation to blurt out that it’s been “pretty sh*it” going back to my investment banking job from my maternity leave. Not because I don’t want to be honest, but because the thought process that lead to this conclusion was very complex and had to do with a lot of personal Read More

How to beat the anxiety about returning to work from maternity leave?

I knew this would happen. I knew I would get really stressed and anxious about returning to work from maternity leave. Ever since Maia was born I’ve dreaded the day I would have to leave her to go back to work. For almost eleven months now we’ve been together every single day and night, apart Read More

How do you take maternity leave from investment banking?

I don’t know. In theory, it’s very simple – just get pregnant and inform HR of when and how long you’ll be away- but in practice… it’s less obvious. Even a bigger question is how do you return to an investment banking career after having a baby, but since I don’t have to think about that Read More

My last pre-baby business trip 

Feeling a bit nostalgic looking back at this week… For the past four years I’ve been flying between London and the Nordic capitals regularly, but this week’s trip to Stockholm and Copenhagen was my last business trip for awhile. In all honesty, I was not sure if taking on this trip was a good idea. Read More

Pregnant employee – From an asset to a liability?

Fatigue, nausea, aches and pains, endless doctor appointments at inconvenient times and restrictions on travel – a pregnant woman is hardly the employee of the year… Or that’s how I’ve been feeling at least. But has pregnancy really made me a worse employee? My first reaction was “yes probably” but then I started thinking. Worse Read More