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speaking candidly about her experiences with The TRADE, it is clear that this is not something she actively dwells on.
In fact, she says it was often other colleagues who highlighted the phenomenon to her, rather than the other way around.
“ Ironically, it has often been male colleagues who have pointed out to me that I was the only woman in the room, or that there were very few of us in similar roles. I still remember attending the roadshow for the Ducati IPO in 1999 and very much being the only woman in the room, without, admittedly, much personal interest in motorbikes!
“ At the time, it was simply the reality of the environment rather than something I questioned, and I focused on learning and contributing credibility through my work.”
Rather than viewing it as a barrier, Oddin’ s focus demonstrably remained on building expertise and establishing herself.
Since then, she has observed a notable shift across the industry, with greater representation of women.
“ Over time, I have seen a clear evolution, both in terms of awareness and in the composition of teams and client interactions. There is now a
“ Buy-side trading desks are undergoing a structural transformation driven by the need for greater efficiency and adaptability […] Investing in the development of talent, continuous learning, and enabling teams to adapt and innovate will be critical.”
much greater presence of women across trading, structuring and client-facing roles, which is encouraging. What matters most today is competence, adaptability and the ability to build trust with clients and colleagues alike.”
Reflecting on her own career, Oddin ' s thoughts centre less on what she would change and more on what experience has taught her. One lesson stands above the rest: the importance of trusting your decisions.
“ Looking back, I would have placed greater confidence in my own judgment earlier in certain situations. I have learned over time that meaningful progress is driven by the ability to assess information, make sound decisions and adapt as circumstances change. While expertise develops through experience, judgment is built through applying knowledge and learning from outcomes.
“ The value of this approach has become increasingly evident throughout the years.”
That mindset has served her well through a period of profound change for trading desks. When she joined Banque Eric Sturdza, orders were still placed over the telephone and execution was largely manual. Today, electronic trading, automation and straight-through processing have transformed workflows, reduced operational risk and improved efficiency across the desk.
The shift has also reshaped the role of the trader. As automation has taken over more standardised flow, greater emphasis is now placed on managing larger and more complex transactions where experience, judgement and market knowledge continue to add value.
Oddin ' s own path into trading reflects the changing nature of the business. Joining Banque Eric Sturdza with a background spanning advisory services and structured products, she was initially tasked with introducing structured products to the bank while overseeing equity, fixed income and fund execution for private clients, alongside supporting FX and treasury activities.
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