Following the successful launch of the Women in Clearing Network, in March 2024 the EACH’s Women in Clearing Series was inaugurated. This is an initiative with the objective of featuring a key female leader on a regular basis to inspire other professionals in the industry.
This month our inspiration comes from Erica Brown. Erica is Head of International Affairs at Nasdaq Clearing in Stockholm and has been with the clearing house since 2009. She originally joined the Stockholm Stock Exchange in 1994, as Head of Business Development and has held various roles in the company (now Nasdaq), including Advisory Services, where she worked on projects developing the capital markets in Armenia, Ukraine and Russia. She briefly left Nasdaq for a few years to become CEO of a small startup exchange and has also worked as a management consultant, mainly with Accenture, in Stockholm, London and Washington D.C.
Within EACH, Erica is mainly active in the Policy Committee but has also spent several years on the Each Board and various other committees. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of CCP Global.
Erica has volunteered to share with us her personal and professional journey by responding to these three questions:
- What was the aspect of yourself that you had to work on the most to get to where you are now?
Haha, lots of things! But if I have to pick one, it’s probably a classic – daring to speak up. Like many of us I was not trained in school to speak in front of people or defend a position in a group discussion. This lack of training, possibly combined with the Scandinavian culture of not wanting to stand out or make too much noise, made me shy and quiet in environments with more than just a few people. If you ask my friends in the various EACH committees, they will probably tell you I seem to be making up for this now, and it’s so much more fun.
- What key tip would you give for professionals to successfully develop in their careers?
Again, so many things come to mind. So I will pick an odd one, that came to me recently in a mentor conversation. I would recommend people to not hide their personality, and to not be afraid of using it to their advantage. I think many young professionals spend years trying to fit into whatever corporate environment they are in, possibly suppressing features that would make them stand out and actually help them in their careers. If you can, make a mental jump forward over a decade or two, and imagine yourself as older, wiser and more comfortable with yourself, your knowledge and your opinions. Think of role models with a few more years’ experience. They are more outspoken, seem to have more fun and are listened to. Try it!
- How do you see the future of clearing in 10 years?
I am so envious of everyone who will still be in the industry in 10 years’ time. That is assuming that you like change and disruption. I think we are in for a fun ride, with more focus on innovation, business development and customer needs. We have spent many years building the foundation for this, to ensure that central clearing is resilient and safe in times of market turbulence. This work can never stop as new risks appear. But now we can, and need to, balance this work with the development of new products, new ways to access clearing and new technology. I'm really looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues, within and outside Nasdaq, and with authorities, to develop the clearing industry and improve capital markets as a foundation for a prosperous Europe.
You could learn about Erica Brown by reading the attached document or using by this link.
A warm thank you to Erica, for her insightful contribution! We look forward to continuing the EACH’s Women in Clearing Series by hosting many skilled women leaders to inspire other professionals in the clearing sector!
The Women in Clearing network takes the form of a LinkedIn group that participants may use to connect with each other.
