Today we are speaking with our current Board of Directors member – Natasa Djorovic Bijanic, CFA.
Ms Natasa Djorovic Bijanic has been a CFA charterholder since 2017 and a member of the CFA Society Serbia since its inception (2019). Since 2023, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the CFA Society Serbia. She is involved in various initiatives in our local CFA Society, including Research Challenge and DEI promotion, to name a few.
She is also a CWIM (Collaborative Women in Investment Management) Ambassador in front of the CFA Society Serbia. Collaborative WIM is a global alliance of CFA Societies and industry groups who have joined efforts to further the shared vision of inclusion and diversity in capitalism.
Ms Natasa Djorovic Bijanic is currently working as Deputy General Manager of the Monetary and FX Operations Department at the National Bank of Serbia, with expertise in central banking and financial markets built up from the very beginning of her career.
In this interview, she shared with us her insights about gender equality, inclusion, and participation in the CFA community.
Diversity, gender equality and inclusion – trend or necessity? What is your opinion?
In my opinion – a necessity, without a doubt! It has been proven both in theory and in practice that diversity and inclusion lead to positive synergistic effects for the team, organization, and economy. Diverse teams, consisting of members with different backgrounds and genders, typically offer multiple perspectives and possible solutions to problems, leading to outperformance, whatever performance indicator is used, including financial ones. Greater inclusion leads to greater access to talent and increased employee engagement, which ultimately results in more efficient human resources allocation and better performance.
More broadly speaking, diversity and inclusion have economic benefits for the entire society, through a positive impact on the labor market, higher labor force participation, higher employment and higher productivity.
To achieve these goals in the true sense, the key, in my opinion, is to ensure equality and fair treatment – which means that I don't want to be promoted at work just because I'm a woman and because currently rising share of women in finance is in trend, but because of my personal and professional qualities. Likewise, I don't want to be discriminated just because I'm a woman. Therefore, the essence is in fair and equal access to opportunities for all.
I don't think that neither women nor men are superior to each other in any field, but I do believe that gender diversity in every field is desirable. A team needs to be both harmonious and diverse at the same time to be successful. Possessing just one of those traits is not enough.
Men still outnumber women particularly in executive positions in the financial industry. However, the numbers are slowly improving as data begins to show the value women bring to teams. What is your opinion and how would you assess further development in this matter?
Although men still outnumber women in C-suite positions, it is worth mentioning that the situation has been improving over time, so today we have examples of very successful women in executive positions, including in our country and region.
Executive positions can be very challenging and demanding. Nevertheless, today men, not only women, place great emphasis on a healthy balance between professional and private life. I even think that people satisfied with their own private lives are better at work, especially when it comes to executive positions and leadership roles, where soft skills are equally important as hard ones.
Taking everything into account, I believe that the positive trend of increasing the number of women in executive positions will continue in the future – partly due to the perceived added value of greater participation of women in executive roles and unlocking their potential, and partly due to the increased tendency of women themselves to accept more responsible and demanding professional roles.
In addition, it should be noted that certain traits traditionally considered feminine, such as empathy, caring, and adaptability, are actually crucial for successful leaders.
What, in your opinion, are the key obstacles for more inclusion of women in the finance world?
Gender stereotypes can be a sort of barrier for women in some cases, and if and where they exist, they should be challenged. Although, I have to say that I personally have never faced such stereotypes and biases, and luckily my work environment is very much women supportive.
Imposed social norms and social expectations can be demotivating, as they in some cases put too much burden on women, demanding and expecting them to successfully manage different life roles, which, although not impossible, is not easy and can be frustrating.
Additionally, the finance industry is known as very intensive, competitive, and dynamic. All of this makes it more difficult to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance. Most people strive to have the best possible quality of life, not the highest possible salary. That means that an appropriate corporate culture, stimulating and supportive working environment, and flexible working conditions could help female employees to have more balanced professional and personal lives. Certain policies related to maternity leave for instance can also be a limitation or incentive for greater inclusion of women.
Has the CFA designation created an edge in your professional and personal development?
Definitely yes. The CFA designation is the globally recognized gold standard in the world of finance and investment. The curriculum is very extensive, and the acquired knowledge enabled me to do my job better and more professionally, gave me a new perspective, and equipped me with indispensable tools for everyday use in all stages of my career.
As it requires significant dedication, time, and numerous hours of study, it is clear that the completion of the whole program represents not only a professional but also a personal challenge. It’s sort of a test of endurance and persistence. The feeling of personal satisfaction after getting those three letters after the name is invaluable.
Two words that I would use to describe my entire CFA experience are: challenge and persistence. Accept the challenge and be persistent. Like many phrases from portfolio management and economics, this one can be applied in everyday life, influencing personal and not only professional development.
What do you love the most about being part of the CFA community?
Being part of the CFA community means being connected with people who have similar interests, at least in terms of portfolio management and financial markets. Entering the CFA world opens the door to a large number of new contacts, people, and connections, and each new connection is a valuable experience in itself.
As part of the CFA community, you have the opportunity to learn, to connect, to contribute. All three important human aspirations you have the opportunity to fulfill, in some sort of way.
Furthermore, being part of the CWIM community, which raises the issue of inclusion to a higher level, is an additional benefit and privilege. Being surrounded by all those great women from CFA Societies around the world is a great experience!
Finally, what I also really love about the CFA and CWIM communities is their supportive and belonging culture and nature, which transcends the borders of individual states and jurisdictions. This means, among other things, that if I go, for example, to Chicago or Athens, or basically anywhere in the world, I'll probably have at least one person I can have coffee with.