My Watchword Is Mobility
“Only if you change jobs, can you grow and learn new things. That's why when I think about my career the word ‘mobility’ comes to mind. You have to be good at seizing opportunities and in fact my path has been one of continuous change.”
Alicia García Herrero is now Chief Economist for the Asia-Pacific area of the investment bank Natixis, but says that “it's the first time I've stayed in one role for so long.”
If you look at her CV it is impossible to disagree with her. After studying at Bocconi and getting a master's degree in Germany followed by a doctorate, García Herrero’s career has grown over the years in various international institutions from the International Monetary Fund to the ECB to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and at companies such as Banco de España and BBVA, where she was chief economist for emerging markets. "In my various career jumps,” she says, “I didn’t always go after a better job title. I often chose a job because it was a new role in which I could learn a lot."
Today, living in Hong Kong, she does not limit herself to working for the investment bank but teaches at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and is a member of the advisory board of the MERICS think tank based in Berlin, as well as a consultant to the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKIMR).
As leader of teams with dozens of people, whom she needs to train and lead, she explains the importance of knowing how to make people work well. "After preparation and always being updated and informed, the most important skill is empathy. When you work together, you have to understand how to help people work together and maintain the right pace for the team. Then you have to inspire the team to do more.” As a manager, she says that she was often underestimated but was always able to rise to the challenge. "In the world of investment banking, speed is often considered an asset, but I think that conversely ideas are worth more. If they are good, in the long run they make the difference." Her approach is more like that of a marathon runner than a sprinter. "Diversity also counts, which is why I don't only read Bloomberg but also look for other perspectives. I remain convinced that diversity is an added value."
She then explains that she has always been honest in assessing her own strengths and weaknesses. She says: "I’m a creative person but, for example, I don’t have a lot of knowhow when it comes to computers. When I don't know something, I’m not afraid to ask for help from those who are more expert than me. This is an attitude that has helped me a lot during my career and I advise younger people to do the same." And to the new generations, she says: "You can no longer think in terms of phases like ‘first I study, then I work and then I retire’. Today you must learn continuously. In this sense, it helps a lot to surround yourself with smart people who can accompany you on this continuous process of growth. At least this is what I have tried to teach my four children also through my work, since they always saw their mother doing conference calls.”
