2. What is the best thing about being a part of diverse teams, and how does it help with achieving stronger performance and results?
A more diverse team brings a wider range of ideas and perspectives to be discussed, and if leadership shows their appreciation of these different contributions, it gives everyone even more courage and impetus to speak up. And more ideas are the key element to bringing about more innovation and productivity, and ultimately, better decision making in general, which in turn enhances performance and results at the company level.
3. Part of creating more diverse teams is making sure there is more varied cultural representation present. As someone who has experienced moving to new locations, what cultural challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
I would say that some of the key challenges are related to language barriers, work culture and homesickness.
When you’re not fluent in the ‘mother tongue’ of a place you live in, you increase the risk of misunderstandings that could arise and you may also feel you’re missing key elements of the narrative. This requires more patience and effort to overcome, but having an open mind to understand the context always helps.
For example, when I was working back home in Brazil, I would speak in Portuguese with colleagues after the initial English conversations were over to make sure there was total clarity in my message. But I made sure to do so in a way that didn’t disrespect the non-Portuguese speakers in the room, and that they understood I was trying to make sure we were all aligned on the communication front. Living in Hong Kong now, I also completely understand when my colleagues have to speak in Cantonese or Mandarin, and even though this means I might not immediately grasp some of the nuances of the discussion, they in turn always ensure I have the full picture. Mutual respect of cultural differences is a key ingredient in effective communication and collaboration.
Homesickness is a very personal challenge for all international transplants! In my case I felt it even more intensely during the pandemic, when borders were closed and travel was non-existent. The good thing is with video calls, we can have a sense of being relatively closer to family and friends, even if we are thousands of miles apart. Finding Brazilian friends and getting involved in the community here in Hong Kong also helps me feel a little less homesick.
4. What unique perspectives do you think you bring to local teams and how do you immerse yourself in new cultures?
Diversity of experiences helps to enrich the analysis of a new phenomenon. For example, in Latin America where I spent the bulk of my career, cases of external sovereign and corporate debt default happen frequently. When I moved to Hong Kong five years ago, it was quite rare to talk about defaults. This isn’t the case anymore, and I’ve been able to bring my experience and perspective to help our teams with the similar cycle we’re now seeing in Asia Pacific.
I also think it’s very important to understand the nuances of different cultures to keep learning and improving on a personal level. I love reading, and I really enjoy reading about Chinese and Indian history, culture and politics. What I learn from these reads complements all the business-oriented materials we need to consume for daily work.
5. How do we help ensure everyone feels valued at work, regardless of their backgrounds or situations?
I think it’s absolutely essential to put DEI ideas into practice. The starting point is open and respectful communication, because J.P. Morgan Asset Management already has a skilled workforce that wants to contribute and be heard. When people see their contributions are equitably recognised, we’ll directly see a major boost to teamwork. Leadership must also provide adequate flexibility and support to employees, depending on their different needs, because different individuals will have different requirements to achieve the work-life balance they deserve.