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Welcome to the Standard Bank CIB Why She Leads podcast. |
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In this series, Standard Bank shines a spotlight on influential dealmakers, not just in Standard Bank, but in the whole continent of Africa. |
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Joining me from London is Kate Weldon. |
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who is the executive for investment banking, debt solutions, energy and infrastructure. |
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Welcome, Kate. |
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Thanks, Judy. |
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It's a great pleasure to be joining you today from a rainy London, and I'm really looking forward to our discussion. |
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It's actually interesting that it's energy, infrastructure and just deal making, which in my view still is quite male dominated. |
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How did you crack it into the space? |
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Certainly at Standard Bank, it's been a very supportive organization of women. |
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They really want to put women on the map. |
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And it's really helped to be able to move forward in what is and typically has been a male-dominated environment. |
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That's amazing. |
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And you also have the time to be a wife and raise three young children while you're actually progressing in your career. |
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What advice would you have for other women who look up? |
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to you and want to do the same and want to have it all so to speak for me it was speaking to those voices in my head that said you're not going to be able to do it you're going to have to give something up you're never going to be the one who can lead the transaction you'll have to take the lower role and and once you're able to talk yourself into it and actually just just try and and believe in yourself. |
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and stop trying to listen to those voices that are giving you negative feedback, you really can step forward. |
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And as I said, I think that is such a motivating thing for myself and for other women, is when it actually can come together and you can conquer those challenges. |
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I like that. |
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I like that. |
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Silent the inner voice which says you can't. |
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and amplify the voice that says you can. |
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And I'm sure along the way you've had mentors, people that have actually helped you to silent that voice and also show you that it is possible. |
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Who would you name as one of your mentors? |
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There have been many different people who've played that role. |
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I think early on in life, I've had some fantastic teachers. |
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They were the ones who planted the seed of you can dream and you can reach those dreams if you work hard. |
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And I think you have to be able to set yourself goals in order to progress forward and to achieve some big ambitions that you set for yourself. |
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And then there have been some really inspirational women in my career who I've looked up to and they've achieved huge success. |
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And I've really been inspired by their stories. |
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However, I think when it comes to encouragement and who's actually taken me there, that's really my support system. |
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That's my family, my friends, my colleagues who will be next to me and support me no matter what I do. |
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And I know that if I take a risk, if I do something wrong, they're still going to be there for me. |
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and it's not about my success to them. |
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My worth is not measured by that. |
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And because of that, I have such encouragement to be able to move forward. |
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And I've become brave because for me, it doesn't matter. |
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Everybody's got a story and I've got my support system and they're not going to let me down. |
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That's amazing. |
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I think I have a message from one of your mentors that I would like to play for you. |
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Kate has a soft spoken exterior that reflects humility. |
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She's a consummate professional and her light shines the brightest when she's helping demanding clients from complex situations. |
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She brings an uncommon diligence to her work. |
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Underneath that shy exterior though, she's a real toughie who's not afraid to put her hand up or retreat from cracking a difficult nut. |
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She pushes the team as hard as she pushes herself. |
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She doesn't take any prisoners but she's a collegiate team player. |
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and a great coach and mentor. |
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When you ask people about Kate, you get lots of superlatives. |
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Exceptionally good, determined. |
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extremely diligent, very thorough, very brave. |
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What wonderful comments to get from colleagues about a person. |
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It led the acquisition and corporate finance facilities for one of the largest foreign investments into South Africa in recent years. |
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The full debt package for the Vital Engine transaction was jointly provided by Standard Bank and involved extensive discussion, structuring and negotiation. |
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across multiple work streams and multiple teams. |
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But a dead piece, Kate led. |
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We were dealing with a very sophisticated client. |
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Kate absolutely controlled the run, drove the traffic, and made sure that the work gets done. |
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Her commitment to Standard Bank is unquestionable. |
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We will drop everything at the drop of a hat to make a client's pitch, wherever it may be. |
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But devoted as she is to her career, It is incredibly delightful to see that she balances it beautifully with her commitment to her young family. |
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In my humble view, that's why she leads. |
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That's amazing Kate and congratulations on actually having that impact on people. |
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Yawande is a very special person. |
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She doesn't put on a front when she arrives at the office. |
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She is very true to herself. |
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And for me, I realized that that's what everybody loves about Liwande, is that she will tell her story and she will be herself, no matter whether she's talking to the most senior execs in the bank or the junior associates. |
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She is the same person and she doesn't try to perfect every speech that she makes, every discussion she has. |
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It comes from within. |
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And that's really inspired me to just be myself and not to try and be somebody that everybody, that I think everybody else wants me to be. |
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That's amazing. |
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And you were telling me earlier on that you still want to drive your kids to school and when you can't, your husband pitches in. |
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What would you say about having a supportive partner when you choose a partner? |
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Because that matters a lot for young girls and young women. |
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If you and your partner or husband, in my case, can be a team and work together, respect each other's requirements, needs, commitments to our jobs, and to be there to support each other, then the ship sails in the right direction and you can actually move forward and it can be really fulfilling and rewarding. |
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to have both the career and the family life. |
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I couldn't agree with you more. |
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As you know, Kate, coming back to the business sector, when it comes to energy and infrastructure, actually in all sectors, there's a big focus on ESG, environment, sustainability and governance. |
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In your view, how is that helping with bringing the gender diversity into the business sector? |
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ESG has become a big priority. |
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for banks and all corporates in recent years and it certainly is requiring a lot more resource and energy from employees to respect the commitments of the bank. |
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With that as well has come has been the requirement for many different perspectives on the ESG front. |
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And that's really also opened up quite a few jobs for women who have been able to bring their perspectives on, you know, on the route in which they believe we should be following in order to reach those ultimate climate goals and commitments. |
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And so there's almost a new industry that's opened up, which as a result of these ESG requirements, and it's really very... |
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encouraging to see the commitments that we as a bank are making and the transactions that we're doing on the continent, sustainable transactions, renewable transactions and support for this clean energy and the net zero. |
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It's one thing though Kate to have Inclusivity. |
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How do you ensure in your team that there is an element of belonging? |
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Because you can have this diverse team, how do you then make sure they feel they belong and it's an inclusive environment? |
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Judy, in Standard Bank, we're working across so many different jurisdictions in the continent of Africa. |
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And all the teams that I work with are comprising of individuals who are either in-country or specialists in certain products who bring something to the table. |
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And for me, the individual stories plus the individual's unique speciality. |
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really makes them part of the team. |
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And in my experience, where I've worked in a team where one individual, normally the deal captain, who's been nominated, believes that they can do it all, is where the deal falls down. |
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And you need the diversity. |
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You need the different personalities. |
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You need the different perspectives. |
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And you need those different specialities. |
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And sometimes your speciality is just knowing the culture. |
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in which the client comes from and is coming into the transaction, or the culture in which the transaction is being done, the country that the transaction is being done in, and the culture of the people in that country, and the approaches that our clients should be taking when dealing with those people. |
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And that value add from individuals in the team. |
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is really something that can make and break the success of a transaction. |
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That's amazing, Kate, that you bring up the culture. |
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As you know, Standard Bank has vision, mission and core values. |
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Which one in your view is actually the one that carries everything? |
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For me, the one that captures everything is culture. |
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That really defines the uniqueness of the bank in that We are an African organization. |
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We have so many different cultures that make up the bank. |
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But the bank itself has established a way in which we all interact with each other and in which we do business. |
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Everybody is able to have a voice. |
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That's when we come together and we deliver the best results and people are feeling most motivated. |
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That's amazing, that's so true. |
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And I know you've mentored some people. |
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Do you want to talk briefly around that? |
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Because I'm told that you are a brilliant mentor yourself. |
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Anything that you'd like to share around your mentees? |
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I've had the privilege of working with many junior colleagues over the years and whilst I've moved on in my career I really realize the value of helping and supporting juniors to move forward. |
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For me, I always specialised in financial modelling when I first started my career. |
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And I get really motivated when I am able to take some of the experiences that I had when struggling through a financial model, when trying to pull the pieces of a challenge that I've been given together. |
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And coaching individuals through that is really rewarding for me. |
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And I feel can really assist those juniors in challenging themselves and pushing them forward. |
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And motivating those juniors, setting them tasks, setting them challenges, but not dropping them completely in the deep end. |
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Being there as a helping hand through the process really, really... |
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moves things forward. |
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And once you've got a junior that you're working well with, it's amazing how the speed of execution and the quality of the work that we can do as a team really improves. |
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Great. |
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I do have something that comes from one of your mentees. |
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It's a letter that's written with love. |
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I would like to read it to you, Kate. |
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I'll start with the quote. |
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to me, Kate represents the ideal professional. |
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Close quote. |
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Dear Kate, in the short time that I've been around, I've learned a lot just from watching and working with you. |
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You constantly demonstrate how to be vocal and empathic, but not loud and abrasive. |
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How to be confident and expressive, but not come across as arrogant. |
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Oh, I know it all. |
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How to be driven and work hard, but still have a chill. |
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and a relaxed side. |
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Your drive and ability to manage complex transactions in situations impress and inspire me. |
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But of all your qualities, the most impressive and inspirational quality is that you manage to stay warm and kind through it all. |
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Thank you. |
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Those are very kind words and I'm truly touched by. |
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by what you've just read to me. |
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Tuma joined our team from Nigeria a few months ago. |
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He has only been a delight to work with. |
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He has so much going for him and I've challenged him a lot. |
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Actually, just in this past week, he's had to help me while I've been distracted on quite a big pitch that I needed to do for a client and he's had to step in and cover. |
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some work that I typically would do very closely with him. |
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And he's just excelled and he's an absolute delight to work with. |
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Wow. |
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I've listened to your mentor, I've listened to your mentee. |
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I feel like I know you and it's such a positive reflection of the person that you are. |
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On a lighter note, tell me between sunshine and sunset, what do you prefer and why? |
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For me, it's actually, interestingly enough, sunset. |
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And I think that's because at the end of every day, I take 30 minutes for myself to unwind and to reflect on my day. |
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And normally my children are asleep. |
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I have switched off my computer. |
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And it's just so much can happen in one's day. |
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and For me that's super rewarding is just to get there and to have closed off on another day and you get ready for the next one and to go to sleep. |
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And I think as well I love my sleep so I'm just so excited every night when I get into bed and I can just fall asleep. |
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I know you still have family in South Africa but what do you miss most? |
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You've been in London now for 16 years, though you were born here. |
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What do you miss? |
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I mean most about your country? |
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So Judy for me it's the big open skies and the wonderful energy that South Africa has when I land at the airport and get onto the highway the sun is shining the skies are big the energy is there and that is just such a special feeling for me the feeling of being home but The nice thing for me is that I work with my South African colleagues on a daily basis, so with my other African colleagues, and we're working on transactions that are focused in on the continent. |
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And for me, having that brings the connection, and I feel very much still connected and part of the country. |
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And it helps for, certainly for missing it on a daily basis. |
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But yeah, that's been a very rewarding part of my career is to maintain. |
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is to maintain the connection with my home country. |
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Tell me, what would you say to your 20-year-old, knowing everything that you know now? |
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I'd say to my 20-year-old self, not to take yourself so seriously. |
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Perfection is one of the most self-destructive things to chase. |
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Don't try and be perfect. |
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The more you try and be perfect, the more... |
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you hide yourself away from everybody because you're so scared that people might see the real you when you can break free from that straight jacket you you'll be yourself and be your true self and just see the see the soft things along the along the way and enjoy that joy that you that you get take take time for that joy and keep moving forward and the rest will the opportunities will come and and it will work out in the end just keep keep moving forward wow those are valuable lessons you've been a parent now for no less than nine years what has parenting taught you about life and about yourself being a parent has certainly been one of my biggest achievements um and something i'm most proud of it has taught me that you You can't plan everything in life, that with kids it's never going to be as you set it out to be, and you need to just embrace each moment as it comes. |
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It has taught me that I... |
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I need to make time for family. |
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I need to make time for work. |
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And I also need to make time for myself. |
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Being a parent means that you're being a constant role model. |
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And I know my daughters and my son look up to me. |
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They role play my behaviors on a daily basis. |
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And so I get a stark reminder of what I do do and what I don't do. |
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and that is something that I need to take seriously. |
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And I really value the opportunity I've had of being able to bring up my children and just ensure that I set the best example that I can. |
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And a lot of that is about not being too, again, not being too serious, not finding the joy in life. |
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And also... |
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being well organized and making sure that you've got a good support system to help you through it. |
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Wow, that's so inspirational. |
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You inspire me. |
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You've achieved so much and still remain very well-rounded and very grounded. |
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What does the next 10 years look like? |
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Judy, the next 10 years in energy and infrastructure in Africa is going to be very exciting. |
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For me as a deal maker, I strive to connect the opportunities that are out there. |
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there to connect the clients with the parts of the transactions that they need in order to bring it together and to make a meaningful impact to the people's lives in Africa and to help communities to grow and to bring about meaningful change. |
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It has been such an honor to meet you and have this conversation, Kate. |
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I know you all the way in London, but it does feel like we're just sitting and chatting in the same room as I am. |
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Thanks very much. |
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And stay as committed and professional as you are. |
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You inspire so many of us, young and old. |
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Thank you. |
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Thank you, Judy. |
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It has been a great pleasure to chat with you this morning and been wonderful to reflect. |
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on some of the hurdles along the way, as well as some of the aspects of celebration in my life. |
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Thank you. |
