The experience of Anna Tavano, Head of Global Banking in Italy, during the HSBC “Female Networking Breakfast”: the manager advised 50 female students who took part in the event never to give up on their dreams, and to be brave “even in the most difficult moments of your working life”.

Anna Tavano: education and career path of the Head of Global Banking for HSBC Italy

With over 22 years of experience in top positions in the financial and banking sector, the professional career of Anna Tavano, currently Head of Global Banking for HSBC Italy, developed in London and Milan within leading global financial institutions. After graduating in Economics and Finance at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, she joined Citigroup in London in 1997. After a few years, she was assigned a position of primary responsibility in the Fixed Income-Capital Markets division, heading a team that, on behalf of the group, dealt with a wide range of finance structured transactions on the markets of Southern Europe. Her results led her to be appointed Managing Director at the Corporate and Investment Banking division of Citigroup. She also held the positions of Vice Chairman for the Corporate Bank in Italy and Head of Public Sector. Currently in HSBC, she still continues to be driven by the values she shares and promotes since the very beginning of her career. Through projects and initiatives, in addition to being involved in helping women in the process of professional advancement, and in recognizing their value in the world of work, Anna Tavano also dedicates herself to the broader issues of diversity and inclusion in the financial and business sectors. She participated in the first “in the Boardroom”, a one-year training program for women top managers, sponsored by ValoreD and GE Capital. She was also invited to attend “The CEO School”, where she had the opportunity to meet with a selected panel of women with high professional experience, sharing the necessary know-how to help them holding managerial positions in the future.

The value of women in the workplace: Anna Tavano’s message to the professionals of the future

“Never give up, be brave even in the most difficult moments of your working life”: this is the message from Anna Tavano to 50 female students from Bocconi University during the “Female Networking Breakfast”. The words of the Head of Global Banking for HSBC Italy show the attention and importance that this issue has for her. Held in Milan, the event was run by the manager and by other colleagues from the world of finance employed at the London headquarters. While discussing with the 50 promising Bocconi female students, who were given the possibility to take part in the event, Anna Tavano told them about her professional experience and gave them useful advice for their professional future. Today, in fact, although in terms of employment the current situation seems to be in women’s favor (52% vs. 48%), in reality only 28% of top positions are covered by women. Trying to overcome this trend is what HSBC tries to do: “The bank cares about inclusion and gender equality, and developed a program aimed at reaching a rate of 30% of women in managing positions within 2020”. As the Head of Global Banking for HSBC Italy explained, the fundamental actions to reach the target are “The adoption of inclusion and equality criteria starting from the selection of personnel, internal promotion, the organization of events about these issues, and a strong commitment by the top management of the bank towards this direction”.