_{Please outline your educational background and current position.}

I am currently heading the Wealth Structuring Department in Belgium. After a Master’s in Law at the Free University of Brussels and a Master’s in Business Law at the Geneva University, I was offered the opportunity to do an internship as Wealth Structurer at Lombard Odier Darrier Hentsch in Geneva. During that year I discovered the world of Wealth Management and the Wealth Structuring activity. Turning family oriented, legal and tax questions into well thought solutions for our clients is what makes being a Wealth Structurer really fantastic!

_{What is your career path? How have you managed the different developments in your career?}

I believe I have been very lucky because my journey to finding an intellectual and human fulfilling job felt quite easy. Beside being a lawyer at the Brussels Bar, I often took on positions as Wealth Structurer within different private banks. The different nationalities of my employers (Dutch, Swiss and French) have created an enriching professional environment over the years.
I have to admit, I did not really define a career path for myself, but I rather seized the opportunities arising in moments were I felt I was ready to take on new professional challenges and leave my comfort zone. And as the years passed by, I gained more experience and so opportunities also gained importance.

_{Was being a woman an asset or handicap in your career?}

To be honest, I do not really look at being a woman as an advantage or disadvantage. I would even say that I do not like the stereotypes that often go with being a man or a woman. Those stereotypes potentially influence our objective perspective on the qualities of the man or woman standing before us. I rather prefer paying attention to complementarity and personal strengths, because that is, in my opinion, the key factor in a good functioning team.

_{How do you balance professional and personal life?}

Being a single mom of a 4 year old girl, I would be lying if I said that combining a full-time job and being a mom has been a walk in the park. It wasn't, and is still is a challenge. I felt like being a perfect mom and at the same time a perfect professional was almost impossible and felt quite frustrating. I found a good balance between those two roles from the moment I was able to rely on a childcare service that I trusted and when I realised I could count on an employer who showed understanding as regards my daily functioning. This really helped me a great deal in my journey during those last 4 years.

_{What advice would you give to the younger generation?}

A great career path starts by doing what you are good at. Combining your technical and human skills with a flexible and optimistic attitude and a team-oriented mindset will help you a great deal! And remember: ambitions and a can-do attitude really make all the difference!