Women’s revolution in finance
Inside Banca Promos with Martina Simeone, Head of Fixed Income Sales
ENGLISH VERSION
For the sixteenth edition of EmpowHER, we had the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Martina Simeone, Head of Fixed Income Sales at Banca Promos, who leads an all-female team. Together, we explored the world of fixed income and, more specifically, the realities of bond sales and trading, a field where technical expertise and relationships intersect every day under tight decision-making timelines and a strong performance-driven mindset.
Speed, in her words, is never improvisation. It is the result of daily training in reading the context, thinking in scenarios, and translating complex information into clear, actionable proposals. In a bond market shaped by volatility, shifting monetary policies, and geopolitical tensions, the decision window narrows, and precision becomes critical.
Joining Ms. Simeone were Ms. Rita Pinzola, who addressed ESG and its impact on bond investment decisions; Ms. Dionisia Galante, who reflected on the value of cohesion and shared responsibility within the desk; and Ms. Nunzia Carrano, who expanded the conversation to female authority, leadership models, and the future of the financial system.
Four distinct perspectives, united by a shared conviction: leadership is not a title, but a daily practice shaped by responsibility, credibility, and the ability to build trust within a team. Throughout the conversation, Simeone retraced a professional path marked by deliberate choices and non-linear transitions, where education and experience continuously reinforced one another. Academic training provided structure and critical thinking; hands-on experience demanded adaptability, rapid learning, and the confidence to take responsibility in complex environments.
What emerges is a form of leadership that is never self-declared, yet clearly recognized by the team, grounded in consistency, mutual trust, and steady presence. It is not imposed authority, but authority earned over time through results and reliability.
Listening to Simeone, it becomes evident that the true core of her work is not simply the market itself, but the pace at which it moves. A pace that requires clarity, discipline, and the ability to remain composed even as conditions shift. “Ours is a job where time is a decisive variable,” she explains. “There are moments when you have only minutes to decide, but that speed is the outcome of preparation, dialogue, and discipline“.
Yet this readiness is never built alone. Even the fastest decision rests on ongoing dialogue and shared alignment. “Fixed Income sales is not an individual race,” she notes. “It is a team effort, where discussion is an integral part of the decision.” Every transaction, every pricing, every strategic move stems from an interdependent dynamic. Information sharing, constant alignment, and mutual support under pressure are not secondary elements; they are central to the decision-making process itself.
Within this equilibrium between operational speed and internal cohesion lies what Simeone considers fundamental: trust. Before the product comes the client. Understanding a client means entering their decision-making logic, identifying priorities and constraints, and building relationships that extend beyond a single trade. This ability to combine analytical depth with relational awareness naturally leads to another dimension that has become increasingly central in today’s markets: ESG.
The integration of ESG criteria is now a structural component of investment decision-making, particularly in a macro-financial environment defined by uncertainty and volatility. At the same time, its growing prominence has generated confusion. As Ms. Rita Pinzola points out, ESG is often treated as a single, uniform category, with green instruments, social bonds, and broader ESG strategies mistakenly conflated.
In reality, it represents a complex ecosystem that requires specific expertise, rigorous analysis, and structured dialogue between investors and issuers. For institutional investors, allocating capital to ESG instruments means conducting a deep assessment of the consistency and credibility of corporate policies, looking well beyond labels. At the same time, companies must ensure transparency, and high-quality disclosure, especially within a regulatory framework that continues to evolve, where the risk of greenwashing makes it essential to distinguish between reputational messaging and genuinely embedded strategies.
From a purely financial standpoint, the yield differential between a green bond and a conventional bond issued by the same entity is often limited; what ultimately drives performance remains the issuer’s underlying strength. However, in periods of heightened volatility, green and social bonds have at times demonstrated greater resilience, supported by long-term investors with ESG mandates. ESG does not replace traditional financial analysis; instead, it expands it, broadening the lens through which risk is assessed.
Reflecting on risk and trust inevitably brings the conversation beyond individual instruments and toward the decision-making frameworks that shape the financial system as a whole. According to Ms. Nunzia Carrano, female inclusion in finance is no longer simply a matter of fairness or quotas; it is an economic, and strategic imperative. Yet the dominant leadership model remains largely anchored to traditionally masculine traits, such as aggressiveness, hyper-competitiveness, and rigid hierarchies.
A double standard persists: male talent is often evaluated based on potential, while female talent is expected to demonstrate proven results before receiving the same recognition. The deeper question, Carrano argues, is whether the system is truly prepared to redefine authority, risk, and trust, granting women the same presumption of credibility that is often extended to men by default. Achieving meaningful authority requires more than formal inclusion. As she notes, “Formal inclusion may fill seats, but it does not always hand over the microphone.”
This vision is reflected in the Fixed Income Sales team at Banco Promos, entirely composed of women. As Ms. Galante explains, this was not the outcome of symbolic intent, but the natural result of a path built on commitment and perseverance. What defines the team is empathy and a strong collective spirit, which are qualities that enhance cohesion, knowledge sharing, and the overall quality of decisions. Authentic leadership emerges precisely in the balance between clarity of choice and the determination to stand by those choices. Or, in Galante’s words, “the highest form of authority lies in the synthesis of transparency and resoluteness.”
Finally, addressing today’s female students, the professionals emphasize the importance of building strong technical foundations, stepping forward, cultivating meaningful relationships, and actively seeking responsibility. Their message is clear: “There are no structural constraints, the only limits are the ones we impose on ourselves. If we aim high, we cannot allow others to define our boundaries.” It is an invitation that extends beyond career advice. Competence is built, courage is trained, and space is earned day by day through preparation and determination.