SK Kim

Straight out of college, SK joined MSCI three years ago. For two years she was based in MSCI’s Seoul office, and was the lead Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF) representative. Now, she is based in Shanghai as an Associate in Research and is still continuing to support the WLF team across APAC.

Soon after joining the WLF, SK noticed the open working culture at MSCI, as she found herself collaborating with senior management and MSCI leaders throughout her efforts. Diversity of thought is important to her because as a junior employee, she values the visibility gained through these ways of working.

If more businesses in the financial industry cultivate diversity of thought, there are more opportunities for innovation and creative problem-solving. By adopting an open working culture, businesses will create an inclusive environment where employees feel supported and encouraged to think big and reach their potential.

“Being able to deliver your opinions and suggestions without hesitation is the most obvious measure to assess whether a company perceives inclusivity as an important part of their culture. I’m a junior-level employee, but I got a call from a board member just to catch up. It was a pleasant surprise; it’s those actions from senior management and board members that speak louder than words.”

As someone who has worked in multiple global MSCI offices, SK strongly believes that diversity of thought can be enhanced further by not just eliminating hierarchical working cultures, but also by increasing global collaborations across regions.

“I think MSCI is already proactively doing this, but it’s something the wider financial industry could do better. For me, the word diversity strongly relates to thoughts and ideas. Working across one region or one culture, you are creating boundaries for innovation. But when we collaborate globally, we’re challenging our own traditional, conventional beliefs. If you can achieve inclusivity through regional open working cultures, just imagine what we can do on a global scale.”