Lauren Saglamer

Portfolio Manager, FGI

Lauren Saglamer is the portfolio manager at FGI. She’s a proven leader in international asset-based lending with a track record of success in portfolio relationship management and client services. She rose in the ranks at FGI over the last 13 years, building the infrastructure for the firm’s operations team. 

Lauren relentlessly pursues client excellence. She takes the initiative to understand each client and the challenges their industries face, providing solutions tailored to their unique needs. Lauren has been responsible for overseeing execution of key client renewals at FGI, playing a vital role in negotiating refinancing terms and serving as a liaison through the legal process.  She manages a global team of account executives – a team that was pivotal in protecting the portfolio of financed assets during an unprecedented time, given the impact of COVID on businesses. She did this all while being a new mother and serving as a mentor for soon-to-be graduates at her alma mater, Pace University.

Lauren is not only a respected leader among her peers and senior leadership at FGI, but she is an industry insider in cross-border financing and will continue to be a trailblazer.

What advice would you offer to women just starting out in the industry? 

It is okay to take a beat. I think women put an enormous burden on ourselves to respond quickly, and to have perfect recall of every detail. You’ll burn out if you hold yourself to this standard. It’s not a sign of weakness to say, “Can I get back to you?” so you can give yourself time to think through complex situations and craft a thoughtful response with accurate data. 

What role has mentoring played in your career? 

It has been instrumental. I’ve never been formally mentored, but I’ve been fortunate to come across a select few people in my career who have taken the time not only to teach me, but to advocate for me. I’ve learned about commercial finance, sure, but they’ve also taught me to speak-up for myself, how to highlight my skill set, and to remind me of my value. They made sure my accomplishments were recognized and invested in me staying stimulated and contributing to the firm on a bigger level.

As a manager, I strive to pay this forward at every opportunity, intentionally working to create a supportive and uplifting environment that will ideally encourage my team to continue the tradition as they become more senior. 

What do you enjoy most about your role? 

My most rewarding moments have always come out of the opportunities to teach or to be a source of guidance. This has come in the form of training new hires, strategizing with my colleagues, or easing the worries of a concerned client. I’ve also been fortunate enough to be a part of a firm that has entrusted me with some really fun assignments over the years – like opening the FGI office in Florida and building the new operations team there.  

What effect, if any, has working remotely had on your career and/or your industry? What have been the challenges and how have you worked to overcome them? 

Working remotely has come with significant personal and professional sacrifice, particularly for working mothers in our industry. If somebody told me a year ago that I would survive working from home every day with my young son, balancing clients and caretaking throughout the day – I would have laughed. Slowly, but surely, we made the impossible possible. For me, that looked like logging back on at night to make sure I was caught up with my work and raising my hand to ask for help when I really needed it the most. The conversations that I used to have with my team by swiveling around in our chairs now had to be coordinated across our calendars just to get on the phone. We leaned heavily on each other to navigate this new infrastructure and I was able to witness some really incredible growth both in myself and everyone around me.  

What do you think work will look like in the post-pandemic world? 

The landscape has changed for certain. I cannot foresee us going back to the full-time grind of long days in the office and time-consuming commutes, when we now know what we can achieve from home – particularly with technological advances we’re seeing. From an economic standpoint, businesses see the benefit of smaller office spaces, lower overhead, and luring geographically diverse talent. Having a hybrid structure or going fully remote gives employees a flexible schedule, really making them feel like that elusive work/life balance may finally be within their grasp.