Melissa Smith

Senior Vice President, Head of Operations , Bibby Financial Services, North America

Biography:
Melissa Smith is senior vice president, head of operations at Bibby Financial Services, North America. She has over 15 years of experience in the commercial finance field and has excelled at a wide variety of roles and responsibilities including underwriting, risk management and client portfolio management.

In her current role, Melissa develops and delivers key strategies supporting business growth, protects against risk and ensures operational efficiency while delivering outstanding customer experiences. 

Melissa is passionate about employee empowerment – she believes that when team members shape and own their responsibilities, they excel at everything they do. As head of operations she leads a diverse team and plays an instrumental role in developing the company’s talent base.  Melissa always makes it a priority to dedicate time to her team, coaching and guiding them to find solutions and engaging in personal interaction after work. Melissa is a self-proclaimed karaoke revolution champion, an avid reader and a faithful fan of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.  She and her husband enjoy an active life in the Buckhead area of Georgia with their two dogs.

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

One of the most valuable steps is to secure a mentor – someone who has succeeded in the system, understands the challenges, and can guide you through the idiosyncrasies and nuances of the industry as a result of their first-hand experience and lessons learned. Seek to surround yourself with the brightest, most experienced and passionate in your field – and vow to never stop absorbing all that you can from them along the way.  Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to meet, work with and learn from some of the most influential women and men in the financial services industry. Networking to find and build these contacts – and then forging and maintaining strong relationships with them – is incredibly important.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

Always set realistic goals for what you can deliver, and then make sure you exceed them. There are many influential factors that will guide you along your career path, but it’s the track record of your own work that ultimately follows you and sets the precedent of who you are and what you are capable of delivering. Maintain a positive attitude and unwavering focus coupled with equal doses of perseverance and patience – these are critical elements of success. Never give up and always remember that one step forward is one step closer to moving ahead. It’s also no secret that there is a gender gap in the finance industry and that, as career levels rise, female representation at the executive level declines. But women are blazing a trail and it continues to get better. The more we help one another, the more we help ourselves. Acting in alliance really does foster positive results. This alliance of support must also extend to men, many of whom promote gender equality just as passionately as women do. This is something that has been shared with me on numerous occasions and it aligns perfectly with what is required to rise within this sector. Thriving in commercial finance takes more than just coordinated mentorships to transform your career. It’s also about truly helping one another to succeed.

Studies have shown women are more reluctant to tout their accomplishments in the workplace. What advice would you give to help women be more comfortable with speaking up?

The financial industry is exceptionally results-driven and as a woman, you need not only to prove yourself – but to be relatively outspoken about it, too. Being methodical in your work, organized, technically strong, creative at strategizing new ways to execute profitable results, and ensuring you are assertive at sharing your successes goes a long way to earning respect and recognition for a job well done. I would encourage fellow women to exude confidence, to be unapologetic in fighting for what you deserve and to not be afraid to run your own race.  Instead of being distracted by what others are doing – and comparing yourself to them – make a concerted effort to focus that energy on putting your best foot forward every day based on your own unique skillset and priorities. When I allowed myself to be the boldest version of myself, I realized I was willing to take larger risks. In turn, my true capacity was unleashed – and this empowered outlook has enabled me to build a thriving career.