The Gender Finance Podcast

In this episode of The Gender Finance Podcast, Jenny de Nijs, Chair of the Luxembourg Gender Finance Task Force and Director at the Ministry of Finance, speaks with Petra Hielkema, Chair of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), about the hidden gaps in gender finance and why financial resilience must be a lifelong priority. They discuss why pension gaps persist and which of their drivers tend to be overlooked, as well as the financial risks women face that can go unnoticed until it is too late. Petra also sets out how institutions like EIOPA can help bridge these gaps and where systemic limits remain.

In this episode of The Gender Finance Podcast, we speak with Nathalie Bausch, CEO at DWS Investment S.A. and COO at Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., about how women and men may approach career opportunities differently and what influences those decisions. In conversation with Simon Gorbutt, Deputy CEO at Luxembourg for Finance, Nathalie revisits a pivotal moment in her own career to explain why sponsorship and challenging self-imposed limitations can be critical for progression. She also sets out what organisations can do to create an environment that enables employees to reach their full potential, and how leadership expectations and working patterns shape progression inside financial institutions. Nathalie closes with her advice for women entering the sector and why she remains passionate about advancing gender diversity.

In this episode of The Gender Finance Podcast, Francesca Gigli Prym, CEO of UBS Asset Management (Europe) S.A., joins Jennifer de Nijs, Director at the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance, to discuss leadership, role models, and gender diversity in investment teams. Francesca reflects on how her own career journey has shaped the way she leads today, and what it means to be a female CEO and a role model for others in asset management. She looks at the barriers that still hold women back from senior leadership roles, and argues that greater gender diversity within investment teams can shape investment choices and support stronger performance. Her perspective links individual leadership with the wider structural change the industry still needs.

In this episode of The Gender Finance Podcast, we speak with Lize-Mari Barnes, CEO Luxembourg and Global CFO P&C Reinsurance at Swiss Re, and Global Women at Swiss Re Lead. Lize-Mari reflects on navigating career acceleration alongside major life transitions, and what organisations can do to better support progression across different life stages. She discusses balancing ambition with self-care, managing the invisible load, and knowing when to push or pause. She also explains how her "spiderweb network" has supported her growth and leadership, and what effective sponsorship looks like in practice for both women and men. The conversation closes on lessons in inclusive leadership drawn from working across cultures, and what often gets overlooked. It's a candid look at what sustainable career progression takes at senior levels in financial services.

In this episode of The Gender Finance Podcast, Daniela Klasen, Luxembourg Country Head and Head of Institutional Banking at RBS International, joins Jennifer de Nijs, Director at the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance, to reflect on nearly 30 years of evolving banking culture in Luxembourg.Daniela shares how inclusivity is embedded into daily decision-making at RBS - from fair hiring practices and diverse talent pipelines to accountable leadership. The conversation explores why sponsorship, rather than mentorship, was the defining factor in accelerating her own career through advocacy and allyship.Daniela also discusses what it takes to build fair and flexible environments where talent can genuinely thrive, and how the next generation's demand for purpose, flexibility, and growth is reshaping what leadership must look like.