Anne-Sophie Cambay: Leading with boldness
"Women In is a series of portraits of women who, by way of their career path, personalities or commitments, are involved – with talent – in all areas of their company or even society at large. Although we celebrate women on 8 March every year, we felt it was important to devote a little more time and space to them before and after that symbolic date in order to highlight the diversity of their trajectories and emphasise the power of their impact on society."
In honour of International Women’s Day, the “Au Féminin by SGPB” club has put together a series of interviews to highlight women who are an inspiration in their field. The club began three years ago to help women navigate decisions around their finances and wealth management. Marceline Try, Business Development Manager at Societe Generale Private Banking, met with Anne-Sophie Cambay, founder and CEO of Cambay Consulting. Co-founders of "Women in Finance France".
Anne-Sophie Cambay
A graduate of Sciences Po and Institut d’études politiques (IEP) in Paris, Anne-Sophie Cambay has 20 years of experience in business strategy and growth for the likes of Danone, L’Oréal, J.P. Morgan and Lombard Odier. She now runs her own consultancy firm.
Anne-Sophie began her career in strategic marketing before working in London for 15 years where she built the business strategy and growth function for J.P. Morgan Private Bank EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and led the global expansion of Lombard Odier.
As committed entrepreneur, she has lectured for over 12 years for HEC business school’s Entrepreneurs Master of Science X programme. She is also one of the co-founders of Women in Finance France, an initiative created two years ago to drive gender equality in leadership roles.
Marceline Try, Business Development Manager
What words would you use to describe your career and personality?
Curiosity, eclecticism, construction and legacy. I was fortunate to build my career abroad — especially in large corporations like L’Oréal and J.P. Morgan — before making my own foray into entrepreneurship. This eclectic experience shows how much value can be created by taking an unconventional path. Changing sector and tackling diverse environments helps you cultivate and maintain a fresh perspective, and build bridges between different worlds. Curiosity is what feeds my many interests — geopolitics, economics, entrepreneurship — all of which shape my thinking and guide my daily choices.
What or who inspires you?
Boldness, impact and complexity. I have deep admiration for people who dare to step off the beaten track and take risks to realise their ideas, like Sheryl Sandberg (Chief Operating Officer of Facebook from 2008 to 2022), Christine Lagarde (Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and Tatiana Jama (founder of Sista). These women are leaders who stood by their vision and opened new paths. I am also motivated by impact: influencing trajectories and opening up opportunities drive me to mentor through associations, like Article 1, and work with students. Then there’s the excitement of complexity; it compels me to innovate and adapt. It keeps me moving forward and inspires me to be the best I can be.
What is the biggest problem facing women of your generation?
Managing imbalances between work and home life. It is less about “work-life balance” and more about “work-life integration”. In a high-pressure career, balancing work and personal life is a constant challenge. From Mary Erdoes, Chief Executive Officer of J.P. Morgan, I learned about fully integrating the multiple facets of our lives as women. It is also crucial to step out of our comfort zones and trigger our own opportunities instead of waiting for them to find us. We should regularly ask ourselves Sheryl Sandberg’s question, “What would you do if you weren't afraid”, to ignite our boldness; it is our greatest ally for creating our own space for freedom and success.
What do you think about initiatives like Au Féminin by SGPB and Women in Finance dedicated to claiming for space for women?
Women in Finance (WIF) France is a network working to promote diversity and inclusion in finance. With 130 members and 20 corporate partners, it champions female leadership in the industry. Societe Generale Private Banking is in fact one of the founding partners of WIF France. We also have a sister partnership with Au Féminin by SGPB — a club of influential female business leaders and entrepreneurs at Societe Generale Private Banking. I am proud to have been part of the launch of your club, which helps women navigate decisions around wealth management in a space that offers mutual support and solidarity among women — a vital need that SGPB clearly recognised. You have created impact for your members. Au Féminin by SGPB is celebrating it’s third anniversary, so it is still young. But I believe in thinking long term, and to ensure the club’s longevity it must hand-pick its members to guarantee a distinctive, creative and enriching experience for all.
The real challenge lies in sustaining engagement and measuring the actual impact of our actions. I firmly believe in end result. In five years, Au Féminin by SGPB will be the premier platform for engaged and influential women; an ideas lab for enhancing the value of the SGPB brand.
What advice would you give to young people thinking about their future career?
Younger generations are bringing in new ways of working, thinking, and consuming, often with immediacy as a core value. My main advice would be to not get carried away by this acceleration. Of course, it is important to seize opportunities and turn them into success, but it is equally important to step back, reflect and build on solid foundations. In a fast-moving world, slowing down to focus on what truly matters has never been more important.
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In honour of International Women’s Day, the “Au Féminin by SGPB” club has put together a series of interviews to...
In honour of International Women’s Day, the “Au Féminin by SGPB” club has put together a series of interviews to...
In honour of International Women’s Day, the “Au Féminin by SGPB” club has put together a series of interviews to...
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