Key Points:
- International Women’s Day is a perfect time to celebrate the achievements of women investors.
- A research paper titled “Hear Me Roar” showcases 58 success stories of women investors.
- Here are five inspiring stories of women who have achieved significant success in the investing world.
- Jessica Wu, an associate at HFT Investment Management in Shanghai, achieved a 264% rate of return by investing in Pinduoduo Inc.
- Bishat Araya, a singer based in Stockholm, made substantial profits by investing in Volvo, Power Cell, Arise, Beyond Meat, and Bambuser.
- Ellen Roseman, a consumer advocacy and personal finance writer in Toronto, had exceptional success with her investment in Constellation Software.
- Elizabeth Holmenlund, CFA, Vice President at Capital Four Management in Denmark, shares her simple investing strategy that has consistently yielded positive returns.
- Ng Shin Ein, Co-Founder of Gryphus Capital in Singapore, became an early investor in Lalamove, a China-focused start-up that has become a billion-dollar unicorn.
This International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate the achievements of women investors from around the world. A research paper titled “Hear Me Roar,” released on this occasion, highlights 58 success stories of women in the investment field. These stories are not only inspiring but also offer valuable lessons for women and their daughters. Here are five of the most compelling stories:
Jessica Wu, Associate at HFT Investment Management, Shanghai
Jessica Wu’s journey from being an actress to becoming an investor is truly remarkable. After realizing that her acting career didn’t satisfy her curiosity and intellectual needs, she decided to change paths and pursue finance. She completed her master’s degree in management in the UK and chose to take on the challenging CFA program. Her passion for asset management grew as she observed China’s economic growth and the increasing demand for professional management of institutional investors’ assets. One of her best investment successes was investing in Pinduoduo Inc., a Chinese e-commerce platform, which yielded a remarkable rate of return of 264%.
Bishat Araya, Singer, Stockholm
Bishat Araya’s love for music led her to pursue a career as a musician. However, the COVID-19 pandemic taught her the importance of financial discipline and savings. She started investing in the stock market and experienced significant gains by trading stocks like Volvo, Power Cell, Arise, Beyond Meat, and Bambuser. While she acknowledges the volatile nature of the market, Bishat enjoys the excitement of trading and has achieved a portfolio return of over 60%.
Ellen Roseman, Consumer Advocacy and Personal Finance Writer, Toronto
Ellen Roseman’s investment journey began with a female broker in the early 1990s. In 2011, she received valuable advice about investing in Constellation Software from a presenter at an investment club meeting. Taking that advice, Ellen invested in the company and witnessed substantial growth in her investment. She credits the CEO’s ability to find good companies to buy for the company’s success. Ellen’s strategy usually involves owning dividend-paying stocks, but Constellation Software has been an exception due to its stellar performance.
Elizabeth Holmenlund, CFA, Vice President at Capital Four Management, Copenhagen
Elizabeth Holmenlund discovered her passion for finance during her time at the London School of Economics. She began her career at JP Morgan and developed a risk-management strategy for her personal investment portfolio. Elizabeth always sold her stock options as they vested, ensuring diversification and avoiding concentration risk. She prefers a simple approach to investing, focusing on the MSCI World ETF. In her best year, she achieved a return of +30%.
Ng Shin Ein, Co-Founder, Gryphus Capital, Singapore
Ng Shin Ein’s early exposure to equity stocks through her father’s unique gift-giving approach sparked her interest in investing. She made her first investment decision at the age of 13, and her passion for business and investing has only grown since then. Ng Shin Ein’s best investment success came from being an early supporter of Lalamove, a China-focused start-up that has become a unicorn company. She looks for disruptive companies with strong founders and teams.
These stories exemplify the successes that women can achieve in the investing world. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, let’s recognize and applaud the millions of women who are making their mark as investors in 2021 and beyond.
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All opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They should not be interpreted as investment advice, and the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of CFA Institute or the author’s employer.
Image credit: ©Getty Images / Chinnapong
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