TXWSW Newsletter / Dominique Mielle Talks Group Think / Higher Testosterone = High Risk / High Percentage of Sexual Harassment

Happy Monday:
We have three great luncheons on the schedule for tomorrow, however, the registration for the Houston lunch is already closed and Austin is sold out, but it is not too late to register for Fort Worth so please do so today to avoid disappointment! Please note that for the Houston lunch at the Federal Reserve, we were required to turn in a registration list last week for security screening. For this reason, no last-minute registrations or walk-ins are allowed. You also may not turn your seat over to a colleague. We appreciate everyone’s understanding in this matter.
Business Insider interviewed Dominique Mielle, former partner at Canyon Capital who was one of the most senior women in hedge funds before she retired recently. She talks about her own path in finance including being sent home from work on her first day at Lehman for wearing a pantsuit. Ms. Mielle also delves into why she thinks the industry needs more women as she believes “group think” is responsible for the poor returns of late. The full article can be found here.
It seems there may be more to Ms. Mielle’s theory. A recent study from the University of Florida found that high testosterone hedge fund managers significantly underperform their lower testosterone peers because “they trade more frequently, tend toward high-risk, high-potential stock picks, and are reluctant to sell losing stocks.” The upshot from the study? “Investors will do well to go against conventional wisdom and eschew masculine fund managers.” The full article can be found here
The next article explores why the #metoo movement has had and continues to have so much momentum – it turns out that it is all about the numbers. A new national online survey notes that 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced sexual harassment or assault in their lifetimes. If you take a moment to take that number in, it is really horrifying. Further, the most common places where women were sexually harassed were either in public or at work. The full article can be found here.
Which brings us to the last article this week. A recent Wall Street Journal article notes that “about 51% of female executives, managers and professionals say they have been sexually harassed on the job—and the same proportion has witnessed it, according to a December survey of 3,247 women and men by the American Management Association.” And yet, few people feel comfortable reporting it because of the damage it does to their careers. Even women who do move forward end up signing a confidential exit package which victimizes them again because the situation complicates future job hunts. The full article can be found here.
To help us celebrate our ten-year anniversary, I would ask each of you to consider corporate sponsorship of TXWSW. Benefits include attendance at our flagship events and recognition for your firm. To learn more, you may find our sponsor information here. Additionally, we would be happy to create a custom sponsorship for you. Please contact Bianca King atdevelopmentdirector@txwsw.com.
We have some terrific events lined up for you in 2018 including our ten-year anniversary celebrations in August! We look forward to seeing you all at an event in 2018! To learn more about our 2018 events, please visit www.txwsw.com.

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