Marion Leslie

Head Financial Information at SIX, member of the SIX Executive Board and of the BME Board of Directors. Non-executive board roles include ADVANCE, Prostate Cancer UK, UK Hydrographic Office. Industry awards include the WFE Women Leaders List 2021 and 100 Most Influential Women in European Finance by Financial News in 2020.

Marion was also the keynote speaker at our very first Risky Women event in 2014!

What makes you a Risky Woman?

I serve regulatory, risk and compliance functions with data and solutions, and sit on board audit committees – experiencing both sides of the table. I trust my gut instinct and go for opportunities even if they are not 100% clear, and always ask the question if something does not look right.

Name your top 3 achievements

1. Joining SIX to head their Financial Information business and becoming a member of the executive board. Moving jobs and country, implementing a new business strategy and a culture change program all in a global pandemic – a great team helps!
2. Setting up the Reuters Bangalore, India operations in 2004 from scratch to 2,000 staff across multiple functions in 3 years.
3. Building a global career that I enjoy. Constantly learning, working with fabulous people, doing what feels right and supporting others.

What is the biggest risk you’ve taken in your career?

Changing roles and countries with a supportive family – the toughest and most important stakeholders! On both occasions, I tried to assess the opportunity objectively, but in the end trusted my gut instinct.

• I moved to Bangalore with a young family to set up a 24 hour operation from scratch
• I left a 25-year career at Refinitiv and moved to Switzerland to join SIX

What’s something most people don’t know about you?

I run in the morning and then take a swim in the lake by my house – even in the Swiss winter. It gets very cold!

What is the best quality for successful leaders in Risk?

Listening. Stakeholder management. Walk the talk. Keep your word.