Deia Markova started her career in 2001 at Societe Generale in Paris in the Corporate Finance Advisory department and later joined the Structured Commodity Finance team with a focus on Metals & Mining customers in Russia and the CIS region. From 2014 to 2017, Deia headed the corporate lending business of Sberbank (Switzerland), with a focus on commodity producers and traders. In 2018, she joined SG Zurich, in charge of impact-based financing solutions aimed at the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. In January 2020, Deia was appointed Head of Trade Commodity Finance in Switzerland and joined the Executive Committee of SG Zurich. Deia Markova holds a Master of Science in Finance from Panthéon-Assas University Paris and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in International Business Law from University of St. Gallen.
What led you to work in the field of trade finance?
Working in trade commodity finance has given me the opportunity to work in one of the most dynamic sectors in the world, travel around the globe, meet with people from different nationalities and cultures whilst providing for my family. Trade commodity finance is also an area deeply rooted in the real economy. Each customer satisfied, each transaction financed means jobs created, goods produced and delivered and often in emerging markets. And today, economic development is no longer possible without environmental and social progress.
Tell us about how you developed your career, climbing the professional ladder until you reached your current position as Head of Trade Commodity Finance?
I reached my current position by seizing opportunities, not being afraid of challenges and unknown territories and continuously focus on delivering the best service to clients.
I have been lucky to have had a very diversified career: accompanying business development, discussing funding strategies and constraints, imagining new impact-based models. I have always aimed to expand my understanding of the strategic issues of my clients and co-construct with them the adapted solutions.
I never know what I will be doing tomorrow or whether I will be at home or travelling.
How have you, as a woman, managed to succeed in a predominantly male environment?
Throughout my banking career, I have had the good fortune to be surrounded by managers, and especially a few male managers, who always supported me during difficult moments, and taught me how to make bold decisions. I must say that at Societe Generale Trade Commodity Finance we are very well positioned in terms of gender equality as all regional heads, in France, Switzerland, Asia and US are women.
What interests you most about your work in commodity trade?
I never know what I will be doing tomorrow or whether I will be at home or travelling. What I do know, however, is that I am likely to speak and share ideas with different people and every decision made has an impact. Today, we witness a willingness from our clients to change the way in which they trade, source and produce, in our ambition to contribute efficiently to the net-zero carbon world. Knowing that I am an active contributor to this real-world change fills me with pride every day.
What advice would you give to working women to reorient themselves towards trade finance?
Trade Commodity Finance is undergoing a profound change: we are seeing the acceleration of digitisation, with more transparency and better ways to verify data in a trusted way.
Trade Finance is an area with a real mission. Over the years, global trade has lifted millions out of poverty and has accelerated innovation. Now, thanks to technology and innovation, we see a re-shaping of trade activity, which will allow it to contribute to the global ambition of attaining a net zero-carbon world.
