The Most Powerful Women in Banking

Using scant evidence of women's participation in the digital currency industry to foreshadow Bitcoin's demise is not only erroneous, but also impertinent. Though the number of women in Bitcoin may be small, the collective impact of their achievements is unmistakably great.

For ex-bankers like Ruth Porat, who is leaving Morgan Stanley for Google, free-flowing cash and a sunnier climate are only part of Silicon Valley’s allure, industry observers note. The tech sector is also mercifully light on regulation.

Women bankers who want a family and a fulfilling career should focus on building a strong support system outside of work, or else opportunities will pass them by, according to panel of senior women executives at HSBC.

If financial firms are serious about incorporating gender and ethnic diversity into their leadership teams, they need to encourage women to apply for promotions and implement more flexible work schedules.

Commonfund, an investment management firm in Wilton, Conn., has hired Catherine Keating as its chief executive.