Lisha Qiu, a Quantitative Strategist at Virtu Financial, has achieved remarkable success by winning the Rising Star award at Markets Media Group’s 2024 Women in Finance (U.S.) Awards. Her journey in the finance industry is a testament to her dedication and expertise.

Unveiling the Success Story of Lisha Qiu in Finance

Reaction to Winning the Award

Lisha Qiu expressed deep honor and excitement upon receiving the award. She is grateful to her coworkers, emphasizing the significance of their recognition. Her passion for her work has driven her to remain committed to the industry for years. This award serves as a great source of encouragement, and she is determined to continue innovating and making contributions to Virtu Financial and the entire industry.

Her unwavering dedication and hard work have paved the way for this well-deserved recognition. It is a moment of pride for her and a motivation to strive for even greater achievements in the future.

Challenges Faced and Overcome

Before entering the finance field, Lisha Qiu was a mathematician, where the emphasis was on conceptual proof and elegance. However, finance demands practical solutions that can be implemented. Translating ideas into production is often a complex task.

Moreover, the fast-paced nature of finance poses a challenge in achieving quick iterations of work while maintaining the quality and depth of research. To overcome these obstacles, she remains curious, continuously learns, and engages in various projects. With increased experience, she has developed better intuition and judgment, enabling her to handle these challenges more effectively.

Important Qualities for Emerging Leaders

In Lisha Qiu's opinion, having a strong vision is crucial for emerging leaders in financial services. Finance, particularly quantitative finance, is a highly technical field that requires expertise in data analysis, mathematical modeling, and coding.

It is an industry with a high concentration of professionals with exceptional technical backgrounds. A good leader must have the vision to understand how and where to apply these skills, unlocking the full potential of the team and driving meaningful growth and impact.

Something Proud Of

Lisha Qiu is proud that her coworkers view her as both a creative thinker and a strong collaborator. She actively fosters a culture of positive feedback loops, where ideas, knowledge, and technical skills are shared openly among team members.

In every project, building trust and growing together is a key goal for her. Her ability to combine creativity and collaboration has led to successful outcomes and a harmonious work environment.

Exciting Trends in Financial Services

The application of big AI models in finance is an exciting trend. While concerns about interpretability and risk exist compared to classical approaches, there are already successful examples in the industry.

This trend has the potential to shape the finance industry faster than expected, bringing about revolutionary changes. It opens up new possibilities for data analysis, risk assessment, and decision-making.

Advice for Breaking into the Industry

Lisha Qiu advises those looking to enter the industry, especially those from diverse backgrounds, to love and respect what they work on. Reflecting on the original motivation and values for being in the industry will help them stay positive and focused during tough times.

Having a genuine passion for the work can fuel their determination and perseverance in achieving their goals.