A spotlight on… Annabel Schaafsma

Annabel Schaafsma brings over 20 years of credit experience in structured finance, specialising in consumer asset classes, credit analysis, and managing credit professionals. As the Managing Director and Global Head of the Structured Finance Group within Ratings and Research at Moody’s, she leads a global team responsible for assigning primary ratings and monitoring existing ratings across all asset types in the structured finance sector.

Previously, Annabel headed the Methodology Development, EMEA Consumer Surveillance, and EMEA RMBS Primary teams at Moody’s. She initially joined Moody’s in 2001 and returned in 2010 after a stint at a global investment bank.

Annabel holds an undergraduate degree in Economics with a focus on finance and accountancy. She is also the executive sponsor of Moody’s UK Women’s Business Resource Group and is deeply committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Moody’s are sponsoring the Most Inclusive University Society Award at the WIBF Awards for Achievement

As the Managing Director and Global Head of the Structured Finance Group at Moody’s, what are some of the key challenges you face in your role, and how do you address them?

I see two main challenges in my role – prioritisation and managing change.  Structured finance is a transaction business so managing staffing through peaks and troughs of market activity is a constant balancing act.  We stive to strike a healthy balance between serving our customers and looking after the workforce.  This is not easy so we look to be flexible during high work load periods and focus on meaningful projects to further our business when workflow is lighter.

We are in a continuously changing environment and Gen AI has the potential to significantly change the way we work.  This is both exciting as it creates opportunities both in the way we work and products we can offer, but it is also unsettling for the workforce as we all try to understand what it means.  At Moody’s we are encouraging everyone to be creative and look for ways to work with Gen AI to see where it leads us.  It has huge potential to make our lives easier but we still require human engagement to ensure the integrity of what we produce. At this stage we don’t know where it will lead us so it is critical we are all on the journey together.

Can you discuss any specific projects or achievements that you are particularly proud of in your career at Moody’s?

Prior to my current role I headed up a team that was responsible for developing all our rating methodologies across all the rating groups i.e. Financial Institutions, Corporates, Public and Infrastructure Finance, Sovereign and Structured Finance.  I was given the opportunity to learn six sigma and agile principles to establish and implement a new way of managing our methodology projects.  Our projects involved many stakeholders across the organisation and the prior established way of working involved multiple handovers that created friction in the process and extended project timelines.  The new way of working resulted in the working groups operating as self-organising and empowered teams which led to a more fruitful experience for all involved, as well as reducing timelines.  This was a significant change management project which entailed my team training the broader organisation on agile principles.  I was so proud of them and what we achieved!

What attracted Moody’s to the Most Inclusive University Society Award?

By sponsoring the award, we wanted to support and encourage the university societies that are working hard to foster a culture of diversity and inclusion among the next generation of financial professionals. We wanted to recognize their achievements and celebrate their best practices. We also wanted to connect with them and learn from them, as they are the future leaders and innovators of the sector.

What advice would you give to young women currently at university to help kick start their careers in financial services?

Be curious and be brave!  Seek opportunities to speak to people who work in finance, find out what they do and share with them what you are interested in.  There are so many different career avenues to follow and they are not obvious.  Joining a graduate scheme at a financial institution is one way to join the industry, but it is not the only way.  My first job was in internal audit at a bank, and while I knew it was not an area I wanted to stay, it was a great way to see a number of different departments and find out what may be of interest.  By speaking to lots of different people you can be strategic in navigating a path into an area you are interested in.

You are executive sponsor of the Moody’s UK Women’s Business Resource Group – what can you tell us about the aims and achievements of the group?

The UK Women’s BRG is a network of employees who are passionate about improving equality in the workplace and beyond. The BRG’s mission is to focus on three main areas: Allyship, Success and Advancement of Women and Menopause & Fertility. By raising awareness, providing support, and advocating for change, the BRG aims to create a more inclusive and diverse culture at Moody’s.

In 2023, the UK Women’s BRG held 10 events, covering topics such as burnout, fertility, and personal finance. These events were designed to educate, inspire, and empower employees to achieve their personal and professional goals. The events also offered opportunities for networking and sharing experiences with colleagues from different backgrounds and functions.

The UK Women’s BRG has over 350 members and is committed to promoting and increasing membership across genders. The BRG welcomes anyone who supports its vision and values, regardless of their gender identity or expression. The BRG also offers a Mentoring Programme to help mentees develop professional relationships and enhance their skills, as well as a Parental Leave Mentoring Scheme to support employees who are going through or returning from parental leave.

What are some of the most significant changes you have witnessed in the finance industry concerning diversity, inclusion and equity, and what further improvements do you believe are necessary?

There is greater awareness and through our Business Resource Groups we are having more open conversations.  Diversity is critical for our business as we determine our credit ratings through a committee process where every person’s view is counted.  A lack of diversity risks having ‘group think’ and missing important factors that could lead to inaccurate ratings. We need all our workforce to feel included and to bring their whole selves to work.  This means we need to be open to listening and understanding challenges individuals face and be prepared to have those uncomfortable conversations.

At Moody’s we have just launched our Stand for Inclusion campaign which is  “our global initiative to unite all of our inclusion efforts under one theme across the company. Whether it’s celebrating moments that matter to our people, supporting new policies, or engaging in strategic sponsorships​—when we come together, great things happen. By recognising the collective power of this work under one theme we aim to enhance and amplify our focus on inclusion.

Are there any passion projects or causes outside of work that you are particularly involved in or enthusiastic about?

I am a governor at a local London state school which our Women and Multi-cultural BRG partner with to provide mentoring for year 11 students.  The school is in a poor area with a high proportion of pupils on free school meals.  It is such an amazing school with such inspirational teachers and support staff that are dedicated in fostering a love of learning to enable students to reach their potential.  I have been a governor for 4 years and I also run their Site, Finance and Pay Committee which gives me the opportunity to give back.  I love it, it is incredibly humbling and rewarding.

Find out more about the 2024 Women in Banking & Finance Awards for Achievement here.