Tuesday 25 March 2014

Mixology as a career option

Mixology in simple words is the art of preparing mixed drinks. The drinks prepared as a result of employing this technique might be alcoholic as well as non alcoholic.

Finely mixed drinks always leave an impression. While even the best variant of your favorite drink might end as a short-term memory, the mystery behind the unusual punch that took you by surprise in the late night party will linger on your taste buds till the morning after. Be it martini, tequila or whiskey, a different mixture of the components each time is what adds the variety to your life.

Mixology is also a good career prospect as they are and will always be fewer in number than bartenders. Social Elite Staffing describes the ratio of bartenders to guests as 1:100 for parties and 1:75 for weddings. Imagine, if in a party with a crowd of more than thousand guests, there is only one mixologist, how much special and demanded he’s gonna be.

What makes mixologists needed

Most people who have tried to unwrap the basics behind making a cocktail would know that the basic components of a cocktail are the base, the modifying agent and flavors and colors. But what after that? Do you all know the various categories of mixes and cocktails, what is the basic differentiating factor between a Daiquiri and Jack Rose?

In today’s party-crazy world, having a good knowledge of mixology can help you a great deal as the person who can take control of the party can take control of a lot of things, and drinks are the trump card.

Mixologists, with more extensive and in-depth training than bartenders, know the most unique things about drink recipes, sour drinks, non alcoholic drinks and a lot more, and can use this knowledge to the best of their advantage.

The art of mixing drinks

The art of mixing is one art anyone and everyone who has a taste for fine drinking would love to possess. As suggested in David A. Embury’s classic cocktail book The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, some of the basics that need to be ensured for a quality cocktail are that the quality of liquor should be absolutely top-class, not containing heavy agents. It should also have a good appearance and aroma.
Mixologists would know how to use substituting agents and how small additions can modify the taste and the overall effect of the drink. Icing is another important aspect that will be covered in all mixology courses around the world, because, as you know, people have different preferences for temperatures.

Schools and courses
Some of the popular schools and universities that are imparting education and professional courses on mixology are The Columbia School of Mixology, University of Mixology (California), Mixology Group (UK), Professional Bartending Schools of America (all over America) and Universalclass.com (Online class). Myles Cunliffe, the director of Mixology Group says "Once you've completed our course, we believe that we've provided you the knowledge and confidence to go out and get a higher profile job. Meaning you can enjoy work more, get better pay and have more time off."

Myles Cunliffe, Director, Mixology Group, teaching a few tricks of the trade to prospective mixologists.  

  
While studying mixology from these universities, you would learn it from expert, experienced mixologists and bartending experts who have traveled all around the world; with hands on practical teaching, allowing you to make the mistakes. You can also try online classes, which are imparted through videos or video conferencing.

While each school or university has a different course curriculum, the major aspects that will be covered in most mixology-based bartending course would include drink recipes, garnishes, basics of and around the bar, pricing, serving techniques, substitutes, inventory management and of course, the liquor laws.

Whichever school you learn from, make sure your mind is always open to new ideas, from within and from others. Wisdom is one of the key drivers of smartness, and one who is wise can lead the way.

A good knowledge of the various mixtures can help you impress friends, win over dates, win competitions and land a job, or if lucky, a business opportunity. The scope of learning and winning in the field of mixology is infinite, it’s just up to you how you tap your potential.

So why not give this option a try?

Thursday 13 March 2014

An Untold Story of Success

Woman, a word that whenever appears carries with itself a sea of stories. A story of struggle, a story of discrimination, a story of freedom and many such untold, unheard stories. Well, I have a different story to tell today. The story of Women, Sports and Discrimination. Do you even know that when the Olympics games began in 1896, not even a single woman athlete was allowed to compete? And the most shocking part of that Olympics was that, even if a woman was found watching it, she was punished severely.

But to find the gender discrimination in sports, we don’t have to go so far since we have plenty of examples right at our homes. The very sight of a barby doll fills our live barbies with delight. But have you ever thought why we gift a baby girl with a doll and a baby boy with a toy car or maybe a toy gun? Isn’t it a sort of discrimination?? Just give it a thought!

However, later the Olympics authority gave two explanations for excluding women from Olympics;
  • Women are not too healthy to compete
  • Not all the women prefer playing everywhere, and if women seek to participate in Olympics, a women’s sport has to be practiced widely in not less than 25 nations
But very soon the women cleared both these blocks and proved their physical fitness first to prove their eligibility. In 1900, Olympics allowed not more than 22 women to participate in Olympics but this was a partial success. Why partial, because they could only compete in two games viz. golf and tennis.
A long way to go!
Every year since then, we can notice some changes in the criteria of Olympics as far as a woman’s participation is concerned. And the struggle continues till today. After declining many formal petitions it is only in 2009 that the authority gave its approval to women ski jumping. Ski jumping “seems not to be appropriate for ladies from a medical point of view..” said Gian Franco Kesper, the then-Ski Federation president (2005).

The number of sports event for women keep on changing every year but with terms and conditions applied. The women’s boxing event got accepted by the IOC only in 2012. But with the condition that the women competitors should wear skirts while playing since it would help the authority distinguishing them from the male competitors since every fighter has to wear a headgear during the competition. Whereas, some nations found it more elegant.

However, the London Olympics (2012) marked a remarkable increase in the women’s participation. There were around 45% women participants it. And almost 59 women participant won medals including 29 gold ones. The figures suggest a positive and celebratory future for women in Olympics or any of the sport event.
On their way to success!
 But despite of these promising figures there are a few Muslim nations that still discourage their women athletes to prove their competency publicly.

Recently, the whole world celebrated International woman’s day on 8th March and on 9th March, we witnessed Nagoya International Women's Marathon that actually symbolizes women’s empowerment and their competency in sport’s events.

The 20 or 30 minutes, that you enjoy watching a women’s tennis, boxing or racing event, has behind it decades of struggle. The 20 or 30 minutes in which women try to give their best, prove their ability has many decades of hard work, determination and of course many untold stories of struggle. 
Success! Success! Success!





Friday 7 March 2014

A Traveler or A Tourist?

Come on! I am going there as a traveler, not as a tourist,” stated are the words of a friend of mine who left the country for Italy last Friday. When his mom asked him to come back early that’s what he replied with. Don’t know about his mother but I found this statement very catchy and interesting. Thus, have made the statement food for my blog today.
A Traveler or A Tourist?
Tourist” or “Traveler”, generally we use the two terms interchangeably but actually there lies a huge difference between both of these. Take two different roads, one which is full of adventure despite of its unforgiving and inhospitable atmosphere while other is a smooth and most walked on since it is guided by the experience of others. The one who would choose the former road would be a traveler while the one who chooses the later would be a tourist.

Let us try to distinguish between the two on different parameters:

Planning - A tourist always has measured steps towards some set routes. He carries with himself a self-charted-out map. Whereas a traveler cares less for the routes and remains agile enough to change the route even at the eleventh hour. A tourist has planned routes while the traveler wait for the routes to plan for him.
A tourist always follows his schedule religiously even up to the limit that at some point of time he becomes slave of his schedule. He knows exactly where he would be after a week. Whereas, there is no such compulsion with a traveler. In fact, you would find him clueless about his next move.

Comfort- A tourist would care much for his comfort and to attain it, he would not even think once in spending a lot on quality hotels or resorts and also on hiring comfy cabs. Whereas, a traveler would find his comfort under a mosquito net, around campfire and by traveling in an overcrowded public transport. They literally lead a nomadic life during the phase.

Learning- By visiting a nation, a city, a place you indeed give pleasure to your eyes but did your mind get its food? The curious mind of a traveler remains active 24X7 in knowing about the things they can’t see around and want to know beyond what everyone knows. Whereas, a tourist remains quite active with his cameras and wanna capture the beauty of the place for once and all. But isn't this capturing limits the nature for him.

Interaction- A tourist has his interaction limited with a guide. He seeks whatever information the guide gives him. Hiring a guide actually curbs his opportunity to interact with the natives or locals. Whereas, a traveler tries to ask maximum questions with a native with his limited vocab and generally with some unusual yet amusing gestures. A traveler gets friendly and interactive very easily. He tries to grasp each and every minute detail without being a formal questioner.

What Next- Once home, a tourist gets the opportunity to share the pics with his near and dear ones via Facebook, WhatsApp and other social networking site. After a day or two’s rest, they get back to their old life. But you would find the same traveler with a different hairdo, interacting in a strange and broken language that too in a very different accent.

I think, we should earnestly thank these energetic and enthusiastic traveler because they are the one who spot the unknown places and later write about them. Such writings not only acquaint us with some unknown places but also extend our knowledge about what we already know.



Friday 28 February 2014

Alabama History and Civil Rights Movement

As we mark the Black history month, I would like to celebrate my life as an African American. I was born in the beautiful state of Alabama. This state has amazing landscape. Alabama bears the footprints of Civil Rights Movement and the glorious history of liberation of blacks.

Center for learning

As a university girl, at the University of Alabama, I carry the history in my vision and thinking. While graduating with major in History at the university, I was introduced to history not only through lectures and books but by the writings on the wall, on campus and in cafeteria. My university days have shaped my ideals and beliefs. My professors who had seen the Civil Rights Movement in America were the living libraries of the historical events. Many of them actively participated in the movement.

One of my professors, who was a staunch Marxist, believed that capitalism is the root cause of racism. He argued capitalists believe that racism is important to sustain the class divide. He was a white American and was deeply critical of racism. He criticized that the capitalists used church to subjugate the blacks. Theology was used as a tool for the oppression of blacks and to uphold the superiority of whites.

Though I am not a Marxist, but I admire my professor because he was a man of letters. Extremely well-articulate with a towering personality, he made history walk in college lectures and informal chats. My interest in history grew more with his teachings and finesse in history.

University of Alabama carries the history of segregation. The African American students were not allowed to study there. The then governor of Alabama, George Wallace blocked the entry of African American students. His move raised a roaring controversy. Segregation was made unconstitutional in 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education but George Wallace was no short of adhering to the ideology of segregation.

President John F. Kennedy used deployment of National Guard troops under federal laws to dismantle segregation at the University of Alabama in 1963. This brought an end to the aggressive segregation divide at the University of Alabama. The entry of African American students ushered a new era in the history of liberation of blacks.

The rich history of Alabama does not stop only at the doors of University of Alabama but walks all the way through famous historical sites. The historical places which witnessed the Civil Rights Movement such as Birmingham saw the light of Birmingham Campaign. The golden pages of history also include the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

In 1963, the Birmingham Campaign led by Martin Luther King was launched. This served an important force in the Civil Rights Movement in America. The Birmingham Campaign marked the protest against segregation laws prevalent in the city.

 

The huge significance of Birmingham Campaign reflects in the words of President John F. Kennedy,  "The events in Birmingham... have so increased the cries for equality that no city or state or legislative body can prudently choose to ignore them."

Montgomery Bus Boycott is another glorious moment in the history of Civil Rights Movement. The arrest of Rosa Parks followed the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This was a turning event in the history of liberation of blacks. The Montgomery Bus Boycott brought the U.S. Supreme Court ruling which declared the segregation on public buses unconstitutional.
 

 
The rich history of Alabama speaks volumes. I feel blessed to be born in Alabama. My Alabama commemorates the Black history month along with millions of Americans. Let Alabama talk his history. Alabama continues to march in the hearts of people who stand hand in hand to fight against discrimination and oppression and pledge for equal and plural society.


Know about historical places around the world with ED World Historical Pedia Pro.





Friday 21 February 2014

World History of Museums

The world history of museums is fascinating not only to historians and students but also to visitors as well. Museum visits take you back in history and get you introduced to kings and pharaohs, chariots and carts, guns and cannons. Know the golden World History of Museums and walk into the distant past. A Great Plan is all what takes you to World History of Museums! A journey with a lit candle!

Amazing Art
If you choose a weekend or a holiday for a visit to museum then you should be expecting rush and crowd. Most of the people get free time only on weekends or holidays to make a visit to museum with families and kids.

Museums often showcase themes that might interest you or that you might like to explore. If you happen to be a fan of George Washington or interested in knowing about the Civil Rights Movement in United States of America, then plan your visit around the time when Museums come up with such retrospectives. Don’t forget to do some research before you head towards a museum for the likely visit.

Museum visits give you the double joy of education and entertainment. Museums offer something useful to all kinds of visitors-families and kids, couples, researchers and students. Experience the unknown and know more the known with museums!

Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art and admire the beauty of the Gothic architecture. Explore the Vatican Museums in the Vatican City, Rome. Appreciate the beautifully decorated Sistine Chapel of the Vatican Museums painted by Michelangelo. Lost in the eyes of mesmerizing Mona Lisa in Louvre in Paris! Stop by the the Egyptian Museum in Cairo to make the Mummy return!

Mummy at Egyptian Museum
Last but not the least download the app ED World Historical Pedia to get a detailed information about all the renowned museums of the world, their location, entry timings and accordingly plan your visit. Know about other historical places across the world with ED World Historical Pedia.

ED World Historical Pedia Pro






Friday 7 February 2014

Tour the World of Art with ED Art Lovers

Let's give another cheer for technology. The digital age has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for artists, art enthusiasts and travel aficionados. Art applications can become powerful tools to take virtual tour to art and cultural centers around the world. ED Art Lovers for android belongs on every art lover's device. With this app, get access to more than thousands of art centers around the world.


ED Art Lovers is designed to give you up-to-date information about Art Galleries, Theaters, Concert Halls, Dance Academies, Arts Academies and many more arts and cultural centers near you, in your city and around the world. With maps navigation information, this is a must-have for art and culture lovers, travel aficionados and all those who want the right information.

Travel with this app to world-famous art galleries to see Renaissance to Modern paintings. ED Art Lovers will inform you on everything from fine art galleries to modern art galleries, presenting with classic art centers you’re already familiar with or introducing you to new art centers never seen before.

Whether you're looking for a dance academy to watch a soulful dance performance, or a theater to watch great Shakespearean play and drama, this smartphone application can help you explore the center with ease. ED Art Lovers offers you your favorite art-centric places so that, wherever you are, you can have the desired cultural center at your fingertips.

Make your trip to world-class National Gallery of Art to admire paintings, exhibitions and events. Movie-lovers plan your visit to international film festivals across the globe. There’s even more: mark your favorites and read or write reviews about the app.

Come to world-famous Art galleries and experience the greatest art pieces! Explore the brushstrokes and hear the stories behind masterpieces by Leonardo, Renoir, Botticelli, Rembrandt and Van Gogh. Visit the Lourve in Paris, and admire the beauty of Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci.

The app includes a nifty Staples feature that lets you staple the art centers of your interest and save for quick reference in future. The Matchstix feature gives you a detailed view of all stapled art centers. And that's not all, share your experiences of your visit to art centers with your Travelogue.

Travel world’s renowned National Gallery of Art with this app to see the works of world's greatest artists Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne, Manet, Renoir, Gauguin and more. Walk your way to World Cinema, Classical and Contemporary Dance Performances and Photography Masterpieces!



Friday 31 January 2014

Welcome to the World of Finance


“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin.
This quote by Benjamin Franklin advocates a way of learning that asks one to participate in the whole learning process with great enthusiasm because only through such kind of involvement one may learn something once and for all.
After receiving worldwide applause for its language learning apps like LingoDiction, LD SAT  and many others, MediaAgility has now moved towards the world of finance. Yes, you guessed it right, the world of finance and accounting through its recently released app called LD Finance. Following the successful path of its previous apps, this one utilizes the exemplary features of Staples and Matchstix and also the Quiz that keeps you engrossed and captivated during the learning process.
LD Finance gives you an all out information about more than 87OO accounting terms and financial acronyms. These accounting terms have been adroitly placed under 17 broad categories like Banking, Accounting, Real Estate, Estate, Economics, Legal & Policies etc. Not only this, the UI of the app is also very appealing and keeps the users intact with curiosity. From a commerce or economics student to a successful entrepreneur anyone can use it to add to their knowledge. Let us discuss the app with all its features and noticeable aspects:
  • The Leather bound book: The app opens up with a Leather bound book that actually banks all the terms related to commerce and financial accounting.
  • The coin: Once you select a term, you automatically land on a coin with that term and its meaning inscribed on it. By flipping this coin you may view its preceding and succeeding terms.
  • Staples: Staples gives you opportunity to get involved with the app by actually stapling the terms of your concern in a category prepared by yourself.
  • Matchstix: It presents before you all your stapled terms.
  • Quiz: The Quiz prepares you in a much better way by giving you the opportunity to first learn a category and then rate your learning by quizzing yourself on the basis of that particular category.
This application has been built using references from most trustworthy and acknowledged sources from across the financial accounting. The full-fledged knowledge about all these accounting terms is very important if you really want to deal with the world of finance or commerce and also to manage with your daily lives. The application helps you to learn these terms without consuming much of your time in a very effective and retentive manner while inviting a soulful participation from your part.

A sneak peek


How Do We Make Edutainment Apps


Friday 24 January 2014

Most Successful Women in Finance

 

Gone are the days when women were considered no match for all the powerful men in this world. The male dominated world was always reluctant to even acknowledge the fact that women were as good as men on parameters of hard work, intelligence quotient (IQ) and leadership traits.

The new generation women across the world have overcome all negative notions and have proved themselves beyond doubt in all spheres of life including the most intricate and cumbersome world of entrepreneurship. It is interesting to see following most successful women in finance.

Christine Lagarde is one of the most successful women in finance. In her two years as boss of the IMF Christine Lagarde continues to impress. As the first female head of this august institution, she took on a difficult job after the rapid and distasteful downfall of the previous boss, Dominique Strauss Kahn. She’s been criticized over the IMF’s involvement in the Eurozone bailout and yet has risen above the animosity. Articulate, smart and always well-dressed, she is every inch the power player on the global stage.

A lawyer by training, she went on to do well in the traditionally masculine world of French politics. She was the first female finance minister of the G8 and has held various other posts in French government.

In her early years, she represented France in synchronized swimming – the demanding training preparing her well for her future career. Like all who make it to the top, she has a strong work ethic. And she clearly still keeps in great shape – another effect of her early sporting career. Controlled, measured, focused – this is a women highly unlikely to suffer the ignominy of her predecessor.

But she is not just the most powerful women in finance; she is arguably one of the most powerful women in the world on any measure. Forbes may rate Melinda Gates and Michelle Obama higher but these only occupy positions of power thanks to who they married. Christine Lagarde made it to top on her own abilities.

Next on the list of most successful women in finance is Dr Janet Yellen who will be the first women in to head the Fed in its hundred year history. And it’s not just America – central banking is still an old boy’s club everywhere. The new Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney may have assuaged feminists with his choice of Jane Austen for the ten pound note, but his Monetary Policy Committee is female free. Out of the six members of the Executive Board at the European Central Bank, none have double X chromosomes either. And not one women heads up a central bank in any of the 28 EU member states. The Bank of Japan has Sayuri Shirai as one of the nine members of its Policy Board. But surprisingly, it is in Russia that a female head of a central bank is to be found. Elvira Nabiullina took office in June of this year after her appointment by President Putin – not a man known for his feminist views. When asked about being one of the few female central bankers in the world Dr Yellen said “I really think this is something we’re going to see increase over time, and it’s time for that to happen.”

With a PhD in economics from Yale University and a previous career as Professor of economics at University of California at Berkeley, she has academic credentials aplenty. No one can doubt her immense intelligence. She is also married to the economist George Akerlof who has won a Nobel Prize. She is the female half of a serious intellectual power couple.

The Brazilian born Leda Braga, President of Bluecrest Capital Management frequently tops the list of the most influential women in the hedge fund industry. But like the rest of the hedgie community, she is notoriously secretive. She is reluctant to be interviewed and especially to be involved in any women-in-finance debate. Nonetheless, thanks to massive losses at her fund, her photo was splashed over the British tabloid, The Sun this summer. A reported loss of £1.8bn in just six weeks of trading ensures such coverage.

According the Forbes 2012 list of the highest earning hedgies, she comes in thirty fifth in the world with earnings of $50mn. In fact she is the only women in the top 40.

Again, she is another super achiever academically with a PhD in engineering from Imperial College in London with a further three years as professor / researcher. And it is her mathematical ability that has ensured her success. In a interview for Risk.net she explains “I always liked the mathematics and maths methods. Engineering is the edge of applied science. Engineers like to solve problems more than anything and then apply these scientific tools to solve problems.”

After beginning her career in derivatives at JPMorgan, she has become one of the world’s experts in modeling complex derivatives and also “black box” trading. However such trading systems can break down in financial turbulence as the massive losses at the fund – 16.9% in just six weeks to end June – highlights.

Brazilian born, English educated and now based in Switzerland, this is an International woman. Smart and working huge hours, she chose to “look into” systematic or computer driven trading in her spare time: “that research was at nights and on weekends”.

Reportedly it was her husband who first entered the financial industry as an options trader and persuaded her to get into the same business. If he hadn’t have done that there, no women would have been on that Forbes list at all.

From the secretive and sexy world of hedge funds to the more staid and much more open fund management industry. This is a profession that has far more women at the top and it was difficult to choose which one to feature. Ann Marie Petach is CFO of BlackRock which manages almost $4trillion globally. Elizabeth Corley is CEO Allianz Global Investors and writes thrillers in her spare time – four published so far. Mary Callahan Erdoes is CEO JPMorgan Asset Managament with a Harvard MBA and three children. And of course, the apparent Fidelity heir is Abigail Johnson, expected to take over from her Father in the family business.

But for a woman who is a super achiever both in her career and family, Helena Morrisey, CEO of Newton Asset management, fits the bill. Extraordinary career success combined with an astonishing nine children. Unlike Leda Braga, she is also fighting for the females of the future – she is the founder of the 30 Percent clubs trying to get more women on Boards.

She’s the opposite of secretive and is an active tweeter, mostly tweeting about promoting women in business and some comments against intervention in Syria. She  re-tweeted Dalai Lama which may have something to do with being married to a Buddhist.

But what is particularly impressive about Helena Morrisey is that unlike many on this list, it appears she does not come from wealth and privilege. She was educated at a comprehensive school in Chichester from which she got a place at Cambridge University to study philosophy – an achievement in itself as Cambridge still favors those from private schools. However like the others, she is intelligent and clearly super motivated.

The next women on the list shapes the opinions of virtually all those in the financial industry. The Financial Times is read by over 6,00,000 professionals and Gillan Tett is its assistant editor. She has had a great financial crisis, being one of the first to spot the dangers of excess credit and complex credit instruments. In some ways she succeeds as a women, both in the male-dominated world of newspapers and the macho world of finance.

Highly intelligent, she has a PhD in Social Anthropology from Cambridge University, having spent a year in Tajikistan. Her ability to speak Russian gave her the first career break as a trainee at the FT and from there her rise has been meteoric.

Apparently she can milk a goat – a useful skill she jokes if she ever faces redundancy.

From written media to Broadcast: the Money Honey was CNBC’s flagship female up to November 24of last year. The very beautiful Mario Bartiromo has been a top financial broadcaster for over two decades. She was the first to report live from the male dominated wild and noisy trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange and her enthusiastic, breathless delivery sealed her route to stardom. Books, newspaper columns, extensive television and radio work, numerous awards, and over 90,000 followers on Twitter. And it’s not just male financiers who find her attractive; the punk singer Joey Ramone wrote a song about her and his crush on her just before he died in 2001.

Mario Bartiromo was born in Brooklyn to Italian American parents and went to New York University to study Journalism and Economics. Although starting off at CNN, it was not long before she moved to CNBC where she has spent most of her career. She is quoted as saying “When I finally stumbled on broadcast journalism in business news, I realized I had found my true love.”

She finally left CNBC at the end of 2013 and has moved onto Fox Business Network, reportedly for $5-6mn a year. Whilst shopping around to other American networks for a new, more lucrative deal, the New York Post teased her with the headline “Show me the Money, Honey”. Fox clearly offered more cash. But it seems it was the promise of a her own Sunday morning show on Fox News that made the difference.

Moving to probably one of the most publicly hated areas of finance – investment banking. It should be no surprise that few XX chromosomes make it to the top in these ruthless and often immoral firms. But a few have done so. The Frenchwoman, Isabelle Ealet is at the top table at the most powerful investment bank in the world. She is co-head of Goldman Sachs Securities Division and ex global head of commodities. She is boss of the division that has made a lot of money over the last few years and thus, she wields much power within the firm.

She started off her career at Goldman as a commodities trader in 1991 and made partner just nine years later in 2000 – a remarkable rise. After studying at the elite French school, Institute d’Études Politiques de Paris, she began her working life as an oil trader at Total. Dubbed the Queen of Commodities – she dominated the markets.

Like others of her profession, she rarely gives interviews. But a quote does appear in a French magazine from some years ago. She said “What I appreciate most is the culture of results. At Goldman Sachs, you are judged on your performance, not on your relationships or diplomas. It is fairer.” Basically,  she made so much money for Goldman, she had to be promoted.

Another secretive world is that of private equity and venture capital. No surprise after being described as “locusts” in 2005 by a prominent German politician. Other unflattering adjectives abound – Barbarians and Raiders to name but two. These are not attributes typically associated with women. According to a recent report, the private equity industry employs even less women than the rest of Wall Street. Like central banking this is still a boy’s club – there are only a few female top names.

Suzanne O Donohoe joined the biggest name of all in this industry – KKR – in 2009 and was the first female managing director at the firm. Her background has been purely top drawer; undergrad at Georgetown University; MBA at Wharton;17 years at Goldman Sachs. She is rarely interviewed and adopts a low profile.

But Adena T. Friedman, CFO at Carlyle group and the first women on the executive board, is more female friendly. She worked part time at Nasdaq while her two sons were young but notes that “men struggle with it (balancing career and family) as much as women do”. “It’s a hard thing to balance, needing to be at home, and needing to be at work, and making sure you’re performing in both arenas,” Ms. Friedman said. “To be honest, the guilt is extreme.”

This industry boomed in the days of cheap and plentiful credit, benefitting far more than the companies they leveraged up. But times have been difficult since. Even so as the industry has expanded and become more institutionalized, the need to attract more female talent has emerged. Most of the big names have put special programs in place to attract more female trainees.

Carmen Reinhart is one half of the Reinhart and Rogoff team and now as famous for her spreadsheet mistake as for her ground breaking economics. Specializing in financial crises, recent events have played to her strengths. Her best-selling award winning book (with Kenneth Roggoff) “This Time is Different – Eight Centuries of Financial Folly” has become a must read since its publication and has been translated into 20 languages. She even has her own Bloomberg page.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s famous quote “A women is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water” aptly describes Cr Reinhart’s in 2013. Global approbation has been heaped on her for the spreadsheet mistake. But she has come out fighting.

Her CV is blue chip all the way including University Professorships, the IMF, World Bank, and even a stint an investment bank Bear Stearns as Chief Economist. She has frequently testified before congress.

Born in Havana Cuba, she has come a long way from her beginnings. Married with one son, she is the world’s most famous female economist (even if many do not realize she is a women).

Dr Reinhart may have won many awards for economics but she has not won the most prestigious – the Nobel Prize. The $1mn accolade given in memory of Alfred Nobel has only been awarded to a female economist once – to the almost unknown Elinor Ostrom in 2009. Sadly she died of pancreatic cancer within three years of her achievement.

She won the prize jointly with Oliver E Williamson for their analysis of how individuals and communities manage common resources; her specialism was the sustainability of resources. She moved to Indiana University – not the most prestigious in America – early in her career and stayed there for her entire working life. Her husband was also an academic, specializing in political theory. They collaborated extensively and set up a research and teaching center marrying their chosen fields of expertise.

Described by a friend in an obituary written for the Guardian as an “intensely private and modest person who has taken aback and sometimes embarrassed by the attention she received towards the end of her career”. Dr Ostrom may be last on this list but clearly not the least.

Women have come a long way in the financial profession but any cursory glance at Extel rankings of analysts or Executive Boards of banks shows this is still a male world. In time that may change. But the ladies above do have some common characteristics. Great intellect, tenacity and a capacity for hard work are their secrets of success. But that goes for men as well as women.