Arielle Ware, an institutional trader for Penserra’s Equity Exchange division, arrives at her desk every morning full of drive, personality, and spirit. A valued team player who works hard and learns fast, Arielle adds a firestorm of energy to Penserra’s Chicago trading floor. Her clients love working with her, but they may not be aware that Arielle tends to sing (a lot) while she works.
Q: You joined Penserra’s Equity Exchange division in 2011. As an institutional trader, what are your primary job responsibilities?
A: I joined Equity Exchange a few months after graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I began as a clerk and was fortunate enough to become a broker. My responsibilities include executing institutional equity executions, matching respective stock allocations to various customers’ clearing houses, and providing the best customer service I can.
Q: You began your Wall Street career as a clerk before becoming a broker. What advice would you give a young person looking to pursue a career in financial services?
A: The advice I would give would be to learn from those around you, pay attention to everything, and use everything as an opportunity to learn. Learn from your successes, your failures, your mistakes, whatever you do learn from it. One might say…Make Learning a Habit (A Penserra Mindset)
Q: You are known to occasionally break out in song during trading hours. What do you enjoy most about working on the Equity Exchange trading floor in Chicago?
A: I do randomly break out into song all the time. When you first hear it – it does surprise you – but you certainly get used to it. What I enjoy most about working on the Equity Exchange is the camaraderie we have. We love to have fun and laugh – but we also work very hard.
Q: Shortly after the birth of your son, Jase, you began publishing a “mommy” blog on Instagram. Can you tell us more about it, as well as what motivated you to start the blog?
A: Yes, I started MommyAri because I was feeling a lot a shame after my son was born. It took me some time to get settled into my new role as a mom and I thought it was instantaneous. After speaking with other moms, I found out I was not alone, and I wanted an avenue where I could encourage and uplift other moms.