"The more diverse a company is, the greater its potential and creativity"

On October 21, 2025, CACEIS, a company within the Crédit Agricole Group, received the Fondsfrauen "Company of the Year" award. Fondsfrau Anke Dembowski speaks with Anja Maiberger about the steps CACEIS has taken on gender diversity and the business case the company sees for it. Anja Maiberger took on the role of Country Managing Director at CACEIS Germany on February 2, 2026. In this role, she continues her customer- and sales-oriented leadership, which she has held since 2019, while also shaping the interface between CACEIS Group's asset servicing activities in Germany and local market participants.

Ms. Maiberger, CACEIS provides asset servicing. Can you briefly explain what that covers?

Asset servicing covers all services for institutional clients around securities and investment funds. The offering differs for the buy side and the sell side.

For the buy side, this includes custody, depositary services under the German Capital Investment Act (KAGB), and added-value services such as securities lending, reporting, and corporate actions.

For the sell side, the focus is on transaction banking, clearing and settlement of listed securities and OTC transactions, and custody.

And what is your role in that?

I'm responsible for the entire commercial team at CACEIS Germany. That includes Sales, Relationship Management, Client Service, Business Engineering, Marketing & Communications, Product Development, Fund Administration, and PERES — each with exposure to Germany, Austria, and Eastern European markets. I'm also Managing Director for Germany.

CACEIS received the Fondsfrauen "Company of the Year" award on October 21, 2025. Were you surprised, or did you half expect it given everything CACEIS does for gender equality?

Yes, it genuinely surprised me — in the best way. Many companies across many industries are doing more than before. But personally, I believe our society can and must do significantly more to achieve balanced gender representation. For us at CACEIS, what matters is being a fair, credible, and interesting employer.

What does the current state of gender equality look like at CACEIS?

We have a long track record here. Our workforce has been roughly 49% female for many years, with 30% of women in leadership positions — well above the industry average. At the top management level, the share is 50%. I joined as Country Managing Director in February 2026, so Germany now also has a woman at the top. We don't just recognize the need for more gender equality — we actively work on it.

What concrete steps has CACEIS taken to create a more equitable workplace?

Several. The CACEIS Group has a "Female Talent" program, and there are various family-friendly policies. Importantly, we focus not only on mothers but also on fathers — with paid additional leave after the birth of a child. Both parents receive a childcare allowance. We also care not just about women moving into leadership, but about women growing into demanding project management roles that don't follow a traditional management career path.

In 2024, we launched Women at CACEIS, an internal network that is open to men as well. It's our commitment to gender equality and diversity — so we were genuinely pleased that the Fondsfrauen recognized our setup and honored it with the award.

These initiatives don't happen by accident. What drives them?

It's about equality, credibility, and our responsibility as an employer. CACEIS wants to be a fair and attractive place to work. That doesn't happen overnight — it takes measures that have grown over time and build on each other systematically. Our 50% female share in top management in Germany is part of building that credibility.

What's the business case?

Real, lived diversity holds a lot of potential. Men and women often bring different and equally strong approaches to leading teams, running projects, and solving problems. The more diverse a company is, the greater its potential and creativity for tackling the challenges of a modern business.

Beyond that, it matters to us to treat everyone in the company fairly, without favoring any one group.

Do you measure whether the initiatives are working?

Yes. For example, we track quarterly how many newly filled leadership positions go to women relative to the total. The number fluctuates year to year but stays at a consistently high level. We also do an annual report with several gender-specific analyses.

Are these metrics — or any quotas — tied to executive compensation?

No, we don't have KPIs or quotas linked to pay. But the track record shows that you can achieve a lot when a company genuinely has diversity as a goal.

In January 2025, the US saw a clear shift away from diversity initiatives. Has that affected CACEIS? SAP, for example, dropped its DEI targets.

Not for us. CACEIS CEO Jean-Pierre Michalowski has been clear: we believe in the power and effectiveness of diversity in human capital. CACEIS is staying on its "European path."

How do you see equality developing from here? Will we reach a point in 20 years where this conversation is no longer necessary?

I don't think so. The world we live in has privileged men in positions of power for centuries. That kind of deep-rooted dynamic doesn't reverse in a few years or even a few decades. It's a long process — but one worth fighting for. For a better, more balanced world, and for the younger colleagues who will hopefully benefit from greater diversity.

Thank you for this candid interview!

Foto: CACEIS

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