Clara Huang

Director

XVA Trading

Americas

Years in industry

Area of focus

XVA Trading

Education

Fordham University

What do you do at Mizuho?

I work on the X-Value Adjustment (XVA) team, where I price XVA and manage counterparty risks and funding risks arising from collateralized and uncollateralized derivative trades. My job involves trading with credit, rates, and FX products.

How is Mizuho different from other places you've worked?

I got my first full-time job at Mizuho, and I never left.

What’s a particularly proud moment you’ve had here?

I transferred from a risk management role to my current job in the front office three months before we started to work from home due to COVID. My new role had a faster work pace from the outset, and the volatile pandemic market just exacerbated an already-steep learning curve. Despite the challenges – precedented and unprecedented - I am proud of how I adapted.

What’s one thing you've learned while at Mizuho or in the industry?

While every job involves day-to-day responsibilities, it is important to look beyond the routine and find the personal goals within the big picture. Identifying new problems to solve and new challenges to overcome are great ways to maintain the motivation to excel.

What do you do for fun?

I love spending time outdoors, running in the city during the summer and skiing in the winter. When I can, I enjoy venturing out of the city on vacation and exploring new languages and cultures. Currently I am learning French and Korean.

What surprised you about Mizuho?

The broad exposure offered at the junior level, as well as how the organization encourages juniors to take on responsibilities and interact with other teams. Having started my career at Mizuho, I witnessed the rapid growth of the firm in the past few years and received lots of opportunities for high-profile visibility that might have taken years at other shops.

Tell us about something you've learned from another culture while traveling.

I volunteered in a remote village in Nepal for three weeks during a summer in college. My friend and I stayed with a local family and taught English and math to the children in the village. Though they faced economic and social hardships, these children believed in the power of knowledge and never gave up on learning. The experience made me feel humble and grateful for every opportunity I have had.

Do you participate on any Mizuho committees, ERGs, or other groups? Explain how you are involved.

I volunteered with the Mizuho Women’s Initiatives Network (M-WIN). Alongside participating in group programming, I helped organize events, such as the Speaker Series with Accenture CEO Julie Sweet. Through these events, I built closer relationships with colleagues, including a member of my current team, who has since connected me with new opportunities and given me valuable advice on many occasions. Outside of Mizuho, this year I also volunteer to organize events as part of a networking program at Women in Derivatives (WIND) where women in our industry can connect.