From Managing Diapers To Dividends: How Women Fund Managers Are Juggling Babies And Billions

Managing a fund is a high-pressure job. It demands sharp focus, long hours, and constant decision-making, and why not? It involves tracking global markets, analysing company balance sheets, rebalancing portfolios, juggling stocks, and responding to market volatility with alacrity.

Now, add a newborn into that equation. So, what would you normally assume? Either a work from home arrangement to allow the young mother to juggle between office work and tending to the infant, or an office with some crèche-like facility. Even if the latter is not present, you would at least expect that the mother will be making calls back home a couple of times during her shift to check on the baby.

Well, that’s not how things work for fund managers. They don’t have the luxury of a work from home arrangement and are neither allowed to carry their personal electronic devices into the trading room. As such, they cannot make any calls or check on their children. For many fund managers, who have just had a baby and have rejoined office after their maternity leave, this is quite stressful, as a couple of them said.

The Relentless Demands Of Two Full-Time Jobs

A fund manager who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that balancing motherhood and fund management is quite a challenge as both are equally demanding tasks.

“To be very honest, fund management and motherhood are both very demanding tasks. Both jobs have a starting time, but there is no ending time. Just like a fund manager’s work doesn’t end when the market closes—she still needs to stay updated with global cues—the work of a mother never stops either. Even when the baby is sleeping, she’s prepping the next meal, sterilizing bottles, folding laundry,” she said.

Challenges After the Axis MF Front Running case

Previously, fund managers had the option of a work from home arrangement. However, all that changed after the Axis Mutual Fund front-running case. It led to a regulatory crackdown across the industry and fund managers today are barred from working remotely. Mobile phones and even basic communication devices are off-limits during market hours.

“We’re not allowed to take work calls from home, and phones are banned on trading floors. In the early months, you just want to check in on your baby via a video call or baby monitor—but even that’s not allowed. It raises a lot of anxiety,” said a fund manager who recently had a baby.

“There’s absolutely no support structure for working mothers in fund management,” adds another fund manager.

Returning to Work: An Emotional Minefield

For most fund managers, returning to work after the maternity leave is over is quite stressful as they are fully aware of the limitations and the situation they will be getting into (not being allowed to make calls during office hours).

“It is very difficult to leave your baby—even if it’s with trusted hands—and step out for a job that demands the majority of your day. You've just emerged from postpartum recovery, and suddenly you’re expected to function at full capacity while emotionally torn. There are constant thoughts: Is she okay? Is she being fed well? Is she missing me?” shares a fund manager at a mid-sized fund house.

A Tightrope Walk Every Day

The strategy, most such fund managers say, is to plan everything in advance, right to the minutest of detail and then leave for work. Juggling two very equally demanding roles requires more than just multitasking—it demands ruthless time management and unwavering focus.

“Planning, planning, and more planning. There’s no other way. You need to set realistic expectations, delegate tasks at home, and have a to-do list every day. A supportive partner and family make a big difference too. It really does take a team,” says a fund manager.

“For a first-time mother, both duties feel like walking on eggshells. Before heading to work, I have to brief my nanny or parents on the baby’s feeding and nap schedule. During my commute, I catch up on the news and overnight emails so I’m ready for our early morning team meeting,” adds another fund manager.

Making Most Of Available Hours

One fund manager says that time is the biggest constraint and she has learnt to accept the limitations as a result of her job and not drown in the guilt of not being able to spend more time with the baby.

“On weekdays, I only get three active hours with my baby. I’ve learned to accept it and not drown in mom guilt. Weekends and holidays are reserved just for us. I don’t let social obligations or extra work cut into our time together,” she says.

Hoping for Changes

These fund managers are now hoping for some relaxation in the form of a work-from-home or hybrid option, at least in the early months of motherhood to ease stress without compromising on their productivity.