Breaking Barriers:

Leadership Advice for Women in Commodities 

We had the pleasure of speaking with Yasmina Rauber, Secretary General of the Zug Commodity Association, former President of WISTA Switzerland, and Executive Coach at Yas Coaching.

Yasmina has built an impressive career in commodities, starting as a trader at Alcotra.com, one of the world’s leading ethanol traders. After expanding her knowledge of shipping, she rejoined Alcotra as Chartering Manager and later became Managing Director. Yasmina played a key role in scaling Alcotra by building and training brand new teams in both the Rio and Geneva offices. With 25+ years in commodities, including board-level roles, Yasmina has learned what it takes for women to be heard and succeed. In this interview, Yasmina shares her insights and advice for women looking to level up their careers. 

What inspired you to get into commodities trading?

My parents raised me as a human being, not as a girl, and taught me that the sky was the limit. At 23, while many of my friends were focused on finding husbands, I was determined to build a career and live an interesting life. I decided to move to New York to become a stockbroker, even though I didn’t know any women my age who wanted to do that—only male friends. My upbringing encouraged me to think outside the box, and I never saw being a woman as a barrier. I entered the commodities industry purely by luck. It wasn’t until I joined that I realised the realities were quite different from what I had imagined, including how male-dominated the industry truly was.

How can women break into leadership positions?

Women make up a fair share of mid-management, but at VP level and beyond, it drops to one in ten. My big piece of advice for women to break the glass ceiling into leadership positions is to network. As women, we’re great at doing the work—giving 1,000%—but not so great at networking. That little voice in our head says, “You could have done better”, “You could have done more”, “Someone else is better than you”. So we keep our heads down, focused on our tasks. Meanwhile, men show up 10–15 minutes early to meetings, start chatting, and set their own agenda before the meeting even begins. We show up on time, sit down, do the work, then rush off to the next thing. But that’s not how it works. The networking happens in those small moments—before, after, over coffee, over lunch.

And no, you don’t have to be “Bob”, grabbing beers or watching football. Find what works for you. A quick coffee, a lunch, whatever feels natural—but make the time. Build those relationships because that is what will help you move up. Don't expect people because you are doing well at your job to support you, you need to be visible. 

And then, when you’re networking, talk about what you’ve achieved. As women, we don’t like to brag because the second we do, we’re called all kinds of names. But you have to share what you’ve done, so brag in a nice manner and list your achievements. Say, I’m really happy because this week I did this, this, and this. If you don’t say it, no one will see it. And don’t wait for your yearly review—it’s too late by then and you’ll have forgotten a lot. Keep track. Speak up. Because unless you do, everyone will forget.

What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

One very good piece of advice I received is to create your own space within your work.

If you don’t do what you love, learn to love what you do. To do that, you have to create your own role. We all start with a job description, with tasks we have to do—but don’t just take the job as it is. Like any recipe, add your own spices. Bring something extra.

If there’s something else you want to do, start learning about it. Just doing what you’re supposed to do won’t get you very far. It will only ensure you’re doing a fantastic job at the task you were asked to do at that time. But that’s not what will take you further in your career.

If you see something isn’t working properly, bring a new idea. The more innovative you are, the more people will listen. If your idea works, great. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter—at least you tried. Because you don’t know until you try, right?

And never, ever wait to be 100% comfortable before doing something. Get out of your comfort zone—that’s the only way to grow. The longer you stay comfortable, the longer you stay where you are. If you really want to evolve, you need to take that extra step into the unknown. If it feels a little scary? Fine. Great. Do it. You're scared? Do it anyway. Do it scared.

How did you stay true to yourself as a leader in a male-dominated environment?

It was tough because all my managers were men, and keeping a feminine attitude and staying true to myself was a little bit challenging. I had to figure it out on the spot. Sometimes my male team members referred to me as “mother” because I would always look out for my team and protect them. But I believe that good leaders take care of their teams—even if it isn’t always well received by others. 

What can women already in leadership positions do to help?

I always talk about how we don’t have enough women supporting other women, which is a big issue for me. My message is simple: if you’re not willing to help each other, it’s going to be tough to see more women at the top. You might get there, but you’ll be alone. So I think that my biggest advice is really to be there for one another. 

Any final advice you’d like to share?

Be authentic. I don't buy into the “fake it till you make it" mentality. Sure, at the start of your career, you might have to pretend a bit because you don't know everything yet—that's fine. But once you're in a leadership role, you have to be yourself. People need to trust you and follow your lead, because if they fail, you fail as a manager—and that impacts the entire business. So, just be authentic, be true to yourself, and yes, be strict when needed, but always be kind. It's essential.

Looking for more insights?

Connect with Yasmina Rauber on LinkedIn and explore YasCoaching. Yasmina’s “Women in Leadership" program is all about stepping up, having your voice heard, and advancing in your career. It combines leadership skills with mindset, tailored for both individuals and corporate clients. And if you are in Switzerland, don’t miss her in-person networking events!

• Article published on LinkedIn by Cititec Talent  - March 2025