Gretta Antonescu: Elevating Executive Presence and Strategic Impact at the Highest Levels

Gretta Antonescu is a global finance and leadership expert with over two decades of international experience across Zurich, London, and Wall Street. From building digital platforms in investment banking to leading global teams through transformation, her career has been defined by her ability to simplify complexity and drive strategic change.
Today, she brings that same discipline to boardrooms and executive mentoring. As a certified Non-Executive Director and advanced neuroscience mentor, Gretta supports boards and senior leaders in three critical areas: digital platform innovation, technology and cyber risk governance, and future-oriented leadership development.
Her work blends sharp business foresight with a deep understanding of how leaders think, decide, and perform under pressure. Whether guiding tech strategy, shaping executive decision-making, or helping women step into the roles they’re ready for, Gretta operates at the intersection of strategic clarity and human performance.
She doesn’t just advise—she transforms how leaders show up and how boards prepare for what’s next.

What first drew you into the world of finance and leadership? 

When choosing what I wanted to do in life, I had a clear sense of what excited my brain and fulfilled my need for constant intellectual evolution—and that was the world of finance. Its dynamism, complexity, and ever-changing nature naturally pulled me in. I think, instinctively, I was looking for a field that would challenge me to stretch my capabilities daily. Finance offered exactly that: a space where I could grow, adapt, think strategically, and be part of something that was always in motion. Leadership followed organically—because once you’re in a space that challenges you, and you’re passionate about what you do, excellence follows—and excellence, over time,  earns you the right to lead. 

Can you remember a moment when everything felt complex, and you found a way to simplify it? 

Sometimes simplifying isn’t about dumbing it down—it’s about elevating clarity. 

When I joined Credit Suisse in Zurich as COO of a trading division—after working on Wall Street —I quickly saw that all private banking trades were still placed manually. The process was inefficient, error-prone, and led to lost opportunities. 

Where everyone saw complexity—I saw solutions.I took a single sheet of paper and started interviewing everyone involved in a transaction to identify the trading flow of a product. From that simple but deliberate step, I masterminded and led the implementation of Credit Suisse’s first-ever electronic trading platform. One year later, we launched the first electronically traded structured product. Fifteen years on, the platform had scaled to support thousands of products traded across asset classes by tens of thousands of clients.  
What looked like overwhelming complexity, to me, looked like a catalyst for innovation in the sense that there was ‘a system waiting to be invented’. 
This is why, many times, simplification starts with asking the right questions—because clarity, at its best, unlocks transformation.  

What does “leading through change” look like to you in real life? 

It’s not about being the loudest in the room—it’s about being the clearest! 
Real leadership during change requires three things: Calm, Clarity, and Courage.
Calm helps you stay centred when others spiral. Clarity means knowing exactly where ‘you stand’ (Current situation), what ‘you are up against’ (Challenges) and where ‘you are going’ (Vision). Courage is what drives you to act decisively, even when the path ahead isn’t fully visible. It’s about being honest without losing hope, and making decisions that serve long-term trust, not just short-term optics. 

I can not stress this enough…. 
In moments of disruption, it’s that courage—rooted in calm and guided by vision—that makes the real difference.

How do you help people stay calm and confident in fast-moving or uncertain environments? 

I help them access their inner anchor. I use neuroscience to shift their mindset from reactivity to intentionality. We work on the internal language, and cognitive reframing. When you learn to manage your internal weather, you stop getting swept up in external storms. 

I help them shift how they interpret pressure through shifting perspective, because often, clarity begins when you stop looking at a challenge from only one angle.  
The same situation can look completely different depending on how you frame it, so I challenge my clients to find at least three opportunities in every challenge. 
That reframing alone begins to dissolve fear, restore agency and opens space for clarity.  
Therefore, we shift from reactivity to intentionality—working on the internal language and cognitive awareness. When you learn to regulate your internal state, external chaos loses its grip.  Calm isn’t a passive state—it’s an active skill.  

What’s one lesson you’ve learned about digital transformation that others often overlook? 

We often focus so much on the tech that we forget the people. But transformation doesn’t succeed because of the latest tool—it succeeds because people feel included, heard, and supported. 
If it doesn’t feel human-friendly, it won’t be embraced, no matter how advanced it is. You need people to trust the change, not just use it. That means designing with empathy, creating space for questions, and making sure the technology feels like a help, not a threat. 
And just as important: putting the right guardrails in place. A well-designed governance framework isn’t the “boring part”—it’s what protects innovation from becoming risk. When both the people and the structure are aligned, that’s when transformation actually sticks. 

How do you bring a human touch to technical topics like cybersecurity or AI  risk? 

I make it personal—because it is. Behind every system is someone who depends on it. Behind every risk is a person who could be impacted. Therefore, I translate risk into relevance.  
So instead of talking in jargon or technical layers, I ask simple, real questions like: “How would this affect our clients? Our team? Our reputation?” When people connect the dots between the tech and the humans it serves—or could harm—they start to care more, think smarter, and make better decisions. 
It’s not about simplifying the topic—it’s about making it meaningful.

What makes a great board member today, especially in a world full of disruption?

Curiosity without ego. Calm in uncertainty. And the ability to think across silos—strategy, tech,  risk, culture. A great board member today doesn’t just ask smart questions—they listen deeply,  challenge with respect, and connect the dots faster than the disruption spreads. 

How does neuroscience influence the way you mentor executives? 

I don’t just give advice—I help leaders rewire how they think! Neuroscience allows me to help them understand their internal resistance, triggers, and decision-making patterns. We don’t just upgrade their strategy—we upgrade their Mental Operating System! 

What do you say to women aiming for leadership roles but doubting if they’re ready? 

I have 3 things to say to them
First, there are three types of people:
� Those who make things happen
� Those who watch things happen
� Those who wonder what happened
The most successful professionals fall into the first group—because meaningful change begins with intentional action.

Second, clarity of vision, a strategic plan, and self-awareness are essential if you want to lead at the executive level.

Thirdly, train to become an executive! 

Like Olympic athletes, top executives don’t reach the ‘podium’ alone, they grow with the support of expert mentors by their side! They work with expert coaches—mentors
who challenge, support, and sharpen them.

To conclude, don’t leave things to chance. Take action and take action now!
 You don’t have to feel ready to start—you have to start to feel ready!  

What’s the one quality every future-focused leader should develop now? 

Cognitive adaptability! 
The ability to shift perspective fast, unlearn outdated scripts, and reframe complexity as opportunity. In a world that’s constantly changing, the real power lies in being internally agile and emotionally grounded!

Learn more by connecting with Gretta at:
🌐 Website: www.grettaantonescu.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gretta-antonescu