Eusta Qin, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Manager, PIMCO, won Excellence in Asset Management at Markets Media’s 2025 European Women in Finance Awards. We caught up with Eusta to learn more.

Eusta, what does this Excellence in Asset Management award signify to you?

Receiving the European Women in Finance Award for Excellence in Asset Management is deeply meaningful to me. It reflects not only the work I’ve done as a portfolio manager, but also the values and culture I’ve found at PIMCO.

At PIMCO, we’re encouraged to challenge assumptions, listen to diverse perspectives, and refine our thinking through collaboration. That environment has nurtured how I approach markets, risk, and leadership. Whether navigating complexity in credit strategies or contributing to the PIMCO Women EMEA steering committee, I’ve always felt supported in bringing both analytical rigor and inclusive thinking to the table.

This award is a recognition of the collective effort — the mentors who’ve guided me, the teams I’ve worked with, and the clients who trust us to deliver. I’m proud to be part of a firm that values both performance and purpose, and I’m honoured to receive it on behalf of the many women driving excellence across our industry.

Which career decisions or challenges do you think most defined your success?

I approach most decisions in life from the principle of saying yes to what feels expansive — both professionally and personally. That means choosing growth over comfort, and not focusing solely on immediate gain or loss.

One moment that stands out is when I lead a research project on superpower rivalry for PIMCO’s Secular Forum, where we explore investment themes over a 3–5 year horizon. It was a vast and unfamiliar topic, with a tight timeline and coordination across time zones. Balancing this alongside my portfolio management responsibilities pushed me beyond limits I thought I had. The insights from that project continue to shape how I invest today. Just as lasting is the professionally enriching relationships I formed with experts across and beyond the firm, and the confidence I gained in my ability to quickly master complex, unfamiliar topics. It required numerous sacrifices, but I would say yes to such opportunities every time. That experience reaffirmed my belief that growth lies just beyond what feels familiar — and that leaning into challenge is what defines success over time.

What advice would you give young women pursuing a future in asset management?

Choose the people.

The environment you grow in is shaped by those around you — their values, their ambition, and their willingness to challenge and support you. Surround yourself with people who help you grow, who reflect who you want to become, and who you’re willing to elevate in return.

I came into finance drawn by its concentration of intelligent, driven, outcome-focused individuals. That’s who I aspired to be. I joined PIMCO after being deeply impressed by the people I met — their depth of expertise, strategic thinking, and openness to diverse viewpoints. It was clear this was a place where I could grow into the investor I wanted to become.

So don’t just choose the role or the firm — choose the people. They will define your journey.

Who would you like to thank for supporting your journey in investment management?

I’m grateful to the people in every team environment I’ve been part of; they all played a part in my journey.

To my mentors and role models, thank you for giving me something to aspire to. To my peers, for their support, camaraderie, and shared ambition. And even the more challenging working relationships offered unexpected opportunities for growth and reflection.

I’m also deeply appreciative of my counterparties — both clients and brokers when I was on the sell-side, and now my sell-side liquidity providers – for their effort and investment in building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships that have accompanied me every step along the way.

What skills or approaches do you believe have been central to your achievements at PIMCO?

Thinking independently — starting from first principles — has been central to how I work. I try to begin with questions like “What is this tool or task designed to do?” or “What are we really trying to achieve here?” Engaging with the “why” before diving into the “how” helps me stay focused on outcomes, avoid getting lost in the details, and opens the door to more creative, effective solutions which may or may not have been considered before.

This approach has sharpened my learning and helped me think beyond the obvious. It’s especially important in today’s environment, where tasks tied to execution — the “how” — can increasingly be delegated to productivity tools as technology advances. Staying anchored in purpose and strategy helps me think beyond process — to stay curious, think critically, and find ideas or strategies that resonate beyond the obvious. This applies not only to my investing, but to how I approach challenges more broadly.