"Its a lose-lose situation," says an employee at capital-market brokers Euro Brokers when asked about former colleague Cindy Buggins. "If I say something good, I'm helping competitors. If it's bad it looks like sour grapes."
Buggins left Euro Brokers in November 1996 but resurfaced late last year at one of its main rivals, Prebon Yamane. As number two in London, reporting to Garry Pithers, Buggins is now responsible for building Prebon Yamane's derivatives and capital-markets businesses across all products.
Competitors aren't exactly delighted to see her back. "I just wish she'd retire permanently," says a friend at a rival firm. "She's very dynamic, extremely well informed about the industry, with a clear sense of purpose and a clear vision."
Buggins also has the wit and strength of character to succeed in a male-dominated area not noted for breeding refinement when the London newspaper the Evening Standard asked one employee in 1991 what he made of Buggins, he replied: "I prefer a woman with more meat."
So how does Buggins cope? "Don't get me wrong, to succeed as a woman in the City, you have to be very tough," she says.