Are women really less ambitious? Let’s talk!

Gemma is a partner in the Banking & Funds team at Burness Paull. She advises banks, corporate borrowers, private equity sponsors and fund managers on a range of financing transactions, including real estate, acquisition and fund finance, and works closely with leading City firms on the Scottish aspects of cross-jurisdictional lending and securitisations. Gemma also has significant experience in the hotel and hospitality sector. She draws on robust commercial experience from her time as a structuring adviser at Aberdeen Group plc and a secondment to The Royal Bank of Scotland plc’s restructuring team. She is a mum of two and works a four-day week.

Mandy is responsible for the UK, European and Middle East Region of Aberdeen Investments has held various roles at Aberdeen including Head of Client Risk and Governance, Chief of Staff and Head of Strategy and Management EMEA. She a seasoned Board Director in the UK, Ireland and Cayman Islands,  and the Middle East. Mandy previously worked at Pinsent Masons LLP as a dual-qualified Solicitor in Banking and Finance and at The Royal Bank of Scotland in the Real Estate Restructuring Team. Mandy also holds executive education from Harvard Business School.

Outside of work, Mandy is both an author with her first book being published February 2026, and an ex-professional athlete, representing Team Great Britian at two World Equestrian Games.

With over 20 years’ experience in financial services, MG has led senior audit, risk and compliance teams through complex regulatory, cultural and organisational change. Her commitment to inclusive leadership began in 2013 when she co-founded the RBS Families and Carers Network and continues through her work as an ICF-accredited transformation coach. She supports leaders, teams and individuals to navigate uncertainty, build trust and create value together. MG’s leadership sits at the intersection of performance, change and human dynamics, with a strong focus on teamship and shared accountability. A WIBF mentor, she is passionate about helping people succeed with clarity, confidence and connection, without burnout.

Nicky is a board member at Burness Paull and head of the firm’s dedicated English Commercial Real Estate team. Nicky is an experienced real estate lawyer with City of London experience having worked with Herbert Smith for several years. She has also run her own business – this gives an edge to her advice. She “gets it” and her clients value her commercial and pragmatic approach to doing deals. She has a broad range of expertise in all English commercial real estate matters and a particular interest in landlord / tenant work and investment transactions.

Nicky co-leads our involvement with the Pathways Pledge, an initiative created in response to the findings of the Scottish Government commissioned report aimed at dramatically raising the participation level of women in the entrepreneurial economy.  Last year, Burness Paull became the first law firm to sign up to the Pledge.  She is married to Jon and they have three children