LAUNCH OF 21ST WOMEN IN BANKING AND FINANCE AWARDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT

The 21st Women in Banking and Finance Awards for Achievement were launched today at Citi’s Canary Wharf Offices. A highlight of the city year, the WIBF Awards provides inspirational women in the sector with a public platform to share their private stories of success, effort and aspiration to encourage others to follow and to encourage organisations to enable and reward the efforts of diversity and inclusion.

“Vivienne Artz, President, Women in Banking and Finance, said:

“I am delighted that Citi is sponsoring the WIBF Awards for Achievement again in 2018. Citi has been a hugely supportive and engaged member of WIBF for many years, and shares WIBF’s belief that the Awards are a flagship event and opportunity to recognise and celebrate the talent and achievements of women (and our great male champions) in our sector, as well as our confidence in the power of exceptional role models.

“The WIBF Awards deliver industry-wide inspiration and acknowledgement that our work together over the 21 years of the WIBF Awards has enabled credible action and progress in improving diversity.

“This is why WIBF is a firm supporter of the Women in Finance Charter, which challenges firms to create a public action plan to make a difference for gender parity in banking and finance today.

“Perhaps less lauded than our award winners, is the cross-organisation support and sharing of best practice that our Awards and network encourage. This is not a journey taken just at the individual level, but it is a journey taken as a sector, and together we can accelerate the amazing work for inclusivity that is taking place into something bigger and more powerful for the sector as a whole.”

Manolo Falco, Head of CIB EMEA, Citi, said:

“We are honoured to be partnering with WIBF again this year for the 21st annual Awards for Achievement as the headline sponsor. Citi continues to be an active supporter of the network and we are delighted to be hosting the launch for these prestigious awards today here at Citi.

“It is crucial that we continue to celebrate women across all industries and these awards highlight how financial services are increasingly recognising the achievements, critical insights and unique skills women bring to the sector, from rising stars to leading individuals and teams. Citi is committed to inclusion and ensuring that our managers and employees are continually striving towards diversity of thought at all levels. These awards are just one of the ways in which we can illustrate the importance of recognising exceptional female talent.”

Women in Banking and Finance has added a fifth exciting award category to the WIBF Awards for Achievement this year. The new WIBF Rising Star Award celebrates a woman who has demonstrated significant initiative in the early stages of her career in finance. There is no age limit for this award and candidates may include someone who has changed careers to, or within, finance (such as a lawyer taking on a business role in finance or an accountant moving into the finance sector).

WIBF is delighted that corporate members have chosen to sponsor our awards. This widespread support for WIBF and for the WIBF Awards across the sector indicates the value placed in these awards and in the women and men nominated for them.

The WIBF Awards for Achievement 2018 are:

• WIBF Young Professional Award, sponsored by Barclays
• WIBF Champion for Women Award, sponsored by Credit Suisse
• WIBF Award for Achievement, sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group
• WIBF Team Diversity Award
• WIBF Rising Star Award

WIBF is honoured that Lloyds Banking Group is sponsoring the WIBF Awards 2018 Shortlist Dinner and that Standard Life Aberdeen is sponsoring the WIBF Awards Alumni event emphasising the value of our network and the significance of the cross-organisational conversation and action that develops from these occasions.

WIBF AWARDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT 2018

Nominations are open until 28th February 2018. Details of the award categories and how to nominate are available online at www.wibf.org.uk/awards

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