WIBF president – Awards nominations open

Nominations for the 2016 WIBF Awards for Achievement are now open!

“Our 19th Annual Awards were launched on the 12th February, hosted by this year’s Award’s sponsor, Macquarie, and attended by more than seventy corporate and individual members, previous winners and nominees.
We are proud and delighted that Macquarie has chosen to sponsor this year’s WIBF Awards for Achievement. At the launch, Jane Magill, Chair of Balance, Macquarie’s gender balance network, emphasised the company’s commitment to diversity and to supporting the Awards for Achievement.
Ruth Wandhofer, Winner, 2015 Award for Achievement, said, ‘WIBF is helping to not only shine a spotlight on female talent within large organisations, but also to develop and grow this female talent. I think that women can, at times, struggle to find the right mentor or sponsor within their organisation. WIBF has definitely helped me to find the right support within my organisation’.
The value of the WIBF Awards for Achievement is not only in the winning of the prize. Edit Laszlo, Nominee 2014 Young Professional Award, told us, ‘I received a handwritten congratulations card from our Divisional CEO, who is the type of leader I would want to work for and become. It boosted my confidence levels significantly, which encouraged me to take up other job opportunities, leading to a promotion. This nomination probably led me to being selected for Brummell Magazine’s Rising Star list in 2015. I can say with confidence that I wouldn’t be here today without being recognised by WIBF; the recognition set me on the journey I am on now’.

SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON TALENT
It is the time in the WIBF year where we can work together to shine the spotlight on female talent in the industry and on those supportive colleagues who enable them to shine. Take a look at your colleagues and shine that spotlight by not only recognising their innovation, their dedication, their determination but by making that effort – and it is an effort – to nominate them for the 2016 Women in Banking and Finance Awards for Achievement.

NEW VENUE FOR AWARDS LUNCHEON
Last year’s Awards Luncheon sold out months in advance so this year we decided that the venue needed to be bigger so that more people can celebrate with our nominees and winners. So, at the launch, we announced that this year we will hold the Luncheon at the magnificent London Hilton on Park Lane where we have the opportunity to satisfy members’ desire for tables. Inspire and celebrate. Join us on Friday 10th June at the Awards Luncheon at the Hilton, Park Lane.

FIN4FEM
Thanks to the Advisory Board member Lisa Rabbe’s enthusiastic support for women in fintech, I’m looking forward to spending International Women’s Day, Tuesday 8th March, as a panellist at the launch of Fin4Fem, an educational programme focused on sourcing finance. Innovation consultancy ENTIQ and the UK Business Angels Association will identify, empower and showcase the UK’s top female tech founders through Fin4Fem. The panel will discuss the challenges, barriers and opportunities that exist when it comes to sourcing finance.

THANK YOU
I have been absolutely delighted by the positive feedback regarding our new website from both the UK and abroad. This is all due to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the fantastic team at WIBF to launch the website, the new look of the magazine and, of course, the 2016 Achievement Awards. They deserve huge thanks and congratulations.”