And that’s a wrap! – What WIBF achieved in 2024 – Part three

July 

WIBF partnered with Mediaplanet on the Opportunities in STEM 2024 campaign, launched both online and in the New Scientist Magazine. Ioannis Deligiannis, WIBF’s CTO, wrote a compelling piece on the evolving landscape of tech careers, highlighting how diverse and inclusive fields are shaping a brighter future for everyone.

The WIBF team made a strong impression at the 8th Annual Women in Finance Summit held in London. Panel discussions included WIBF’s Lucy Ellis-Keeler, Jennie Koo, Gwen Faure and Neeta Mundra and discussed the fostering of gender collaboration, workplace equality and the vital role of mentoring. Annie Ren went on to captivate the audience with her insights on sustaining a successful long-term finance career.

Around 30 WIBF members gathered at The Anthologist in London for an informal networking evening. Without a set agenda, the event provided the perfect opportunity for attendees to connect, chat, and build new relationships. 

WIBF held its Annual General Meeting virtually on Friday 12 July. The AGM offered members a chance to reflect on the organisation’s achievements for the year ending 31 December 2023.

A virtual Partner Roundtable on 17 July explored creating an inclusive fertility and family-building culture in the workplace. Attended by corporate partners, the discussion provided tools and guidance for supporting employees during fertility journeys, emphasising the importance of fostering a supportive workplace environment.

August 

WIBF successfully migrated its Jobs Board to a new platform in August, offering an improved experience for corporate members. The board allows organisations to highlight their vacant roles and showcase their commitment to diversity as employers.

In Edinburgh, WIBF hosted an insightful event  – ‘Careers and Connections’ – Data and ESG, featuring BNY’s Gemma Jones, Director of Enterprise Sustainability, and Natascha Santjer, Director of Enterprise Data Management. The two shared how their 13-year friendship, forged during their early careers, has helped them grow professionally and personally. Thanks to BNY for hosting and to Debbie Baird for chairing the discussion. 

WIBF celebrated a significant development from UK Finance. 25 banks and building societies, including WIBF members Lloyds Banking Group, Santander UK, Tesco Bank, and NatWest Group, have committed to accepting the Economic Abuse Evidence Form – an initiative that is a crucial step in supporting victim-survivors of economic abuse.

We promoted The Diversity Project’s upcoming webinar, Caring for Children Who Struggle with Their Mental Health. This event is part of their Parenting Horizons speaker series, offering valuable support and guidance for working parents.

September

We were delighted to share that WIBF Patron Sue Dawe had made history as the first female chair of Scottish Financial Enterprise in its 38-year history. The organisation represents all financial services firms operating in Scotland, which together make up the biggest sectoral contributor to the country’s economy.

On 25 September, Moody’s hosted their Women’s Career Fair at their London Canary Wharf office. Attendees had the opportunity to network with industry leaders, explore diverse roles, and gain insights into Moody’s inclusive culture. This event welcomed women at every career stage, showcasing a commitment to empowering female talent in finance. WIBF was the only external organisation invited to attend. 

We were thrilled to see four Women in Banking & Finance volunteers (Lucy Ellis-Keeler, Lauren Cassells, Lauren Fuller and Liyana Shirin) recognised as rising stars in Brummell Magazine’s Ones to Watch in the City 2024 list. This recognition is a testament to their incredible achievements and their commitment to making a positive impact in the financial services industry. 

There was great energy at AFME’s (Association for Financial Markets in Europe) 8th Annual European Compliance and Legal Conference at the end of September. Part of the Future Leaders Roundtable, Lucy Ellis-Keeler, Rachel Mann and Shannon Oleson took part in a great conversation on identifying your network, finding gaps, and how to grow and maintain those crucial connections. WIBF’s Annie Danhe Ren and Abisola Barber Sherwood sat on the Diversity & Inclusion panel, which was noted as the most engaged session of the day, receiving the highest audience participation.

We were pleased to announce that Deloitte, a WIBF corporate partner, the first Big Four firm to offer 26 weeks of equal parental leave to all employees, irrespective of gender – a new standard for supporting families and fostering inclusivity.

During Pension Awareness Week WIBF’s President and CEO Anna Lane, joined the team at abrdn to flag that it’s even more important for women to understand what’s happening with their finances and to start engaging. In this clip, Anna talks about the ‘motherhood penalty’ related to pensions and that could translate to a gap of about £100,000.

We were delighted to reveal the shortlists for the 2024 WIBF Awards for Achievement. With an incredible pool of 159 nominees, the selection process was challenging for our management board panels to whittle down the lists.