Now is the best time for women in derivatives to get ahead and move into leadership roles says Angela Knight, chief executive at the British Banker’s Association (BBA). At the first annual WILD lunch she encouraged fellow women in finance to seize the opportunity to take on senior roles in order to influence positive industry change.
“This is the best opportunity in 20 years for women to position themselves in senior and influential roles. It is widely accepted that diversity is required and the major public listed companies have all been asked for the percentage of women on the Boards of their companies and on the next level down so they have to start to rethink their policies and about promoting women,” Ms Knight said at the lunch.
As a pillar in the banking community and leader of the BBA during this time of unprecedented financial market turmoil, Ms Knight is well equipped to offer up advice for how women in listed and OTC derivatives can advance their careers and position themselves into leadership roles at such a time in the financial industry.
During this WILD luncheon Ms. Knight shared how her own career evolved through politics, finance and business generally and the challenges she has faced in recent times including during the 2007 Northern Rock crisis. The audience of 60+ women in derivatives also heard some of her views on the Eurozone crisis and the UK’s Coalition’s government policies on banking reform.
Questions from the captive audience focused around Ms Knight’s view on government policies, regulatory reform and how women in industry can follow similar paths of career advancement.
WILD continues to lead the way in championing women in the industry who are influential leadership within their respective organisations. Prior to Ms Knight, other WILD event guest speakers have included Gay Huey Evans, vice chairman of the board of directors and non-executive chairman of Europe for the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA), Niki Beattie, founder of Market Structure Partner and Charlotte Crosswell, president, NASDAQ OMX Europe.
WILD London, a branch of the original WILD organisation founded in Chicago, is set to open up formal membership for this women’s group in early 2012. The group aspires to “promote networking and relationship – building among women in derivatives management through social and educational events” and the organisation is doing so promoting role models and career advancement to fellow women working in listed and OTC derivatives.
Many firms are also starting to support their own women’s networks internally. The Royal Bank of Scotland, the WILD lunch sponsor, recently won an award for ‘Best Diversity Initiative’ at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Recruitment Marketing Awards, for its recruitment campaign targeting female graduates, said Samantha Page, vice president of Prime Services, Futures and Counterparty Clearing at RBS and WILD committee member. The company has two internal women’s groups including “Focused Women” and within the firm’s Global Banking and Markets group, “Compass.”
As for women working at organisations without internal women’s groups – at least there is WILD!
