We’ve seen a notable rise in the number of women working in specialist finance — this needs to be recognised and rightly celebrated. 

There’s so much that women can bring to the table, but many seats are still left unfilled; we’re still under-represented, and this is especially true for women of colour. Even for those who do break that glass ceiling, there are still many more layers to push through. Women in this industry are always under the microscope — more so, I would say, than their male counterparts — and you must be on point all day, every day.

•   'The power of women coming together and achieving great things has the potential to shape a better industry'
•   'So many opportunities exist in our industry, so never limit yourself'
•   Brightstar Group unveils activity programme for International Women's Day

Often, even on a good day, rather than addressing the work at hand, the focus shifts to my appearance, my personality, the heels I’m wearing — the list goes on. You can then only imagine how much this happens if you’re having a less than perfect day. However, with my male counterparts, it’s always about the work and not the cut of their suit. 

This can be frustrating, but one of the best pieces of advice I’ve received is to take a step back before responding in stressful situations. Not only does that allow you to take a moment to be clear on how you want to respond, but it also helps to not fuel the flames of one particular stereotype — of women being overly emotional.  

To progress, we need to see more women in senior positions inspiring and mentoring the next generation. When I started in this industry 10 years ago, I never had any female mentors; all my bosses were men. It would have been so great to have more women in my circle to bounce ideas off, share encouraging advice, or just offer a different perspective. 

Fortunately, I’ve reached a position where I can offer what I craved a decade ago, and I vow to play my part in taking gender diversity to the next level in the bridging world. 

Are you a woman in the financial services industry keen to get your voice heard? Contact [email protected] — we would love to chat!