Gender equality wasn’t a topic I grew up discussing. Raised in a traditional family, it simply wasn’t part of the conversation. But life has a way of opening your eyes.
It started with my girlfriend (now wife) who was a dedicated athlete. Despite her relentless effort, the recognition and rewards she received were a mere fraction of what her male peers enjoyed. The disparity was glaring, and it planted a seed of awareness that only grew stronger as I observed similar patterns in the corporate world.
In the investment industry of the 2000s, I saw talented, hardworking women consistently delivering exceptional results, only to be passed over for opportunities handed to their male peers. The issue was not readiness but a lack of awareness of the importance of diversity in thought. I saw it often, and it bothered me
The turning point came when I attended a talk by the author of “The Loudest Duck,” Goldman Sachs senior adviser, Laura Liswood. She spoke about the leaky pipeline for women in leadership and I started to see just how ingrained these systemic issues were. But it wasn’t until 2010, when I stepped into a senior leadership role at QIC, that I began to actively challenge these norms.
I distinctly remember advocating for women to take on larger roles, only to be met with the question “But is she ready?” My response was that we needed to think differently about the opportunity and what we define as important in leadership roles. The traditional norms of technical knowledge and previous experience couldn’t be the only perspective we should take into account.
A pivotal moment for me was promoting a young woman who originally started as an EA to a COO role within a division. She excelled against expectations, went on to finish her MBA, and thrived in leadership. That experience taught me the incredible potential of championing talent with intention. I made it a personal mission to keep pushing for more of these opportunities, eventually achieving a 50/50 gender split in the executive roles within my division.
But I haven’t always got it right. I still regret not supporting a talented woman who was then appointed to a CIO role elsewhere. It was a reminder of the risks of waiting for the perfect time and the need to value diverse leadership styles.
What I’ve learned over my career is that women excel in areas often overlooked, particularly emotional intelligence. Skills like empathy, listening, and connecting are more critical than ever in leadership, yet we’ve long prioritised confidence over these qualities.
In my non-executive career, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside trailblazing women like Carol Schwartz AO and Christine Christian AO, and their leadership approach has deepened my understanding of the systemic challenges women face and inspired me to amplify my efforts. I’ve actively challenged gender pay gaps, and ensured equal representation on FEAL speaking panels, because visibility matters.
Undoubtedly, progress is being made and it’s showing in the numbers. Future IM/Pact’s 2024 Path to Parity report showed more women are now in investment roles and are being appointed and promoted at proportionally faster rates than men at some levels.
But targeted recruitment, promotions and pay equity aren’t enough. High-potential women need great leaders as sponsors and targeted development experiences to build great careers and avoid passing on the same exclusionary practices they experienced. Building these foundations is essential.
Working alongside Future IM/Pact’s founder, Yolanda Beattie, has only strengthened my conviction in what’s possible. Yolanda’s passion, vision and relentless drive has built a cross-industry movement that’s not just opening doors for more female investors but equipping them to walk through with confidence. I’m proud to support her in expanding her impact.
This commitment brought me to Future IM/Pact, where I now serve as Chair of a newly established Advisory Board. I’ve long been frustrated by the slow progress in increasing the number of women in investment decision-making roles and felt a responsibility to be part of the solution. Future IM/Pact’s approach of uniting industry leaders to inspire and nurture a sustainable pipeline of female investors resonated deeply with me. It’s a model that recognises the collective effort required to drive tangible, lasting change and create meaningful pathways for women to thrive and lead.
Working alongside Future IM/Pact’s founder, Yolanda Beattie, has only strengthened my conviction in what’s possible. Yolanda’s passion, vision and relentless drive over the past seven years has built a cross-industry movement that’s not just opening doors for more female investors but equipping them to walk through with confidence. I’m proud to support her in expanding her impact so together we can reach even more women across the industry.
Importantly, Yolanda recognises this isn’t just about developing women and it’s certainly not about making men wrong or bad. Programs that can help women and men be more self-aware leaders who empower others while strengthening their contacts across the industry is key to creating workplace cultures where everyone can do great work.
Investing in female talent isn’t optional – it’s a business imperative. We simply can’t afford to have people in leadership positions without the self-insight and tools required to challenge barriers and biases in support of women and men achieving more than what they thought was possible.
At a time when progress on gender equality feels fragile and the DEI backlash threatens to stall momentum, it’s more important than ever to recommit. Elevating women isn’t just about fairness, it’s about unlocking better outcomes for everyone.
Supporting women is one thing. Championing them is transformational.
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What I’ve learned over my career is that women excel in areas often overlooked, particularly emotional intelligence. Skills like empathy, listening, and connecting are more critical than ever in leadership, yet we’ve long prioritised confidence over these qualities.
Future IM/Pact is a collaborative initiative across the investment management industry aimed at increasing representation of female investors and creating workplace cultures where everyone can flourish.
Future IM/Pact is a collaborative initiative across the investment management industry aimed at increasing representation of female investors and creating workplace cultures where everyone can flourish.
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