WIBF Magazine May - August 2016 by WIBF

may - August 2016

Health & Wealth – are you getting the balance right? Macquarie – Educating the next generation of leaders winning the day – ruth wandhöfer, citi

inside

guest contributors

3 Editorial 4 welcome 5 regions 6 seen & heard 10 women on boards 12 millennials 14 CSR spotlight 16 inside story 18 industry expert

Arlene Isaacs-Lowe As the Head of Relationship Management, EMEA at Moody’s, Arlene Isaacs-Lowe has had an illustrious career. In this edition’s Distinguished Profile she talks us through her inspiring journey.

jennifer Boussuge Head of Global Transactions Services, EMEA, at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Jennifer Boussuge, explores how mentorship and support of our female leaders is crucial to solving the most pressing issues of our time.

Heather white Personal branding expert, Heather White, explains why those in your professional network may not be ‘getting you’ and how this is damaging your personal brand.

ellvena graham WIBF’s Women on Board for this edition, Ellvena Graham, is a lifelong banker who has recently moved to a new phase in her career with a portfolio of Non-Executive positions.

21 personal branding 22 events 26 19th annual awards 32 distinguished profile 34 global ambassadors 36 the power of change 38 business focus 40 wellbeing 41 career bites 42 60 seconds

office 80-83 Long Lane, London EC1A 9ET www.wibf.org.uk

Editorial Assistant Raimah Amevor, raimah.amevor@wibf.org.uk

editorial team Editor-in-Chief Marian Costello marian.costello@wibf.org.uk Editorial Janet Thomas, janet.thomas@wibf.org.uk Martha McKenzie-Minifie, martha.mckenzie-minifie@wibf.org.uk

Content Management Team Kirsten Zverina Anqi Guo, RBS Sally Little, ING Jay Surti Debra Zuckerman

May - August 2016

Design Lydia Thornley Design

Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF) publish this magazine. Whilst care is taken to ensure that the contents are accurate, WIBF cannot accept any liability for errors or omissions. Opinions expressed are those of the authors, not WIBF. Correspondence should be sent to: Marian Costello, Magazine Editor by email to magazine@wibf.org.uk Articles and illustrations remain the © copyright of the originators: reproduction in any form is prohibited without their written permission. All other material is the copyright of WIBF. All rights reserved internationally.

editor’s note “In this issue read about the achievements of WIBF’s members; their articles are a spotlight on them and give you inspiration to develop, adopt a ‘can do’ attitude and achieve your ambitions.” Marian Costello, WIBF Executive Board Member and Editor in Chief

elcome to the fresh, vibrant and bold redesign of our magazine, with WIBF’s new branding and in digital format. To get to this stage the magazine team and I have been on a journey to produce the magazine that you are now reading; we undertook a number of new activities: n Content – Reviewed the previous magazine content and agreed a new and revised content with the Executive Board giving a fresh look to the content. n Designer selection – Compiled a selection matrix to assist with interviewing new designers and reviewing their portfolios enabling us to shortlist designers. WIBF selected Lydia Thornley an experienced designer of magazines, both in digital and printed format. She interpreted the new WIBF rebranding, developed by Pretty, to redesign the magazine and create the digital version you are reading. n Executive Board involvement – Worked closely with the Executive Board to review designs, select the final design, produce a mock-up of the magazine and get approval for the finances to work with the designer and produce this magazine. This issue of the magazine includes an overview of WIBF’s Annual Awards

Luncheon on Friday 10th June 2016. Macquarie are this year’s Headline Sponsor of the WIBF Awards Luncheon; they are also one of the WIBF Corporate Sponsor Members. A yearly event now in its 19th year, the luncheon has always been a truly wonderful event; be there and enjoy the lively banter and network, network, network. In this issue read about the achievements of WIBF’s members; their articles are a spotlight on them and give you inspiration to develop, adopt a ‘can do’ attitude and achieve your ambitions. Read about Jenny Smith, Head of Operational Enablement (Banking Operations), Tesco Bank. See how WIBF’s previous Award Winners have succeeded as leaders and achieved recognition; these include Ellvena Graham, 2013 Champion for Women Awards Winner, and 2015 WIBF Award for Achievement Winner, Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi. They are inspirational and give us food for thought. Reading about their approaches to their careers gives us insights in how to update our career plans so that we can challenge ourselves to be the best we can be. Their experience shows that we can all set challenging tasks and continually improve our knowledge, confidence and strength. Rachel Engel, Head of Macquarie Group Foundation, EMEA tells us about how Macquarie give back through their Corporate Responsibility Programme; she talks us through Macquarie’s Mentoring Works, their programme that educates the next generation on the skills they need to survive in the world of employment. WIBF has a wonderful, inexpensive and

diverse offering of events for its members. Make the most of WIBF programmes, they can help you on your journey. Our programmes run in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol and London. The Women on Boards programmes include events for aspiring Board members. The Personal Excellence Programme events in London offer workshops on how we can ‘Stand Up to Stand Out’, ‘The Imposter Syndrome’ and ‘Leading From the Inside Out’. Glasgow events include ‘Building Resilience’, ‘Improving Your Social Media Presence’ and ‘Wine Tasting’. Edinburgh events include ‘Your Future is now’, ‘Diversity, Trust and Leadership’, ‘Laughter for Health & Happiness’ and additional events. In London, WIBF run two speakers’ clubs using the Toastmasters Programme to help you to become an inspirational speaker in a short time; many of our members have achieved this including Sylvana Caloni and Christine Lawrence – two of WIBF’s previous Presidents as well as Jane Oliver, Executive Team member/ IT EMEA Chief Operating Officer for Credit Suisse, based in London and Rhian Pamphilon, Global Telecoms Industry Marketing Lead, Accenture. Check out WIBF’s redesigned and rebranded website for more events, www.wibf.org.uk. Our redesign has a convenient new Events Planner, on pages 22-25. Why don’t you print it out just as a reminder so you don’t miss booking any of WIBF’s events. Wishing you all a great summer! Marian Costello, WIBF Editor in Chief/ Executive Board Member May - August 2016

Welcome to your new-look WIBF magazine

The value of the Women in Banking and Finance Awards for Achievement is not only in the winning of the prize. It is in the raised profile, the broader experience, the access to senior colleagues. Edit Laszlo (Customer Experience Product Director, RBS), shortlisted for the 2014 Young Professional Award told us, “Winning is not everything – it’s more about the journey afterwards and what I leveraged from the nomination experience. 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.”

ur magazine now reflects what you, our members, have told us is important to you. You told us what you liked about the magazine so we have made that work better. We have kept the thought-provoking discussion of the issues that are important to women working in banking and finance today while making it available online in a userfriendly format. Together with our new-look website we can better share opportunities for career development and networking, while offering inspiration through upto-the-minute expert comment and by recognising the female talent working in banking and industry today. In the run-up to next month’s Awards Luncheon we have encouraged our corporate members to really look at the women who work for their organisations. For those of us who have long-standing involvement with WIBF it is a constant inspiration to meet the women and men nominated for these awards and to hear their take on the industry. What I hear is how much progress still needs to be made and how women see that progress is specifically needed in active mentorship, engaged sponsorship, and meaningful networking. That is why these awards do matter. This was made very clear to me at the launch of this year’s awards. Following her introduction, Ruth Wandhöfer, Winner 2015 Award for Achievement (and Global Head of Regulatory & Market Strategy, Citi), told us that she didn’t recognise the woman described as herself. It was certainly a glowing introduction but it was all true. It is WIBF’s role to help women recognise their strengths and to use them in their workplace and in their career progression. Ruth said, “The importance of organisations like WIBF cannot be underestimated. WIBF is helping to not

May - August 2016

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. In my view, formal and informal mentoring and sponsorship should be key objectives for every senior – both men and women – within an organisation in order to help grow the female talent within the business.”

“Diversity matters throughout your organisation.” Janet Thomas, WIBF President

Nominees and even winners have told us that they were unknown within their organisation until the WIBF awards shone the light on them. Isn’t that extraordinary? But isn’t that the value of the awards? Reaching out and shining the spotlight on the gems. Highlighting the women without recognition and asking the industry, what are you doing to support this woman? Where is her sponsor? Who is going to champion her?

This all reiterates the message that diversity matters throughout your organisation. It is not simply boxticking, or quota management; it is individuals, one by one, working for and with each other to add up to more than a token effort. It is individual effort plus corporate effort that adds up to something meaningful industry-wide. This year we want to ensure that the WIBF Awards for Achievement have a positive and effective impact for women, for diversity and for our industry beyond the day of the Awards Luncheon. I would love to hear your thoughts about this. Contact me at admin@wibf.org.uk I hope to see you on Friday 10th June at the 19th annual WIBF Awards for Achievement Luncheon at the London Hilton on Park Lane, our biggest and most impressive ceremony yet. If you can’t be at the Awards Luncheon in person, join us online at our fabulous new website where you’ll find all you need to know about the awards, the nominees and where you can support our chosen charity, Rosa – the UK fund for women and girls, by buying raffle tickets for our gala raffle. Janet Thomas WIBF President

regions

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” Mahatma Gandhi

Before I sign off, it would be remiss of me to not mention our fabulous new-look Magazine and I’d like to extend thanks and congratulations to our Editor, Marian and the rest of the team for making this possible!

Elaine Meyrick bristol chair

Cristina Chimenti Glasgow Chair

nnovation and Change Leadership are hot topics for most companies out there and it is great to see that WIBF has its finger on the pulse of business. We are excited about our brand new website with a completely fresh look and feel, vibrant and informative. This is in line with our continued efforts to offer an attractive proposition to our corporate members. Coupled with a robust Social Media Strategy, the website gives WIBF the competitive edge when vying for corporate attention and sponsorship. Increased interest and attendance at our events in Glasgow show we continue to get traction locally and our packed 2016 Events programme will keep the momentum with lots of relevant, highly sought after opportunities for women to come together, exchange ideas and connect. Our networking events are proving popular and we have introduced event themes such as Building Resilience and looking to expand professionally with a Charity Directorship. Watch out also for our Mentoring Programme, re-launched again this year to support our members realise their potential, grow and blossom in work and in life.

Striking that perfect work/life balance – the ‘holy grail’ of the modern professional

orking hours have increased dramatically in recent years. In many professions it is considered the “norm” to work in excess of 60 hours per week. The advance of technology, email and more recently, smartphones, have fundamentally changed the way in which we communicate geographical barriers are no longer barriers. The world is accessible 24/7 and businesses benefit from immediate access to a global marketplace. However, this brings its own challenges – juggling the demands of work and other areas of life can be difficult. It is estimated that three in ten UK workers, mainly women, will suffer a stress related illness each year caused by work pressures. A recent Mental Health Foundation study found that work related stress costs Britain 10.4 million working days per year – convert that into pounds and the results are staggering. A stressed workforce is not an efficient workforce! This summer, the Bristol team will host an event (in conjunction with EY) around managing stress in the workplace. The event will provide some useful tips aimed at encouraging a healthy work-life balance – a necessary component to a stress-free workplace.

Health is more than the absence of disease. It is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing

Sharon Forder & Suzanne Reynolds Edinburgh Co-chairs

ne of the priority areas for a lot of employers in our sector and other sectors is on Health and Wellbeing of staff and how this links to greater engagement and productivity plus meets employer responsibilities. Within WIBF we have recognised that our calendar of events also needs to incorporate a range of topics covering development, networking, mentoring and wellbeing. This means we are aligned to our corporate and individual members’ needs so you will see more wellbeing topics. For many the focus is on physical wellness through corporate challenges however there is a greater recognition that mental wellness and health need all of our attention – for ourselves and for the colleagues we all work with. May - August 2016

seen & heard

New initiative: Champion for Women programme

May - August 2016

Moody’s: the newest platinum corporate member of WIBF

We are delighted to welcome Moody’s as the newest Platinum Corporate Member of WIBF.

Who was there: n Melanie Seymour, MD at Blackrock and Vice President of WIBF n Heather Melville, Director for Strategic Partnerships, RBS n Chris Turpin, Managing Director, EMEA, First State Investments n Vanessa Vallely, Founder, WeAreTheCity n Erica Handling, General Counsel, Blackrock

Sally McFall, WIBF Edinburgh Board Member, was kindly invited in to the London and Edinburgh office of Moody’s to give a presentation on the benefits of being a Corporate Member and discuss our individual membership

Hosts: WIBF at the University Women’s Club

What members learnt: The programme aims to build a network of high-level women and men, within WIBF to share common experiences, facilitate collaboration and relationshipbuilding across companies and also to act as champions for women in the

offering. During her Edinburgh trip, hosted by Colin Holmes, Managing Director of Insurance Enterprise Risk Solutions, we were fortunate that Mark Almeida, President of Moody’s Analytics was over from New York.

financial sector. Panellists spoke frankly about why they are champions for women and what this means for them, for their business and for the women and men they work for, and with. The structure of the discussion focussed on ‘What companies do/can do, What individuals do/can do, and What WIBF do/can do’. The overarching call to action was to ensure that the gender diversity needle moves in a positive direction at all these levels. May - August 2016

seen & heard

Focusing on Your Future: The Power of Vision

Who was there: Marian Costello, WIBF Editor in Chief/Executive Board Member, Debra Zuckerman, WIBF Member and Content Management Team member

n n n n

Hosts: Bank of America Merrill Lynch

What members learnt:

An enjoyable and thought provoking event. Marian Costello and Debra Zuckerman co-facilitated the workshop challenging the attendeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; thought processes by setting a series of exercises and questions. The questions included: n What is your life like now? n What are your unique qualities? 8

May - August 2016

Where does your attention go? How do you divide your attention in your career and life now? How do you create your future? What legacy do you want to leave?

The workshop gave the attendees the opportunity to evaluate their current situation and the time to reflect where they wanted to be in the future resulting in a credible future vision. At the end of the evening, five of the attendees individually stood up to show the audience what their vision of the future was by displaying their vision board and discussing the value of attending the workshop.

Charity Directorship

Who was there: David McGibbon, Cancer Support Trust, Dress for Success Scotland and North Glasgow Integration Trust

Hosts: Blysthswood Square Hotel

What members learnt:

David McGibbon shared his vast experience in board membership both in the private and in the public sector. And local charities talked about their challenges and equally some exciting

leadership opportunities within their boards. Organisations such as iMultiply and the Glasgow Print Studio also offered information and shared leadership tips.

Pre-Christmas networking event

Who was there: WIBF Members Hosts: Clinique, House of Fraser What members learnt:

The science of skincare! Clinique was on hand to give tips, tricks and free makeovers. The hugely discounted designer rail gave our members some much needed retail therapy in the lead up to the Christmas season. May - August 2016

WIBF Women on Boards Event: Walking the Tightrope of Board Responsibility

for improvement. Helen emphasised the need to recruit people with L-plates onto boards.

“Diversity on boards is much broader than gender diversity. It is about recruiting directors who have different skills and experiences to the existing board directors.”

The importance of NEDs being completely independent was stressed. Helen commented that independence is a mindset. You can still be supportive and be independent. It is about asking questions carefully in the right tone, so people don’t get defensive and you are able to extract the information you need. Helen emphasised the need to avoid “collusion” amongst board members at all costs. She said post the Financial Crisis the biggest criticism made of boards was that there was not enough challenge by Board directors of the Executive teams.

Helen Pitcher, Advanced Boardroom Excellence

n 3rd February Helen Pitcher from Advanced Boardroom Excellence, spoke to WIBF members about Walking the Tightrope of Board Responsibility. Helen spoke about the increasing demands and pressures on Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) and about walking the tightrope of board responsibility. What roles and responsibilities do NEDs in financial services have and are we expecting too much from them? Helen discussed the fact that being a NED is a huge responsibility and that people often underestimated the amount of work and time commitment involved. She also commented that typically the best NEDs are also Executive Directors in their day jobs, so have conflicting demands on their time. Helen emphasised the need for NEDs to be in and around the business doing deep dives and asking questions. It’s not just a case of reading the board pack and turning up to the board meetings.

May - August 2016

Helen explained that typically doing a serious NED role properly is a 30-60 days a year commitment and if you work out the remuneration on that basis, the job is not as well paid as people think (on a per hour basis). Consequently Helen explained that most NEDs do the role because they are the type of people that care about standards and culture and want to give something back. Helen commented that one of the biggest challenges boards face is the lack of diversity in the leadership pipeline to be the next board directors. Helen said there was even a danger of an “old girls’ network”, as there are so few women with board experience that those who have made it then get overwhelmed by head hunters who are looking to recruit more women onto boards. Helen also stressed that diversity on boards is much broader than gender diversity. It is about recruiting directors who have different skills and experiences to the existing board directors. The average age of a board director used to be 65. While this has now reduced to 56, there is still room

Special thanks to Helen Pitcher and her team from Advanced Boardroom Excellence for this insightful and informative evening. Thank you also to Credit Suisse for hosting this event. Miranda Abraham WIBF Head of Corporate & Public Board Appointments

llvena Graham is a life-long banker who has recently moved to a new phase in her career with a portfolio of Non-Executive positions. Her experience in senior management in Financial Services has helped her develop the skills she’s needed as a Chairman, Board Director and Advisory Board member. Ellvena worked in Ulster Bank (a subsidiary of RBS) for over 30 years, most recently holding the Executive positions of COO of Ulster Bank Group, Managing Director of SME Banking across the island of Ireland and Head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland. Although she now has a diverse portfolio

of interests, in a number of industries, she retains strong links to Ulster Bank as Non-Executive Director of the Bank. Ellvena is also Chairman of : n Electricity Supply Board (ESB), Ireland’s largest energy Utility. ESB operates across all aspects of the electricity market, from generation, to transmission/distribution and supply; n the Belfast Waterfront & Ulster Halls, two entertainment venues, including a new venture established to attract international conferences to Belfast; n the Economic Advisory Group (EAG), a group of CEOs and Economists who provide the Stormont Executive with independent expert guidance on key areas that underpin the development of the NI Economy. How did you transition to NonExecutive Director? While the move to non-Executive roles was a natural progression for me, it didn’t happen overnight. I worked on the transition for a number of years prior to finishing full-time employment. I gained valuable experience from my interactions with the Ulster Bank Board and sub-committees over a number of years. I also spent time on a large Charity Board. Charities deal with a wide range of strategic and organisational issues, so this provided invaluable board experience. I joined ESB as a board member in 2010 and was honoured to be appointed ESB Chairman in 2015. From the outset, given the scale and reach of the company, it involved hard work and commitment. I often read the Board packs on a Sunday night, to minimise the time taken out of my day job. I’m grateful that Ulster Bank as my employer supported my endeavours at that time and could see the benefit of me gaining insights into a large, complex organisation in another industry. I’m a strong advocate of encouraging senior managers to take on outside directorships. What were some of the challenges in making that transition? The most interesting challenge has been the need to develop the skill of being able to make decisions based on often high level information as a Non-Executive, versus having been submerged in an organisation as an Executive.

Executive and Non-Executive are really two completely different roles. The Executive is immersed in all the detail of the business, constantly thinking about issues and threats. The Non-Executive should not try to know more about the business than the full time manager. The Board is there to support and challenge management, ask the big questions and bring an independent perspective. Balancing a diverse range of commitments can also be challenging. The Executive has a principal focus on a single organisation, but serving on a number of Boards means balancing competing demands from different organisations and giving them all due attention. How do you balance your time across different organisations? Outside of scheduled meetings, it’s a case of prioritising what is most important in a given week, although events often dictate which company needs more attention. I’ve learned the value of dedicating a significant amount of time, up front, to properly understand an organisation’s management structures, culture and complexities in some detail. That pays huge dividends when issues emerge. Have you met any challenges due to being a female Board member? I’ve been fortunate that both ESB and Ulster Bank have strong gender diversity at the Board table. Notwithstanding that, I am proud to be the first woman Chair of ESB, in its 89 year history. Both organisations have >30% women on their Boards and I believe critical mass is important.

How can men support their female colleagues? I have always had a male Mentor and believe I’ve benefited from the different perspective. I’d encourage men to mentor women and vice versa. I also recommend that a male Executive takes up the mantle of the Diversity Champion in any organisation – the need for diversity is, and needs to be seen as, a business issue, not a woman’s issue. The hard research is there. Diverse organisations do better. They know their customers better. They make better business decisions. How should young women prepare themselves for Board positions? I’d recommend joining a charity or local school Board, providing it is professionally run. That can give good insight into committee structures, the roles of Chairman and Company Secretary, etc. But in the end, it is about bringing your own skills and life experience to bear on whichever Board you join. Organisations face many similar issues and I never cease to be amazed at just how transferable and relevant our skills are, e.g. commercial, legal, HR, Finance, Compliance, etc. Also be your own person. If you don’t agree, don’t just fall into line. You are there to do what you believe is right for the Company. Without stereotyping, I often see women as more supportive by nature, able to challenge constructively and often more willing to ‘call it as it is’. Gender diversity, like all diversity, prevents group think setting in. Marian Costello WIBF Editor in Chief/ Executive Board Member

“Be your own person. If you don’t agree, don’t just fall into line. You are there to do what you believe is right for the Company.” Ellvena Graham, Chairman and Non-Executive Director

May - August 2016

WIBF Independent Research Millennial Woman Initiative

he WIBF Millennial Woman initiative was borne out of the realisation that our young female talent are leaving the finance industry in worrying numbers. A lack of support in navigating the culture of the finance industry coupled with millennial’s eagerness to break down traditional barriers and be associated with firms that have a greater social impact has resulted in a host of millennial women feeling disengaged. WIBF has committed itself to gaining further understanding on the issues that are affecting millennial women and working together to find practical solutions.

awareness of the issues millennial women face and design events to support them. She is an alumna of City University London where she achieved her BSc Software Engineering (Hons) in 2009. Outside of work, Giselle is a travel junkie, amateur photographer, master chef and wine lover. Words that I live by: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt

travelling. Linda is always open to trying new things to take her out of her comfort zone and opens the door for new experiences. Words that I live by: “Why not?”

MEET THE TEAM

Name: Giselle Frederick Company: Credit Suisse, WIBF Giselle is leading the WIBF Millennial Women Initiative. She is Business Analyst / Project Manager in Global Markets Change for the Strategic Risk Programme at Credit Suisse. Giselle is an avid champion of millennial women in the workplace. Her work as part of the Multicultural Network and European Women’s Network (Paths To Success subcommittee) at CS allows her to raise 12

May - August 2016

Name: Donna Cadiente Company: Credit Suisse, WIBF Donna has worked in Finance industry for over 5 years, 4 years as a Management Consultant in Accenture and over a year as PM in Credit Suisse. Outside work, she enjoys creative endeavours like painting, guitar playing and volunteering. Words that I live by: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle” – James Keller

Name: Linda Esilaba Company: Barclays, WIBF Linda is a Business Analyst for Strategic and Regulatory Change. Outside of work, she is passionate about kickboxing, good food and

Name: Nazia Tingay Company: Barclays, WIBF Nazia is an Agile Programme Manager for Barclays Digital. She has been in (STEM) Technology for over twenty years and has been lucky enough to work for many international organisations. Outside of work, Nazia is passionate about gender diversity, running, music and reading. Words that I live by: “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage” – Anais Nin

With the recent creation of Stewart Investors, Maria is focused on creating a business-wide immersive induction program, in conjunction with HR. In her spare time, Maria plays Chopin (piano) or visits her family in Sicily! Words that I live by: “A dream is unrehearsed” – Yehudi Menuhin

Name: Maria Falsone Company: Stewart Investors, WIBF Graduate of Psychology from the University of Edinburgh, and of the British Suzuki Institute in Suzuki piano teaching. After an introduction to the finance world in RBS, Maria started at Stewart Investors as team assistant in Projects and Operations. But with a keen and real interest in psychology and education, Maria has taken on the responsibility of learning and development for the wider business.

Name: Raimah Amevor Company: International Institute of Strategic Studies, WIBF Raimah Amevor completed her MSc in Conflict Studies at the London School of Economics in 2015. Whilst studying, she worked with Deloitte’s global corporate social responsibility team supporting their partnership with The Social Progress Imperative. Upon graduating she began working as a Research Analyst covering political, military and humanitarian developments for Nigeria’s two conflicts; Boko Haram in the Northeast and the Niger Delta oil crises for The International Institute of Strategic

Studies. Raimah is also the editorial assistant for the WIBF magazine. Words that I live by: “What God intended for you goes far beyond anything you can imagine”– Oprah Winfrey

For further information on the WIBF Millennial Initiative or if you would like to get involved please contact us on wibf.mw.initiative@gmail.com

wibf magazine proofreader

information for advertisers Sizes

artwork requirements

Full page bleed 216 x 303mm (A4 + 3mm bleed) Full page type area 182 x 265mm Half page horizontal bleed 216 x 146.5mm Half page horizontal type area 182 x 129.5mm Quarter page type area 87.5 x 129.5mm

Please supply artwork to size in one of the following formats: Press resolution PDF with all fonts embedded and all images CMYK High resolution (300dpi) JPEG, CMYK Supply of copy and images for layout by us carries an additional cost.

For advertising and artwork rates, please contact Marian Costello at marian.costello@wibf.org.uk

• • • • •

Do you have an eye for detail? Are you organised, self-sufficient and a good communicator? Are you able to proofread three magazines a year (4 hours per week / 32 hours per magazine)? Can you attend monthly twohour meetings? This voluntary role includes reading copy at draft, layout and proof stages.

May - August 2016

mentoring works

Rachel Engel, Head of the Macquarie Group Foundation, EMEA talks WIBF through Macquarieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mentoring Works, their programme that educates the next generation on the skills they need to survive in the world of employment.

May - August 2016

Corporate Social Responsibility Spotlight

helped to increase their confidence, independence and ambition. And whilst the students continue to learn, so do our people – improving leadership, communication and relationship-building skills.

iving back to the communities in which we live and work is at the heart of the Macquarie Group Foundation. Since 1985 our people have raised £120 million and volunteered 33,500 hours to help 1,500 community organisations around the world. One initiative we have been involved with for nine years in London is Mentoring Works, a formal business mentoring programme for local students run by the East London Business Alliance. As part of Macquarie’s supported volunteer programme we work directly with schools and colleges in Islington through our partnership with the BIG Alliance (Businesses for Islington Giving) enabling staff to mentor young people from Year 10 and Year 12. Why is Mentoring Works important? Many of Islington’s young people are struggling to obtain suitable training and work options. Some have limited access to adequate careers advice, employability skills training varies in quality and others suffer from a lack of professional role models. Mentoring can tackle these problems by connecting students with successful and responsible Macquarie volunteers. The relationship helps young people to better explore training and work options; to have a positive role model, to widen horizons, building skills that employers value and better understand the link between academic achievement and employment.

Student feedback “I learnt how to present myself in front of other people and working on my organisation skills. I also learnt how to project my voice. My favourite part was that I got to experience what it is like to work in a business environment.”

“Since launching the programme over 550 students in Islington and Hackney, many of whom are girls, have been supported by over 350 Macquarie volunteers.” Rachel Engel, Head of Macquarie Group Foundation, EMEA

How have we made a difference in 2015?

independently to our City office to meet their business mentors. For some students, this was their first experience travelling to these parts of London. Meeting every two or three weeks, the flexible and student-led mentoring sessions covered a variety of topics from university choices and career paths to personal budgeting, political manifestos and whether a man really did land on the moon.

Our ten month programme with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Girls School, which runs through the academic year, sees Year 10 students travel

Building practical skills such as CV writing, interview techniques, exam revision and time management, many students reported the sessions also

Mentor feedback: “I have enjoyed working with the younger generation and have developed my skills in patience, communication, empathy and leadership” Macquarie Mentor 2014/15 School feedback: “Students have to move out of their comfort zone and develop communication skills with adults and be self-managers with maintaining the relationship with their mentor. A big thank you to ELBA, Mentoring Works and Macquarie for their ongoing support with this programme”. Paul McIntyre, Assistant Headteacher, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School Where are they now? Oyinkan Mohyley: Oyinkan was part of a small mentoring group in 2007. She says she was inspired by her Macquarie mentors and found the experience gave her the “confidence to aspire and work towards [her] future career.” Completing school, Oyinkan studied biomedical sciences at university and upon graduating, joined a medical laboratory company. She’s now working towards becoming an accredited biomedical scientist. Rachel Engel, Head of Macquarie Group Foundation, EMEA. May - August 2016

winning the day Ruth Wandhรถfer, citi

May - August 2016

inside story

“Being on the road, talking with regulators, industry peers, emerging FinTech companies, corporate clients and FI clients, whilst at the same time supporting the internal business and product strategy, sales and relationship managers and training can sometimes be a challenging task.”

generally do not require an alarm clock to wake me up in the morning as my two-year old daughter has helpfully decided to take over this duty. Breakfast is rapidly prepared with Italian coffee, cereals and fruit and off we are to the nursery and to the bank. This can all change however if there is something urgent to attend in the Asia region. If this is the case I could well end up with my alarm clock waking me at 6.30am to dial in to a conference call. At 8.30am: My first activity is to go through all the emails from the morning and review the plan of the day. The great thing is that no day is ever the same in my job, which is why I am generally excited about what is to come. My days vary and can be made up of an external meeting with a regulator in the UK, or an industry working group taking place in Brussels. I might find myself involved in internal business reviews, or working on supporting a specific internal compliance project. There could be time dedicated to crossbank business strategizing in light of the different regulatory and market transformative drivers. Or I could find myself chairing a conference or attending back to back client meetings (with a corporate or a bank for example). At 12:00pm if I get to it, I will try to grab a sandwich and go back to my desk or straight to my next meeting. It’s always nice to find time to sit down and enjoy

Ruth Wandhöfer, citi

some nice food out, although this rarely does happen. At 3:00pm, an industry meeting may have just finished and I could be on my way back to the office. I might be dialling in to a conference call or a bilateral update with a central bank or regulator to discuss a topic of current importance. I also find this is a good time to put in any calls I might need to make to the US, whether this would be a trade body that I’m working with, or a call with a business team from our New York office. More recently, given the increasing focus over the last year on the business application of revolutionary technologies such as blockchain, I have found myself participating in various workshops with our colleagues from Citi Ventures and our Innovation Lab. The early afternoon is also a time where client or internal webinars take place. If it is the case that I happen to be running one of these, you would find me sitting in front of my computer and telephone. Or I might be in a client meeting. Discussing the strategic impacts of regulatory change and innovation with corporate CEOs and treasurers is exciting and positive client feedback can give you a very rewarding energy boost, especially in the afternoon. At 6:00pm, anything that I have not yet managed to go through or prepare for are my main focus now. For example I could be working on a press article

or on a chapter contribution to a book. Equally, I may look at my current PhD progress (I am researching the implications of blockchain on payment systems) and continue writing or devising questionnaires or exchanging feedback with industry peers and contacts in the FinTech space. 9:00pm Having re-checked emails and prepared for the next day, the family is getting ready for bed. With a young daughter, sleep at night is not always guaranteed and the earlier everyone is in bed, the better. I got into my current role because I was very active at the industry level in my previous role as lobbyist at the European Banking Federation. By moving to Citi in 2007, I kept my old ties and expanded my network, whilst taking on a more business focused role within the bank. This effectively allowed me to combine the best of both worlds, leverage my regulator and industry connections and make them directly relevant to our business model, product strategy and client management and thought leadership. The most difficult part of my job is time management. Being on the road, talking with regulators, industry peers, emerging FinTech companies, corporate clients and FI clients, whilst at the same time supporting the internal business and product strategy, sales and relationship managers and training can sometimes be a challenging task. It helps to be German. May - August 2016

why speaking up matters rebecca doodson, Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment

have been fortunate to write in two previous issues of WIBF magazine about ‘Why Integrity Matters’. In those articles, I covered two fundamental aspects of integrity and ethical behaviour – the importance of trust, and individual accountability. In this issue I thought I would write about another aspect of business ethics; ‘why speaking up matters’. Whistleblowing has been a ‘hot topic’ in financial services for some time and in October last year the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) released new rules on whistleblowing for financial institutions. One of these rules needs to be complied with very soon – by 7 March 2016 affected firms are required to have appointed a ‘whistleblowers’ champion’ who will be responsible for overseeing the firm’s whistleblowing policies and procedures. The rest of the rules come into force in September this year and require affected firms to put in place certain procedures, including (but not limited to): n Internal whistleblowing arrangements able to handle all types of disclosure, from all types of person.

May - August 2016

n Telling UK-based employees about the FCA and PRA whistleblowing services. n Presenting a report on whistleblowing to the board at least annually. The introduction of these rules is a positive step towards supporting whistleblowers in financial services. But, you might be wondering what all this has to do with you? Surely the responsibility for managing whistleblowing in the firm lies with HR or Compliance, and besides – you cannot envisage a situation in which you would become a whistleblower. This is not an uncommon view. Part of my work at the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) includes delivering a ‘Speak Up’ workshop, where we talk to our members and financial institutions about best practice for raising concerns in the workplace. Generally, my first question to the audience is ‘has anyone here blown the whistle?’ and whilst a few people may tentatively raise their hands, the vast majority of people shake their heads. However, when I ask if anyone has ever brought something to their manager’s attention about which they

industry expert series

were concerned or worried, a lot more hands (including mine!) go up. Since even these kinds of disclosures can be thought of as speaking up or blowing the whistle, it becomes clear that the need for more support and protection for whistleblowers impacts us all. The Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) run a triennial ‘Ethics at Work’ survey, which investigates what employees think about the ethical business practices of their employer. The 2015 survey asked the question ‘During the past year at work, have you been aware of any conduct by your employer or colleagues that you thought violated either the law or your organisation’s ethical standards?’ In Britain, only 1 in 5 respondents answered ‘yes’ whereas in continental Europe that number was 1 in 3 respondents saying they had witnessed misconduct. However, when those people who said they had witnessed wrongdoing were asked a follow up question – ‘Did you raise any of your concerns with management, another appropriate person, or through any other mechanism?’ – the results revealed that only about half of people had reported what they have seen (45% of British respondents and 54% of

‘Albert Einstein said “The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it”. Even if we leave ‘evil’ out of the equation, when bad things happen – for instance Volkswagen installing devices in cars to ‘cheat’ emissions tests, or traders in chat rooms manipulating exchange rates – it affects everyone who works in that company, and possibly even the whole industry.’ respondents from continental Europe said they had not raised their concerns). There are many reasons why people may be unwilling or tentative to speak up. They may be concerned that they will lose their job, or be passed over for promotion. There may be peer pressure to keep the status quo. They may think that saying something is none of their business, or that even if they did say something, nothing would be done to remedy the situation. It can be very tempting to just ensure that we, as individuals, are behaving ethically and to leave others to their own devices. However, that is a recipe for disaster. Albert Einstein said “The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it”. Even if we leave ‘evil’ out of the equation, when bad things happen – for instance Volkswagen installing devices in cars to ‘cheat’ emissions tests, or

traders in chat rooms manipulating exchange rates – it affects everyone who works in that company, and possibly even the whole industry. Speaking up takes moral courage. It is important to recognise this and to help give employees the confidence they need to be able to raise concerns. This has been recognised by the FCA, and when the new FCA and PRA whistleblowing rules were published, Tracey McDermott, acting FCA Chief Executive, said “These rules are designed to… encourage a culture in which individuals working in the industry feel comfortable raising concerns and challenging poor practice and behaviour.” “It is… important that individuals… have the courage to approach their employers.” It is up to all of us to help to achieve this. May - August 2016

quick, practical and dirty â&#x20AC;&#x201C; how to assess your brand Networking and Personal branding expert Heather White tells you how to make the most of your personal brand

May - August 2016

personal branding

o many of us want change in our professional lives and for so many reasons. Often it is because we are:

n Not getting recognised n Not getting promoted n Not being invited to join committees / projects The list can go on and on. In part, the main reason why this is happening to you is because your reputation (personal brand) isn’t working for you. This is usually because: n n n n n n n

You haven’t shared enough of what you do with others Others don’t see the value in what you have done You’ve not influenced the right people You are not connected / networked with the right people You are not using ‘their’ language in ’their’ context You haven’t the right experience/skills to carry this through You keep your head down and get on with the job

What’s actually happening is that people aren’t ‘getting’ you. So how do you change this? I can show you exactly how to do this but I need to know if you are prepared to take a risk and get out of your comfort zone. Do you really want to change your situation or are you just venting? Are you ready to be disciplined? If the answer is yes to these questions then read on. Let’s get clear So that you can see for yourself exactly why is happening to you, please complete the following exercise. On a piece of paper (I know I’m being old fashioned) write down three headings: n n n

Soft skills Expertise (what are you knowledgeable about) Experiences (where have you gained your expertise from e.g. projects, industry etc.)

Under each heading list of all the reasons why people come to you. Think about what skills people come to you for, what experiences you have that people talk to you about and what areas of expertise people ask you to help them with. Review When you have finished grab a coffee and sit back and look at your list. Hmmm, let me see, hold it up higher, yep I can see it now. See how your list of soft skills is greater than your other two lists? I can also see the way you have described your expertise and experiences is a little vague and you’ve used a lot of generic terms. How do I know this? Well, having trained thousands of people on how to change and develop their personal brand and reputations, I know everyone follows a set pattern when writing up their lists. The belief is that your soft skills are more important (and can be easier to articulate) than your ‘hard skills. Yet when it comes to wanting to hire someone the initial skills we seek is an expert and or knowledgeable ‘about…’ who can solve my problem. Go back Have another look at your list and do three things for me. 1 What’s missing? Re-read your list and write down, in a different colour, all the things that you wish people would come to you for that aren’t on your initial list. Use the three headings to guide you. 2 Review your list and highlight everything that you wish people would stop using you for. 3

Review all your expertise / experiences and make sure that you are much more specific in the way you describe them e.g..... Prime Brokerage relationship manager specialising in FX, Onboarding and Client Service project management

What to do next 1 For the things you wish people would stop coming to you for, try to find someone who loves doing this stuff and develop a relationship with them. Find out if they would like to take on more of this stuff and gradually introduce this connection to others. A three way win. 2 Start sharing what you love doing and what you have achieved with everyone you meet and build your reputation accordingly. Now obviously there is a lot more to this than the above simple line so use your emotional intelligence to determine how to do this. Ask your mentor, mates, friends, colleagues what they do. Find a role model who does this well and see how you can replicate their approach in your own way. Or ask WIBF to invite me to write a follow-up article on this! 3 Get out there! ‘…learn(ing) through action will increase your outsight – the valuable external perspective you gain from direct experiences and experimentation’ Herminia Ibarra, Cora Chaired Professor of Leadership & Learning at INSEAD author of Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader. In summary “A brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room”, Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon. Why people come to you is your brand in action. The good news is that you can change this. Remember, if you aren’t clear of your value, why anyone else would be? If you are not shaping your reputation, then others will and the results of which you are experiencing. Remember: Share / tell about your expertise, experience and demonstrate your soft skills. Heather White Networking & Personal Brand Expert Boardroom Ready Intermediary @smarter_network heather@smarter-networking.com May - August 2016

Learning the Art of Being a GREAT Speaker at WIBF Speakers’ Clubs using the Toastmasters International Programme WIBF Speakers’ Clubs are part of Toastmasters, an internationally recognised organisation that aims “to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, which in turn fosters selfconfidence and personal growth”.

Weekly, 6.15pm for 6.30-8pm, See right for the dates of each club. Alternating between Royal Bank of Scotland Group in the City and Barclays in Canary Wharf

WIBF’s club curriculum is based on Toastmasters International, the renowned communications programme.

Who can join? It is a pre-requisite of WIBF Speakers (WIBFS) that you are also a member of Women in Banking and Finance. Members must commit to attend

WIBF Speakers’ City Club Meeting

Royal Bank of Scotland Group, 135 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 3UR. 6.15-8pm on the following dates: 4th May 18th May 1st June 15th June 29th June 13th July 27th July 10th August 24th August 7th September 21st September 5th October 19th October

regularly, take on any appropriate role and provide suitable notice if they cannot attend. We encourage prospective members to visit twice before joining. Please note that there is a separate fee to belong to the speakers club, this is a worthwhile investment in your career development. If you are interested please email: jackie.chatfield@wibf.org.uk

WIBF Speakers’ Canary Wharf Club Barclays, 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP

6.15-8pm on the following dates: 11th May 25th May 8th June 22nd June 6th July 20th July 3rd August 17th August 31st August 14th September 28th September 12th October 26th October

Toastmasters International (TMI) has approximately 270,000 members in more than 13,000 clubs in 106 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped individuals to become more confident in varied situations – from delivering presentations, to handling interviews and small talk, or giving public speeches. 22

May - August 2016

events may – november 2016 london networking

Executive Presence

9th May - 6pm to 8pm BP Oil International Ltd, 20 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NJ

The pace of change and degree of volatility and ambiguity that exist across complex organisations today, mean that leadership has never been so challenging. This workshop will help you to understand and practise some of the most critical influencing skills needed to enhance your ‘Executive Presence’, as well as whet your appetite to learn more.

networking

19th Annual awards for achievement luncheon 2016

10th June 2016 12:30pm to 3:30pm The Ballroom, Hilton Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE

Celebrating top talent in the banking and finance industry, WIBF’s Awards for Achievement is a vibrant occasion to remember. With categories for young achievers, experienced professionals, champions for women and diverse teams, the awards have shone the spotlight on influential leaders for almost two decades. See p26-31, for more on the awards, on previous winners, on this year’s charity and how to book.

personal excellence programme

Stand Up to Stand Out

11th July - 6pm to 9pm KPMG, 15 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5GL This interactive workshop encourages ‘free thinking’ and creativity with some performance related fun. It is all about listening and the rule of ‘yes, and?’ rather than ‘yes, but…’Humour is as valuable in business today as it is in our personal lives. This workshop will help you to throw away the corporate rulebook and have fun. You will find ways to present yourself in a more relaxed, authentic style to suit today’s modern business environment.

personal excellence programme

The Imposter Syndrome

12th September - 6pm to 9pm BAML, 5 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5QL

Even though you’re successful, do you sometimes feel like an imposter? The Imposter Syndrome is now recognised as a common experience amongst talented people in business. During this interactive session, you will investigate The Imposter Syndrome – what it is, how it can impact on performance and how to shift the attitudes that underpin it.

personal excellence programme

Leading From the Inside Out

10th October - 6pm to 9pm Citi group Centre, 25 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, E14 5LB Every decision you make is based on your core values (your personal motivators) whether you are consciously aware of them or not. This workshop will help you to discover your values, establish your true motivators and understand the power of your values priority order (and this is often not what you would think).

personal excellence programme

Game-Changer Masterclass

14th November - 6pm to 9pm EY, 25 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5EY

Do you have an upcoming event that could be a ‘game-changer’ in either your personal or professional life? For instance a key conversation, big presentation, appraisal, speech, interview or client pitch? Success starts with the right mindset, as Henry Ford famously said: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right!” During this interactive masterclass you will work independently, as well as on partnered and small group exercises, on a step-by-step ‘cheatsheet’ to help you prepare to pull off a game-changing event with confidence and ease.

May - August 2016

events may – november 2016 glasgow networking

Building Resilience

26th May - 6pm to 8pm BP Oil International Ltd, 20 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5NJ This is a great workshop with Dr Sue Mitchell, Executive Coach and Leadership Development Consultant. What do you know about the importance of mental toughness and resilience in building and sustaining your career? Come along to experience a life changing event with one of the thought leaders in this field.

networking

Improve Your Social Media Presence 23rd June - 6pm to 8pm Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow City Centre

Social Media dominates our lives and is the hottest topic people cannot stop talking about. Get Social Media Savvy with this Social Media Workshop, a great opportunity to stand out from the crowd – the right way.

networking

Wine Tasting Evening 12th July & 18th August 6pm to 8pm Inverarity, Glasgow

networking

WiBF Mentoring Programme

4th October - 6pm to 8pm Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow City Centre

Two evenings designed to tantalise your taste buds, lift your spirits and indulge your senses at one of Scotland’s leading wine merchants. Great chance to network in a relaxed and informal environment too!

Thinking about your next career move? Having a big decision to make? Working to improve a particular skillset or enhance a talent? Do you want to give back and help others with the benefit of your experience? Are you interested and passionate about women’s development? Are you senior or expert in your field? Come along to this Mentor/Mentee workshop to find out what our Mentoring Programme can offer you.

networking

personal excellence programme

Enhance Your Personal Brand

14th September - 6pm to 8pm Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow City Centre

Managing your personal brand starts with looking after yourself. Enjoy a Personal Branding and Styling Workshop to help you put your best foot forward in any situation.

Commando Spirit

19th October - 6pm to 8pm Blythswood Square Hotel, Glasgow City Centre

Part of our Personal Excellence Programme (PEP) Event series for 2016, join us for an evening of selfdiscovery that will not disappoint!

“WIBF has a wonderful, inexpensive and diverse offering of events for its members. Make the most of WIBF programmes, they can help you on your journey.” Marian Costello, WIBF Executive Board Member and Editor in Chief

May - August 2016

edinburgh personal excellence programme

networking

Laughter for Health & Happiness

Body Evolution

For Graduates to Directors, Sarah Corsar coaches women at all stages of their career to succeed and dream big.

This event will combine theory explaining the benefits of laughter along with practical exercises – using games, laughter yoga (simply laughing and breathing!) and therapeutic laughter to encourage us to lower our inhibitions, to have fun, to play, to be creative, to let go and to laugh loudly and heartily for the benefit of our health and our happiness.

The workshop in September will be focusing on how hormones control our weight, shape and energy levels, Nutrition coach Angie will share with you some ‘secrets’ on how this can work for you.

networking

personal excellence programme

Your Future is now

11th May - 6pm to 8pm Tesco, 2 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9FQ

Diversity, Trust and Leadership

16th May - 5:30pm to 8pm EY, 5th Floor, 10 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2DZ

Enhanced diversity is the cornerstone of very highest performing teams/organisations in the world. In these organisations, such as the Special Operations Executive/MI6, individuals learn why ‘liking’, ‘leadership’ and ‘trust’ underpin enhanced diversity.

28th June - 6pm to 8pm Salisbury suite, MacDonald Holyrood Hotel, 81 Holyrood Road, Edinburgh, EH8 8AU

Tips for building your confidence at work

14th September 5:30pm to 8pm Tesco, 2 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9FQ During this session you will look at what self-confidence is and how you influence it, as well as try out some tools and techniques to enhance it – unleashing your potential for the workplace challenges ahead.

29th September 5:30pm to 8pm TBC - Please see website

Difficult conversations

16th November - 5:30pm to 8pm TBC - Please see website

This session explains the perceptions around difficult conversations, why we avoid them, and why we often handle them badly. It introduces a couple of tools and approaches which make it safe to talk about almost anything in the workplace and in your personal life.

how to book n Go to WIBF’s website, www.wibf.org.uk n Select event and book yourself in. n Should you wish to cancel your booking, 24 hrs’ notice is required for a full refund. Please contact operations@wibf.org.uk

May - August 2016

SAVE THE DATE: the 19th Annual

Awards for Achievement Luncheon 2016 HEADLINE SPONSOR

The Ballroom, Hilton Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, London, W1K 1BE Friday 10th June 2016 12:30pm to 3:30pm Members : £180 Guests : £200 Tickets available at www.wibf.org.uk/events/ details/19th-annual-awards-forachievement-luncheon-2016

Together we can celebrate the remarkable work of the talented women within the banking and finance sector. Together we can celebrate the organisations and the colleagues who provide the support and structure for that work to take place.

ur 19th Annual Women in Banking and Finance Awards for Achievement will take place next month. It makes me proud to be involved with these awards and to know that year after year we reach more people and encourage more involvement with our ambition of greater diversity and greater opportunity within our industry. Each year we are bigger and better. This is not only a source of pride for us, it should be a source of pride for the industry.

May - August 2016

We want the celebration of achievement to continue throughout the year. Our work is not done when the last speech of the day is made. This is why we must share the best practice we learn about, we must be the role models, we must step up as mentors, we must put ourselves forward to be sponsored. Our ambition is clear – to celebrate the best work, the highest standards, the innovative achievements and let these women shine throughout the year. Celebration, inspiration, collaboration. Together we can do more. Janet Thomas WIBF President

inspired by the achievements of our impressive shortlisted nominees and winners. And we were right! We are delighted that so many members will be with us at the Awards Luncheon this year.

am looking forward to seeing you on Friday 10th June at the 2016 WIBF Awards for Achievement Luncheon at the Hilton, Park Lane, our biggest and most impressive ceremony yet.

Last year, tables for the Awards Luncheon sold out months in advance leaving many members disappointed. We knew that if we provided more places at the Luncheon, more members would join us to celebrate on the day and to be

Celebrating top talent in the banking and finance industry, WIBF’s Awards for Achievement is a vibrant occasion to remember. The awards have shone the spotlight on influential leaders for almost two decades. There are four awards:-

Achievement This award celebrates a woman who has achieved success within a senior role and who displays the qualities of dynamism and daring. Nominees should have excelled in their professional life and also shown that they have an ability to use their skills outside of their own career by either serving on boards of other organisations that affect public life or are involved in furthering the interests of women in the workplace. A successful nominee is likely to have set up a division or implemented new processes, created a new product or increased the firm’s customer base and satisfaction.

Young Professional This award celebrates a young woman, less than 35 years of age, who is making a significant impact. Her contribution, thus far, makes her “the one to watch” as she shapes her organisation, both in terms of

The support of the Hilton in arranging this year’s Luncheon has been invaluable and I am sure you will agree on the day that the Hilton Park Lane ballroom looks fabulous and makes a perfect backdrop for our celebrations. Our Luncheon sponsor Macquarie has shown incredible enthusiasm and commitment to the Luncheon and to the Awards’ wider aim of increasing diversity and opportunity in the banking sector. I am very grateful to them for working so closely with us to make the 2016 Awards for Achievement Luncheon great success.

financial success and as an example to others. She is also likely to be involved in charity or community work.

Champion for Women This award recognises a senior executive who through personal commitment, application and dedication, continuously promotes and inspires women in the workplace to reach their full potential. A successful nominee is likely to have created or served on the steering committee of a women’s network. She or he will have helped increase the profile and career opportunities for women, liaised with other external networks, organised events and mentored young aspiring women leaders.

Team Diversity This award recognises team success in women’s career development. The team nominated may be a business-line team that has driven and embedded the diversity agenda into the business or a specialist function e.g. Human Resources or Diversity & Inclusion, which in partnership with the business has provided a vision and framework to support the diversity agenda. Successfully nominated teams will have demonstrated results and business

For me, one of the important highlights of this year’s Luncheon is that WIBF has chosen to continue our relationship with the charity, Rosa, the UK fund for women and girls, who will receive the proceeds from the Luncheon’s gala raffle. As we know, longer-term partnership is so valuable in increasing awareness, in this case of the hard work done by Rosa in providing opportunity and support for women – aims close to the heart of every member of Women in Banking and Finance. Congratulations to all of our shortlisted nominees for this year’s Awards for Achievements. You should all be very proud of yourselves. We, at WIBF, are certainly very proud of you. Roll on, Friday 10th June. Let the celebrations begin. Melanie Seymour WIBF Vice President

benefits in embedding the diversity agenda. Initiatives will be regarded as best practice and may have been noted externally with academic/professional bodies and groups as case studies. Each year, WIBF recognises the outstanding achievements of three truly remarkable individuals who have demonstrated leadership, professionalism or community service in the banking & finance industry. Since 2014, we have celebrated a remarkable team as well in the Team Award for Diversity. The Achievement Awards stand for qualities that WIBF itself embodies. A readiness to take risks in our industry; innovative thinking; a commitment to diversity; talent retention; leadership excellence and a sense of responsibility not only for us but also for others. The WIBF Awards for Achievement Luncheon provides an ideal opportunity for financial institutions to raise the awareness and profile of women in their organisation, who exemplify the qualities of a role model to others. It also provides a formal and professional environment to reward high achievers, entertain clients, and to network with other like-minded professionals. May - August 2016

the 19th Annual Awards for Achievement Luncheon 2016

PREVIOUS WINNERS – 2015 LUNCHEON

KEYNOTE SPEAKER 2016

n October 2015, Noreen Doyle was appointed Chair of the British Bankers’ Association, the leading trade organisation for the banking industry in the UK.

Noreen also serves as the Vice Chair of the Board of Credit Suisse Group and Chair of the Board of Credit Suisse International and Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited, its UK regulated bank and broker dealer subsidiaries. She is currently Vice Chair of the Board and Chair of the Audit Committee of Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the world’s largest gold producers. Noreen served as First Vice President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 2001 to 2005. Previously, she was firm wide head

May - August 2016

of Risk Management, and had established its syndication business. Before joining EBRD, Noreen had a distinguished career at Bankers Trust Company (now Deutsche Bank) specializing in oil & gas and mining, and leveraged finance. Noreen has a BA from the College of Mount Saint Vincent, Riverdale, New York, and served on and chaired its Board of Trustees. She has a keen interest in education and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Governors of Marymount International School, a Catholic day and boarding school for girls in Kingston upon Thames. She has an MBA from Tuck School at Dartmouth College. She has been proud to serve as the Patron of WIBF since 2012.

EY Restructuring Team, winner of WIBF Team Diversity Award 2015 “We feel extremely proud to be recognised by the WIBF for the progress we have made on this critical issue. Particularly given the strength of the other nominations and the stories of other award winners. Hearing the personal journeys and achievements of so many organisations and individuals in our industry is inspiring. For those who are looking to increase the diversity of their teams, I think firstly, it’s important to see that this a key business issue; secondly, they make addressing this a conscious and visible challenge that is focused on every day across all levels of the organisation, with clear senior leadership and sponsorship; and thirdly, they recognise that this does require a change in many people’s behaviours, which can take time. So don’t be disheartened or give up, this is too important!” – Alan Hudson, Partner, Head of UKI Restructuring

“As the road is still long, my view is that women need to have access to all possible means of support, mentorship and sponsorship in order to help achieve a better and more equal outcome within our organisations.” Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi

and meritocracy for all. Winning the award has enabled us to remind our male leaders of this need and to emphasise that it’s an important part of being a leader. We’ve seen a noticeable increase in the number of men attending our events and have launched a programme encouraging ‘champions for women’. Our male colleagues may, unwittingly, have been part of the problem but their role in being part of the solution needs to be more deliberate and focused.

Alan Haywood, BP group treasurer, WIBF Champion for Women It’s always rather nice to be recognised but the reality of receiving an award last year is that it was acknowledgement for the hard work of many people within BP’s Canary Wharf office. For the past several years, we have sought to promote the idea of everyone – female or male – realising her or his potential. With the support of BP as a whole, we have been encouraged to challenge the status quo and tackle the unconscious biases. Receiving the award was a confidence boost that we’re heading in the right direction. Much was made of the fact that I was the first man to receive a WIBF award. I think this reflects two elements: firstly, that more men are getting involved; and, secondly – and much more importantly – that we need men to be visible in championing the objective of equality

appreciate the level of achievements that I have reached in my career. At the same time, the award has assisted me in gaining more visibility within my own organisation.

The award has allowed us to maintain momentum within BP and brought a spotlight on the need to be working together to create necessary change. It has allowed me to re-energise my support for all the great work being undertaken in BP.

Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi global head of regulatory & market strategy, winner of the WIBF Award for Achievement I was extremely honoured to have been presented with the Award of Achievement for Women in Banking and Finance in 2015. Having the support from my organisation, Citi, to enrol in the process, I simply put down what I thought to be some of my major achievements, I was extremely surprised and proud of the ultimate impact of these. Receiving the award, which I found to be a very emotional and moving moment, has helped me in a number of ways. On one hand, it has helped me recognise and

Winner Young Professional Award, sponsored by Macquarie, Anett Galosfai, Business Development Manager, Quantitative Research Solutions, Thomson Reuters May - August 2016

our 2015 and 2016 awards charity: rosa Rosa, the only UK-wide Women’s Fund was launched in 2008 to mobilise resources for women’s rights and equality. Rosa actively: n Champions funding for women and girls n Raises funds and invests in change n Acts as a connector and advocate Rosa does this by awarding grants through four key strands: n Leadership, for an equal voice n Safety, for freedom from fear and violence n Promoting Health and Wellbeing n Achieving Economic Justice For more information visit www.rosauk.org.uk To donate go to www.www.rosauk.org Join Rosa’s newsletter by emailing info@rosauk.org Twitter: @RosaForWomen Facebook: RosaUK Company limited by guarantee 6598018 Registered Charity 1124856

May - August 2016

Rosa: the UK fund for women and girls Rosa Open Space event

osa is proud to once again be named WIBF’s chosen charity of the year and we’d like to say a big thanks to everyone that voted for us! Just as WIBF Inspires, Celebrates and Recognises, women’s achievements in banking and finance, so Rosa Invests, Champions and Connects women’s projects at the grassroots level.

n Women are not only at much greater risk of poverty than men, but they’re also likely to experience more frequent and more prolonged spells in poverty.

We have made great strides in the past eight years; however there is still much work to do. Recent studies have shown that:

Since receiving our fantastic donation from WIBF last June, Rosa has been involved in several inspiring projects. WIBF’s contribution last year helped us to launch a new website and shine a light on violence against women in BME communities through an innovative Open Space event and report.

n In the UK today, women still earn almost 20% less than men (and the disparity is increasing) n 43% of women under 35 have been sexually harassed at some point on the streets of London n 87% of young women today say they’re judged more on their looks than on their abilities

This is why Rosa continues to strive for gender equality through connecting, championing and investing in women and girls across the UK.

We also gathered evidence that shows 75% of grassroots groups Rosa has made grants to are not supported by other funders, many of which are Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women-led organisations. This

One of the most exciting new developments which WIBF helped support is the launch of our innovative new grants programme Voices From the Frontline. Funding charitable advocacy work, Voices from the Frontline will increase the skills, capacity and credibility of women who wish to challenge gender inequality and promote awareness and change, moving us closer to social justice and equality for women in the UK. We can make change happen faster, but to do that women’s organisations need more resources to advocate at local and national levels. They need the skills, confidence and connections to influence the change they want to see, and which all of us can benefit from. Voices From the Frontline will provide this, so look out for the announcement of our new grantees in the spring!

If you are interested in supporting Rosa we have a number of ways you can become involved. You can make a donation, fundraise with your women’s network or become a member of our corporate development board or our 1,000 club. For more information go to www.rosauk.org, or feel free to contact us via email on info@rosauk.org. On behalf of the Rosa team, trustees and the women we support across the UK we would like to say a big thank you to everyone at WIBF for your fantastic support!

photo: Tara Moore

illustrates how vital our role is in reaching communities other funders cannot.

StartUpNow (funded through the Rosa Centrica grants programme) Living in a hostel for young homeless women, Alice* had low self-esteem and had lost hope. She hadn’t been able to finish her education and lacked qualifications. When she received an offer to interview for a job, her lack of selfconfidence meant that she was terrified to put herself forward for the role. But with Startup’s interview skill one-on-one coaching, Alice’s new confidence helped her return to work. *Name has been changed.

“Some women and girls can find support for the ideas they have to help them change their own lives; many cannot. That’s why Rosa exists, and it’s why I support them.” Dame Marjorie Scardino, Rosa Ambassador

May - August 2016

distinguished profile

Arlene Isaacs-Lowe Managing Director - Head of Relationship Management EMEA at Moody’s Investors Service

What influenced your decision to get into banking and finance? My career in finance did not come about deliberately. When I attended Howard University, I initially thought I would pursue a career in law. However, my career counselor, after reviewing my high school transcript and noting that I excelled in mathematics, suggested that I consider getting an undergraduate degree in engineering or business and that I could always go on to law school after graduation. After taking a few courses in both areas, accounting seemed to come easily and, voilà, my career in finance was born. I never looked back. Early in my accounting career, I realized that while accounting came easy to me, I was actually more intrigued with being a part of the strategic planning process and making decisions. That prompted me to get a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and pursue a career in the capital markets – first in real estate finance and later in credit analysis. Getting an MBA in Finance and transitioning from accounting to investment management was a turning point early in my career. What are the greatest challenges in the day-to-day activities of your profession? The greatest challenges are also, what provide the greatest motivation and satisfaction. No day is the same. I lead a large and diverse team across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. I not only have to be prepared to respond to a range of management and business challenges, but also to flex to changing geopolitical risks, evolving regulatory frameworks and complex and sometimes volatile market trends. What key personal attributes enable you to deal with such challenges? One of my most significant strengths is the ability to think strategically and to provide solutions. I am also adept at embracing change and being nimble 32

May - August 2016

Estate franchise and needed industry expertise. It was an ideal platform for me to learn about the capital markets and credit analysis – a perfect match, at least for 2-3 years, I thought. However, I soon realized that the culture of the company suited me well. At that time, it was a relatively small company with a large footprint and well-recognized brand. Having an opinion and the ability to articulate your rationale was celebrated.

“I value the relationships that I have with women who have broken down barriers”

enough to redirect my team to change course if warranted. As important, though, is that I have high degree of emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity. Being able to quickly read a room, assess personality types and be sensitive to cultural nuances are essential skillsets for my role. What have been your career ‘turning points’? While my educational accomplishments have been instrumental in facilitating my career advancement, I have tried to focus on the things that I enjoy. My decision to pursue opportunities in institutional real estate investments was a catalyst for my career path. I was intrigued with commercial real estate because it was a tangible institutional asset class and mostly a private market and therefore negotiation skills were key to adding value. Moody’s was building its Real

How has failure played a role in your career? You can tell a lot about a person by how they respond to failure. I have learned much from my own failures as well as the failures of others. I have learned that the fear of failure can stifle creativity and cause you to never realize your full potential. The ability to recover from failure demonstrates fortitude, adaptability and resilience. I have learned to forgive myself, focus on the lesson learned to ensure that it is not repeated, and to move forward. As I look back over my career, it is clear that on those occasions that seemed like failure were actually opportunities for me to learn important lessons, not repeat the same mistakes, and to reset my direction. How can we engage men in gender diversity initiatives? At Moody’s, we found that training on unconscious bias can be very effective at enhancing awareness and minimizing defensiveness. It also helps to deter assumptions that are made about women around their willingness to take on assignments that may challenge their traditional family roles, such as relocation. Men have to practice asking questions that will help them to understand an individual woman’s circumstances and not make assumptions based on their own personal situation. Several years ago, I participated in a project conducted by The Executive Leadership

Three ‘secrets to success’ Council to identify barriers to black women ascending to the C-suite. What was unique about the project was the participation by several Fortune 500 CEOs (primarily white men) and the candor of their responses. Some of the key findings were applicable to all women and are still relevant. Getting men comfortable with providing constructive and transparent feedback is key to career development, particularly for senior-level women. It has also been my experience that at some point the assumption is you have all the necessary technical skills to succeed and the key determinant for further opportunities are the quality of the relationships you have within your reporting lines and across the organization. Men have to get comfortable in sponsoring and advocating for women. The “elephant in the room” is whether that relationship and support might be perceived as other than professional. Both men and women need to work on eliminating those perceptions. How have women helped you in your career? I would not be where I am without the advice, guidance and advocacy of other women. My grandmothers and my mother were strong role models with incredible work ethic. I value the relationships that I have with women who have broken down barriers, not only for their wisdom and career guidance but also because they are examples of what is possible. I also have a great appreciation for trusted relationships with women who can tell me the truth. That truth can help to level-set perceptions but it can also encourage you to be receptive to difficult but constructive feedback. Lastly, an important leadership development opportunity is the gift of mentorship that you can provide to less experienced but talented women. The celebration of the advancement and accomplishments of young women I have mentored have been very rewarding. What life advice would you give your younger self? Take more risks earlier in your career by exploring a range of career opportunities and be confident in your choices. I now also understand the importance of cultural and philosophical alignment with

your employer. It enables you to be your authentic self. We spend a lot of time at work. Organizations that celebrate individual differences allows you to be comfortable and feel accepted for the person you are. Not having to wear a facade in order to fit in allows you to focus on your performance and to bring your best self to work.

Mini CV Bachelors of Business Administration in Accounting Howard University, Master in Business Administration - Fordham University, graduated Summa Cum Laude. Certified Public Accountant Chartered Financial Analyst.

Employment: Please tell us about your first role in the banking and finance industry and the subsequent roles/companies that led you to your role now. My first substantive role was at MetLife Insurance, one of the largest global financial institutions. I started in the Comptroller’s department and was responsible for compiling internal management reports for MetLife’s non-insurance subsidiaries. I later transitioned to the Real Estate Investments Department as the controller for one of the largest territories. After receiving my MBA, I was promoted to portfolio manager and managed institutional real estate assets for several pension funds. MetLife provided a great opportunity for me to transition from accounting to finance and investment management. I left MetLife to pursue an entrepreneurial opportunity that taught me much about being strategic, creative and flexible in order to get things done with limited resources. It also taught me about the benefits of having a large infrastructure and being part of a reputable brand. Those were all important experiences that enabled a successful career at Moody’s. Raimah Amevor, WIBF Magazine Editorial Assistant.

Highlight three secrets you have relied on in your career 1 Prioritize your personal life and relationships with family members My greatest accomplishments are my children. I believe that you can recover from missteps in your career, but failure at parenting and relationships with family members have long-lasting and potentially generational consequences. I am extremely proud of the productive and accomplished adults that my son and daughter have become. They are morally grounded, socially conscious, well-educated and have embarked on promising careers and I know that I had a role in that. When young women ask me about work-life balance, my response is that as a professional woman I believe that you can have it all. However, you cannot always have it all at the same time. My distinction from Fordham University is notable because while attending graduate school I had my first child and worked full time. There have been several occasions when I had to make difficult choices and my children validate that I made the right life choices. 2 Be deliberate and strategic about your external networks External networks can be very effective in providing objective feedback, professional development guidance and opportunities. They can also provide a pathway to keep a pulse on industry trends and opportunities that are important in making strategic contributions within your current organization. External networks can provide important considerations as you continually assess your own market value. 3 Commit to giving back As I look back over my life, I know that I have been very fortunate and that many of my accomplishments would not have been possible without the support and guidance of others. Having benefitted from the generosity of others I feel strongly that giving back is not a choice but a responsibility. There will be points in your career when things may not go as well as you had hoped. Knowing that you have been instrumental in assisting someone who is less fortunate can make you feel good about the legacy that you will leave behind, irrespective of career challenges. May - August 2016

Mentorship and Support of Women Leaders Crucial to Solving Most Pressing Issues of Our Time “The Global Ambassadors Program enables women leaders from around the world gain specific experience and knowledge as they work to make an impact in their respective communities. ”

Jennifer Boussuge, Head of Global Transaction Services, EMEA, BAML

ithout the vital social and economic contributions of women in business, real change, growth and stability in our global community will not be possible. According to McKinsey Global Institute, equal participation in the economy by women and men would add up to $28 trillion, or 26 percent, to 2025’s global GDP, resulting in more robust economies around the world. However, for many women, their path to leadership is blocked by a lack of support and limited access to the resources that would help them achieve their goals. To address this challenge, Bank of America and Vital Voices Global Partnership created the Global Ambassadors Program, which advances women’s leadership through the power of mentoring. Women leaders in business, social enterprise or NGOs who are at a pivotal point in their professional lives are paired with established female executives who can provide the perspective, expertise and access to broad networks that will help the mentees achieve their goals. The Global Ambassadors Program enables women leaders from around the world gain specific experience and knowledge as they work to make an impact in their respective communities. Over the course of each week-long programme, mentors and their mentees take part in one-on-one mentoring and strategic planning sessions which focus on core skills such as building organisational management, developing financial acumen and improving leadership skills. Since the launch of this initiative in 2012, 12 mentoring programmes have been held in Poland, Northern Ireland, Mexico, Qatar, Singapore, Brazil, India, South Africa, Haiti, 34

May - August 2016

Japan and London, strengthening women leaders from more than 40 countries. In February this year, I was delighted to serve as a mentor in the Global Ambassadors Program held in London, which convened 11 women leaders from 10 countries in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) and Eastern Europe. Through their businesses, social enterprises and NGOs, these inspiring women are contributing to economic growth and social change in their communities, all the while navigating the challenges that are characteristic of regions in transition, such as humanitarian crises, fractured economies and unstable governments. For many of these women, cultural conditions, religious laws and government practices also form barriers to development. Without the right support, overcoming these challenges can be tremendously hard even for the most determined of leaders. The benefits of providing mentoring support are far-reaching. MENA in particular, is one of the regions with the most to gain from equalising its female and male labour market activity, with the potential of increasing its annual GDP by 47 percent. In Eastern Europe, women are closer to gender parity, however they are often held back by limitations on legal protection and political voice. Equalising labour market activity in this region could increase annual GDP by 23 percent.

The ways in which parity could be achieved formed a crucial element of a public forum on Women, Progress and the Global Economy held in conjunction with the Global Ambassadors Program. Stakeholders and thought leaders came together to share their experiences and discuss these and other pressing issues. Speakers including CNN’s Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour highlighted the importance of investing in the development of women, pointing out that, “without women’s equality, there can be no progress.” This mentoring initiative is raising awareness of the issues and also having a tangible impact. Vital Voices CEO Alyse Nelson reaffirmed the importance of mentorship noting that it is more than just a “soft skill” but rather a “business strategy” with “77 percent of Global Ambassadors Program mentees seeing an increase in their revenues.” Panellists including Her Excellency Atifete Jahjaga, President of the Republic of Kosovo, Baroness Mary Goudie, member of the House of Lords and Shani Aloni, Executive Director of the Haifa Rape Crisis Centre in Israel, also brought their own personal and professional experiences to the table. It is clear that the path to parity is one that faces many obstacles, but we must address these issues head on if we are to make a difference. The Global Ambassadors Program is an important step in bringing women leaders together, enabling them to share their expertise and experience, and unifying them to boost economies and stabilise communities around the world. Jennifer Boussuge, Head of Global Transaction Services, EMEA at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and a mentor in a recent Global Ambassadors Program

Global Ambassadors Program Interview with Yvonne Ike, Managing Director, Head of Sub Saharan Africa, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Please tell us about your background I have been a banker for over two decades, and am currently Head of Sub Saharan Africa (excl. South Africa) at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. I am passionate about projects that promote women’s development and contribution to society, and am involved in several charities including Dangote Foundation, the African Gifted Foundation and Women for Women International. Why did you choose the Global Ambassadors Program? Have you been a mentor or benefitted from mentorship previously? I am passionate about promoting women’s social and economic engagement. At the moment there is a gap between women’s potential and their actual societal contribution, especially in MENA countries. I believe – as do Vital Voices and Bank of America – that every person and institution has a responsibility to address this disparity. Mentoring has been an important element in my own professional development. On my first day at the bank, a colleague gave me advice that has been immensely helpful. Her continued support has shown me the power of positive mentoring; something you cannot over-estimate. Tell us about your mentee. Mary is an inspiring woman working in the Calabar province of southern Nigeria. She is a territorial manager for Society for Family Health, an NGO providing community health interventions, and is responsible for operational leadership and strategic direction in the region. Despite limited resources, Mary has been central in creating responses to malaria and HIV/ AIDS that have improved maternal and child health outcomes.

Many people think mentoring is a one-way street. Did you find that you benefitted from the programme? The benefits of mentoring are symbiotic. By its very nature, you are engaging with people who work in a different environment, and approach challenges in a different way. This diversity of thought and experience is very rewarding, and teaches new ways to address issues. The list of benefits only gets longer when you consider the relationships you build, and the global perspective the programme gives you. What do you think your mentee gained from developing a relationship with you and the other mentors? Many of the women who take part in the Global Ambassadors Program come into it thinking they are fighting on their own and that their battle is unique. This can be a mental barrier for many women, and can hold us back. The programme, through our mentor/ mentee relationship, showed Mary that women can address such challenges together. Our interactions also helped to refine her business plans, and develop techniques to build on her organisation’s success. How do you believe the programme addressed specific needs and goals of the mentees? Most of the women who come to the Global Ambassadors Program as mentees are at a pivotal point in their careers and may lack the strategies or networks to take their organisations to the next level. By partnering with established women executives, the programme provides the insights and networks to help them achieve their

goals. While access to funding is critical, having the right skills is fundamental to the success of their organisations. What we are doing is taking the conversation away from finance being the primary issue that inhibits women from achieving their goals, to one where we’re looking at solutions around developing a holistic foundation for their business or project, and creating a platform that better enables them to succeed. At that stage, finance becomes a useful tool. Any advice to others who are developing as leaders? Identifying what we want to do to live a meaningful life is a critical step to being a successful leader. This helps us move beyond day-to-day challenges, allowing us to lead with conviction and achieve our goals. For me, leadership is about developing others and having a clear and convincing strategy. How did the Global Ambassadors Program contribute to your own sense of purpose & wellbeing? What lessons did you learn by participating as a mentor? The biggest lesson for me was the recognition that furthering women’s social and economic engagement is a responsibility for all of us, and something I’m extremely proud to be part of. The Global Ambassadors Program made me realise how much greater the cause is, and how the advancement of women’s issues is a truly global issue. Initiatives such as this can be incredibly powerful for all involved, helping women leaders fulfil their potential, whilst further advancing the cause of gender equality across the globe. May - August 2016

A New You the Power of Change! Get the future you deserve! Vanessa Collingridge shows you how…

– you’ve worked hard, you’re great at your job, and people seem to like you. Why is it, then, that you feel stuck in a rut? Why aren’t you winning that dream contract or doing the job that you really want to do? How come you’re not yet making an impact? Too many of us think that being good at our jobs is good enough to get us noticed. Sadly, that’s simply not the case: research published last year from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills reveals that inequalities run deep: men are still earning more than women at all levels of employment – and are more likely be to “spotted” and specially trained as future leaders than their female counterparts. We all know that women can be fabulous leaders. Be honest, though: how often have you been asked to give a presentation and your first reaction is utter dread and panic? Too many of us shy away from leading from the front, from being the ‘expert’ voice of your sector, from being….visible. But if you want to have influence then you’ve got to stand up – and stand out! Make 2016 the year you step out of the shadows and become a spokesperson for yourself, your company or your industry. Now, I know that’s easier said than done: I’ve coached women (and men) who have been so nervous they’ve been physically sick before speaking in public. However, I’ve been an impact coach for over twenty years without a single failure: anyone can give a great talk, speech or presentation; anyone 36

May - August 2016

“Know your audience: don’t fear the unknown, just do your research. Showing your audience that you understand their needs builds confidence and puts you back in control.” Vanessa Collingridge, Monster Media Productions

can learn the skills of walking into a room and making the audience sit up and take notice. And that includes YOU! So, here are my Seven Secret of Impact Success for boosting your impact and regaining control of your career, and your life: 1 First of all, stop and think: what do I want to get out of this meeting/ talk/presentation? Do I want to influence, inform or just entertain my audience? Know your goals and then strategically plan the best way to achieve them. 2 Know your audience: don’t fear the unknown, just do your research. Showing your audience that you understand their needs builds confidence and puts you back in control. 3 Get in touch with your inner cave woman! When you’re dressing for a meeting or speech, don’t wear the outfit that makes you look thinnest/ youngest/coolest; instead think ‘tribe’: does your appearance ‘fit’ the audience’s tribe, and does it reflect your role? In general, dark colours with simple silhouettes will give you the most authority, but a pop of colour near your face can add visual interest and excitement. Whatever you do, avoid distractions such as jangling jewellery, busy patterns and brightly coloured shoes. Remember, the audience should be looking at YOU, not at your clothes. 4 Think yourself into the room: before you open the door/walk up on stage, take a moment to be that amazing leader. Research shows that great

posture feeds back into your mood, so stand tall with your head up straight and high, smile and look the world in the eye! 5 Keep your body language strong and ‘open’: it’s absolutely vital to ‘command the floor’. Women often minimise their impact by tilting their heads (Princess Diana style!), crossing their arms, legs or even frowning. Instead, occupy space! Stand up straight giving fabulous, expansive and welcoming gestures or with your forearms resting on your hips, holding your index finger. Hold your elbows slightly out from your body (think: Wonder Woman!). And most of all, make sure you establish eye contact 100% of the time to every person in the room, or each ‘block’ of a larger audience. 6 Be an impact athlete! You MUST project energy – present with enthusiasm and pizzazz. Warm up your face and voice with tongue twisters and facial exercises. Change your pitch, tone and volume to really bring your voice alive – be inspiring! 7 Finally, remember all the 3Ps: Plan, Prepare and Practise! Spend a third of your time on each of these and practise it out loud: performance accounts for around 93% of an audience’s overall impression of you, with just 7% dependent on what you actually say so use your time wisely: get you voice and body language right and you’ll be leaping over that finish line…! Good luck – and go and get the future you deserve!

Vanessa Collingridge, Monster Media Productions

Vanessa is a journalist, writer, broadcaster and academic with over twenty years’ experience in the media both in the UK and across the world. She has hosted current affairs series and has been a regular face on all major UK TV channels (BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5) as well as global channels such as Discovery, ABC, TVNZ and many others. A former columnist for the Daily Telegraph, The Scotsman and also BBC History and Who Do You Think You Are? magazines, her feature credits include the Daily Mail, Scotsman, Sunday Herald and the South China Morning Post. Her books include Captain Cook (2002), Boudica (2005) and The Story of Australia (2008), edited volumes for Thames & Hudson’s Seventy Greatest Journeys in History and The Greatest Explorers in History (2010) and forewords for Land of Mountain and Flood (2007) and The Ancient Pinewoods of Scotland (2013). She is a Fellow of the RGS and RSGS and co-founder & host of Hong Kong and also Glasgow’s Café Scientifique to stimulate debate between the scientific community and the general public. She is a regular speaker at Book Festivals in Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Hong Kong and Christchurch (NZ). She is a specialist in impact training with clients ranging from global trading, shipping and utilities companies to government departments, the NHS and the university sector. She lives in Scotland with her young family. Vanessa has been working recently with the WIBF Glasgow management team, providing impact training and useful insights in preparation for the year ahead.

May - August 2016

Banking on

cultural change 38

Jayne Vaughan, Partner, People Powered Performance, KPMG

May - August 2016

business focus “Creating truly sustainable, ethical cultures is a journey which will continue for some time yet, but the data and the technology does exist to help make this journey both shorter and more rewarding for banking institutions and their workforces.”

Jayne Vaughan, Partner, People Powered Performance, KPMG

he culture of an organisation, while intangible, can be one of its greatest assets – it can be the magic ingredient which sets it apart from other businesses and captivates both customers and employees. We can all think of businesses like this and, similarly, businesses which have paid the price of allowing a harmful culture to become established. Culture was one of many issues quickly cited as defining what was wrong with the banking sector at the time of the financial crisis. Seven years later, it remains on the agenda for both banks themselves and the likes of the media, the public, shareholders and regulators. To help gain a deeper understanding of the progress that’s been made in recent years, and the amount of work still to do, KPMG has undertaken qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with 21 senior banking executives from right across the sector. The research highlighted four key themes:

Culture remains high on the agenda across banks of all shapes and sizes, but not always for the same reasons By force or otherwise, culture has risen to the top of the agenda. It is now frequently discussed at executive level and for many of the respondents it has become an explicit strategic priority.

Banks have made considerable progress on their respective cultural journeys All of the banks interviewed are at different stages of their cultural

evolution, and while many of the changes implemented to date have been challenging, the more difficult task of embedding the culture in all parts of the organisation will require the resolution of some tough dilemmas that will likely require changes to the business and operating model.

There is a need to establish robust metrics to help track and measure cultural reform – effective measurement of culture remains a challenge Banking leaders recognise the need to establish measures that provide a rich picture of how culture is developing over time. Quantitative and qualitative metrics that adequately capture the nature of a bank’s culture are hard to find, but are necessary to demonstrate progress.

Building a sustainable culture for the future is a long game The key challenge for banking leaders is to get the balance right between the needs of all groups, including customers, clients, staff, shareholders, regulators and society overall. The third theme, relating to effectively measuring cultural change over time particularly interested me. The views of the banking executives in this piece of research varied significantly. A comprehensive flagging system integrated into the organisation’s HR, compliance, training and communications system was cited. In contrast, another executive took the position that first-hand

experience is a more effective measure of culture than a defined set of metrics, saying, “We don’t rely on reporting, we believe it’s important to walk the patch, meet customers, talk to people and talk about the bank’s culture”. However, many banks are starting to look at the richness of the people data that they hold to measure progress on cultural attributes. I share the views of my colleague, Tim Howarth, KPMG in the UK Banking Partner who commented, “HR predictive analytics has a big role to play and real-time big data can provide powerful insights in areas such as trader surveillance – I think this is a really exciting area where banks can achieve institutionwide benefits.” Through our conversations with a diverse range of UK banking executives, we’ve learned that much of the cultural change that can easily be achieved, has already been achieved. Creating truly sustainable, ethical cultures is a journey which will continue for some time yet, but the data and the technology does exist to help make this journey both shorter and more rewarding for banking institutions and their workforces. With increasing and continuing fines, mis-selling and market abuse issues, culture and behaviour remains a critical part of the PRA and The FCA agenda. The emphasis is further enhanced by the inclusion of culture as a mandated prescribed responsibility for the Chairman and the CEO adds a sharpened focus and increased regulatory scrutiny. May - August 2016

Wellbeing 2016 Good Day At Work Conversation

Take care of your employees, and they will take care of your business. This lively and inspirational annual event was attended by key leaders in companies, including wellbeing and HR professionals. They heard influential speakers, joined workshops, exchanged ideas and discussed ways to improve working life for their employees and/ or clients. Health and wellbeing are of strategic importance to companies so it is important to support an individual’s physical, mental and social wellbeing. The event was hosted by Robertson Cooper who assist businesses to implement wellbeing strategies throughout an organisation. Professor Sir Cary Cooper was one of the speakers. He was recently voted, for the second year running, HR’s Most Influential Thinker. He has authored 120+ books and is globally renowned as wellbeing’s leading expert. Robertson Cooper were supported by Movember Foundation, a global charity supporting men to live long, healthy happy lives, and Bank Workers Charity, who work with banks to complement their existing wellbeing strategies. The keynote speaker in the morning was Kevin Roberts, Executive Chairman Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide and author of Lovemarks: the Future Beyond Brands. Originally from Lancaster, UK and Professor of Creative Leadership at Lancaster University, he has lived all around the world including North America and New Zealand. Keith provided an interesting, informative and amusing start to the event. Kevin Roberts discussed how the world has changed. He said advertising was no longer about branding and story-telling, it was about being part of a family and story-sharing; belonging to something special, being in a creative, positive and 40

May - August 2016

trusting atmosphere with an emphasis on security and safety. And that the workplace was now about making people feel loved and inspiring people to be the best they can be.

motivational, for further info, see http:// projectawesomelondon.com/news/.

This was followed by a number of parallel sessions with the following topics:

n n n n

What do leaders who are ready for wellbeing look like? How to introduce health-related behaviour change that sticks? Technology: friend, foe or distractor in the battle for wellbeing? Health and wellbeing as a right: work,home, society.

The attendees shared their current positive and negative experiences. These provided insights into how wellbeing could be introduced to company workplaces and monitored in a confidential way without the individuals being identified. Whilst the delegates relaxed and enjoyed lunch, they listened to discussions on the role resilience can play in supporting our future generations from Maggie Alphonsi MBE, England Rugby World Cup Winner, Professor Sir Cary Cooper, HR’s Most Influential Thinker, Catherine Roche, Chief Executive, Place2Be and Damian Hughes, Sports Psychology Consultant. They talked about how wellbeing and health were part of their lives. They discussed how ‘when you are confident and know yourself you have more resilience’. And how using Mentors assisted individuals in their lives. After lunch, Project Awesome’s Danny Bent ran an energiser session that had us all up moving around and ensuring that there was not a post-lunch slump in workshops. He was enthusiastic, entertaining and

After lunch the following parallel sessions were run: Technology, innovation and the employee experience – Insights from Google Co-creating change through dialogue – The Power of Conversation Professionalising health and wellbeing – Setting new standards for wellbeing practitioners The Power of Positivity: Harnessing strengths to create a Good Day at Work.

I attended the Technology, innovation and the employee experience – Insights from Google session with Kim Wylie. She discussed how technology helps you to collaborate and work together quickly. And how employees need access to technology and the right environment to thrive in. Google believed that hiring employees who were a cultural fit to the company assisted them. Employees needed to be open and transparent. And every manager had to be a great manager with the right skill set. Google believe that the environment has to be right so employees can thrive. Then Nigel Barton, founder of Wyrd, presented a video directed and produced by young people, on building personal resilience showing how his work was effective and inspiring. The final session was the keynote by John McCarthy CBE. He, described, “What was probably the worst day at work ever” – the day he was kidnapped in Beirut. It was five and a half years before he was released. The story he told was one of personal strength and resilience that he found he had. John had the audience listening intensely to his experiences as a hostage and how

Career Bites Bite Sized Info Big Impact

he turned the experience into making a stronger, more resilient person. He said “If I ever get nervous, about delivering a talk. I always remember that I can run off that stage and out the door and no one can stop me. I’m free.” A productive and informative day meeting interesting people with great opportunities to discuss different wellbeing approaches and how they benefit both the employee and employer. Fred Payne, Chief Executive Bank Workers Charity (BWC), discussed in one of the workshops how BWC are promoting wellbeing strategies for bank employees. Technology companies like Google promote wellbeing exceptionally well in how they run their business. To investigate the sponsors of this event, please use the links below. Marian Costello, WIBF Editor in Chief/ Executive Board Member

Resources available to assist you. Bank Workers Charity has a blog, Wellbeing Pulse, to help you, www.bwcharity.org.uk/news/our-newwellbeing-blog. If you want to improve your resilence, Robertson Cooper offer the opportunity for you and your employees to complete a free resilience report, www.robertsoncooper.com/improveyour-resilience/i-resilience-freereport-preview. Movember is a global community which supports changing men’s health for the better. Their website can be found at https://uk.movember.com/menshealth/general.

he Bank Workers Charity began in 1883 with a mission to help current and former bank workers and their families. Through continued research into workplace wellbeing, new partnerships and programmes we aim to offer increasingly relevant services to the communities we support. Our overall vision is to become the leading charity providing high impact solutions that genuinely meet the needs of the banking community. In this quarter’s Career Bites, the Bank Workers Charity gives you 10 tips in building self esteem. Everyone holds opinions about the type of person that they are. These opinions sit at the heart of each individual’s selfesteem and can affect how someone feels about themself. Self-esteem is not fixed; an individual’s beliefs can change throughout their life as a result of circumstance and experience. When experiencing low self-esteem these beliefs will often be negative.

People think I am confident because I can address a room full of people. The reality is that I spend most of my time thinking that I’m not good enough. If I give a speech, I spend the next few days thinking about all the mistakes I made. In order to maintain and build healthy self esteem, remember these top tips n Do activities that you enjoy. n Spend time with positive, supportive people. n Be helpful and considerate to others. n Try not to compare yourself to other people. n Try to do regular exercise, eat healthily and get enough sleep. n Be assertive – don’t let people treat you with a lack of respect. n Use self-help books and websites to develop helpful skills, like assertiveness or mindfulness. n Learn to challenge your negative beliefs. n Acknowledge your positive qualities and things you are good at. n Get into the habit of thinking and saying positive things about yourself. To find out about the services that the BWC offer and for more helpful tips and further resources on mental health,money matters, family issues and wellbeing head over to www.bwcharity.org.uk/

“People think I am confident because I can address a room full of people. The reality is that I spend most of my time thinking that I’m not good enough. If I give a speech, I spend the next few days thinking about all the mistakes I made. In order to maintain and build healthy self esteem, remember these top tips.”

May - August 2016

60 seconds with jenny smith WIBF gets straight to the point with some quick fire questions, informing our readers of the personality behind the professional

What three traits define you? Loyal, genuine and fun What is your life philosophy? To be brave and adventurous, and also to be as kind to myself as I am to others What does leadership mean to you? Having a great connection with others – motivating and bringing confidence to help everyone achieve

Jenny Smith, Head of Operational Enablement (Banking Operations), Tesco Bank

What is your greatest personal achievement? Passing my Chartered Accountancy exams first time while facing difficult personal circumstances

Jenny is also Chair of the bank’s Women in Business network which provides opportunities to explore personal development and share experiences with other colleagues.

What career would you like to try for a day? I love Formula 1 and I’ve travelled to Brazil to watch it, so I’d love to be Lewis Hamilton for the day. Or a MI5 agent, I’ve always fancied being a spy! What are you passionate about? Spending quality time with my family and friends – I value their support, guidance and love. And having new experiences in life – picking new countries to travel to, going to big sporting and music events. I enjoy variety and excitement Where is the best place you have travelled to and why? Angkor Wat in Cambodia – an incredible temple which, at sunset, is just magical. The spirit of the people in Cambodia is unbelievably positive despite everything that they have faced. Their sense of optimise was inspiring

May - August 2016

What is the most recent book you read? Joe Wicks #LeanIn15 – he is everywhere at the moment and as his recipes are easy and quick, it really appealed – cooking is not a passion! What is your favourite book and why? ‘Wild’ by Cheryl Strayed. It’s a real life account of a young woman overcoming an extreme physical challenge to help find herself again after a personal tragedy. It got me hooked from the start as I admired Cheryl’s bravery and willpower, and constant mental struggle to win out in the challenge she had set herself Do you have any hobbies? Not really – I enjoy keeping fit, travelling or a mix of the two! What is the one thing you couldn’t live without? Long bubble baths – the perfect end to a day How do you relax? Each year I go to a bootcamp in Ibiza which you may think isn’t a way to relax but after a long hike in the Ibizan hills, it’s the best night’s sleep you can hope for Tesco Bank has been around since 1997 and today we help more than 6 million customers every day with everything from insuring their pets, to buying their first home. Our 4,000 colleagues serve our customers seven days a week from our four main centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, and we are also available through online and mobile banking 24/7.

WIBF PLATINUM CORPORATE MEMBERS

WIBF gold CORPORATE MEMBERS

May - August 2016

Empowered to succeed

Our workplace inspires collaboration, driving innovation for agile minds. Our people are instinctively entrepreneurial and disciplined in their approach.

As a result, we uncover opportunities that add value to our clients, stakeholders and the communities in which we work. Our people own their futures as they contribute to ours. To find out more, visit macquarie.com/careers

Through our graduate, intern and returner programmes we introduce candidates to an environment in which they are empowered to succeed.

macquarie.com