For me personally, being appointed as the CEO of SP Angel was the standout moment and marked how far we had come since I first started working in the broking world over 20 years ago. There were very few women in client facing or revenue generating roles let alone management positions. It was not something I imagined would be possible. Along with the support of the Partners of SP Angel, my acceptance of the role would not have been possible without the support of my husband who took the lead carer role for the children. This in itself is a brave move in a society that still has certain social expectations and is an area where we need to be more open minded. We should be equally supportive and understanding of men not following the conventional path.

In terms of the bigger picture, I believe that the introduction of Shared Parental Leave was a big step towards gender equality in the workplace as a whole. Whilst it’s a significant change, I feel we still have a way to go culturally before it is generally acceptable for men to take this time – certainly in our industry! Once it does become routine in the workplace, I feel this will have a huge impact on gender equity.

I’ve witnessed significant strides towards gender equality in the industry since joining the City in 2010 but there is still a long way to go. One of the main situations women can feel at a disadvantage is in the interview process. A moment when I saw progress with this is when I interviewed at LGT Wealth Management, I had just had my daughter so felt somewhat disconnected from the professional world. Tony Allan, Partner and Head of BD, who was interviewing me made a point of saying how many people on the team were also a parent and that he would never want any parent to miss important family events like sports days, or a nativity plays. This seemingly small but profoundly meaningful statement reassured me that the men in the company were proactive in addressing the topic of family and childcare. I was fortunate to be offered the role, and my experience since then has confirmed that LGT truly walks the walk. They nurture a diverse workforce and are committed to supporting every employee in balancing their professional and personal lives. This experience was a significant indicator of real progress toward gender equality in our industry.

For real change, I believe it's crucial that we involve more men in the conversation and not rely solely on women to step up. My experience at LGT Wealth Management highlights how impactful it can be when male leaders actively engage in discussions about family and childcare. We need to create an environment where men feel empowered and responsible to advocate for gender equality, not just women.

I'm going to lower the tone: toilets. It's toilets. It was when I started finding myself in queues in breaks at tech conferences a few years ago, not because the architects hadn't put in enough ladies' loos, but because there were finally enough women to create a line. It's an everyday, small change. They're often more significant than the big things.

I get invited to a lot of women's networking events in both tech and finance, where there are never enough toilets. There are no queues for the men's loos. It feels like such a waste: if you're a woman attending one of these things, you're already thought into the issues we're talking about here. I want to find myself at an event about women in business and see a line for the men's toilets. That'll be progress.

Looking back over my career the watershed moment that stands out for me was when my then firm promoted a solicitor to the partnership whilst she was on maternity leave. That was unheard of at the time and went against all the prevailing thinking around women's prospects for partnership when they were looking to start a family. It was a huge show of support from senior (and then solely male) management, and it fundamentally changed attitudes towards women's career progress in the firm.

A moment that really stood out for me was seeing a Partner openly share that they would be in late because it was their child’s first day of school. It may seem like a small thing, but it was deeply symbolic. I realised that, in the past, I had either compromised or tried to conceal those moments, subconsciously believing that taking a WFH day was a sign of weakness - something that might make me seem less committed or even an inconvenience.

It was life-changing, like a weight had been lifted. Even something as simple as an email saying a child was unwell and a Partner would be managing from home — it was a revelation. I’m literally rolling my shoulders as I write this because that moment made me realise: They get it. I love my job, but my children are my priority, and knowing that trust is there only motivates me to work harder and find ways to make it all work. There are no complaints, no judgment - just understanding. And I have to give credit to our male partners as well. They’re all fathers too. They get it.

Looking ahead, honestly, Alma is the moment. A partnership team that includes powerhouse senior women, all balancing young families while leading at the top of their game. Together, we are shaping a forward-thinking agency built on trust, not outdated notions of productivity tied to desks and office hours. It’s about output, about impact—nothing else. These women are inspiring the next generation, showing what leadership looks like when it’s inclusive, flexible, and effective. It’s unrealistic to say you can "have it all"—but that applies to both men and women. What we can have is a system that works for everyone, and Alma is proving it.

Aside from mandating that men take time off to care for their newborns (which, frankly, would change everything), everyone just needs to get with the programme. Trust people, and they’ll work hard — not because they have to, but because they want to. Rigid office hours and mandatory in-person days only breed resentment. Our industry is driven by the London Stock Exchange, so we know there are extra hours being put in— why not give them back? As we do. It’s about balance, about recognising that time is valuable, and about ensuring people are present when it truly matters. I hear horror stories about the gender pay gap and outdated flexible working policies from others, and while it makes me sad, it also makes me proud of what we’re doing. Change is happening—but we need to push harder, faster, and make it the norm, not the exception.