Celebrating International Women’s Day with the AFH Board

On Saturday 8 March, the world celebrates International Women’s Day.

At AFH we have many exceptional women enabling our growth and success. And throughout our history we have always equally valued the contribution of our male and female employees, across our many different roles. 

To mark the occasion, we sat down with our female board members, who make up 50% of our Executive Board, to hear their thoughts on leadership, equality and their own career experiences.   

• How do you balance your professional life with your personal life? 

Since becoming a mother, I made a promise to myself that my kids would not be impacted by the pressures of my role. I try to be all things to my children and to give all to AFH. This inevitably means that every so often you have to take some time for yourself to refuel and rebalance. 

• How do you advocate for yourself and other women in the workplace? 

Almost 20 years ago, prior to working at AFH, I worked at a well-known bank. Here gender profiling was normal. Moving across to AFH was refreshing. I have never experienced any barriers to growth based on my gender and I would hope that I am proof to all the aspiring females with the business, that opportunities can present themselves here through hard work and dedication. 

• What inspired you to move into a digital/leadership position?  

I’ve always had an interest in technology and its potential to solve problems. As an Independent Financial Adviser, I found the sector's limited adoption of technology frustrating. Advisers have a unique opportunity to build meaningful relationships and deliver high-quality client experiences, but outdated systems and a lack of useful integration often hindered this. I’ve also often felt that there has been a general acceptance of the industry's "clunkiness", with decision-making in advice sector technology often shaped by a narrow perspective. I was motivated to challenge this status quo and create an environment that leverages diverse skills and experiences. It’s fair to say that the sector has moved on considerably over recent years and there are some interesting solutions emerging that leverage all sorts of new technologies. I still believe that the industry has a long way to go.   

• What advice would you give to women starting out in that sector?  

Don't hesitate or feel intimidated; your perspective is invaluable. While the industry remains male-dominated, I've never felt unsupported despite occasionally feeling outnumbered. I am privileged to work with an amazing team where we learn from each other daily - a necessity with such a rapidly changing technological landscape. Remember that no one has all the answers, so keep asking questions and keep learning.  

• Is there a woman in your career who has inspired you? 

I have been fortunate to work with many amazing people during my career but one stands out for me. A few years ago, I met a very successful woman at a large Financial Services organisation. She was an accountant throughout her career but pushed and expanded her knowledge and leadership into other areas, including HR. As well as being an inspiration in that she achieved the highest levels of leadership, she did this with grace, with a supportive and caring attitude, making sure she also made time for her family, and sharing her story so people understood her and could be inspired by her. I have tried to emulate this through my own career, and I also see these traits in the talented women I work with now.  

• What career tip would you give to women (or men)?  

I am a firm believer that you drive your own career path. Throughout my career I have pushed myself to take on opportunities in addition to my core role, to develop skills and knowledge which then have helped me step into a new role when an opportunity arose. I have built strong relationships with my managers and taken work off them to support them, and in doing so developed myself. I would encourage everyone to always look to the bigger picture, the more opportunities you embrace, the more you will learn and position yourself for future success.   

• Is there a woman in your career who has inspired you?  

When I joined my previous firm, both directors were women who had just completed a management buy-out from the previous MD. Having two strong women with different strengths definitely inspired me. The fact that they were so different from each other taught me that one of the keys to success is to find a team with different complementary skills, so you can not only help team members out in areas where they may not be as strong, and vice versa, but also you will come at problems from different directions, and generally come up with a better outcome as a result. 

• What do you think is the biggest myth about women in leadership?   

That women lack ambition – I think a lack of representation at a senior level can create the false impression that women aren't interested in leadership roles, but our Exec Board and Leadership team is the perfect example of why this is a myth.  

Thank you to all the hard working and dedicated women at AFH! 

Saturday 8 March 2025