International Women's Day

As we celebrate International Women's Day, it is important to recognise the significant contributions that women have made and continue to make in various fields. In particular, the finance industry has traditionally been male-dominated, but women have been breaking barriers and making strides towards gender equality in this field.

It is essential for women to be represented in the finance industry for several reasons. First, women bring a diverse perspective to the industry, which can lead to better decision-making and innovation. Second, having more women in finance helps to break down gender stereotypes and promotes gender equality. Third, research has shown that diverse teams perform better, and having a mix of genders in leadership positions can lead to better financial outcomes for companies. Finally, by encouraging and supporting women in finance, we can help close the gender pay gap and reduce gender inequality in the broader economy. All of these factors make it clear that it is crucial to have more equal gender representation in the finance industry. It is important for companies to actively work towards creating a more inclusive and diverse work environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed regardless of their gender.

For the first time in FCI’s history, our Executive Committee features more female members than male, highlighting the great strides this industry is taking in closing this gender equality gap. In this article, we asked our female Executive Committee Members for their thoughts on women in the industry.

Mary Farley (CIT) – “Our world’s history has a long tradition of women leaders fighting in the pursuit of the greater good.  Long before opportunity or recognition was possible, they have opposed, resisted, argued, rallied, and pushed to obtain a voice and to make a difference in their communities.  From Marie Curie and Rosa Parks, to Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Malala Yousafzai, these women were crusaders for their causes and have opened doors for women to be heard in our society.  Although we still have barriers to break and bridges to build, we have come a long way in our contributions and have a great deal to celebrate on this International Women’s Day.”

Doaa Hafez (Egypt Factors) – “On International Women’s Day, I want to send grateful messages to two incredible women who shaped my life. Dear Mom, I hope you can hear me form heaven, I want to express my deepest gratitude for all that you’ve done for me. Your strength, love, and unwavering support have shaped me into the person I am today. I am endlessly grateful for your guidance, sacrifices, and the incredible example you’ve set for me. Dear daughter, I want to express my profound gratitude for the joy, love, and light you bring into my life. Watching you grow into the amazing woman you are fills my heart with pride and gratitude. Your strength, kindness, and determination inspire me every day. To every strong woman, on International Women’s Day, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for your resilience, courage, and determination. Your strength empowers those around you and lights the way for future generations. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Your presence is a gift, and your impact is immeasurable. Today and every day, I celebrate you and all that you are. Thank you for being an inspiration to us all.”

Mónica Fernández Barbero (Caixabank) – “After more than 25 years in banking, my personal experience, from a gender perspective, has been very positive, the truth is that I cannot say anything else. I have not suffered salary differences with other colleagues who were in a similar position to mine and throughout my career my bosses, usually men, have promoted me and have always counted on me to lead new projects and face new challenges. From my experience, the real problem comes when you want to combine a successful professional career, a demanding job with a family and the task of being a full-time mother. For me it has not been easy, not because I have not had support from my husband and my family, but because I struggle, in some way, with the feeling of guilt that not being by my children's side fully generates. This has meant that throughout my career I have not accepted job changes that involved being at home less and that has sometimes slowed down my professional development... I think this is not something that, in general, happens to men, they deal better with the feeling of guilt of not being able to be at home as much, close to their children, if that is because they are doing a relevant job and economically positive for the family. I also believe that society is more benevolent towards men who dedicate themselves more to their work than to their family than to women who do so and I believe that it is something that should change so that women's choice can be freer.”

Dorota Szcześniak (Santander) - “From my experience I feel that there has been a number of changes in the world of finance around this. Personally, I believe in diversity and appreciate working in the diversified teams. The findings of the numerous studies show that diversity in a company boosts its performance, fosters the atmosphere in a workplace. A woman holding a top managerial position is not a surprise any longer. I’ve come across EU data showing that the top management positions are held by 11% of women in Europe. Still not enough. There is so much more for companies to benefit from expertise, competencies, education, skills of teams that embrace inclusivity.” 

Daniala Bonzanini (Banca IFIS) - “Since I started my career many changes have occurred: I used to be one of the few women attending international events, at that time the financial industry was considered a “male world”, now women’s presence has considerably increased. Over the last years women have proved to be excellent leaders, they use their strength, intelligence, resilience and inclusion ability to break down barriers and achieve goals. Several studies have reported that women’s representation on boards or having more women in senior positions in companies contribute to higher financial returns and better ESG performances. This success should inspire women around the world, improve their empowerment through education, help them to believe in themselves and find their path with the aim to create a more inclusive world. Contribution of women from all walks of life should be recognized by everyone."

Discover more

• Learn more about the FCI Executive Committee by clicking here or here.
• Meet with the FCI Executive Committee at the 56th Annual Meeting in Seoul. Register to attend by clicking here.

If you wish to hear more from FCI in the future, please register your interest here.