While financial institutions have made major strides in diversity, the journey towards true gender equality remains ongoing.

InvestOps USA 2025 confronted these challenges directly, beginning with a historical overview of women's rights milestones from 1848 to 1975. Landmark achievements, such as Muriel Siebert's appointment as the first woman on the New York Stock Exchange in 1967, and Sally Krawcheck's role as the first female CFO at Citibank in 1997, were acknowledged as pivotal moments.

However, current statistics paint a nuanced picture, revealing that women hold only 29% of executive positions in finance, with women of colour occupying a mere 7%. This disparity is further compounded by the persistent gender pay gap, where women in the UK earn 15.5% less than their male counterparts, and women in the US earn only 80 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Several key themes emerged during the panel discussion:

• The Importance of Role Models and Mentorship: A poignant observation was made about the challenges faced when navigating a career without visible female leaders: "When I was going through my journey for director, there were only two women in similar roles for advice." This highlighted the acute need for women to have access to guidance and support from those who have navigated similar paths.

• Work-Life Balance and Self-Advocacy: Panellists emphasised the importance of self-advocacy and fostering an inclusive environment where individuals feel empowered to bring their whole selves to work, supported by allies. One panellist stated, "You can work, you can live, you should be able to bring the whole self to work and everything that comes with it. You can do both. With the right environment and allies." The recurring message was that women must proactively advocate for their careers.

• The Crucial Role of Male Allyship: Panellists emphasised that meaningful progress requires men to actively champion and support the advancement of women. One panellist powerfully stated: "The most important way to contribute is not wait for the women to do it for the women. Men need to provide that allyship and the role model position for women today."

These discussions carry several important implications for the financial industry. Firstly, there's a clear need for an increased focus on mentorship programs, urging companies to establish formal initiatives that support women's career advancement. Secondly, organisations must prioritise fostering environments where self-advocacy is both encouraged and rewarded. "We need to get better at self-advocacy. We need to make it the norm for people to advocate for themselves," one panellist noted. Thirdly, prioritising work-life balance through flexible work arrangements and supportive policies is essential for retaining and advancing women in finance.

To achieve genuine gender equality, engaging men as active allies is critical. Continuing efforts to diversify leadership by increasing the representation of women, particularly women of colour, in executive positions remains a vital objective. Finally, the industry must actively address the persistent gender pay gap through the implementation of transparent compensation practices and regular audits. By committing to these steps, the financial industry can strive toward greater gender equality, unlocking the potential of diverse perspectives and talents at all levels of leadership.