Finance Monthly March 2020 Edition

Closing the gender pay gap is one of the biggest challenges facing the financesector today. Arecent report using Financial Conduct Authority data showed that of the 9,957 partners at UK private equity firms, hedge funds and other financial services companies, just 1,381 (14%) of these are women. While we’re seeing a range of initiatives and campaigns designed to open up top finance roles for women – not least the government’s Women in Finance Charter - this figure has risen by just 2% over five years. Finance is a complex sector and certainly, the specialist roles involved mean that talent retention and building an effective pipeline is challenging at best. What’s clear though, is we need more than government exercises to drive change: gender pay is not a female problem, it’s is everyone’s problem. But can we actually close the gap? In light of International Women’s Day, we hear from Aoife Whitford who delves into the gender pay gap in finance. CAN WE ACTUALLY CLOSE THE GENDER PAY GAP IN FINANCE? Aoife Whitford - The Pay Index www.thepayindex.com BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES - GENDER PAY GAP 18 www.finance-monthly.com