The financial profession may have been giving itself a big pat on the back this year with the news that more than half of all new recruits to the accountancy sector are women.
However, when we look at the figures higher up the chain there’s not so much to celebrate. Fewer than a quarter of accountancy partners are women; and when it comes to FTSE 100 companies there are a mere 20 female executive directors who run the company on a daily basis — a handful when compared to 309 men who work in this role.
And on top of this, in the US women are fleeing Wall Street in droves despite a rash of corporate measures to attract and retain them. Experts are struggling to explain what could be behind the exodus, and theories abound in the media ranging from sexism in the finance industry to a tarnished reputation of companies triggered by the financial crisis.
So what is going on? We’ll be tackling these issues and more in a live Q&A — we’ve assembled a panel of experts to debate everything from unequal pay and the impact of work-life balance to whether the perception of an old boys’ club still rings true in the City. They’ll also be taking your questions so join us on 1pm on 24 September.
