International Women’s Day – #ChoosetoChallenge
Today – 8 March 2021 – is International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘Choose To Challenge’. A challenged world is an alert world.
We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let’s all #ChooseToChallenge.
Carl D’Ammassa, CEO DF Capital said: “At DF Capital we are committed to building a diverse team and inclusive environment for all colleagues to fulfil their career ambitions. We feel strongly that all businesses have a critical role to play in driving equality, ensuring parity amongst colleagues, and accordingly empowering everyone to reach their full potential. I’m proud of the diverse team we have built at DF Capital and how we collectively strive to be part of the solution and encourage everyone to ‘think equal’. We hold firm to our values that everyone is entitled to equal opportunities and fair treatment whatever they do and wherever they work. DF Capital is a great place to work because of our diverse and inclusive approach.”
To mark #IWD2021, we have asked four women in the DF Capital business what their story is and what International Women’s Day means to them.
Alexa Lemzaouni, Commercial Development Manager
What did you do before you started working at DF Capital? I was a regional sales Manager at Wells Fargo Distribution Finance.
As a woman, how have you found working in financial services? Much better than it was say around 10 years ago. Back then it very male orientated, specifically within the commercial/sales team.
What does International Women’s day mean to you? It’s about celebrating women’s achievements and realising that we are in a ‘gender equal world’.
What woman has positively impacted you in your career? What’s one lesson she taught you? A previous line manager at Wells Fargo. She was very much involved in onboarding women into the European commercial team so there was a more even split between men and women. She has also taught me that even as a mum, you can still achieve a successful career by having the correct home/work life balance. It doesn’t always have to down to the man to be the main bread winner!
What’s your International Women’s Day message to others? ‘There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish’ This is Michelle Obama’s quote but one I love.
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Emma Sowerby, Industry Leader – Lodges and Holiday Homes
What did you do before you started working at DF Capital? Financial Services at Lloyds, Close Brothers and Siemens Financial.
As a woman, how have you found working in financial services? It’s no secret that financial services is very male dominated and with this comes challenges and opportunities. Individual perceptions of women in business and finance vary greatly – in my earlier career the gender imbalance affected me more than it does today.
What does International Women’s day mean to you? A day of celebration, reflection and thought. Celebrating how far women have come over many years in search of equality. Reflection for the battles that have previously been faced and the work put in by others in generations gone by that give me the freedom to do the job I love. Thought – to ensure we don’t stand still and continue to push women in business forward and see more women in leadership roles and ensure equality for women worldwide.
What woman has positively impacted you in your career? What’s one lesson she taught you? My mum. Continuously pushing me to have faith and confidence in myself and my own abilities and accepting the only person that can truly hold me back is myself.
What advice do you have for women starting out in their careers in the financial services industry? Speak up, have ideas, make suggestions and allow yourself to be heard. Don’t feel you have to make a choice between a career or a family- you can have both.
What’s your International Women’s Day message to others? We have come along way …. But there is more work to be done 😊
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Sarah Barker, Portfolio Director
What did you do before you started working at DF Capital?
I started out at GE Capital in the ABL industry, straight from university. I was then head of risk advisory at Aldermore Bank and also spent time at a new start finance company as operations director.
As a woman, how have you found working in financial services?
I’ve always had the advantage of working for companies that take diversity and equality very seriously. That said, the financial services industry as a whole is very male dominated, especially at a certain level, so I have quite often been one of a handful of women in a room at a corporate or networking event.
What does International Women’s day mean to you?
To me, International Women’s day isn’t about encouraging a positive bias, it’s about taking time to acknowledge, encourage and celebrate the achievements of women across the world in all aspects of life including both social and cultural.
What woman has positively impacted you in your career? What’s one lesson she taught you?
One woman that always springs to mind when I think back on my career is Martine Catton. She taught me to have confidence in my abilities and to never fear challenge.
What advice do you have for women starting out in their careers in the financial services industry?
Don’t be intimidated by the male dominated industry and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve whatever you set your mind on.
What’s your International Women’s Day message to others?
In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt – No one can make you feel inferior without your consent!
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Grace Reeves, Operations Team Leader
What did you do before you started working at DF Capital? I worked on the service desk at a forklift company dispatching engineers whilst completing my degree as a mature student in International Business with Spanish and Mandarin Chinese (with a year at Morgan Stanley in Madrid – multi-tasking anyone?!)
As a woman, how have you found working in financial services? It’s traditionally a male-dominated industry and people generally think it’s nothing but frenzied shouting across a trading room floor, which of course is not necessarily true! I have been fortunate to work for companies that have had a mix of men and women in all roles, including positions of leadership. There is also a big ‘Women In Finance’ initiative which is fantastic for networking, socialising and support.
What does International Women’s day mean to you? It’s a chance to be inspired, not just by the amazing women today but also the amazing women in history who fought for the things that women are now able to do, that were previously off-limits to them due to their gender. It’s also a reminder that there are still women around the world who do not enjoy the same privileges as their male counterparts.
What woman has positively impacted you in your career? What’s one lesson she taught you? I have been lucky to have many female role models in my career. In my first job at a museum in London, I worked with three women, who I’m still close to, who taught me the value of being your authentic self and were encouraging of a good work/life balance! One of my line managers in my financial career taught me the importance of gaining respect from people by being open and transparent; even bad news can be received well if you are being honest and providing all the information to paint a clear picture.
What advice do you have for women starting out in their careers in the financial services industry? Financial services is about more than just numbers and there really is a role for everyone. Even if you have no previous experience in what you consider to be a ‘typical finance job’, your skills will be desired and appreciated and there is a great cross-company network of women out there to help you.
What’s your International Women’s Day message to others? Look after each other and be kind. We’re all one team.
