Originally conceived as a series of profiles featuring inspirational women from the world of finance, Treasury Today Group’s award-winning Women in Treasury & Finance platform is going places. Today, the programme includes forums and workshops around the world, the annual Women in Treasury & Finance Awards programme and our annual Global Equity Study.

Working in partnership with our bank and fintech sponsors, Women in Treasury & Finance seeks to raise awareness about the importance of diversity and inclusion in treasury. It creates a sense of community and belonging for women in the field and inspires progressive employers to support women in the workplace.

Global Equity Study

A cornerstone of the programme is our annual Global Equity Study, which gives a voice to our community and informs our events and conversations.

Our most recent survey, supported by Standard Chartered, focused on four key themes. These included the intersection of age with gender and other aspects of identity; bringing men on board for equity; mental health and wellbeing; and the support offered to differently abled and neurodivergent individuals in the workplace.

As Michael Spiegel, Global Head of Transaction Banking at Standard Chartered, observed: “This year’s study moves the conversation from aspiration to evidence – at a time where equity is no longer a standalone people agenda, but central to how high-performing teams build trust, resilience and better decisions in a complex environment.”

Spotlighting inspirational women

Our written profiles celebrate the success of senior women in treasury and finance, as well as sharing their insights on career progression and leadership skills.

In a recent article, we heard from Jinny Goh, Group Treasurer of SATS Ltd – one of the world’s largest air cargo handlers and Asia’s leading airline caterer. Jinny explained how she began her career as a corporate communications professional, and that her communication skills have proved useful in her subsequent roles in treasury and finance.

“Treasury is a discipline that requires both quantitative (hard) skills and qualitative (soft) skills,” she reflected. “On the technical side, you need to analyse liquidity and manage the financial risks. But equally important is the ability to communicate, negotiate and build trust with stakeholders like our banking partners.”

In another recent profile, Summa Simmons, Associate Vice President, Treasury at Victoria’s Secret & Co., explained that “excellence without visibility risks a stalled career.” She added, “Success also hinges on learning how to make our contributions visible in rooms outside treasury, and the ability to communicate up. It’s great that the people you work with know you are a treasury rockstar, but this won’t necessarily be enough to move up your career.”

Celebrating success

Over the years the platform has expanded to encompass diversity in all its forms, including gender, ethnicity and age.

In 2023 we launched the Women in Treasury & Finance Awards – and moved our Woman of the Year award from the Adam Smith Awards programme. The programme recognises leaders across EMEA, APAC and the Americas in three categories:

• Woman of the Year is open to senior women in the corporate treasury environment who demonstrate real achievement and act as a role model to other women.

• Champion of Change recognises individuals of any gender who are challenging the status quo and changing their organisations from within.

• Leading Light celebrates individuals who work within the industry serving the corporate community, and play a pivotal role in progressing equity and inclusion.

In 2024 we won our own award, scooping Best Corporate Initiative by the Women of the Future programme. Our programme has also been included in Global Diversity List’s Top Ten Women’s Network, and we were part of the official celebration of Fearless Girl’s unveiling on Wall Street.

“Being part of the Women of the Future community has opened our eyes to other projects and people that we should be supporting or celebrating,” comments Sophie Jackson, CEO of the Treasury Today Group. “For example, it introduced us to Rozella Marie Mahjhrin, who recently moderated for us at the Singapore Women in Treasury & Finance Forum. So it’s expanding our community to include other amazing women who represent all sorts of different groups.”

The beauty of Women in Treasury & Finance is that it’s a place for the types of vulnerable and authentic conversations that are very rare in the finance sector. This is something that everybody needs right now.

Sophie Jackson, CEO, Treasury Today Group

Open dialogue

Together, our forums in London, Singapore and New York attract around 450 attendees. They are the beating heart of the programme and provide opportunities for our community to meet, network and learn from leading women in treasury and finance.

Our forums provide an opportunity to hear senior industry panellists debate progress on diversity and inclusion, share their own career journeys and discuss strategies for career progression. They are a safe space for open dialogue, with energetic question-and-answer sessions.

Typical conversations include strategies for navigating salary negotiations and promotions, panellists’ biggest mistakes and lessons learnt, the value of a network and how to navigate different life stages in the workplace. Flexibility, seizing opportunities and experiencing failure are recurring themes, as is the role of leaders in nurturing inclusion.

Highlights from recent forums

For example, our most recent Women in Treasury & Finance EMEA Forum included an engaging discussion on the importance of mentorship. Joanna Bonnett, Group Treasurer of Straumann Group, emphasised the importance of seeking guidance from mentors beyond one’s immediate team. She noted that conversations outside the workplace can spark fresh strategies and new ways forward.

At the 2025 Women in Treasury & Finance US Forum, Nicola Bates, President & CEO, Siemens Capital Company highlighted the importance of bringing women’s collaborative strengths into an environment that is inherently competitive. She observed that charisma is often over-rewarded, compared to quiet leaders that make a big difference.

“Once we start to show up in a different way, where we really proactively support one another, we speak up for one another, we sponsor each other, and we take care of each other – that’s where we start to change the narrative,” she said.

Authentic conversations

The format continues to evolve. This year, each of the Women in Treasury & Finance Forums is being preceded by a workshop focusing on practical ways to galvanise the community.

“A big focus for this year was on bringing men on board for equity,” says Jackson. “We don’t want men to just be in these spaces as allies – we want them to be part of the community as well, sharing the challenges and personal issues that they’re facing, as well as learning more about how they can champion their colleagues.”

She adds, “The beauty of Women in Treasury & Finance is that it’s a place for the types of vulnerable and authentic conversations that are very rare in the finance sector. This is something that everybody needs right now – we’re all dealing with massive uncertainties about our roles in the future, how technology is changing everything, and the political backdrop as well.

“Having a space where everybody is welcome, and able to share any challenges they’re experiencing, is really important to us.”

Sharing challenges and triumphs

Looking forward, Jackson says the programme will use technology to keep the community more connected and up to date with specific themes.

“There are so many different issues that come up at the forums and within the study,” she reflects. “By separating out some of those themes, and then focusing on them in a more intentional way, we can help to change some of the dynamics that we’re observing.”

In the meantime, Women in Treasury & Finance continues to provide not a competitive space, but one where women at a country, regional and global level can share their career challenges and triumphs and find help, recognition, warmth and support.