Editorial

Women in Treasury: not just for girls

It’s a standing joke that the industry needs a ‘Women in Treasury’ initiative because every day at the office is just like a ‘Men in Treasury’ forum. And whilst one of the drivers behind Treasury Today’s pioneering Women in Treasury campaign – which began in 2013 – was, and still is, to give women in the (male-dominated) profession greater recognition and a platform for inspiration, as counterintuitive as it might seem, it’s not all aimed at the fairer sex.

In fact, we recognise that instilling a true gender balance in the treasury community means bringing men and women together to better understand the challenges that stereotyping or biases can give rise to within a corporate treasury environment. Rather than focusing on the negatives of outmoded ways of thinking, however, Women in Treasury is about building the best possible team and working environment by embracing diversity. That’s why we’re encouraging all treasury professionals – regardless of gender or job title – to attend this year’s London Women in Treasury Forum, to be held on 10^th September.

The event starts at noon with a pre-lunch networking drinks reception during which Angela Berry, Group Publisher of Treasury Today, will present a summary of the findings of our 2015 Women in Treasury Study, supported by RBS. This will be followed by lunch, during which a lively and no doubt controversial panel discussion will take place, focusing on the key issues highlighted by our Women in Treasury Study.

This year’s panellists will include: Christine McCarthy, Senior EVP and Chief Financial Officer of the Walt Disney Company (Christine is also our Adam Smith Awards Woman of the Year 2015), Debra Todd, VP Global Treasury Services, BP and Jennifer Boussuge, Head of Global Transaction Services, EMEA, Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Everyone attending the Forum will have an opportunity to put their own questions to the panellists, as well as joining in the wider discussion, and networking with their peers. And previous years’ attendees will testify that for just a few hours of your time, the return on investment from this event is significant.

We look forward to seeing you there.