1 minute read
From The Editor
CLARE BOOTHE LUCE an American author & politician
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I AM of the “baby boomer” generation, the generation that saw the real emancipation of women in the workplace. Career opportunities dramatically opened up for women after the 2nd World War. But change never happens overnight, and the more fundamental the change, the longer it takes for well-worn practices to be eradicated. Practices that favoured men over women, which had become ingrained in society over centuries, still linger, and I reckon it will be quite a few years yet before gender discrimination in the workplace has fully worked its way out of business culture. For example, while many companies have adopted an “equal work for equal pay” policy, the truth is that women are still being underpaid against their male counterparts and that corporate boardrooms are still dominated by men.
While there is still a long way to go, it is gratifying to see more and more women in top positions in the financial services industry (as illustrated in our feature on pages 4 & 5). I believe, and have written on this before, that women bring qualities to a business that can enhance not only its profitability but its wider contribution to society.
This is especially true of the financial advice profession, where the role of the adviser is changing from a mere seller of products to a family consultant, who develops a long-term, deeply personal relationship with a client and his/her family. Women are proving to be topclass advisers, and I hope to see many more entering the profession. Go for it!
