• news-banner

    Expert Insights

International Women's Day: Female Representation in the Investment Industry

For International Women’s Day, Grace Hudson spoke to several women who are each striving to empower and encourage other women working in the investment industry:

  • Mao Isobe and Katia Mendonca from Synova, which is recognised across the industry as one of Europe’s most innovative growth investors, generating market-leading returns across the full mid-market spectrum;
  • Jane Reoch, an Investment Advisor with Northern Gritstone, an investment company founded by the Universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield and which is based in the North of England;
  • Harriet Rosethorn, an Investment Director at Puma Private Equity, a sector agnostic growth equity firm;
  • Melissa Manzo, General Counsel for AgDevCo, a specialist impact investor in African agribusinesses with the goal of developing sustainable agriculture in Africa, that benefits both people and the planet;
  • Meera Shah, Director with Buzzacott Corporate Finance, primarily advising owner-managed businesses through early-stage investments to full or partial exits and a mentor for the Girls’ Network; and
  • Rebecca Burford, a Partner at CRS who specialises in venture capital, growth capital and private equity investment work, is one of the Firm’s D&I partners, chair of the Firm’s Race Action Group and sits on the Firm’s Future Firm for Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Does being a woman and an investor affect how you seek new investment opportunities? 

(Meera), I see a difference where diversity of thinking and understanding leads to investors being able to connect to a broader range of businesses serving a diverse set of consumers. I think FemTech has been a brilliant example of this - with greater awareness on feminine hygiene and menopause, there has been greater innovation and therefore increased investment in these sectors.

(Harriet) I think everyone brings their own perspective and experience when assessing new business opportunities or managing portfolio businesses, which is why diversity is so important.

(Jane) That diversity of thought can also lead to change in the industry.  Indeed, many of the early ESG frameworks in the industry were put together by female leaders. I strongly believe that diverse teams make better business decisions and so at Northern Gritstone we evaluate all prospective investments against UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Do you agree that there has been a positive trend for female representation in the investment industry?

(Mao) The BVCA published a report in 2021 that concluded there is a positive trend for female representation, however, there is still a long way to go given that this same report found that overall women still only made up 20% of investment team professionals, with 12% of firms still having no women represented at all.

(Rebecca) As advisors, we are also seeing an increase in female representation at the investment companies we work with. We have also noticed an increase in the number of female founders that are searching for investment. It is great to see more women in positions of seniority making investment decisions, although there is still much to be done.

(Jane) I agree that the trend is positive, but the industry is simply not retaining female talent on a consistent basis. The statistics really just highlight the scale of the challenge that we are facing. Quantifiable and strategic targets are important in being able to ensure progress is being properly measured. In addition, it is important that funds are being increasingly held to account by their LPs, with a focus on ensuring that junior talent is supported to take partnership and other senior roles.

(Harriet) It is critical to have diversity in order to drive better outcomes. Some of our most successful portfolio companies have had great diversity at Board level, which I believe has contributed to their success.

(Melissa) AgDevCo believes that gender equality and women’s empowerment are significant factors in the commercial success of its investments, and in delivering development impact. We have a gender equality strategy and we aim to take a more intentional approach in promoting gender equality in our portfolio over time.

What more could be done to encourage women to work in the investment sector?

(Melissa) Often a barrier to women entering certain professions is the perception that they are not welcoming of women. One principal reason in my experience is the conflict between the demands of raising a family and the long hours expected in the relevant industry. The move towards increased flexibility and working from home is a big step in the right direction, and I’m hoping we’ll see concrete results in terms of increased female representation in the Private Equity industry as a result. When childcare (and caregiving generally) is no longer seen as only a woman’s concern, I am positive that we will see much more gender-balanced workplaces.

(Meera) Women joining the industry now have access to a stronger support system, many more female-only networks, in additional to a greater number of inspiring female leaders in the industry to look up to. (Katia) We are very lucky to have one of Synova’s Founders, David Menton, recently join the Board of Directors for Level20, a platform with a common goal to support the next generation of women in the investment sector. This gives Synova as a firm unique insight into how to navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with increasing representation, as well as providing a support network for our junior females in the team.

(Jane) We have a female Chief Investment Officer, Marion Bernard, who's been a trailblazer for diversity in the industry for years.  It is critical for juniors to be able to see women working in senior leadership positions, as well as women who are successfully demonstrating that you can work in a demanding and intellectually stimulating job, whilst also working flexibly. I have juggled working part-time at two funds simultaneously and both have been very successful.

(Katia) It is also hugely beneficial for men in the industry to be open to learning and gaining female-led insight and advice on topical issues promoting gender diversity, which in turn encourages decision makers to be more proactive as opposed to reactive in solving concerns.

This article was produced as part of Charles Russell Speechlys' Women in Leadership initiative. You can read more about this initiative and other events that we have hosted by clicking here.

Our thinking

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Puma Private Equity on its £3.5 million investment into TravelLocal

    David Coates

    News

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Zenzero’s management team on its majority acquisition by Macquarie Capital

    Mark Howard

    News

  • Hamish Perry and Mike Barrington write for The Evening Standard on whether a merger between the CBI and Make UK can work

    Hamish Perry

    In the Press

  • New Governance Guidelines for family-owned businesses in the UAE

    William Reichert

    Quick Reads

  • City AM quotes Ashwin Pillay on the latest round of ONS M&A statistics

    Ashwin Pillay

    In the Press

  • Treasury Committee endorses mandatory venture capital diversity policies from 2025

    Lia Renna

    Quick Reads

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Predator Oil & Gas Holdings plc on its successful placing of New Ordinary Shares to the London Stock Exchange

    Andrew Collins

    News

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises the discoverIE Group on its acquisition of Silvertel

    Mark Howard

    News

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Puma Private Equity on its £5m investment into Pockit Limited

    David Coates

    News

  • City AM quotes Tom Smitham on private equity investment into European football

    Tom Smitham

    In the Press

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Thomas Sandgaard on the sale of Charlton Athletic

    Keir Gordon

    News

  • The Times quotes James Broadhurst on the rise of the co-founder 'pre-nup'

    James Broadhurst

    In the Press

  • Has the Orpéa plan impaired shareholder's consent? - Le plan de sauvegarde d'Orpéa n'a-t-il pas vicié le consentement des actionnaires historiques ?

    Dimitri-André Sonier

    Quick Reads

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Puma Private Equity on its investment into Thingtrax Limited

    David Coates

    News

  • Adrian Mayer writes for The Law Society Gazette on opportunities for collaboration between the UK and Africa

    Adrian Mayer

    In the Press

  • Charlie Ring and Marcus Yorke-Long write for Wealth Briefing on M&As and wealth planning

    Charlie Ring

    In the Press

  • BBC Radio London interviews Richard Davies on Karen Carney’s review into women’s football and investment in the sport

    Richard Davies

    In the Press

  • Charles Russell Speechlys advises Atkins on the sale of its Scandinavian engineering Services business to Systra

    David Coates

    News

  • Will the downturn in the Paris region property market lead property companies to turn to ad hoc proceedings, as they did in the 1990s?

    Dimitri-André Sonier

    Quick Reads

  • The Drawdown quotes Edyta Brozyniak on setting up and structuring private credit funds

    Edyta Brozyniak

    In the Press

  • Andrew Collins and Paul Arathoon write for the Evening Standard on London as a listing destination after failed WE Soda IPO

    Andrew Collins

    In the Press

  • Bloomberg quotes Andrew Collins on WE Soda cancelling its London IPO

    Andrew Collins

    In the Press

  • Key figures gather to discuss the future of Gloucestershire

    Jonathan Morley

    Quick Reads

  • UAE Ministry of Finance Clarifies Definition of Qualifying Income for Free Zone Entities

    Mo Nawash

    Insights

  • Corporate deal round-up H1 2023

    David Coates

    Insights

  • UK CMA's blocks Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a potentially significant decision for SMEs in the video gaming sector

    Rebecca Burford

    Quick Reads

  • Number crunching times

    Emma Humphreys

    Quick Reads

  • Sign of the times - the British record football transfer which very nearly didn't happen

    Pei Li Kew

    Quick Reads

  • Listing Rules changes are in...exciting times for founders and fast-growing companies

    Mark Howard

    Quick Reads

  • Overhaul of London's stock market listing regime set to significantly boost capital raising opportunities for founder led UK tech businesses

    Mark Howard

    Quick Reads

  • Ongoing supply chain crisis looms large over upcoming allergen law change

    Rory Partridge

    Quick Reads

  • B[re]aking up is never easy... a lesson from the Oetker business split

    Pei Li Kew

    Quick Reads

  • Brace yourselves: dentists could be liable for actions of self-employed staff

    Quick Reads

  • Private companies and public interest – a new approach to corporate governance?

    David Hicks

    Quick Reads

  • Is now the optimal time to sell your company?

    Mark Howard

    Quick Reads

  • Dentistry - toothache ahead

    Quick Reads

  • New foreign ownership rules take effect on 1 June 2021

    Sarah Kadhum

    Quick Reads

  • Lord Hill Listing Rules review: a breath of fresh air

    Quick Reads

  • Getting your due diligence right: top tips for first-time sellers

    Daphne Cheung

    Quick Reads

  • New Q&A on electronic signatures and virtual signing published by the Law Society

    Quick Reads

Back to top