UK
I’ve aways been an analytical person, which is what first drew me to a career in Finance. I worked at Lehman Brothers on a placement during university and did my dissertation for them too, both of which gave me a good insight into the industry. I decided that Financial Services was an area I enjoyed, so after a year spent travelling and living in Nepal, I returned to London and joined the graduate scheme with Lehman Brothers.
The programme was competitive. The culture was very assertive and everyone was highly driven. It was also dynamic and every day was different. I really enjoyed the graduate experience with Lehman and the challenges it gave me.
I had just finished my final CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) exam when Lehman collapsed in September 2008. At the time this felt like a huge blow, but looking back, it led my career down an interesting path.
The industry is often highly pressurised and as a young woman finding her feet, I was often aware that female finance leaders were few and far between. Thus, finding role models to identify with was tricky. When I was younger, I felt reserved in meetings, especially when most were male dominated, the clique was hard to crack.
To overcome this, I worked hard to understand who I was and soon realised that you don’t have to “lean-in” at every meeting. I was more comfortable when I started focusing on my own style and proving myself through my work.
To boost my own professional network, in my early 30’s I applied for and was accepted into a great training program with Women on Boards in Melbourne. This introduced me to ambitious females across a wide variety of sectors. We really supported each other in the challenges we were facing. It was comforting to know that women in other industries were facing similar obstacles. The program enhanced my perspective, and I’d encourage younger women to seek similar networks, as for me it was a game changer.
I also participated in Toastmasters, another group that built my network professionally. I’d highly recommend giving yourself opportunities for public speaking in “safe environments”. Getting out of your comfort zone can be very empowering!
I’ve thought about this question a lot over the last few weeks and the answer is no. I’ve worked with fantastic people, and I feel fortunate to be able to say that I haven’t been treated differently because I’m a woman.
However, that’s not to say that there aren’t challenges for a woman working in financial services. It’s competitive, high-pressure and ever-changing, but this is also why it’s so rewarding.
I have two small children and over the years, I have found conversations on how I would like to manage my work responsibilities alongside my childcare responsibilities difficult.
As a young woman at Lehman’s, I grew up with a “model for success” requiring the outsourcing of as much of your personal life as possible. This (unrealistically) included having a personal chef, nanny, driver and PT to name just a few! For most of us in the real world, the reality of having this is unattainable! However, a huge positive change I have seen, is that organisations are realising there is not a “one-size-fits-all” when it comes to working parents.
In my current role, I can spread my responsibilities across the week. This often means I work odd hours (I’m a big advocate of the 5am club), but it also allows me to be home and present for my children at dinner time.
At TwentyFour, I work with a great group of female and male leaders, many of whom are also parents. We all manage our caring responsibilities slightly differently, but this is accepted and respected. I love that this is the case, and I am sure that my 20-year-old self would have been surprised to see this shift. It’s a very positive change that has happened over the course of my career.
Plan Plan Plan! I can’t stress this enough! I simplify life where I can, and I plan my time very carefully. Every week, something unexpected comes up, and the jigsaw of work and family life must be rearranged. However, having solid plans in place and a strong support network allows me to stay flexible when needed.
I also prioritise my health and fitness (and schedule in time for this too). Just over two years ago, I suffered a serious back injury that completely sidelined me. Simple tasks like walking the children to school were virtually impossible, and it meant commuting was out of the question until I had come through the other side of surgery. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been on a recovery journey, and this experience made me realise that when work feels all-consuming, it’s even more important to prioritize personal health and well-being.
Technology has also been a game changer in recent years. Working from home part of the week helps me balance my professional commitments whilst spending valuable time with my kids while they’re young. Not all finance roles offer this flexibility – but if you can, strive to find one that does.
That said, I really value my days in the office; being face to face with colleagues is great (please let’s never return to the Covid days!).
It’s the same as all aspects of working life, be authentic and build trust by treating everyone with respect and integrity.
I’ve always found that consistent performance, showing that you mean what you say and rolling up your sleeves when your teammates need you is the key to a happy work-life.
Financial services subjects us to long hours and pressure, so an atmosphere where mutual cooperation and a sense of humour exists is key. My colleagues know they can lean on me and I know the support is reciprocated.
TwentyFour is a great place to work and many of us have been with the company for several years. When you work with a great team it makes you want to step up and contribute. Mutual trust allows for collaboration and ensures the job is enjoyable.
Absolutely! In Melbourne, I had a great mentor who encouraged me to ask for what I wanted and to push for opportunities. He saw that I wasn’t particularly happy in the role I was in and trusted that I was ready to take on a lot more responsibility. This has shaped my perspective, and I now look for that same drive in others. At TwentyFour we are a close-knit group, so it’s very clear when someone is ready for more of a challenge. Our culture ensures that talent excels.
The role the COO brought me in to do is vastly different to the role I now manage nine years later. Working alongside the COO & CEO, I have grown into the Head of Finance position organically. The company has grown in complexity in these years and as things have evolved, I’ve taken on more and more responsibility. Both the CEO & COO have been, and continue to be, great advocates of me. This has worked out fantastically, as my children were very young when I started. With every passing year, I have more bandwidth to expand my role.
I also work with an incredible group of women. To name just a few, our Head of HR, Head of Product, Head of Legal, Head of Compliance, Head of UK Wholesale Sales and Head of Marketing are all female. I may not have started my career with many strong female role models, but I certainly work with plenty now and it’s fantastic. We chat daily about work and other priorities, supporting and leaning on each other for guidance.
Looking back further, I’ve been fortunate to work with several people who have supported and influenced me. I may be looking back with rose-tinted glasses, but after Lehman collapsed everyone rallied together. Senior managers mentored many of us, helping with CV updates and interview practice. I found a new job so quickly, but I often think back and feel grateful that I got to be part of this experience.
The world has moved on significantly during my career, just looking at the team I work with now makes that clear.
A D,E&I Policy needs to be set on a solid framework that everyone can understand, and be driven from the top. There is truth to the argument that a more diverse range of decision makers will ensure better decisions.
Working very closely with HR, I know that this is still well and truly on the agenda at TwentyFour, and I hope across the industry too. TwentyFour has a particular focus on diversifying and expanding our talent pipeline. Senior members of TwentyFour are involved in the D,E&I framework. We’re aware of our responsibility in shaping the future of the industry and therefore always set clear objectives and hold ourselves to account.
Now, I’d like to see the industry continue this positive trajectory.
I’d love to be able to tell my younger self that the career journey is just part of your story, success is more than just reaching the C-Suite. Define what success means to you early on and focus on making decisions that align to what you want from your career and life outside of work.
Work hard - that’s a given! Do things that scare you as often as possible and don’t shy away from difficult conversations; get them done and move on.
Understand that when people see your achievements, they’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg. The reality of running a finance function or any demanding role involves immense preparation, hard work, and going above and beyond behind the scenes.
Find your support network, identify what your values are and never compromise on these. Don’t be worried if your path looks different to those around you. Our career’s move in “eras”, for me each decade has looked different to the last.
To be honest, I’ve got a long career ahead of me and I’d like to think my biggest accomplishment is yet to come!
Right now, I feel challenged and happy in my role. I have found balance and I’m excited about my career ahead.
I’m incredibly proud of my role at TwentyFour, I work with great people and I love being part of its evolving story.
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Lou Corbally has just under 20 years experience recruiting into Financial Services in London. Over nearly two decades, there have been incredible changes in the industry. One of the most significant shifts has been the growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion (D&I). To better understand these changes, she has been meeting and interviewing senior female leaders working in Financial Services as part of the series, Breaking Barriers: She Means Business.
