Standard Chartered

International Day of Persons with Disability 2019: The future is accessible

Strudwick, Hannah — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 11:29:39 +0000

We’re committed to building a culture of inclusion – focused on ability rather than disability – in which restrictive perceptions are challenged and capability always comes first.

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which aims to promote the rights and wellbeing of people with disabilities, as well as increasing disability awareness in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

Disabilities can be visible or invisible. They tend to be perceived simply as challenges to be overcome, but they can make people even better at what they do. There is no single definition of what ‘contributing’ means, because everyone is different and has something unique to bring to the table.

"Our goal is to become a ‘disability confident’ organisation, in which everyone can fully unlock their strengths"

The future is accessible, so we’re playing our part in creating a world where barriers no longer exist and all forms of diversity are truly embraced. In Taiwan, for example, we’ve made improvements to mobile banking facilities for visually impaired customers, and we are making an active drive to recruit and support neurodiverse talent in the US.

Our goal is to become a ‘disability confident’ organisation, in which everyone can fully unlock their strengths, views and experiences to positively impact our clients, colleagues and communities. That’s why we’ve signed up to The Valuable 500 and the International Labour Organisation’s Global Business and Disability Network.

It’s our collective responsibility to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed and excel. This means educating ourselves, broadening our awareness of disability and promoting inclusive practices at every level.

To support organisations in identifying best practice, we have launched our opens in a new windowDisability Confident toolkit to provide practical guidance to advance towards disability inclusion.

Our female CEOs: Autonomy and avoiding negativity – Rowena’s story

Roberts, Martin — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 11:43:27 +0000

Name: Rowena Everson
Role: CEO, Poland

Never a dull day

I always wanted an interesting career that would introduce me to new ideas, learnings, places and people.

I’ve worked for some of the biggest names in banking and it has never been dull… sometimes hard work, occasionally frustrating, and often rewarding! As part of the journey, one of my greatest rewards has been helping colleagues identify what’s holding them back and how to open doors to the next stage of their careers, and then sometimes getting the opportunity to see that evolve.

"I prefer to give people autonomy to run with things. If I'm micromanaging, it's usually a bad sign!"

Setup for success

I like to find smart, capable people and set them up for success by giving them the information, tools and connections they need. I’m clear in my expectations and value regular feedback. I typically stay close to people when they are new in a role or to a project, but then prefer to draw back once their momentum picks up, giving them the autonomy to run with things. If I’m micromanaging, it’s usually a bad sign!

Expanding boundaries

Challenges present themselves in different ways throughout your career. Making my first presentation to partners when I was a junior accountant over 20 years ago was very challenging, whereas now this would be absolutely fine. I’m a great believer that expanding your boundaries and experiences is what keeps you vital, youthful and relevant. I’m always looking for new adventures, so I guess the next challenge is just around the corner.

Be bold, learn and adjust

There are many barriers to leadership opportunities for both men and women; some controlled by the individual, some by their environment. Some are tangible and some perception-based. “If I was to pick one differentiator between men and women (albeit that’s a huge generalisation), it would be that men are more likely to ask for what they want. Everyone, male or female, should remember that although you might not get what you ask for, if you don’t ask you will never know.”

Seek out what interests you, not only what you feel you should do. Think and plan ahead, but accept that the road will bring unexpected surprises, good and bad, so be prepared to adjust your plans. Always learn new things. It’s good to challenge and have an element of caution, but avoid negative thinkers. And finally, never make a decision based solely on money – that applies equally to wine choices!

We are committed to having 30 per cent of senior roles held by women by 31 Dec 2020

Interested in joining us?

Whether you’re a recent graduate or looking for
your next opportunity, we have the role for you

View our latest roles

Our female CEOs: From chartered accountant to CEO – Zarin’s story

Zarin Daruwala, our CEO, India, on learning on the job in agribusiness, and how work-life balance should not compromise one's career

Read Zarin's story

Our female CEOs: From student union to senior management – Cynthia’s story

Cynthia Elasmar, our CEO, Lebanon, on how our experiences make us who we are, and the importance of building around meaningful goals

Read Cynthia's story

Our female CEOs: Sharing positivity and staying resilient – Mary’s story

Mary Huen, our CEO, Hong Kong, on getting out of your comfort zone and the importance of diversity

Read Mary's story

International Men’s Day 2019: celebrating male role models

Roberts, Martin — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 10:12:11 +0000

Today is International Men’s Day, which celebrates the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. It’s an opportunity to challenge stereotypes and question the notion of ‘being a man’ in today’s world. Why does this matter? Because creating an inclusive culture means ensuring that every colleague feels able to bring the best of themselves to work, regardless of gender or anything else.

The global theme of International Men’s Day this year is ‘men leading by example’, so we want to showcase colleagues who are positively challenging societal norms, raising awareness of men’s health issues and supporting gender equality and inclusion in the workplace.

Throughout the Bank we have inspiring men who are leading by example. Below are just a few examples:

Chris Daniels took four months’ parental leave earlier this year, giving him the opportunity to care for his son while his wife settled into a new job.
Fred Nintori joined forces with a group of male colleagues to establish the ‘Pink Boys’ – a breast cancer awareness movement in Ghana.
Marc Leaver encourages debate around gender equality in his team and incorporates inclusive behaviours into his leadership style.

We need all our colleagues to be engaged in the fight for gender equality if we are to help bring about real change. We’re committed to parental leave and flexible working as practical ways we can help include people, both women and men, and we train our people leaders on inclusive leadership programmes, such as Men Advocating Real Change workshops, to ensure that inclusion is a keyword for everybody.

Acknowledging stereotypes, be they aimed at men or women, and challenging them, helps create a more inclusive environment for everybody.

To learn more about diversity and inclusion at Standard Chartered, click here.

Our female CEOs: From chartered accountant to CEO – Zarin’s story

Roberts, Martin — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 15:22:17 +0000

Name: Zarin Daruwala
Role: CEO, India

How I got where I am

Though I had a few offers, after becoming a chartered accountant, I wasn’t sure if I should join an accounting firm, work with clients, or join a financial services company. I didn’t know whether I wanted to be a manager, either, but over the years, our experiences and learnings help shape us.

My growth and success can be attributed to perseverance on my part, and learnings from great leaders. The people who have mentored me have played a huge role in recognising qualities in me that would suit leadership. I remember once, in my previous job, I was sitting across the table from my General Manager, and I wondered aloud if I would ever reach her level. She reprimanded me for even doubting that I would and told me to never aim low. That advice has stayed with me all my life. Now I’m a firm believer in the saying, ‘persistence overcomes resistance.’ Though natural talent can be an advantage, it cannot be a substitute for hard work.

The feedback philosophy

My management style is feedback driven. I always give instant feedback to my colleagues, and I prefer to be candid when I do so. Such discussions should not be limited to once or twice a year. My experience is that smart people, when given constructive feedback, will change for the better. I remind myself that, as a manager, the onus is on me to set an example through my words and deeds. People work for people. It is my responsibility to inspire my colleagues and lead the way. It’s important to always be willing to unlearn and relearn. I continue to do that still. An open mind is important, whatever your position in life. Open-minded leaders get the best out of their people.

A lesson in agribusiness

Back when I was working at ICICI, I was asked by the managing director to start and run the rural and agribusiness at the bank. As a pure-bred wholesale banker, not knowing even the basics of agribusiness, this quickly became the most challenging thing I’d faced in my career. And that’s without even taking into consideration the fact that I was a woman, born and raised in a city!

I had to travel and make sense of what this business was about by engaging across the supply chain, from farmers to distributors. I started off with a small team of just about seven or eight people. At the end of three years, when I moved away from the agribusiness, the team was over 800 people. I had many moments of fulfilment in that role: the first rural ATM in India, turning around loss-making branches, disbursing loans to farmers through cards, way back in 2004.

"Though natural talent can be an advantage, it cannot be a substitute for hard work"

Retail Banking Transformation

When I took over as the CEO of Standard Chartered India in 2016, our Retail Banking (RB) business was going through a difficult phase and needed a course correction. My challenge was to turnaround the business. This involved a sharp focus on execution, a more granular approach and continued investments in technology. Starting in 2019, I personally spearheaded this transformation strategy, and we have seen positive results, with the RB business back in profits in H1 2019.

Last year, we launched our retail digital banking initiative, which gives customers a seamless digital experience. Since the launch, approximately 90 per cent of all savings accounts have been opened through a digital interface. As per the Finalta-McKinsey 2018 report, SCB India’s digital penetration is 12 per cent higher than the Indian average. Our overall digital adoption stands at 68 per cent, whereas mobile banking adoption is 45 per cent as of June 2019.

In recognition of our efforts, Standard Chartered was listed on the Government of India ‘Digi Dhan dashboard’ as one of the top banks in India that is contributing to India’s digital journey. We were also recently recognised as one of the top banks for customer experience in a report by Kantar, a leading data, insights and consulting company.

Challenges to female leadership

Studies have shown that women have the same career ambitions as men at the start and end of their careers, but the drop off is significant when they are in the 30-50 age bracket, which isn’t surprising given the peaking of family responsibilities during this period. Women leaving their jobs or taking sabbaticals isn’t uncommon in the corporate sector.

Other challenges exist, too, such as unconscious biases and gender stereotyping. However, I think the biggest challenge is that we as women think that our careers should take a backseat for the sake of maintaining a work-life balance and taking care of our families. We need to let go of this guilt; no woman should be expected to be Superwoman.

The change we want to see will come when organisations not only work towards more recruitment of women, but also better retention of them. They should assist with flexible working, child-care facilities, addressing unconscious biases, supportive conversations in the work place, and more organisational empathy as a whole.

I believe that having women in senior roles acts as a motivational factor for others. Women can inspire other women to break that glass ceiling.

We are committed to having 30 per cent of senior roles held by women by 31 Dec 2020

Interested in joining us?

Whether you’re a recent graduate or looking for
your next opportunity, we have the role for you

View our latest roles

Our female CEOs: From student union to senior management – Cynthia’s story

Cynthia Elasmar, our CEO, Lebanon, on how our experiences make us who we are, and the importance of building around meaningful goals

Read Cynthia's story

Our female CEOs: Sharing positivity and staying resilient – Mary’s story

Mary Huen, our CEO, Hong Kong, on getting out of your comfort zone and the importance of diversity

Read Mary's story

Our female CEOs: Learning, leading and home in time for netball – Tracy’s story

Tracy Clarke, our CEO, Europe & Americas, and CEO, Private Banking, on democratic leadership and the importance of getting to know your team

Read Tracy's story

Sustainable deposit: How your money can support the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Strudwick, Hannah — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 09:19:01 +0000

Hardly a day goes by without a reminder of the urgent need to combat world issues such as climate change and poverty.

When the United Nations (UN) launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2016, the idea was to solve the world’s most pressing challenges by 2030, a feat that will only be possible if we listen to the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres: “Don't come with a speech, come with a with plan”.

The UN estimates that developing countries – some of the markets facing the toughest environmental and social challenges – need USD2.5 trillion a year to achieve the SDGs.

This enormous funding gap and the statistics in the above infographic demonstrate why it is incumbent for financial institutions to play a role in helping drive investment to places where it matters most – in underfunded regions. As an emerging markets bank, we can help bridge the gap. We are determined to use our unique footprint to get financing for sustainable development from where it exists to where it matters most.

Our response has included committing to finance and facilitate USD4bn of clean technology by 2020 and making sustainability core to our refreshed strategic priorities. In practice, this means providing products and services that help individuals and organisations support the SDGs.

Our sustainable deposit explained

The sustainable deposit differs to our traditional fixed-term deposit because it helps finance activities that support the SDGs in emerging markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It launched this week to corporate & institutional clients in Hong Kong and New York, adding to those available in the UK (to corporate & institutional clients) and Singapore (to corporate & institutional and retail clients). And it will shortly launch to high-net-worth clients through our Private Bank.

The money could finance much-needed sustainable development such as building schools and hospitals, generating electricity from wind or solar and providing micro-loans to individuals – especially women – with low-incomes, supporting SDGs such as good health, quality education, clean energy and economic growth. (See pages 7-10 of our opens in a new windowGreen and Product Framework for more details on where the money could go.)

Infographic on how our sustainable deposit works

“Sustainability has swiftly moved from being a good to have, to a theme where clients expect it to be central to a bank’s activities and products. Our sustainable deposit gives our clients the opportunity to put their money with Standard Chartered and support mobilising funding for sustainable development where it is needed most; allowing them to receive a return whilst also supporting the financing of clean energy, financial inclusion and economic growth,” said Daniel Hanna, our Global Head of Sustainable Finance.

Next steps?

Since launching our Sustainable Finance team in October 2018, we’ve strengthened our sustainable finance initiatives and we plan to launch more products across our regions as demand for sustainable banking grows.

“Demand for sustainable banking is growing,” adds Daniel “What could this mean for the future of banking at Standard Chartered? It is at the heart of how we think of our banking activities and we will continue to innovate with new products like sustainable deposits and blue bonds that help drive financing to where it matters most for sustainable development.”

The roadmap

For us, supporting the SDGs goes beyond launching products. Across the Bank, we are making changes in our own operations and launching initiatives, turning ‘talk’ into ‘action’, such as:

Money to where it’s needed most:
- Our Chairman José Viñals is working with the UN and some of the world’s most senior business leaders to create solutions to free up trillions of dollars from the private sector
- Issued our first Sustainability Bond, using the proceeds to provide finance to emerging markets
Reducing carbon emissions: We are committed to measure, manage and ultimately reduce the emissions associated with our financing activities
Reducing inequality: Launched Futuremakers, our global initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion, by helping the next generation learn, earn and grow
Making commitments
- We committed to fund and facilitate USD4bn in clean technology by 2020
- Adopted the UN’s Principles of Responsible Banking, and Collective Commitment to Climate Action, committing to aligning our business to support the SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement

Renminbi tracker: How global is the renminbi?

Roberts, Martin — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 00:30:58 +0000

One Belt. One Road. One Bank.

Turn our Belt and Road expertise into your global opportunity

Find out more

Our female CEOs: From student union to senior management – Cynthia’s story

Roberts, Martin — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 09:03:38 +0000

Name: Cynthia El Asmar
Role: CEO, Lebanon

Climbing the ladder

During childhood, I remember coordinating groups for specific tasks in the classroom or games in the playground. Later, as I grew up and went to university, I was elected vice president of the student union. But I never knew I would become a leader professionally.

I started my professional career as a junior and gradually climbed the corporate ladder, something I’d end up doing more than once. When I’d already reached managerial status working for a local bank, I went on to take up a customer support role at American Express. I was promoted to become a relationship manager, then a director, and eventually CEO of the Lebanon office. I’ve had a similar experience at Standard Chartered, working my way up to where I am now.

I strongly believe in leading by example, as well as teaching and passing on knowledge and experience. It’s also essential for teams to have a purpose and ultimate goal, which you can then make plans to achieve.

"Overcoming challenges is a choice. You either choose to bend, give up and fall, or stand tall and face them"

Eyes on the prize

I’ve faced many challenges during my life and career, including the war in Lebanon and the loss of my father at a very young age. But these experiences have all made me the person I am today. What strikes me most in the professional world is that you’re not guaranteed anything. You can be on your way up, but you can also start from scratch all over again. What keeps my mind working is thinking about the challenging market we’re operating in – how to mitigate risk and still operate within budget, as well as how to stand out as a market leader.

Overcoming challenges is a choice that everyone makes. You either choose to bend, give up and fall, or you decide to stand tall and face them. It’s not always easy, and challenges can break people, but what’s important is having that ultimate goal in the back of your mind and reminding yourself of the prize at the end.

It’s not a man’s world

I believe there are direct and indirect barriers to female leadership. The barriers can often be women themselves – having a defeatist mindset or not fully supporting one another – as well as laws and regulations. It’s not a man’s world though.

My advice would be to take a leap of faith and go for what you want if you feel it’s the right thing. Seek advice from people who are more knowledgeable and collaborate with others, but always be flexible, and above all, create a winning team.

We are committed to having 30 per cent of senior roles held by women by 31 Dec 2020

Interested in joining us?

Whether you’re a recent graduate or looking for
your next opportunity, we have the role for you

View our latest roles

Our female CEOs: Sharing positivity and staying resilient – Mary’s story

Mary Huen, our CEO, Hong Kong, on getting out of your comfort zone and the importance of diversity

Read Mary's story

Our female CEOs: Learning, leading and home in time for netball – Tracy’s story

Tracy Clarke, our CEO, Europe & Americas, and CEO, Private Banking, on democratic leadership and the importance of getting to know your team

Read Tracy's story

Our female CEOs: Smashing the stereotypes – Lynette’s story

Lynette Ortiz, our CEO, Philippines, on challenging gender stereotypes and inspiring women in the country

Read Lynette's story

Our female CEOs: Sharing positivity and staying resilient – Mary’s story

Roberts, Martin — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 14:43:43 +0000

Name: Mary Huen
Title: CEO, Hong Kong

Resilience in challenging times

As the leader of one of the oldest and most well-respected banks in the area, I find myself drawing strength and inspiration from the basics: being ‘Here for good’ for our clients, colleagues and the community and above all, staying positive whatever happens. Positivity is contagious, and when things get tough, this belief will give you the resilience you need to see things through, in work and life.

Inspiring trust and building solidarity within your teams is a prerequisite for effective leadership, especially in challenging times. For me, what has always worked is simply to lead by example. I’ve conducted pulse-check meetings with clients and my team, as well as regular huddles with my fellow management committee colleagues to address their concerns and identify the right actions going forward.

Regardless of the external environment, keep giving your best in whatever you do. In my 30 years at Standard Chartered, I’ve seen that when this happens, you will build momentum. People who share the same vision will naturally gravitate towards you and want to be part of your team. I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some great managers and colleagues who trusted me to lead. If you’re ever entrusted with leading a team, see it as an invaluable opportunity to help individuals unleash their unique potential.

"We are all stronger and more resilient than we think. No one is ever alone – your team is walking together with you"

Getting out of your comfort zone

My personal journey at Standard Chartered has been about stepping out of one comfort zone after another as I moved through different roles. It can get daunting, but my passion for learning new things has helped me overcome that fear. I cannot stress enough how important it is to build a strong, mutual support system around you – learning to trust that your team and organisation won’t let you fall, and vice versa. It’s also important to surround yourself with people who are good at what they do, because no one knows it all!

I believe in being open-minded and always striving to learn, no matter what role or life stage you are in. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. And remember: we are all stronger and more resilient than we think. No one is ever alone – your team is walking together with you.

Diversity and inclusion

When I first started my career in banking, I was often one of the few, if not the only female in the room. Over the years, there has been an encouraging rise in the number of female executives, thanks to a conscious will to be more diverse and inclusive, regardless of gender, ethnicity and age.

Standard Chartered has done a lot to champion driving gender diversity at work. It’s an important cause, and I expect the corporate sector to do more to put in place policies for supporting women. This includes building pipelines for women in executive and non-executive roles, as well as introducing family friendly practices at work.

Diversity in leadership brings the most out of the workforce and this is something we should never take for granted. At the end of the day, every individual deserves an equal opportunity to grow, thrive and pursue what they want at work, or in life for that matter.

We are committed to having 30 per cent of senior roles held by women by 31 Dec 2020

Interested in joining us?

Whether you’re a recent graduate or looking for
your next opportunity, we have the role for you

View our latest roles

Our female CEOs: Learning, leading and home in time for netball – Tracy’s story

Tracy Clarke, our CEO, Europe & Americas, and CEO, Private Banking, on democratic leadership and the importance of getting to know your team

Read Tracy's story

Our female CEOs: Smashing the stereotypes – Lynette’s story

Lynette Ortiz, our CEO, Philippines, on challenging gender stereotypes and inspiring women in the country

Read Lynette's story

Our female CEOs: Leadership, reinvention and relevancy – Rola’s story

Rola Abu Manneh, our CEO, UAE, on leading the diversity and inclusion agenda, and the barriers to female leadership

Read Rola's story

Trade will continue to grow despite US-China tensions

José Viñals — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 10:51:39 +0000

Global trade has been expanding more slowly since the 2008 global financial crisis, and US-China trade tensions have created fresh uncertainties. However, those who fear that disputes between the world’s two biggest exporters will sound the death knell for trade, are missing the bigger picture. Trade is a key driver of economic growth, so we must get it right.

The risk of disruption in global trade is real – and would be very damaging for the world economy. But if we look at what is going on away from the US-China axis, there is good news.

"Trade is a key driver of economic growth so we must get it right"

A new study by Standard Chartered, Trade20, shows that a wide range of economies in Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East have significantly improved their potential for trade growth by opening up their markets, diversifying their exports, improving their economic dynamism, and strengthening their physical and digital infrastructure.

Buoyed by regional trade deals and liberalising policies, several members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations — Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand — have been making particularly strong progress in opening for trade, as has India. With supply chains via China under threat, international companies are already diversifying into these economies, making them more interesting as investment opportunities, export markets and supply chain partners.

This file opens in a new windowDownload the full report

Of course, larger economies have the greatest trade potential in absolute terms, but smaller countries may rival them in terms of speed of progress and potential for trade growth relative to their size. Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Oman are on an upward trajectory, progressing at pace from a relatively low starting point. Smaller countries such as these could also benefit as multinationals diversify their supply chains.

Even if the US and China do manage to agree on a new trade deal – which would bring huge benefits – the push for diversified supply chains will continue. Having tasted uncertainty, many companies will want to protect themselves against future interruptions to trade or new tariffs by producing or sourcing the same product in more than one country.

While this may be disruptive initially, and be less efficient, it will make global trade more resilient in the long term. Further trade growth is likely, no matter what happens to the US and China. Most countries recognise that trade is a critical lever to accelerate economic development, increase competition and improve productivity. Patterns of trade will continue to become more complex and diversified, as new markets move into prominence – particularly India and the ASEAN economies.

Another positive sign for global trade is that a wide range of new free-trade agreements are being signed or are under negotiation. The EU is negotiating numerous trade deals and has recently reached agreements with Japan, Vietnam and the South American trade bloc Mercosur. There are also several regional pacts in Asia and Africa. A post-Brexit Britain will also be looking to negotiate new trade deals and will want to do them quickly.

"The real question we should be asking now is: how do we ensure free trade is recognised as a true force for good?"

Trade agreements boost exports and gross domestic product over time, studies have shown. Larger-scale regional trade deals increase competitive pressures in the participating countries, which drives local businesses to become more efficient and productive. It also offers the chance for countries to specialise in the most productive industries.

The real question we should be asking now is: how do we ensure free trade is recognised as a true force for good? We must never forget that voter unease about globalisation led to rising protectionism and much of the hostility to trade in the first place. The 2008 crisis highlighted the unequal distribution of the benefits from globalisation. The resulting economic downturn hit vulnerable populations hard, causing them to question the merits of immigration, free trade and investment.

Undoubtedly, free trade has tremendous power to drive prosperity across the globe. But rising populism and current trade disputes remind us that we must work harder to ensure the benefits are felt as widely as possible within countries. Political leaders have a responsibility to implement inclusive social and economic policies, and private companies must act responsibly and invest in the communities they serve.

If no US-China trade agreement can be reached, this will be very unfortunate and disruptive to the global economy, but the trend toward increasing world trade is far from over. It remains our best hope for growth.

This article originally appeared in the Financial Times on 22 October 2019.

Our female CEOs: Learning, leading and home in time for netball – Tracy’s story

Invisible author — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 08:51:38 +0000

Name: Tracy Clarke
Role: CEO, Europe & Americas and CEO, Private Banking

You can’t be what you can’t see

Though I never set out to be a leader, I like a challenge and enjoy learning new things, so I’ve always tended to push myself out of my comfort zone and looked for opportunities to increase my expertise.

You can’t be what you can’t see, so as a leader I try to be the best version of myself, which will hopefully encourage others to do the same. I’m democratic and encourage diverse ideas, and where I can, I like to coach others to step out of their comfort zones too.

We’re all different

Relationship-building is an important part of any job, but it can sometimes be challenging. I once had a manager who I didn’t really get on with. I lost confidence, felt demotivated and struggled. But the experience taught me how important good people leaders are. You can be technically proficient in your role, but to lead and manage colleagues you need to invest in and get to know them. Not everyone is the same as you, or has the same style, so using the tools available to learn how to best support and manage your team is critical.

"Don't worry if things don't go to plan – the best-laid career plans rarely do!"

Support and respect

Just after I’d had my second baby I got a career-changing opportunity. It was the job that made me, but I would not have got it without the support of my mentor, a former CEO of ours, Mervyn Davies. At times we all need that little bit of encouragement and to believe in ourselves. Females are just as capable as males, and we all need to continue to break down barriers and promote gender equality.

Don’t worry if things don’t go to plan – the best-laid career plans very rarely do! My advice would be to treat everyone with respect at every level. It takes nothing to be respectful and friendly, and it fosters loyalty, which is priceless.

Life and work in sync

The term work-life balance implies that life isn’t work, but I spend so much of my time at work that it’s a big part of my life and who I am. For me, it helps to know what’s on our agenda as a family – we sync our diaries on our phones so we can see exactly what we’re all doing and when. That way I know when my girls have sports or school events which I’ll attend. I also play netball for my local club, and if I’m travelling I try to get back in time for a Saturday match.

We are committed to having 30 per cent of senior roles held by women by 31 Dec 2020

Interested in joining us?

Whether you’re a recent graduate or looking for
your next opportunity, we have the role for you

View our latest roles

Our female CEOs: Lessons in life and leadership – Jerry's story

Jerry Zhang, our CEO, China, on how she maintains a work-life balance, and finding potential in mistakes

Read Jerry' story

Our female CEOs: Leadership, reinvention and relevancy – Rola’s story

Rola Abu Manneh, our CEO, UAE, on leading the diversity and inclusion agenda, and the barriers to female leadership

Read Rola's story

Our female CEOs: Smashing the stereotypes – Lynette’s story

Lynette Ortiz, our CEO, Philippines, on challenging gender stereotypes and inspiring women in the country

Read Lynette's story