Norris has more recently founded an organisation with her wife which specialises in helping workplaces better carve out support for colleagues to be good mentors.
“The financial services space still has a lot of work to do to fully embrace equity,” said Norris.
“There’s still a broken ladder of women who enter the profession and struggle to progress and unfortunately leave.
“It’s still a predominantly white, middle class university educated stereotype as a profession. So for me, it's great to look back and see how far we’ve come whilst also looking ahead and seeing the journey still to go and what part I can play in changing that.”
Tessa Lee, managing director of Moneyinfo
Lee started her career straight out of university at the age of 23. Her first jobs were in adviser administration, before she moved to 1st Software where she managed a team of business analysts. It was in 2010 that she began adviser software provider Moneyinfo.
When 1st Software sold, Lee took her share options and used the capital to set up her own business. She has since grown Moneyinfo to cater for more than 180 IFA clients.
“I want to pass on what I had,” said Lee, who has promoted a handful of women into top positions at her company.
“I had supportive bosses throughout my career.”
One thing Lee has noticed is that there are still very few female developers. “There’s no physical reason why there aren't any, it’s like financial advice.”
The tech boss feels there are still certainly misconceptions around women in tech.
She was once on a call with a supplier, where the chair of the firm on the call assumed she was the project manager rather than the managing director.
“I laughed it off, but looking back at these experiences makes me realise the bias I have faced without even knowing it.”
Now, she feels like there is positive change afoot. “You walk into an event today, and there’s 20 to 25 per cent women, versus just one person not in a grey suit.”
Emma Napier, head of proposition at Bravura Solutions
Napier joined the platform industry back in 1988, starting out at Crusader Insurance. After that, she spent more than 10 years at a City IFA, before spending more recent stints at Platforum and True Potential.
“Women in senior roles were non-existent in my experience at the time,” said Napier.
During her adviser days, Napier said her good friend Michelle Cracknell was the first person to buck the trend.
