Law firm DWF hosted the second Leasing Foundation Women in Leasing meeting in London on 18 November 2013 at which leading gender diversity researcher Dr. Savita Kumra talked about women’s career development in professional service firms.
The Women in Leasing meeting, which also included workshop sessions around topics including confidence-building and effective networking, was attended by women and men from across the industry.
Dr. Kumra, an academic at Brunel University and the University of Oxford, talked about her research into womens’ career development and the importance of impression management and building and leveraging social capital.
Mary McNamara, Chair of the Leasing Foundation Governors and co-organiser of the meeting said “This was only our second Women in Leasing meeting but we’re making great progress in both identifying the issues we want to work on around diversity and in engaging people across the industry. It’s important though that we don’t only see this as an issue for women in leasing and asset finance – everything we hear, and all the research we read, tells us that talented women in positions of authority means better-functioning, more effective and more profitable organisations. This is not an issue of ‘women’s rights’ – it’s a core business issue.”
The next meeting of Women in Leasing, supported by Grant Thornton, will be held on 5 March 2014 in London. It will focus on practical strategies for women in organisations and pave the way for more focused training and development targeted at women in leasing and asset finance.
“Women need to take control of their career development and become confident in articulating their personal stories” says Mary McNamara, “and Women in Leasing is there to help them do that. I’d encourage any woman in the industry – and all senior leaders who see these issues as important – to participate.”
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