“Women on parental leave often encounter challenges such as financial strain and the motherhood penalty, which can impact their career progression and earnings upon returning to work. At Forsyth Barr, we are committed to supporting our female employees by offering a generous parental leave policy, maintaining regular communication during their leave, and providing a structured, flexible transition back to work. To address the motherhood penalty, we uphold equitable pay and promotion practices while fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace for mothers.”

“In leading Forsyth Barr, I see my role as listening carefully to what our female staff need, fostering a supportive culture, and ensuring real action and meaningful progress. Authenticity is key - we are focused on tangible results not just making nice statements. Twenty-five years ago, we introduced a supportive parental leave and return-to-work policy, which we have continued to evolve. We’ve championed the voices of women within the firm and backed multiple initiatives focused on leadership, professional development, career progression, and professional networking - including our latest Her Wealth programme. We have actively recruited and supported female advisers, making this a KPI for senior managers. But this isn’t just about achieving gender balance per se or responding to our growing base of female clients. In my nearly 27 years at Forsyth Barr, I’ve seen first-hand that women make excellent advisers, building strong, trusted client relationships and leading the way in many aspects of our delivery and success.”

“Financial independence tends to start with receiving the right advice. For women, this is more critical than ever, especially as we continue to see disparities in pay, wealth accumulation, and career opportunities. True economic empowerment means taking charge of your financial future - building wealth that gives you the freedom to make choices on your own terms. In my own career, I’m committed to driving gender equality by stepping forward - whether that’s through my involvement in Forsyth Barr’s Her Wealth initiative, lending my voice to support female colleagues or using my professional expertise to help women make informed financial decisions, advising on strategies to grow and sustain wealth over the long term.”

“I’m proud to be one of the business sponsors of the Her Wealth initiative, which we launched earlier this year to empower women to invest with confidence. It has been inspiring to see the dedication of many people across the firm in driving meaningful change here, and I’m committed to supporting and amplifying their efforts. Beyond Her Wealth, I’m going to spend time this year showcasing our industry and our firm as an exciting and rewarding place for women to build their careers. Conversations with some of my nieces at university over the holidays highlighted how many young women haven’t considered wealth management as a career path, and I see a real opportunity to change that. I’m keen to work with colleagues to elevate our visibility, share success stories, and create pathways for more women to join our industry.”

“As a single mother who worked full-time while navigating the challenges of balancing career and family, I understand first-hand the importance of financial independence for women. Financial independence unlocks opportunities and provides the freedom to make choices on our own terms. At Forsyth Barr, we are fully committed to removing the guesswork from financial decision-making. Through expert guidance and support, we help women of all ages build confidence in managing their finances, empowering them to take control of their financial futures and create lasting security for themselves and their families. In my role as an Independent Director at Forsyth Barr I continue to support and champion initiatives that are designed specifically for women along with mentoring women in the firm who are also committed to achieving great outcomes for womens financial wellbeing.”

“I’m a strong advocate for breaking down barriers and supporting others to succeed. It’s inspiring to see the energy and dedication of many people across the firm as we work to build a more inclusive financial industry - whether through mentoring, financial literacy initiatives, or leading by example. In my role at Forsyth Barr, I’m focused on creating scalable services that make quality investing and advice more accessible. Through Tempo, our partnership with The Curve is equipping women with the tools and confidence to invest on their own terms. Having once been one of the only women in the room at analyst events - and later navigating the challenges of stepping away and returning after having a baby - I know first-hand the importance of role models and opportunities that empower women to thrive in finance.”

“Being early in my career, I’ve already seen how much of a difference it makes to have strong female role models around – women who lead by example, share their experiences, and support others coming through. Having people to look up to and learn from makes it so much easier to build confidence and see what’s possible. That’s why making women’s achievements more visible is so important. In marketing, I get to help do that – whether it’s sharing the inspiring women at our Her Wealth events or acknowledging the great work women at Forsyth Barr are doing. The more we highlight the women making an impact, the more we inspire others to do the same – you can’t be what you can’t see.”

“We, like the rest of the local investment industry, have historically struggled to attract females into graduate roles. We typically get lots of applicants for roles, but the vast majority are male. In an attempt to attract more diverse and high quality applicants, four years ago we launched the Forsyth Barr graduate programme. This provides graduates the opportunity to rotate through various parts of the business, allowing them to sample different work environments, learn about how the various services within Forsyth Barr knit together, provide time to work out what areas of our industry they are most attracted to, while meaningfully contributing in each area. The programme attracts significantly more females than our other recruitment efforts to the extent that thus far, half of the graduates that we’ve hired have been female.”

“For me, helping others succeed is incredibly rewarding. The internal learning platforms we’ve established - from Investing 101 to Learn and Build, Learning Lab, and our Leadership Training and Mentoring Programme - are all designed to support our people in taking time to invest in themselves.

But learning isn’t limited to formal programmes. Every day, we have opportunities to make a difference and encourage others to succeed - whether it’s taking a moment to support someone with a phone call, inviting a new colleague to a meeting to bring fresh perspectives, or publicly recognising those who have contributed to a project’s success. This year, I encourage women across the business to reach out, connect with someone new, and help them feel part of our community. Small gestures can have a lasting impact on individuals and our broader teams.”

“Having been at Forsyth Barr for ten years across multiple roles and departments, I’ve seen first-hand how the right support at the right time can make a real difference - especially for women navigating career transitions, personal milestones and the very real juggle of balancing work and family life. I am grateful for the support I’ve received during these times, and I want to pay that forward where I can. Returning to work after maternity leave has reinforced my belief that it’s often the small, everyday conversations that create the biggest impact. Whether it’s sharing experiences, offering guidance, or simply being a sounding board, I believe in creating a space where women feel supported, heard, and empowered - not just in big moments, but in everyday conversations. Sometimes, having someone to relate to, share insights with, or simply check in with can make all the difference.”

“Throughout my career, I have been a strong advocate for financial education, especially for women, and have made it a priority to be approachable and supportive, including mentoring the younger generation in career development.  

In my broader network outside of Forsyth Barr, there is a growing conversation among women about the importance of having a financial adviser as they approach retirement. Many of my female peers feel more comfortable working with a female adviser, reinforcing the need for accessibility and representation in financial services. More recently, I have seen a growing number of women facing financial decisions independently due to life changes, often lacking the necessary skills or confidence. In these situations, I take a proactive role in connecting them with Forsyth Barr’s many trustworthy and capable financial advisers, ensuring they receive the guidance they need for a secure financial future.”

“As a large influential investor in New Zealand, it is important that we tell the market that we expect companies to be supporting diversity initiatives as a core driver of value. We do this predominantly through our annual assessment of how companies are performing from an ESG perspective. We expect companies to be tracking the proportion of women in management roles in relation to the proportion of women employees and to be implementing initiatives that build diversity and equality while recognising how modern employee value propositions can help to attract and retain talent. We also expect appropriate levels of diversity on boards to ensure a broad range of perspectives, experiences, and expertise is part of decision-making. There are clear links to good corporate governance and strong corporate performance. It is great to see the market reacting positively to the questions we ask. For more information or to track progress of our insights, see our latest Carbon & ESG Report on New Zealand companies here.”

“For me, supporting women is about the meaningful day-to-day conversations. As a working mum, I've found encouragement throughout the Forsyth Barr network from others navigating similar challenges. Knowing you're not alone in balancing career and family has been incredibly comforting. I make myself available to others in the business - both to listen and share experiences, which is one way I can give back and strengthen the support network within our organisation. These small but significant connections can often make the biggest difference.”

“Supporting women in developing confidence and leadership skills is a key focus for me. Encouraging public speaking, goal setting for both personal and professional growth, and continuous improvement are areas I’m passionate about fostering in our Heads of Departments and younger female colleagues. This year, we’re taking a tangible step by enrolling our Assistant Managers and our Training Specialist on appropriate management courses. This opportunity will provide them with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to further develop their leadership abilities, setting them up for continued success within the firm. Investing in our people is crucial, and I look forward to seeing them grow, take on new responsibilities, and inspire others along the way.”

“One of the most important things we can do as a business is ensure our expertise and advice provide the greatest value to all our clients. We recognise that the financial services industry has not always been as accessible as it should be for women investors, and we are committed to changing that. This commitment extends across everything we do - the services we offer, the events we run and the advice we provide - all with the goal of helping more women achieve great financial outcomes. I’m proud of how seriously we’re taking this responsibility and the great work that many, many people are doing to make sure that we deliver.”