LDC hosts Women in Corporate Finance Breakfast

LDC brought together a panel of West Midlands based senior women at its first Women in Corporate Finance Breakfast to discuss the successes and challenges they’ve faced throughout their careers, as well as the “million-dollar question” of how to balance work and personal life.

Ayesha Ali, Investment Manager at LDC in the West Midlands, shares her thoughts on the discussion and highlights why it’s so valuable to hear from women in leadership positions.

At the great heights of Eighteen in Birmingham, I was proud to be joined by four inspirational panellists as we welcomed more than 60 people from across the regional corporate finance community to our event.

Our expert panel included Sarah Taylor from Clearwater International; Beth Mather from Gateley; Rena Sandhu from Alantra; and Tracy Bownes from LDC, one of our experienced Partners who sits on the board of five of our portfolio companies nationally.

It was a lively discussion that covered the opportunities and stumbling blocks our panel had experienced throughout their career journeys, allowing them to share invaluable advice for those of us in the room. My key takeaways included:

• Project manage your career – like all good corporate financiers we look to project manage most things – why do we choose not to when it comes to our careers? Don’t assume strong results will speak for themselves, sometimes you need to be more intentional with what you’re trying to achieve and vocal with what you want.
• Get out of your comfort zone – put your hand up for the things that challenge you and allow you to become better, rather than sticking to what you’re good at. Only when you take yourself out of your comfort zone will you realise your true potential.
• Embrace the imbalance – nobody has the time to do it all, there will be times where you feel the balance is all wrong, but the truth is, work life balance means different things to everyone and there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution. So instead look to create a balance that you are comfortable with, recognising that it will vary week to week. And don’t be embarrassed to ask for help, a crucial part of being a good leader is calling on others if needed.
• Play the long game – timeframes can be useful but remember that you don’t need to stick to a five or 10-year plan. Horizons may shift, so give yourself the flexibility to fulfil your passions and take a break if you need to. Taking time out does not impede future, if anything it may reenergise you to achieve greater success.

A theme that ran throughout the event was the strength of the corporate finance community and the value of the friendships in the room. It’s clear that building a strong support network is crucial for any aspiring leader.

LDC extends our thanks to all the inspirational women that joined our first Women in Corporate Finance breakfast this year, and we look forward to hosting more of its kind in the future.