This morning, 100 Women in Finance opened trading at the London Stock Exchange to mark International Women’s Day and celebrate 25 years of advancing women’s leadership across the global finance industry. The market open formed part of the organization’s 25th Anniversary, reflecting both a moment of celebration and a renewed commitment to accelerating progress toward greater equity in finance.
The market was opened by Lisa Petrelli, Board Chair of 100 Women in Finance. The event was attended by representatives from corporate sponsor firms, members, volunteers, and invited guests. In her remarks, Rehana Farrell, Chief Executive Officer of 100 Women in Finance, reflected on the organization’s 25-year journey and the work still ahead, noting that while representation of women in leadership has improved over time, progress remains uneven and parity is not yet a reality across the industry. She emphasized the importance of moving beyond incremental change to focus on structural solutions that expand access to opportunity, strengthen retention at critical career stages, and ensure leadership reflects the full diversity of talent within finance.
The program also featured a fireside conversation with Mary Ann Sieghart, journalist, and author of The Authority Gap, exploring the persistent barriers women face in being heard, recognised, and rewarded at senior levels. The discussion highlighted how bias, often subtle and systemic, continues to shape leadership outcomes, and why building inclusive cultures, transparent pathways to advancement, and visible sponsorship of women’s leadership are essential to accelerating change.
International Women’s Day serves as a moment to recognize progress while confronting the work that remains. For 100 Women in Finance, the 25th Anniversary marks both a milestone and a call to action – reaffirming the organization’s commitment to strengthening the global finance industry by ensuring that talent is met with access, ambition is matched with opportunity, and leadership better reflects the diversity of the world it serves.