On Wednesday, 24th June, the 100 Women in Finance Early Career Committee London brought together a full room of ambitious women across the finance industry for an evening of practical, personal career conversation hosted by Selby Jennings.
The panel featured Alexander Gathukia, Morgan Stanley, Lauren Frodsham, Standard Chartered, Grace Clarke, BlackRock, and Hannah Langdon, Alvine Capital, and was moderated by Kirsty Tutton, Selby Jennings.
Through the discussion, they shared how they navigated key decisions, professional challenges, and built their careers with intention.
Key takeaways included:
- Confidence isn’t faking it – it’s backing yourself to grow into the role, grounded in real effort, not bravado.
- Growth often means choosing discovery over comfort – exploring what you’re capable of, not just proving what you’re already good at.
- Your most valuable network is sometimes the one closest to you – internal relationships can become your biggest advocates.
- Real networking isn’t transactional. It works best when driven by genuine curiosity about people, not a calculated effort to “network.”
- Building a senior career alongside a young family is rarely convenient timing, or conventional – but with the right support, both are possible
The evening closed with an open Q&A and networking reception, giving attendees the chance to put questions directly to the panel and connect with peers across the industry.