PFS podcast: Diversity of voices is good for business

Back for the second series, Wealth and Women podcast hosts Emma Hall, Hazel Bowen, Alina Burlacu and Tracy Brookes consider the concept of ‘accelerating action’ through a financial planning lens, and the momentum around women in finance careers. With conversation covering burnout, golf, maternity leave, and the importance of stress-testing ideas with diverse input, the hosts discuss the value of inclusivity in the workplace.

Reflecting on how businesses can improve diversity, Hazel Bowen said: “One of the things that stops action from being taken is a lack of awareness of obstacles for women that we don't know are there, and this can apply to lots of different groups who are not in the majority. To really progress further than we have now, businesses need to make a conscious effort, not to just look at the business and say ‘we're not doing anything actively discriminatory’, but to think ‘are any of our processes causing a discriminatory effect on groups within the business?’.”

The PFS Wealth and Women podcast is available on Personal Finance Professional, Apple Music, Spotify, and all DSPs.

• Episode 1 available now
• 13 March, Episode 2 with special guest Helen Howcroft, Private Client Director, Head of Women's Financial Advice and Senior Chartered Financial Planner at Atomos Wealth.
• 20 March, Episode 3 with special guest Katy Barker-Cook, Head of Operations at Nationwide, and Head of Finance Operations and Chief Product Owner for Finance Technology.
• 27 March, Episode 4 with special guest Kim Uzzell, CISI President for the East Anglia Region, Founder and Director of The Financial Wellbeing Academy.
• 3 April, Episode 5 with Emma Geale, Private Client Solicitor, Principle Associate at Mills & Reeve.

Carla Brown, President of the PFS, said: "Series one of the Wealth and Women podcast was a tremendous success, and received an abundance of feedback on how the conversations had positively impacted listeners. We are delighted to launch series two in line with International Women’s Day, with our fantastic panel of expert women in finance.”

International Women's Day 2025 calls for accelerating action on gender equality, as data from the World Economic Forum indicates that at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, to reach full gender parity.