The Women in Securities Finance network came together with the industry to celebrate its five-year anniversary in a Market Open Ceremony hosted by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG).
To mark this milestone for the network, the group’s London Chapter gathered at Paternoster Square in London with its co-leaders Harpreet Bains, global head of product for agency securities lending at J.P. Morgan, and Ina Budh-Raja, EMEA head of product and strategy securities finance and markets ESG at BNY Mellon.
Speaking to SFT, the co-leaders of the London Chapter highlight how the significant milestone serves to not only galvanise and give momentum to all the combined effort and energy being channelled into Women in Securities Finance, but will help to propel the discussions and solutions that will drive a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for the future.
The women dedicate the success of the network to the ongoing encouragement and contributions from across the group’s membership, including its male allies, “all of whom have enabled the network to deliver on its mission”.
Creating a community to foster connections and promote the advancement of women in the securities finance industry, the Women in Securities Finance group has made its mark in the industry since its emergence in 2018.
The group has expanded its reach through its Boston, Chicago, Toronto, New York and London Chapters, reaching 1000 members, and has made headlines with its achievements over the years.
The London Chapter leaders announced their collaboration with the Bank of England in April 2021, where they aided the bank in promoting new best practice standards in the UK Money Markets Code (MMC) to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion.
In addition, the group has participated in conferences around the globe, pushing discussions on diversity with market participants, including at the recent Risk Management Association’s 37th Securities Finance & Collateral Management Conference in Miami.
Securities Finance Times recognised the group’s efforts at its Industry Excellence Awards in June with the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year award for demonstrating a commitment to equality and inclusion on a sustainable basis.
Commenting on the milestone, Budh-Raja says: “If we want to drive change and reap the broader benefits that a diverse and inclusive financial services landscape can bring, then women really need to support each other, speak up, be brave and ensure that honest conversations are had.”
Bains adds: “Continuing to look for opportunities to lower the ladder down to help others climb up when you can, recognising that not every woman is starting from the same rung, is crucial. Meaningful progress can only come about through a collective effort.”
