The gender split within the team at Bridging Finance Solutions continues to lean further in the direction of female professionals, who now account for almost 70% of the workforce.
In stark contrast to the vast majority of financial businesses, the growing bridging firm continues to appoint women in a diverse range of roles, from junior positions to senior board level. BFS Head of Operations, Head of Underwriting and the firms Financial Controller are all positions held by females.
Steve Barber, Managing Director of Bridging Finance Solutions’ explained: “Cultivating a female-led workforce wasn’t an intentional move but is a trend that has evolved organically.
“Our business continues to grow at an average rate of 25% year on year. We are undoubtedly perceived as a modern and innovative business in what is often considered a very traditional industry and our female-led workforce is obviously one of the key differentiators.
“Female influence has, without doubt, helped shape BFS, from our personal approach to the systems, flexible working and the processes we follow. Whilst all of our appointments have been made on an equal opportunity basis, the successful – and best – candidates have largely been women. Any specific efforts to recruit women to leadership roles in corporate settings is useless unless there is an encouraging culture for anyone to succeed – at BFS we feel everyone has a voice to be heard and respected and gender, therefore, is irrelevant.”
Earlier this year Bridging Finance Solutions formed part of the latest group of businesses to sign up to the Government’s official gender led equality initiative, ‘The Women in Finance Charter’. The Charter was set up as part of the Government’s plan to tackle gender inequality in financial services.
Top row from left to right: Sue Caldwell (Financial Controller), Diane Wood (Credit Controller), Diane McHugh (Office Manager), Barbara Corbett (Company Accountant) and Nichola Vaughan (Underwriter) Front row from left to right: Jeanette Gwatkin (Head of Operations), Becky Darlington (Regional Business Development Manager) and Rachel Davies (Head of Underwriting)
