An equal world is an enabled world

Celebrating women’s achievement across our business for International Women’s Day (8 March) we are catching up with some of our inspirational women to hear what gender equality means to them. All this week we will be sharing our interviews with them asking them about their career journey, what this year’s theme ‘an equal world is an enabled world’ means to them, and what advice they would give to their 12-year old selves.

Today, meet Judith, currently Group Strategy Director, who will become Group Finance Director and join the Board at our Annual General Meeting in April.

What was your career path? How did you get to where you are today? 

My career path is probably a pretty standard path for most finance directors with the exception of my CEO and strategy roles in RPS. Like most finance directors I trained with a Big Four accountancy firm. Even from those early days I knew I wanted to be a group finance director in a plc. I had a goal to aim for and had the determination to work to this goal. During my career I have faced a number of challenges, been given a number of opportunities, experienced roles outside finance, but most importantly loved every minute of it.

The theme for International Women’s Day this year is ‘an equal world is an enabled world’  – what does that mean to you?

Everyone has a role to play in forging a more gender-balanced world and female equality is not about the fall of men. It is about using the power diversity can bring to deliver success. I like a quote from Charlotte Bronte “I am neither a man nor a woman but an author”.

What advice would you give your 12-year old self?

Women have a lot to offer in a leadership role – always believe in your strength and capability even in the face of adversity. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt “A woman is like a teabag – you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water”.