Embark Group (Embark) announces today that it is renewing its partnership with Women in Asset Servicing (WiAS) for a further two years, reaffirming Embark’s commitment to empowering women in financial services.
The renewed partnership will assist Embark’s continued advocacy for better inclusion in the industry, by working with WiAS to link women with long term careers, facilitate effective networking, and support the group to bring in new members.
There is a stark gender divide in financial services, with women accounting for 43% of the workforce but only 15% of C-Suite level roles. Improving career outcomes for women in asset servicing is crucial to growing inclusion across the broader financial services industry.
Since the start of their partnership in 2021, Embark and WiAS have worked together to nurture and support talent, growing WiAS membership by nearly 150% and welcoming over 1000 attendees to online and in-person events. This fruitful relationship has been lauded for its contribution to furthering diversity, with WiAS winning Asset Servicing Times’ Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Award, and network founder Kate Webber receiving the Mentor of the Year award at the Investment Week Women in Investment Awards in 2021.
With WiAS celebrating its 5th anniversary in 2023 plans are well underway to grow the network to 1000 members and widen its current mentor group. They are also developing a STEM toolkit for members to deliver presentations in schools to teach students about asset servicing and encourage them to imagine future careers in the industry.
WiAS member, Daniela Utane, from Spring Capital Partners Limited, commented: ‘I’ve come a long way since joining WiAS when it was in its infancy and have grown in confidence, and in my networking ability, as the network has grown. The recent partnership with Embark has motivated me to sign up to a couple of events that I may not have joined before – the in-person networking event in the summer and the Men for Inclusion male allies event last year being examples. I still find networking uncomfortable, but WiAS is pushing me beyond my comfort zone.’
Embark’s partnership with WiAS is a key strand of Embark’s strategy to accelerate progression in the industry towards better inclusion. Its commitment to this important goal has been recognised by the industry, with Embark receiving the Developing Skills and Inclusion award at the 2022 Scottish Financial Services Awards.
Kate Webber, Founder of Women in Asset Servicing, said: ‘We’re delighted to confirm the renewal of our partnership with Embark. WiAS has already delivered so much for our members through events, mentoring and much more. As we look ahead to 2023 and beyond we cannot wait to continue this great work and expand our network further, helping to make financial services more accessible for everyone.’
Jackie Leiper, CEO at Embark Group, said: ‘We’re proud to renew our partnership with WiAS to deliver meaningful career progression for women in finance. It’s such an exciting time to be a woman working in the industry: what has been historically a very male space is fast becoming much more inclusive thanks to the work of groups like WiAS. At Embark, we look forward to continuing to support WiAS as they seek to go even further in 2023.’
For further information, please contact:
Eduard Lewis
The Agency Partnership (Embark Media Relations)
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 07814715929
About Embark Group
Embark Group is a fast growing, diversified, financial services business and one of the leading retirement solutions providers to the advised and institutional markets in the UK.
We work closely with financial advisers and businesses to deliver their long-term savings and investment propositions to UK consumers through our investment platform and range of multi-asset funds, pensions, fund research and consultancy services.
Embark Group has more than £35.3bn in assets under administration on behalf of c.375,000 individual clients, operating across seven UK locations (London, Bolton, Dundee, Edinburgh, Leeds, Leicester, and Swindon). Embark has been recognised in the WealthTech100 as one of the world’s most innovative WealthTech companies for four consecutive years.
In January 2022, Embark became part of Lloyds Banking Group, a leading UK based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services.
All figures as of January 2023.
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