Q1. What or who inspired you to work in investing?

From a young age I wanted to understand about companies and how to invest in them, as I saw that as a means to grow financial wealth and security. From the Bible (Proverbs 31), ‘The Woman of Noble Character’ continues to inspire me with her diligence, compassion and diversified activities and investments.

Q2. What do you think the future looks like for women in investing? What would you like to see?

My strong hope is that there will be more women involved in key leadership and fund management roles. I am saddened that, over my thirty-plus years of working, there has been little change in the number of women working in our industry. I would like to see greater flexibility and opportunities for such participation, so that there are more women in every area of our industry, including more female founders and entrepreneurs.   

Q3. What is your attitude to investment risk?

I embrace risk management and the recognised historical benefits of good diversification. I advocate that investors understand the opportunities that usually present themselves at certain times in an economic cycle. More recently, I have become an Angel Investor, on a personal basis, by investing in new female-founded or co-founded businesses that are bringing innovation and solutions to the many challenges our nation and world face. I manage the inherent risk in these angel investments by carrying out due diligence and only investing in those with some proven track record and/or demand. 

Q4. If you had a superpower, what would it be?

To be able, occasionally, to stretch time.  If I were allowed two superpowers, I would also like to enable the general public to visit once more the viewing gallery of the floor of the London Stock Exchange – which I used to go to often during my lunch hours when I was first working in London in the 1980s – and this time see good diversity across the people working there.   

Q5. Tell us your motto or if you don’t live by one, why not?

‘Live life to the full’, by making the most and best of every opportunity that comes my way – even if it means ‘facing the fear’.