cutting edge july 2009

cutting edgeThe magazine of Women in the City www.citywomen.co.uk

July 2009 Symposium Edition

£2.75 Where sold

2009 WOMEN IN THE CITY

SYMPOSIUM: MANAGING RISK

Retired, butnever been busier

Mixing business with pleasure

Chin up!

Stressbusters

TravEl TipS

HOW TO MaiNTaiN TEaM MOralE

Banish recession blues

life post-work

The GirlBriTTliNTNEr

Here comes

CHAIR AND PANELIST PROFILES

EVENT PROGRAMME

Cutting Edge July 2009 2

3 Cutting Edge July 2009

There is no better time to take risks than in a recession. What have you got to lose?

For those who have lost their jobs or those who still feel the prospect of redundancy hovering over their heads, there is only upside. Even if you are secure in your job, opportunities abound during a downturn as companies cherry-pick staff and entrepreneurship and innovation are rewarded.

Our biggest risk is fear, and being paralysed by fear into inaction. acting rashly is not the same as taking a calculated risk, and if you take a risk with an eye on the medium and long term as well as the short term, nine times out of ten you will benefit in some way.

Keeping a strong safety net of contacts at all times is crucial if you are making a leap of faith, as Gwen rhys, Founder of Women in The City explains in our story on networking (p 28).

But women don’t take enough risks. in the FTSE 100, just 15% of Non-Executive directors are women, and this is not due to lack of demand. City firms are crying out for qualified female candidates. Boards with more women perform better than those with less. Fortune 500 companies with three or more women on their Boards have an 83% greater return on equity, a 73% better return on their sales and a 112% higher return on invested capital than companies with few senior women, according to new research from Catalyst.

With firms desperate to increase profitability, now is the best time to make the jump, take a risk, and give promotion your best shot. as Cutting Edge goes to press, preparations are being made for the Women in the City risk Symposium, where senior women from financial services give their opinions on managing risk.The topic has never been more salient.

Comments welcome at [email protected]. i hope you enjoy the read and look forward to welcoming you at future Women in the City events.

Tara loader Wilkinson

Guest EditorTara loader [email protected]

publishing DirectorGwen [email protected]

Commercial Directorroger [email protected]

DesignNaked Creativitywww.nakedgroup.com020 7193 1791

Creative DirectorJordan Chitty

Designerslouisa SantilliEmma Tuttlebury

Cover imageSarah lee

Editorial BoardElizabeth KelanKate Grussingvirginie Ourceyre

advertising SalesMichelle [email protected]

Media relationsHarriet [email protected]

awards CoordinatorMarianne [email protected]

printed by Sarum Colourviewwww.colourview.co.uk

published byNetworking Culture ltd for Women in the City

Letter from the Editor

Disclaimer: Networking Culture limited is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any items originating from external sources and does not necessarily endorse any views expressed within them.

Women in the City was founded by Gwen rhys and is managed by Networking Culture limited, a company registered in England & Wales No. 02261251vaT registration No:749883758Data protection registration No: Z6965184registered Office: Stuart House, 55 Catherine place, london SW1E 6DY

Women in the City is a registered Trademark No. 2478153


Contents

On the cover: Britt Lintner shares the secret to her success

Maintaining Morale through a recession

Stress Busting:Tricks and treats

to keep you sane

What next? Women aren’t

taking retirement lying down.

ProfessionalismDo you really know what it means?

Women in the City 2009 annual Symposium

24 programme25 Symposium Sponsor26 Symposium Chair27 panelists

Going on Holiday?You don’t have

to cut the office off completely

16 20

32 36

12 23

38


To paraphrase the opening words of Dickens’s a Tale of Two Cities these are not the best of times, nor are they the worst of times. But they are challenging times, and the challenge for Women in the City (WiC) is to continue to develop its existing range of products and services, when maintaining the status quo is by far the easiest option. after the excitement of celebrating the 2008 Women in the City Women of achievement awards at the annual lunch last November my business partner, roger Hacker, and i took time out to recharge our batteries and by January we ready for the coming year.

Our 2008-9 Jaguar Woman of

achievement is amanda Blanc, Chief Executive of the Broking Division of Towergate partnership limited. Following the WiC lunch Towergate’s Group Chief Executive, andy Homer, wrote to roger and to me saying “Thanks for the inspiration for the Women in the City awards … You are a great team and should be immensely proud of something i dare say might outlive us all”.

His comment made us recognise that WiC is no longer “just a lunch and awards”.

Women in the City has a community feel and provides opportunities for women to develop relationships with like-minded professional businesswomen - but it is not a network.

rather it provides a range of products and services to its database of customers: past, present and future. WiC also joins forces with partners, Sponsors and Endorsers to meet shared goals and objectives.

WiC products and services currently include the annual lunch; the annual awards, which this year include the Coutts lifetime achievement award as well as the Jaguar Woman of achievement award; Cutting Edge, the handbag-sized magazine with briefcase content; Cutting Edge liTE, an occasional e-zine and the annual Symposium.

in addition, WiC continues to develop commercial partnerships with a number of organisations including knomo which has provided every WiC award winner with one of its chic laptop briefcases. visitors to our website can now access great knomo offers exclusive to Women in the City (p. 44).

WIC gets its Wings

Founder and Director of Women in the City

Gwen Rhys


austin reed, which this year is providing part of the Women of achievement award prizes, is also accessible through the WiC website.

WiC is also working with wealth manager addidi and will soon be hosting a lunch at Watermen’s Hall, EC3, where guests will learn about addidi’s Business angels programme. if the concept of investing money in new enterprises appeals to you, let me know and i’ll make sure that your name is added to the guest list.

WiC will shortly formally announce a strategic alliance with a City-based charity that focuses on raising the aspirations of young inner-City students, in particular helping them to access careers in the professions and specifically in City-based organisations.

in the Winter months, WiC is hosting a series of breakfasts sponsored by Murray Campbell, a Senior partner with St James’s partnership. Murray’s client base

is predominantly professional City women and i have known him professionally for several years. He never assumes that i either know or don’t know how to manage my financial affairs and his approach is definitely female-friendly. Women in the City is delighted to welcome him as a “preferred supplier”.

The atmosphere will be electric, the conversation unstoppable, the award ceremony, inspiring.

as i come towards the end of this message, the temperature gauge goes above 30º for the second consecutive day and i’m minded that the summer holidays are upon us. Whether you’re taking this year’s hottest vacation - a ‘staycation’ - or holidaying within or without the UK, enjoy.

i look forward to welcoming everyone to the 7th Women in the City lunch and awards ceremony on 27 November where the keynote speaker will be award-winning journalist, Gillian Tett.



Casting your netsfar and wide

as redundancies increase and jobs become scarce,

you never know when you could need a good contact.


Networking gets some bad press. Most of us will have had an unpleasant encounter with a particularly sharkish person at one point or another, and it can leave you feeling a bit chewed-up.

You know the type – at parties they’re the ones constantly people-hopping, unashamedly self-promoting, opining several decibels too loudly, eyeballing the room over your shoulder while pretending to listen to you speak.

They are the ones with the slightly frenzied stare and an over-zealous handshake, ever-ready with a thrusting business card whether they’re at the water-cooler or in Waitrose. in short, the socio-corporate-climbers you try to avoid.

But in truth, and especially during a recession, we should all be networking more. as redundancies increase and jobs become scarce, you never know when you could need a good contact. But networking doesn’t have to be fierce. it is not a skill that comes naturally to everyone, and without forethought it can seem forced.

But it is something that can be learned, says Gwen rhys, founder of the Women in the City lunch & awards - now a prestigious event that recognises senior women working in professional services. rhys has made her living from teaching others how to network effectively for over ten years.

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley forum on networking last month, she said:

“Executives and directors will tell you it’s practically impossible to get to the top of a company without networking

“it’s a crucial part of furthering your career. Whilst building relationships, a key aspect of networking, comes more naturally to women, unlike their male counterparts, they don’t always leverage those relationships as effectively as they might.”

But being a good networker doesn’t mean you have to turn into a shark, she says. it can be

as simple as learning how to start a conversation, which, she adds, is through finding common ground, to finishing a conversation gracefully without appearing to be getting rid of them - “Great talking to you, let me introduce you to X.”

Body language and mirroring plays an important part in gaining someone’s trust. “if they talk quickly, i talk quickly. if they move around a lot, so do i, and vice versa,” she says.

You need to be able to offer them something which they need. if you help someone out today, who knows what they could do for you tomorrow. Even if it is just seeing something they might find interesting and popping it in an email, says rhys, it is well worth it.

There are three indispensable characteristics of a good networker, says rhys. First, the ability to see links and connections between people. By bringing people together to get the best out of them, everyone’s a winner.

Second, keep channels of communication open. Try to connect or reconnect with four people a day – that’s over 100 a month. You should have no more than 200 “active” people


in your network – people who could help you in some way who you stay in touch with.

Third, think about the food-chain within and without your organisation – who are the influential people you need to reach. By raising your profile with those who can make or break your journey you will stand a better chance of achieving your goals.

Don’t be afraid of the idea of “using” people, says rhys. The word has a bad stigma but essentially you are using them, and in return expect them to use you.

amanda Blanc, chief executive of insurer Towergate’s Broking Division, said at the Morgan

Stanley forum, a crucial aspect to being a good networker is, quite simply, to be good at your job and work hard. “a lot of people think, if i meet the right people i will get to where i want to go. But meeting the right people is only half the challenge. if they meet you and you have nothing to show for yourself, why should they want you in their network or recommend you to others?”

Blanc won the Women in the City 2008 Woman of achievement award last year. She says she hopes it has sent out a good signal to women in an industry which is largely male dominated. She says the kudos of the award is huge.

“They are the ones with the slightly frenzied stare and an over-zealous handshake, ever-ready with a business card whether they’re at the water-cooler or in Waitrose.”

prof Susan vinnicombe networks with guests at the 7th annual Women in the City lunch


In aid of

raising money for

Wednesday 14 October 2009at Gibson Hall, Bishopsgate, London

in the presence of The Lady Mayoress

An evening of glamour and sophistication at the beautiful Gibson Hall with Lady Guest Speakers

talking about their lives in the City of London and what it means to them and Nerida Fraiman displaying

her collection of magnificent fascinators.

The evening will include:

Champagne reception with canapésExhibition of fascinators

Guest speakers Catherine Bott, Dame Clara Furse and Nicola Horlick

3-course dinner½ bottle wine

Charity Auction and RaffleMC and Auctioneer Rachael Heyhoe Flint MBE DL

Tickets:A donation of £99 to The Lord Mayor’s AppealFor tickets please contact Sharon Pickersgill onTel: 020 7728 2680

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alistair Gibson, Carbon art Exhibition,

automotive inspired Sculpture 1 august 2009 10am-6pm

philippa Grocott, a director at Corporate Training partnership, discusses the true meaning of the word professional

it must be written somewhere on tablets of stone that unless you write the word ‘professional’ in your Cv, you will not get the job. Every Cv i have ever read - and i have read many - uses the word to describe attitude or qualifications.

i have worked in the Financial Services industry for over 25 years in a variety of roles, and i admit, i have always called myself professional, whether it is in my Cv or to clients. it is only in the last six months i have really stopped to think about what the word professional actually means - and how it is misused.

Over the last year i’ve worked with a lot of companies on improving their company culture – and some of them have a way to

go. When i ask them to define their company culture, invariably they use the word professional. When asked to expand on what they mean by professional, they struggle to come up with an answer. Their answers include descriptors like ‘competent’, ‘fair’, ‘ethical’ and, ‘client-focused’.

if you look in the dictionary you will find the definition of professional as “conforming to the standards of skill, competence, or character normally expected of a properly qualified and experienced person in a work environment”. But the second definition is more laissez-faire: “engaged in an occupation as a paid job rather than a hobby”.

Whether we truly understand the quintessence of professionalism is up for discussion. regulators believe the standard of professionalism in london businesses is way below par.

Over the last three years The Financial Services authority has been conducting a retail

Distribution review to “address the root causes of some long term problems” in the retail investment market.

From the analysis of their findings they identified six objectives. The main objective - crucial to the review - is to assure “standards of professionalism that inspire consumer confidence and build trust.” The fact that this is not being achieved at the moment at some Financial Services firms means they are working at dictionary definition two, not one.

in other words, they are doing a job, rather than a profession.

another important objective that comes under the standards of professionalism banner in the rDr, is the establishment of a professional Standards Board which oversees Financial

Are you Really Professional?


Services firms. This board should provide a common framework for professional standards across all areas where advice is given.

The second area is a benchmark qualification which will be a minimum requirement for working in a role which gives investment advice. Those of us within the regulated financial industry, embroiled in the new hurdles set by the rDr, will have been witness to a qualifications stampede. The race for qualifications has never been fiercer with record numbers of people taking higher qualifications in april this year.

i am in favour of higher operating qualifications. But i am concerned that the higher bar may push the true meaning of professionalism under the rug

Through experience and research i have learned what is really required to assure a professional work culture: we must enhance employees’ skills when interacting with the customer. We must also create

an environment where “advisors” are free to question and change their beliefs around their role.

Other industries are viewed as professional; people trust their doctor and follow the advice that is given to them. You never contact the dentist and expect to have an appointment that day. You accept you will have to wait for an appointment, and pay for it at the end.

an accountant will charge an hourly rate and we are prepared to take time out of our busy lives to go to their offices and pay them for the privilege. is this because they are viewed as more highly qualified, more knowledgeable or continually look to develop themselves and therefore are more competent?

i think these are all major contributing factors but i also believe these other professions view themselves as professional – they have to have a high level of skill, competence and qualification defined by their professional standards board to operate in their

i have worked in the Financial Services industry for over 25 years in a variety of roles, and i admit, i have always called myself professional.

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given area. They also belong to a professional body that usually has an ethical code of conduct to which they are duty-bound to sign up to.

i believe in general those of us in the regulated financial services industry do not see ourselves as important as other professions. accordingly, clients may not see us as professional either. Giving the right financial advice and helping people to make the right financial decisions to achieve the lifestyle they want, is just as important as any other profession.

at the time of going to press the rDr consultation paper, which

should clarify the professional standards framework, is pending publication. With luck, individuals working in the regulated financial services will soon be able to respect a robust regulator who ensures that individuals are developed and supported in equal amounts in the areas of attitude, skills and knowledge to lift limiting beliefs and increase consumer confidence and trust.

This will surely give the investment professionals the gravitas their profession warrants and allow them to boldly type the word professional on any Cv.

Corporate Training partnerships specialises in the financial services sector, transforming talent by providing carefully designed training solutions that offer practical support with dynamic delivery covering management development, training design & management, executive coaching, and championing the compliance culture with a rich offering of regulation & compliance training.

philippa Grocott is Director of Corporate Training partnership’s retail Sector.

Are you Really Professional?


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The River ThamesLUNCH CLUB

Never forget who your website’s for. (Clue: it’s not you!)

There’s nothing wrong with being madly in love with your website – it’s your pride and joy, after all – but you must never forget who it’s actually for. Your customers!

Constantly revisit your site and consider, “Does this say what I need to say?” Ask yourself: “From this, can I understand what I do?” Because if you can’t get the gist, your customer has no chance.

Find out what’s working and focus on that

Did you know that some of the world’s best website analytics software is available for free? Makes sense, then, to make good use of it.

Harness this software to see where your visitors come from and discover what they actually do on your site. Which traffic sources provide visitors that turn into customers? Information is power. And, armed with the right info, the only way is up.

Keep it fresh – or else!

There are few things that are worse than going out of business. One is appearing to be out of business when, in fact, you are still trading. Yet this can happen if your website is not up-to-the-minute, current and engaging.

Keep your content fresh, comment on industry trends, and build up a library of information that your visitors find useful. Make your website a destination for interested parties – a place they want to visit every day. More sales will undoubtedly flood in as a result.

Integrate all parts of your marketing effort

Even if offline and online marketing is dealt with by different people or departments, it is essential to work the two together to maximise the effectiveness of both. Track the success of offline marketing by including links to specific sections of your website. Use the web to guide people towards your offline efforts – printed materials, events and other initiatives.

Want some help with this?Give us a call!

Naked Creativity’s talented, youthful team have the passion, knowledge and dynamism to make your online and offline aspirations come to life.

If you’d like an informal chat, email Jordan Chitty at [email protected] or give him a call on 020 7193 1791.

P.S. We don’t just do great stuff on the web. We can design all sorts (like this magazine). So let us know how we can help you!

HelloWe’re Naked Creativity.We thought you’d prefer some top tips for your website rather than just another advert!

We’ve all got excuses why we don’t take on more in our lives. “My job takes up too much time” or “i’ve got kids” are the obvious ones. But 33-year old american-Swede Britt lintner can prove us all wrong.

lintner’s average day looks like this. She gets up at five, feeds her 10-month old baby Jack and her two-year old boy Jools. She spends two hours designing patterns for her luxury fashion label, then sets off for hedge fund GlG, where she works full time as principal of the asset allocation group. She gets home at around six, sees her kids and divides her evening between designing dresses and catching up with her

husband Boris, who also works in finance. Oh, and on Tuesdays she has piano lessons. So how does she fit it all in? “it’s no secret really,” she laughs. “it’s just tight organisation and a great support network. Without my husband, nanny, family and friends and great team at GlG i couldn’t do it.”

lintner’s puppyish energy and easy elegance goes a long way too. Despite her demanding schedule lintner is always perfectly turned out with a bright California smile and not a blonde hair out of place. Her eloquence means she is always in demand to give lifestyle talks at corporations like Deutsche Bank and Coutts.

The Britt Pack


The Britt Pack

Lintner woke up one day and decided there was more to life than work.


Setting up the brand was a leap of faith. in the summer of 2005 after an eight year stint at defunct investment bank lehman Brothers, lintner woke up one day and decided there was more to life than work. She called her boss while she was on holiday and quit, and spent the next few weeks thinking about what she really wanted to do. She did an Ma in art History, then a summer fashion course where she fell in love with gorgeous italian materials and classic cuts.

“i knew there was a niche in the market for the clothes i make, as i spent eight years working in finance without feeling happy with my wardrobe,” she said. “it was strictly divided into ‘work’ and ‘play’. i wanted to look professional but i hated the staid suits and bland two pieces which make up corporate uniform for women.”

One day she sat down and designed a pattern for a dress. it was terrible, she said, but after the third and fourth go she had something she was happy with. She gets her materials from italy, uses a local seamstress and has a showroom and designing desk in a mews house in Holland park.

Her favourite designers are Christian Dior, Yves St laurent and Balenciaga for cuts, anything that rings of the fifties and sixties. Her clothes nod to Jean Muir for comfort and Ozzie Clark for flair – and her keywords are chic, corporate and comfortable.

and as the recession knocks retail for six, her label, Britt lintner, last month reached a zenith few can hope to match. lintner scooped the

Walpole Brands of Tomorrow award out of a shortlist of 50 up-and-coming luxury UK brands, each with an annual income of no less than £100,000 and no more the £2m.

The prize is a series of mentoring sessions with lucia van Der post, which lintner says will be invaluable. She wants to grow the online business and ultimately set up some showrooms in Mayfair and even begin wholesale production abroad.

She says it was really when

the prime minister’s wife Sarah started wearing her clothes that the brand shot up several gears. Two years ago Britt met Sarah Brown at a fundraising evening for a children’s charity called piggy Bank Kids, and Sarah got in touch to see if Britt could come up with an outfit for the British Fashion awards. Two years on, and Sarah is still wearing Britt’s

designs, most recently to meet the Obamas in Washington. She wore the renu, a fitted, navy, tailored silk dress with a high frill collar.

Business has been surprisingly good, she says. She was initially worried the recession would slow sales and in January had to lay off a few staff from the showroom and the production line. But she has since had to hire them all back – the first quarter saw record sales and lintner reasons the designs are “recession proof”.

at around £500 a dress, they’re not cheap. But she explains she has adjusted her designs to suit a leaner, choosier pocket, by toning down the styles and colours to make them more versatile.

lintner is by no means bullish - “This recession is going to go on for a while” – but it seems for the time being at least lintner truly has the full package.

The Britt Pack

She called her boss whilst on holiday and quit

Find out more:www.brittlintner.com


The likelihood of your best staff sticking with you

...is greatly increased through creating a good work culture


Keeping Up Spirits

as teams are decimated, bonuses become extinct and the Sword of Damocles still hangs over many City institutions, low employee morale can be just as damaging to a firm as the financial crisis itself.

“after three of my closest colleagues were made redundant at the end of last year and our pay was docked 10%, work has become a real struggle,” says Jenny, a human resources manager at a private equity firm. “i’ve been taking more sick days and have been looking for other jobs.”

Being made redundant is never pleasant, but for those left behind who have to pick up the slack and work with fewer resources, a job can become unbearable.

at firms like Jp Morgan, Deutsche Bank, Merrill lynch Bank of america and UBS, redundancies have run into 25% of the headcount, tens of thousands of people. Some staff are having to shoulder work previously done by three people. Headhunters say many of the larger banks have haemorrhaged staff who felt they were getting a raw deal.

“i’m having to work longer hours than ever, and everyone seems to be keeping tabs on hours when they never did before.

The atmosphere has definitely changed.” says an equity sales trader at a German bank.

low morale can translate into reduced productivity, deteriorating customer service, increased sick days, falling sales, higher costs and lower profits. redundancies and cost-cutting is only the beginning – reverberations from paring back can deeply affect a team.

“Our budget has been cut drastically compared to 2007 to adapt to the new market environment, while maintaining a reasonable level of activity,” said virginie Ourceyre, global head of corporate communications at French bank Calyon’s fixed income operation. “it is a challenge keeping spirits up at the moment. There has been a decrease in activity and people must feel low and demoralised but you need to strive to convey a good positive image.”

The best way to keep those left behind motivated is to remain positive yourself. Maintain a strong presence around the office, keep smiling and keep talking to them. Workers will tell you that the only thing worse than being made redundant is not knowing whether you are to lose your job or not. Keeping your team as much in the loop as possible is key – employees kept in the dark become angry, detached and eventually resigned to the possibility that they my lose their job.

in many cases, the less

information that management provides to the workforce, those terminated as well as those left behind, the greater is the shockwave.

Culturing a sense of team is also crucial. in times of restructuring employees can feel isolated and become withdrawn. By communicating more frequently from top to bottom – not just the middle managers – anxiety will be reduced and a bond will grow.

Ourceyre said: “The crisis is like a war, if you want to win it you have to stick together and trust your directors. There will always be those that see only what’s in it for them and they will be left behind.”

and headcuts are not always necessary. a manager at one bank said her budget had been cut 65% compared to the 2007 budget, and 30% compared to 2008’s budget, but she has not yet had to make redundancies. To pare back costs she had cut the use of external agencies, started doing more work in house and didn’t replace team-members who quit.

The likelihood of your best staff sticking with you throughout these difficult times is greatly increased through creating a good work culture. if management is proactive in addressing these issues, the organization will be in a stronger competitive position once markets turn around.

One of the biggest challenges facing managers today is maintaining morale amongst employees as firms remain gripped in the throes of recession.


Despite the sharp investments and effortless business knack of Tv’s dragon Deborah Meaden, in non-Tv Britain, less than five percent of business angels are women. This is a particularly low statistic considering that there are more women millionaires under the age of 44 than men and that an increasing large number of women are setting up their own businesses.

Female-focussed wealth management company addidi, is now seeking to redress the imbalance with the launch of its private equity club, addidi Business angels. its aim is to encourage more women to become business angels.

“Our research showed that women are put off by becoming business angels as angel investing is higher risk and women are generally more cautious”, says addidi founder, anna Sofat. “in addition,

we found that most of the women who have the necessary financial resources do not have the time or the inclination to plough through tens and hundreds of business plans in an attempt to identify the best ones to invest in. i conceived the idea of a private equity club as a means of pooling the resources and expertise of a small number of women interesting in investing directly in small businesses”.

addidi Business angels Club is structured as a limited liability partnership with 100 members each subscribing £20,000 to invest in small growth businesses. The llp will invest a minimum of £50k and a maximum of £500k in a number of businesses. The members decide which companies they want to invest in but addidi will under take due diligence and oversee an investment panel which

will filter through the business plans to short list ones which merit going to the angels for a decision.

This structure allows members to spread their risk among a number of businesses but also to lessen their workload in respect of initial vetting of business proposals and ongoing monitoring.

“The llp format makes angels investing more accessible, convenient and fun”, says anna, “we tested the format with Soho House last year and found that it worked really well for us. individually we had not considered angel investing but together, we had the fun of meeting the entrepreneurs and deciding which business we wanted to invest in but we also had the benefit of input from the investment panel which was really helpful”.

Addidi AngelsCREATE . INVEST . ENjOY

In addition, Addidi Business Angels format has a number of distinct benefits over that of business angel networks, including:

Syndication of investment so that the members are spreading •their investment risk among a number of businesses.providing the expertise of an experienced investment panel which •will vet business proposals before they go to members.pooling members’ skills when arriving at investment decisions.•The ability for members to become actively involved via non-executive •or consultancy roles in businesses where investment is made.Ongoing monitoring and reporting on investments made.•

a detailed club and partnership structure as well as criteria for membership is available from addidi – please email addidi on [email protected] for more information, or call on 0207 060 0700.

aDvErTiSiNG FEaTUrE


Managing RiskFirst Annual Women in the City Symposium

21st july 2009University of Chicago Booth School of Business

Women in the City Symposium

Both individuals and companies attending our annual lunch have asked us to provide other opportunities during the year for them to discuss topical issues with their colleagues.

By bringing together a panel of experts who each present their personal standpoint on a particular topic and inviting an experienced chair to encourage active debate between the audience and panellists we feel we're bringing something new those working in the professions.

The simple, 2-hour format has been designed to be punchy and provocative; to challenge thinking and encourage debate.

The Women in the City Symposium Programme 1–3pm

Brown Bag lunch•Welcome from Gwen •rhys, Founder & Director, Women in the CityHandover to •Symposium Chairpresentations •from panelistsFacilitated discussion •between audience and panelistsSummary & Close•

Our inaugural Symposium, sponsorsed by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, is open to both men and women and will be simultaneously broadcast to an audience in Chicago where it will be early morning.

The 2009 Symposium covers the hot topic of Managing risk.

Our panellists have direct experience of taking and/or managing risk in a variety of environments, mostly outside of the City environment and they’ve been selected specifically because of this.

Partners


We are proud to offer:

an unmatched faculty•degree and open enrollment programs •offered on three continentsa global body of nearly 42,000 accomplished alumni•strong and growing corporate relationships that •provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.

Our london campus is located in the Woolgate Exchange building in the heart of the City’s financial district. it’s across from the historic Guild Hall, within a block of the Bank of England and near St. paul’s Cathedral. This campus is the platform for our Executive MBa program – Europe (EXp) and for non-degree custom and open enrollment programmes. it provides modern classroom and study space for our students and faculty.

Symposium Sponsor

We are the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Since 1898, we have produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Our rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms our students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Why I chose University of Chicago Booth School of Business

From vanessa vallely, Global Head of portfolio Management Office at aviva investors.

after 20 years working in insurance, most recently in senior management i decided to push for an executive role. i realized i would need a further qualification on top of my experience. Chicago Booth School of Business had been recommended to me and they were one of few institutions with a program that covered aspects of an MBa without the time commitments.

My young family and other commitments to City Women's network www.wearethecity.com meant i needed a flexible course. The accelerated Development programme at Chicago Booth ticked all the boxes. Women in The City, a trusted source, vouched for them and suggested that i took a trial session with Chicago Booth.

at the taster session i realised how much i had missed academic learning. i enrolled immediately. i am very excited to have them as a partner to help build the future blocks of my career.


The Chair

A celebrated FT Magazine columnist, wth an MBA from the London Business School

Mrs. Moneypenny

Mrs Moneypenny graduated from Newcastle University in the early 1980s and then worked in advertising and financial pr before joining an anglo/australian public company for five years doing their corporate communications and corporate finance.

While there she got married, had the first of three children and studied for her MBa at the london Business School. Upon graduation she joined a prominent European investment bank as a securities analyst and worked, over an eight year period, in london, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan.

in October 1999 she was a launch columnist of The Business, the weekly magazine published in the UK with the Weekend Financial Times. Following the closure of the magazine in July 2002 her column moved to the Financial News until September 2004, and after a well earned year off has reappeared in the FT.

after finding herself in Mexico City in May 2000 during half term week she decided it was time to re-introduce herself to her husband and children, retiring from the City and buying into a small but profitable business in the West End, where she was the youngest and worst-groomed of four ownerdirectors. She has subsequently led a

management buyout and is now the majority owner.

Mrs M’s link with the City of london continue. She holds a phD from the University of Hong Kong, on the subject of how human capital drives the competitive advantage of investment banks. She has written features for a variety of the financial and marketing press since 1984.

Currently, Mrs M is the Contributing Editor for Bazaar Business, the twice-yearly supplement that appears with Harpers Bazaar From 2002 until 2005 she penned the Mrs Moneybags column in the Times property section, and during 2005 wrote the Micromanager column in the Times personal finance section. She also writes features in the Spectator and several of the UK broadsheets.

Despite this proliferation of columns she managed to find time to publish Mrs Moneypenny: Survival in the City in 2003, Mrs Moneypenny: Email from Tokyo in 2006, and Mrs

Moneypenny returns in 2008. Mrs M is also a trustee of a major

educational charity, a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of international Bankers, and a visiting professor at Cass Business School. She continues to write a weekly column in the FT.

Moneypenny wrote in a recent FT column of her views on childbirth and epidurals: “it’s an education, radio 4. This morning, i woke up to discover that a study of 1,000 expectant mothers has shown that relaxation and breathing techniques do not reduce the need for pain relief during labour. The women involved had attended one of two classes: the first taught natural coping methods, the other emphasised pain relief. But the study found no difference in the use of epidurals between the women when they went into labour…. My advice on how to deal with pain in childbirth is quite simple – have an epidural line put in at eight months and walk around with it. There is no, i repeat, no point in enduring pain of any kind.”


ali is the co-founder and CEO of Crelos ltd and Getfeedback ltd. ali’s passion and expertise is talent management. She believes that sustainable change within an organisation can only be delivered through its people. Over the past fifteen years and across various consulting assignments, ali has witnessed the way in which psychology, when applied precisely during a change process, helps leaders accelerate change in a way that positively affects people.

Clients report that ali demonstrates a real depth of insight into their business - and she combines this with the creation of a solution that is both pragmatic

and innovative. ali is interested in ‘intelligent action’ - where good thinking discipline optimises the way people relate to, and get the best from, each other ensuring that clever strategy can be defined and applied intelligently, quickly, and very effectively. This now forms the bedrock of the approach to client work across Crelos.

after graduating from Oxford University in psychology, ali developed her particular interest and expertise in the psychology of change and performance both through her professional career as a business psychologist and in her personal life - she is an entrepreneur, an adventurer and

a triple Olympian in rowing.ali is an author and a frequent

and sought after contributor in the media with recent contributions in Sunday Times Careers, Talent review, personnel Today, and on Woman’s Hour. ali is invited to speak on a range of topics including, most recently, Talent and innovation, The psychology of the High performer and The psychology of Change. She has been included in the Top 100 Most influential in Hr - a survey which considers those who are seen to have made the greatest difference to the world of work.

risk taking behaviours such as gambling, rock climbing and drug taking represent one of the most perplexing problems in the field of psychology. The need for safety is fundamental, but in the current environment are we in danger of treating people who take huge risks as if they are the mentally insane?

Alison GillCEO Crelos Ltd, MA Psychology, FABP, FRSA

Panelists

Successful women make great coaches – discuss? Crelos team up with WiC to research attitudes toward females as coaches. To participate log on to www.citywomen.co.uk/crelos and take our short online questionnaire


Claire is Group Director of the Bell pottinger Group and leads its crisis communications and health practices. She has eighteen years experience of corporate communication in both the public and private sectors and specialises in working with organisations which require an understanding of the interplay between media and politics at a local, national

and international level.Claire managed one of Britain’s

biggest health scares in The Kent & Canterbury Smear Test issue, which involved 100,000 women, and also has experience high profile tribunals, medical negligence and corporate reputation challenges such as The Microsoft ‘anti Trust case’. She also put teenage couch potatoes and childhood obesity

on the media agenda six years ago. Other organisations she has worked for include The Home Office – Criminal Justice reform, Menatep (russia), raytheon, Hong Kong TDC, The Energy retail association, Women of The Year, The Food and Drink Federation, the DoH and numerous NHS Trusts.

acknowledging risk as inevitable is crucial – managing it essential – as the collapse of our banking system has proven. in today’s transparent world – not only will you be caught with your pants down if you don’t – the world will get to see you naked.

Claire CaterGroup Director, Bell Pottinger Group


paul is the Global Business Manager for risk Management Services at lloyd’s register, a non-profit distributing organisation whose mission is to enhance the safety of life and property at sea, on land and in the air. He has over 20 years experience in helping industry and regulators evaluate and communicate risks to workers and the public. This has covered risks associated with offshore platforms, refineries, pipelines, railways, chemical plants, quarries, and aircraft.

paul began his career in ‘risk’ by determining the risks to the

public from the transport of munitions for the Ministry of Defence. This was undertaken during his research tenure at loughborough University where he was awarded his doctorate in quantitative risk assessment. His many other projects have included setting risk-based public safety zones around airports, advising on land-use around major industrial hazards and providing evidence for public inquiries and appeals. paul lists his assistance following Europe’s largest peacetime fire at Buncefield fuel depot in December 2005 as one of his most testing -

helping the operator, regulator and police enter and retrieve evidence from the damaged control room, and the unloading of flammables from damaged storage tanks.

Currently, by invite of the Health & Safety Executive, paul is advising government on societal risks around non-nuclear major hazard installations. He is also developing a new website for sharing the views of leading experts on major hazard risks, and he continues to add to his many publications and presentations on risk-related matters.

risk - it’s not the same for everyone! This because risk is a function of consequence, likelihood and outrage!

Dr Paul DaviesRisk Management, Lloyd’s Register



They are more flexible and their egos are less tied up with their work. This was brought home to me when i received a note from my son’s school about the appointment of Jacquie Whittingham as the new bursar. She was vice president of Equity Capital Markets at Merrill lynch international.

The downside of the plummeting economy is that the position of women in the City may well suffer a mortal blow. Many more women than men are leaving and will leave the City. as the City loses its women, it will attract fewer of them in future years as role models have been proved vitally important in keeping talented female employees.

it is impossible to prove that proportionately more women than men are losing their jobs in the City – employers refuse to release such sensitive data, even internally - but anecdotal evidence points that way. This ranges from the bank executive who mentioned that when making a number of very competent people redundant in his department, he did consider whether the employee was

the main breadwinner of the family. One cannot dispute the sentiment, but the result, undoubtedly, is negative for women, who are often not the main breadwinners. i would expect this sentiment, expressed off the record, to be more widespread and unacknowledged – and its effects dire.

There are more men than women in senior positions making people redundant.

What also militates against women is their unwillingness and inability to join the classic male networks of drinks after work, golf tournaments and the like. City institutions have been aware of this and a number have helped set up women’s networks. in fact, according to a Goldman Sachs banker, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the US firm made the co-heads of its women’s network in london redundant and sent over a female partner from head

Will women survive the City jungle?

Guest comment from Karina robinson

Women will deal better with this cruel recession than men. That is the upside.

office in New York to reassure the few professional women in the london office that the firm was still gender aware. Goldman Sachs declined to comment.

Women’s networks are, in any case, not of much help in a redundancy situation, mainly because men are wielding the axe more than women, while the bonding that takes place over the eighteen holes provides yet another reason for a man in a senior position to make a female colleague redundant rather than a “mate” – although quite possibly this is done unwittingly.

a female banker who spent just under two decades at lehman Brothers, noted that in this climate, “the average male response is to kill and survive, while women want to win, but not at all costs.” as the City becomes more jungle-like, or as one former top banker put it, “a re-enactment of lord of the Flies”, more women are choosing to take voluntary redundancy, if offered,

because they find the ratcheting up of testosterone-fuelled behaviour the final straw in City professions that are becoming unattractive from a financial point of view.

all of this adds up to the leaking out of the City of a substantial number of female role models which, allied to the City’s much discredited image, is already having a negative effect on female recruitment.

all women i spoke to, whether still in the City or having left, expressed disappointment at how quickly the message on gender diversity had broken down.

They also all asked for anonymity as now is not the time to be seen to be “whingeing.”

it is, however, a time for City

employers to take up the cudgels on behalf of women and fight what is often unconscious bias through a number of measures. One measure is as simple as sending an email robin to remind all senior executives that diversity is not a luxury and, dare i say it, acknowledging that women’s risk awareness might have been a valuable tool in avoiding some of the excesses of the boom years.

The City needs to actively move forward on this issue. Otherwise the government – once it comes out of the panic mode that sees it nationalising banks in all but name - may well see social engineering via quotas as an option to change the make-up of an unpopular City that remains predominantly male in its higher echelons.

Karina robinson is a financial consultant and member of the judging panel of the Women in the City awards. www.citywomen.co.uk



Most of us have probably felt like we’re swimming against the tide over the last year with longer hours, tightened budgets and more demands from all sides. During times of stress it is crucial to make time to relax and unwind, however busy you think you are.

Here Cutting Edge looks at the best ways to keep yourself sane.

Yoga

Yoga is a brilliant way to rejuvenate yourself and you will leave feeling calm and with more energy. Many gyms do yoga classes on a weekly basis, or there are plenty of independent clubs around london. Go to the British Yoga Wheel for information www.london-yoga.co.uk/index.shtml.

For the hardcore, Bikram Yoga

is the latest fat-burning craze sweeping london, which involves one and a half hours of yoga in a sauna. You burn about 800 calories an hour and leave with an incredible sense of wellbeing and cleanness, but be warned, it is not for the fainthearted. Go to www.bikramyoga.co.uk/home.html for more details.

if you really feel you can’t spare the time to go to a class, all you need is a DvD and a mat in your front room. Spend 20 minutes in the morning doing a sun salutation and it will set you up for the day. Well-reviewed DvDs include: ‘Wai lana Yoga: The Beginners Workout’, and for more ambitious yoga enthusiasts, Karen voight’s ‘Yoga power’. You can get a yoga mat for under a tenner through amazon or at any good sports shop.

ErejuvenationErejuventation is a Chinese relaxation concept which has just this year hit the City. The centre is based near Spitalfields market and offers a range of relaxation techniques – you can even book a bed there for an hour and have a nap during the day – they provide pyjamas. One of the more popular therapies involves an ancient Chinese technique of hammering the legs and feet gently. The specialist gives you a deep facial and shoulder and neck massage, all the while talking you through a relaxing meditation process. afterwards they bring you a pot of jasmine tea and some dried fruit and nuts to restore energy. You return to the office feeling ready to take on anything. visit www.erejuvenation.net

Stress-bustersThe recession is supposed to continue for the next couple of years, pessimists say perhaps five. But a period of prolonged stress about money and your job can have lasting affects. research shows mental health problems, divorce and suicide multiply during periods of economic downturn, as people become exhausted and demoralised.

Home SpaGoing to a spa can often seem like a hassle which you don’t have time for. But many spas now do home treatments where you can relax with a glass of wine and catch up with your husband while you are having your nails done.

Beauty therapist Gintare lisauskiene at Blossom & Jasmine comes with high recommendations. Supermodel lisa Butcher says: “The benefits of spa and beauty treatments are often undermined by the inevitable stressful journey home. Gintare delivers the very best treatments to your door. She left me feeling totally pampered and relaxed - i’m hooked.”

Gintare and her team of beauty therapists arrive promptly, wherever, whenever and deliver the very best beauty treatments that london has to offer, from eyebrow threading to sports massage - from pedicures to anti-ageing facials. They also do home yoga and personal training sessions.

Blossom & jasmine are offering Cutting Edge readers a 10% discount. Email [email protected] for details.

Desk solutionsand if you’re really chained to your desk and the heat is on, you can keep your cool with a few tricks. Try to remember to maintain good posture. it’s easy to sit for hours hunched over your computer and suddenly realise your shoulders are round your ears and your body is tensed up – this will only add to your stress. Be more self aware and relax your muscles, particularly your jaw, forehead and shoulders, whenever you can.

Get up and go for a walk every now and then- even if you have a list of things to do as long as your arm, ten minutes round the block will clear your mind and you’ll be more productive.

it’s obvious but eat well, drink lots of water and not too much caffeine and sugar. Sugar and caffeine highs will always come with lows which can turn the smallest job into a Herculean task.

aDvErT

As girls and teenagers, we had no problem laughing and having fun. As women,

it’s not that easy to retain a sense of fun and vivacity.

Kitaz, from Addidi, is here to help you create a sense of fun and

freedom and establish your own “fun” circle of girl friends.

Will you rediscover the inner child and revel in the simplicity

of having fun?

email: [email protected]: +44 (0)20 7060 0700

www.addidi.com/kitaz


A D V E R T I S I N G F E AT U R E

With today’s market volatility, are you feeling a little concerned?

020 7638 2400

The credit crunch has been unsettling, but taking a reactionary position of reducing your exposure to the stock market could be disastrous to your future prosperity.

We all need diversification within our portfolios - and we all know the price of shares can fall as well as rise. At times like this it is easy to focus on the short term, losing sight of the reason you invested.

There is a keen sense that market valuations are increasingly attractive in a number of sectors, providing huge opportunities for those investors who like to take a medium and longer term view.

The message to investors has to be not to panic but to recognise that, in the past, so-called ‘bear’ markets like these represent a real buying opportunity.

The history of the financial markets has shown consistently that a calm, measured long-term view is always the best position to take when investing. Investments should be regarded as long-term commitments, and investors should try hard not to be disconcerted by

short-term fluctuations. Murray Campbell, a Senior Partner of the St. James’s Place Partnership, has advised many clients on the successful preservation and growth of their wealth and believes ‘In any investment strategy, only two prices matter - the price you buy at and the price you sell at.

What happens in between does not matter and you should try to ignore it.’ Murray says

“Nobody can say with 100% confidence exactly when is the best time to invest in the stock market, and investors should always try to make sure they don’t have all their eggs in one basket. But although a downturn in the markets will mean a more conservative growth, it should be regarded as an ideal time to invest.”

As ever in these matters, unless you are a highly experienced investor, you may still be feeling concerned in the current climate. If you are one of these people, then it is now more important than ever to be fully aware of all the opportunities on offer to ensure you preserve your wealth.

or email Murray [email protected]

Website:sjpp.co.uk/murraycampbell

For more information, call

Murray Campbell is based in the City and is inviting Cutting Edge readers to discuss their concerns within the current financial climate, and discover the opportunities that a market downturn presents.

Feel free to call to make an appointment. There is no cost or obligation for an initial meeting.

The recent falls in world stock markets have been a cause of considerable concern to many investors. Understandably you may be feeling apprehensive about both the immediate outlook and future prospects for your investments.



“When i first took retirement, i was like a bear with a sore head,” said adrian, who worked since he was a graduate at a global oil firm in a high-powered job. “i felt lost, not going into an office with a purpose every day, and i missed the camaraderie of being with my colleagues.”

after living in the heart of the City for a decade, adrian’s wife suggested they buy a house in a different country to experience a new culture. They eventually found a beautiful vineyard and

farmhouse sprawling over five acres in the hills of lucca in Tuscany. The farm was almost derelict and the vines needed serious attention.

“My wife knew i would need a project to keep me occupied. i wouldn’t be able to sit on a patio doing a crossword for the rest of my days.”

They decided to keep their place in london as a pied à terre and sealed the deal on the Tuscan vineyard last year. adrian accepted roles on a couple of non-executive jobs which involved

video conferencing meetings four times a month. it allowed him to keep his ties with the City, while he was throwing himself into organising builders, vetting plans and sorting out the grape harvest.

amanda, a corporate financier, says she has never been busier or had more fun since she retired two years ago. She was worried she would be bored and miss her daily routine. But since devoting her time to painting, travelling and charity work she has made many new friends and discovered exciting passions.

She recently joined a geology tour organised by her local University. “We flew to Salt lake City and were awe-inspired by Meteor Crater, Monument valley, Bryce Canyon, arches, and flying over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter. i saw dinosaur bones, petrified forests and walked deserts to see the Navaho indians and their

Is there lifeafter retirement?

Early retirement is an appealing option for many City workers in the wake of the financial meltdown – for some, the choice has been made for them. Either way, it can be a huge culture shock after working for forty years to find yourself with nothing to occupy your day. With the rest of your life stretching ahead of you, how should you spend your “golden years”?

after retirement?


ancient settlements at Mesa verde.”Since returning she has started

running a monthly geology club for the local college near her village.

Shane, a hedge fund manager, was a workaholic throughout his life. Even on holiday he would be checking emails. He could not imagine how to slow down to a retired lifestyle.

He had always enjoyed racing yachts. “i thought sailing would be a good place to start - mainly because i couldn’t think of anything else i’d like to do.”

He bought a 60-foot Gulet, a traditional Turkish wooden sailing yacht. He and his wife started sailing around the Mediterranean, getting to know the quaint ports and hidden islands. They have started learning French, Spanish and italian to get to know the locals better.

“Once we get tired of the Med, we will probably sell The Hamsi

(their yacht) and get something a bit sturdier. We’d like to sail round the world together.

We are having such a great time, broadening our horizons, and i never knew how much i would enjoy spending so much time with the wife!”

Financing a retirement can be tough, but there are many rewarding options which don’t have to cost a fortune.

Teaching and helping others is arguably the most worthwhile way to spend a retirement. You might volunteer your time and talents to help other less fortunate people. if you are a retired businessman or woman, you could serve as a

mentor or guide to younger people and help them to become successful entrepreneurs. You can share your hard-earned lessons of business life and help to pave a smooth path for those who are struggling. SCOrE is a company which matches retired professionals with young learners.

if you want to volunteer your time and talents around the world, be a viSTa volunteer. Travel to third world countries and lend a hand to worthwhile charity projects.

retired teachers can teach a class of deserving students who cannot afford to take costly tuitions. Similarly, a computer savvy person can teach computer operations to others who are desperate to learn computers.

The main thing is, be bold, be daring, take a risk, and get what you want out of your golden years. There is definitely life after retirement.


Do Disturb

Ditch the ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs and enjoy the freedom to make your holiday your own.

With jobs at risk and workload increasing, for many of us taking a holiday seems like a distant fantasy. But there’s no reason why you shouldn’t take a break aND take your work with you.

Health specialists have always advised us to “leave the office behind” and “don’t mix work and play”. But in today’s environment that’s just not practical.

Traditionally, working and going on vacation are seen as two separate activities, with a mental ‘Do not disturb’ sign posted on the hotel room door. people regularly go on holiday with the view that they must have a complete break from work. We often expend so much energy getting two weeks work done before hand we arrive at our destination even more stressed and exhausted.

On the other hand many City women juggle family and home life alongside work commitments and will squeeze a holiday into a non-existent gap in their diaries. Unable to completely break away from work on holiday many resort to answering emails and making hurried phone calls whilst praying that their pC doesn’t crash and the phone still has reception, all the while accompanied by feelings of anxiety and guilt.

No-one is suggesting you spend two weeks in a St lucian hotel room glued to your laptop, but it is possible to relax and keep one eye on the BlackBerry while on holiday. The key is choosing a communications-friendly hotel or villa with decent internet connections, reception and accessibility.

it is possible to manage remotely a team, complete a contract, or make end of year budget decisions and return to the office feeling like you have had a real break, eaten some fabulous food, and strolled along the beach enjoying breathtaking scenery.

if luxury, pampering, relaxation and access to Wi-Fi are top of your agenda then don’t assume you have to check into a corporate hotel. instead you might be surprised to find that taking exclusive hire of an exquisite private property provides a more interesting, affordable, and flexible alternative.

Changing the way you holiday may be all that is needed to ensure a peaceful break from the office. So ditch the ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs and enjoy the freedom to make your holiday your own.

There is a huge array of stunning and indulgent places to choose from. Here are just a few of our favourites which successfully combine luxury and business facilities.



poggio Divino is a luxury farmhouse overlooking vineyards in Tuscany, italy. With 360º views and soft rolling hills on one side giving way to vineyards on the other you will not lack inspiration for your end of year report. There are five bedrooms all en-suite, an outdoor pool and the farmhouse itself is surrounded by 140 acres of land. Fields of olive trees and soft rolling hills are ideal for exploring, mountain biking and mushroom picking.

Eating out: There are plenty of local restaurants offering home made local dishes, including: il Barrino: 7 minutes drive; il Grottaione: 10 minutes drive: Da Branca: 20 minutes drive; Da Bracali: 20 minutes (2 Michelin

Stars); on the Coast 25 minutes away: pierbacco. alternatively a chef is available for up to 5 hours per day. visit www.poggiodivino.uniquehomestays.com

However, if you do truly need to escape then The House in the Sea seems as far away from the City as you can possibly get in England and provides an excellent remote destination. located on its own private island, completely surrounded by sea at high tide, this Cornish B&B does not have internet access and is only accessible via a 70ft high suspension bridge. With a luxuriously furnished interior, breathtaking sea views, stargazing terraces and direct access to Towan beach, The House on the

Sea is truly about escapism. residents can descend the

steps to the sandy beach below or head out along the cliff-top coast path. Fishing, sailing, pleasure boating and gig racing are all available in the harbour below.

Eating out: a firm favourite is the New Harbour restaurant, a short walk across the beach at low tide (01637 874062, www.finns2go.com). The property is also a short drive or pleasant coastal walk from Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant on Watergate Bay (www.fifteencornwall.co.uk). and if it’s the big-name chef’s you’re here for, head to one of rick Stein’s eateries in padstow www.rickstein.com. www.houseinthesea.uniquehomestays.com


la Maison Haute Couture. at £8000 a week this designer French farmhouse in Bordeaux is at the top end of the market. la Maison Haute Couture is an exclusive hilltop retreat that offers the comfortable ambience of an old family home mixed with a stylish interior. Whilst you soak away stresses in the huge open-air bath sunk into an ancient floor overlooking the sunflower fields you

can also gain access to your mobile. The farmhouse has five acres of landscaped gardens, an alfresco barbecue area, and a private pool.

Eating out: restaurants in the area include Maison Sur la place, penne www.lamaisonsurlaplace.com, restaurant de la Toque Blanch, pujols, 10 minutes away (Tel 05 53 49 00 30). visit www.lamaisonhautecouture.uniquehomestays.com

Changing the way you holiday may be all that is needed to ensure a peaceful break from the office.

after a two year renovation The Butterfly House in Dorset now boasts contemporary luxury interiors with broadband connection throughout the house and excellent mobile reception. The seven bedroom house is set in a beautiful village location just 30 minutes from the coast, and for relaxation you can head to the state-of- the-art cinema room or grab a board game and settle into the drawing room. Butterfly House has its own 250-foot garden and benefits from the eight acres of private grounds. Nearby activities include horse riding, sailing, fishing, and coastal walks.

Eating out: There’s a small pub in the village and some great local pubs serving good food nearby, including an aa award winning ‘pub of the year’ in Corton Denham.visit www.butterflyhouse.uniquehomestays.com

For further information on all these properties, or to find something to suit your taste please telephone Unique Home Stays on +44 (0)1637 879754. www.uniquehomestays.com/english/eden.asp

it is possible to manage remotely a team, complete a contract, or make end of year budget decisions and return to the office feeling like you have had a real break, eaten some fabulous food, and strolled along the beach enjoying breathtaking scenery.


With over 20 years hands-on catering industry experience Roger Hacker Hospitality offers a unique perspective into City catering. From the modern to the traditional, we deliver a multi-disciplined service to a range of clients, such as catering providers, facility and venue managers.

Specifically we offer specialist consultancy services into three main areas:

• Business Management • Business Development• Selecting a Contractor

In support of these we are also able to deliver modules to cover training, workshops and networking.

Give your business a competitive edge by contacting us today

Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2009building lives, saving lives

raising money for

You can donate to The Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2009 by telephoning 020 7728 2680 or by visiting www.thelordmayorsappeal.org/donate

Or you can contribute to the Appeal by attending or taking part in one of our many events.

Registered Charity No. 1113720 Registered Company No. 05700874

Friday 25 September The Lord Mayor’s Masked Ball

at The Mansion House

Wednesday 14 OctoberLadies ‘Raising more than a

smile in the City’ Dinner at Gibson Hall

Tuesday 27 OctoberGentlemen of Sport Dinner

a tribute evening to four sporting ‘greats’ at Guildhall

Upcoming Lord Mayor’s Appeal

events

Please help us to be able to install 1,000 defibrillators in the City of London and to help disadvantaged children with special needs enjoy sport.

ROGER HACKERH O S P I T A L I T Y S E R V I C E S

Roger Hacker Hospitality Services14 Grange Road Camberley Surrey GU15 2DH

Email [email protected] 07780 995493 www.rogerhacker.com

Email [email protected] www.rogerhacker.comPhone 07780 995493


Be the belle of the boardroom

Since launching in 2004, knomo have been helping women create

the right first impression with their beautiful leather work bags and

tech-relevant travel accessories by combining sophisticated styling

with superb functionality.

aDvErTiSiNG FEaTUrE

with a dazzling design from knomo…


Since the WiC awards launched in 2005, knomo have provided their beautiful leather work bags as part of the prize for each category winner, along with the overall winner of the ‘Jaguar Woman of achievement’ accolade. in the last few years knomo have grown from a thriving UK focussed brand to a rapidly expanding international brand with offices in Germany and the USa, recently winning the UK Trade and investment ‘Outstanding achievement’ award for Export. and its easy to see why, the products are well-made and well-designed, with the user in mind, and whether you carry your laptop daily, or simply the usual day-to-day paraphernalia, your knomo will effortlessly take you from boardroom to bar.

This season, their new collections cater for everyone, from the tech-savvy man to the fashion-loving female, so there really is a knomo to suit you.

For example, the stylish Berkeley range of women’s full-leather handbags and briefcases all cater superbly for your laptop and help female executives’ show that they really mean business. For men, the Smithfield range combines sumptuous leather

with hardwearing canvas in the form of practical messengers like the expandable Bungo. Most importantly, all knomo work bags come with internal compartments for organising your keys, mobile, ipod, pDa, business cards, make-up etc along with external pockets for your travel documents, book or newspaper, making them ideal for commuters. Every bag also contains a unique iD number to help reunite you with your bag should you misplace it – just register it online at knomo.com.

also working closely with apple, knomo sell leather covers for the ipod and iphone, along with Slim laptop pouches in zingy bright colours for laptops up to 17”. The Slim will keep your laptop safe from knocks and bumps due to its shockproof protection strip (as standard in all bags) and can be carried using the retractable leather handle or the detachable shoulder strap. all products are available online at www.knomo.com and prices start from a rather reasonable £26 for ipod covers, up to £100 for bags.

With their leather work bags aiming to keep female executives organised on the move, we asked one of our well-deserving

winners from last years awards, Sara Caplan, to review her bag:

Since I was lucky enough to be given my knomo laptop case so many people have commented on its stylish looks ; it is so different to the run-of-the-mill bag that every other City worker carries. Not only is it chic, it is also very practical: a separate compartment for your laptop, together with inside and outside pockets, give plenty of room for those papers you gather during the day, no matter how hard you try not to carry too much. The leather is finished beautifully, however it is still hardy enough to take the constant travelling on planes and trains that goes along with my job. I love my knomo: it’s a real showstopper.

knomo are supporting the forthcoming Women in the City awards this December and to celebrate their 5th year are also offering Women in the City the opportunity to redeem 15% off their very own knomo bag. visit www.citywomen.co.uk/knomo for your discount code.

This may seem an obvious idea, but surprisingly there are very few companies that take this idea and make it a central part of their brand ethos, usually focussing on one or the other. With knomo celebrating their 5th year of business in 2009, and their third year supporting Women in the City, we thought we would take a look at the brand in more detail and look at why in such a short space of time they have become quintessential in the work bag market.

Save 15% off your very own knomo bagwith the Women in the City promotional code


Seeking Exceptional Women

Lunch & Award Sponsors and Partners

JaguarWomen inspired by WineCoutts & CoTowergate partnership limitedBradshaw property associates ltdpost Magazine

Corporate Training partnershipsThe University of Chicago Booth School of BusinessT.M. lewinknomoCranfield University School of Management

The jaguar Woman of Achievement awardin partnership with Jaguar

Partners

The new Coutts Lifetime Achievement Award in partnership with Coutts & Co.

The prestigious Women in the City awards recognise the achievements of extraordinarily talented professional women; identify hidden talent; enhance visibility; increase career opportunities, and provide excellent role models.

Open to senior and partner-level professional women working in london’s financial hubs, award nominations can be made online by both men and women. visit www.citywomen.co.uk/nominate to nominate an exceptional woman for the Third annual Women in the City awards.

Nominators can choose from 7 categories:

accountancy•Facilities Management•Financial Services•insurance•legal•Management Consultancy•property•

Or nominate an exceptional woman for the new Coutts lifetime achievement award.

launched in 2009, the new lifetime achievement award aims to showcase the dedication and service that many women give throughout the whole of their careers.

Category finalists will be put forward for the overall Jaguar Woman of achievement award 2009.

The awards judging panel is chaired by prof Susan vinnicombe, OBE, Director of the international Centre for Women leaders at Cranfield School of Management and producer of the Female FTSE report.

The Women in the City Overall awards

2009 Women in the City awards27 November 2009

Nominations are now being sought for the 2009 Women in the City awards.

The Seventh annual Women in the City lunch, at which the awards are presented, will take place on 27th November 2009 at plaisterers’ Hall, london. award winning journalist, Gillian Tett, will be the keynote speaker at the lunch.

as well as an excellent networking event the lunch offers a taste of City tradition, fine wines and food, and a chance to win one of 6 lunch prizes.

Winning the insurance category is a real honour. i hope it sends out a signal to all the women working in this largely male-dominated industry that good female managers can make a difference to the culture and that we’re going to see more and more women graduates joining us and rising to the top jobs.

Amanda Blanc, CEO Broking Division, Towergate PartnershipInsurance Category Award Winner and Jaguar Woman of Achievement 2008

Award Endorsers

Accountancy Services: The institute of Chartered accountants for England and WalesFinancial Services: The Financial Services Skills CouncilInsurance Services: The Chartered insurance institute Legal Services: The association of Women SolicitorsFacilities Management: Facilities Management association

The Flagship Event ForWomen Working in The City

Women are leaving the city in droves. To retain this vital workforce resource it is critical that talent be recognised, and our awards do this. By nominating an exceptional woman you publicly acknowledge the contribution she makes to your business.

To book a place and for further information visit www.citywomen.co.uk/lunch

cutting edge july 2009

Documents

senior women

founder of women

sold2009 women

women dont

future women

edgethe magazine of

city risk symposium

city firms