As one of the few experienced female financial experts in international arbitrations, I observe the lack of gender diversity in the arbitration world. Various studies show that female arbitrators or providers of expert testimony are selected to serve on arbitration panels at a rate of renumeration that is lower than that of their male counterparts. As such, the empowerment of women and advocating for gender parity in the workplace are extremely important
We, at Deloitte, have long championed the advancement of women through different programmes focused on empowering them in the workplace.
We understand that we need to support women individually. Regardless of the phase of life that they happen to be in or the goals they’ve set to achieve, we aspire to enable them to achieve their individual goals. It is also crucial to build a network of female business leaders who will enhance the capacity to play according to the same rules as male leaders. One such initiative is the SheXO Initiative, a programme consisting of various activities aimed at advocating for women’s advancement in the workplace across the region.
It is also crucial to build a network of female business leaders who will enhance the capacity to play according to the same rules as male leaders
Our objective isn’t just to empower women and advocate for gender parity in the workplace, which is implied in and of itself, but rather to building a network and doing business, retaining talent and mirroring clients’ priorities.
Visibility in the industry is essential and involves a lot of networking, travelling, active participation in conferences and article writing. Building the eminence and reputation in business is a long and thorny road, but I strongly encourage all talented and qualified women not to shy away from this challenge. Choosing to be a woman in leadership shouldn’t mean choosing between your work and your private life, but rather a choice for yourself. And that would achieve the objective of Deloitte’s SheXo Initiative.