Honour the LSE's first women by aiming for 50/50 across City

FIFTY is an important number. It often represents a halfway point, or an equal division between two parties.

- Romi Savova

This week, it carries even greater significance, as the London Stock Exchange celebrates 50 years of women being admitted to membership on the trading floor.

In March 1973, after years of resistance, six women made history by entering the London Stock Exchange, as part of a merger with UK regional exchanges, where women were already commonplace.

This groundbreaking moment marked a significant milestone in the women’s rights movement in financial services and a major step in the direction of equality, paving the way for countless female professionals involved in the stock exchange today.

But while progress has undoubtedly been made in some areas, half a century later the financial services industry remains dominated by men, with women occupying only a small fraction of top positions. Despite plenty of young female graduates joining financial services firms, these women often do not progress beyond the mid-tier or leave the sector entirely, and as employees rise in seniority, unequal gender representation worsens.