The Women’s Wealth Alliance (WWA) has published a new roadmap to increase the number of women working in personal finance, as part of a wide-ranging white paper on women’s experiences within the sector.
The report, Women, Wealth and the Workplace, draws on the views of more than 500 women and calls for greater visibility, improved career pathways and a clearer route to leadership for female professionals.
It also urges firms to act by collecting gender data, rethinking recruitment practices and promoting female success stories to help make the profession more representative of the clients it serves.
The WWA’s roadmap sets out a series of initiatives designed to “level up” female representation. These include:
- Publishing a career guide to demystify roles and entry routes into the profession
- Developing a professional framework and CPD programme for financial coaching
- Creating a digital hub for mentoring, development and the sharing of best practice
Chair of the Women’s Wealth Alliance and Chartered Financial Planner, Vanessa Barnes, said: “This white paper distils key insights from over 500 women in personal finance and offers a practical roadmap for change.
“It’s clear that boosting female visibility and leadership isn’t just about fairness – it’s about strengthening the sector’s future.
“We’re calling on both men and women to champion a more inclusive, resilient profession that reflects the clients it serves and inspires the next generation.”
Women overwhelmingly back financial planning careers, survey shows
The survey findings suggest that many women still enter the industry by chance rather than through structured routes.
Only 9% said their entry into finance was linked to their studies, while 39% were drawn in by interest in the sector and 34% by the promise of a fulfilling career.
Just 7% said they were inspired by existing female leaders.
Despite these uneven pathways, 80% of women surveyed said they see opportunities for professional development in their current roles, rising to 95% in mortgage advice and 93% in financial coaching.
Encouragingly, 71% said they have no plans to leave the sector, pointing to growing career satisfaction once the right support and opportunities are in place.
