The Head of Global Markets at Stanbic Bank Ghana, Afua Bulley, has urged women to confidently pursue careers in finance, encouraging them to embrace opportunities in the industry.
Afua Bulley said this when she joined other panel members to discuss ‘Encouraging Diversity: Women’s Leadership and Inclusive Growth in Finance’ at the ACI Ghana Financial Markets Conference.
During her presentation, Afua Bulley recounted the progress that has been made over the years relative to diversity in Ghana’s financial industry while also emphasizing the need for continued progress and further efforts to achieve greater inclusivity.
She said “If we take the banking sector, for example, 30 per cent of the boards of banks are female, indicating a lot of progress over the past decade. I believe there is more to be done to achieve parity in numbers at the least, but there is tangible evidence that progress has been made.”
According to Afua Bulley, “Addressing the issue of diversity in the finance industry demands a multifaceted approach that tackles the issue from all fronts. This approach requires us to look at solving the issue through education, internships, mentorship, and policy.”
“Through education, we can expose young girls to finance and debunk the notion that finance is all about numbers crunching. Young girls who show interest in finance should also be given scholarships and bursaries to encourage them more. Internships will expose young professionals to seeing women in high positions and this will create a shift in their mindset and tell them they can also get to the highest point in their careers.
Those of us who are already in the industry must also hold the hands of prospective females and mentor them by providing support, guidance and introducing them to our wider networks.
Finally, organizations must promote a culture that supports female development through policy. We must strive towards policies that are not punitive to females but rather encourages an open and transparent culture that makes women feel safe,” Afua Bulley added.
The Financial Markets Conference was organized by ACI Ghana under the theme ‘Navigating the Future: Innovation, Ethical Excellence, and Inclusion in Ghana’s Financial Markets.’ The event brought together industry leaders, regulators, and policymakers to discuss current trends and challenges in Ghana’s financial industry.
