Giverny van Heemstra (MSc Finance & Accounting 2019) is a Senior Analyst at Goldman Saachs based in Amsterdam. After studying MSc Finance & Accounting at in Imperial in 2019 she worked at EY in Audit & Assurance.

How have you faced bias in the workplace?

Finance is still a male dominated sector, but I am seeing interesting new initiatives from my organisation to unite women. I am a part of the Women’s Network and it’s an interdivision network that I can connect with other employees from across the organisation and share experiences. We look at different topics, biases or current issues facing women in the workplace and in general. We look at how we can drive specific recruitment events aimed at women and community work that we can align with.

One thing that has been interesting to see in the Private Wealth sector is more diversification of our clientele. As the world is developing, we have seen an increase in more women expanding their portfolios. There have been internal initiatives to support these potential female clients, which is fantastic.  

What does Break the Bias mean to you?

Break the bias means having role models in positions of leadership. I am lucky to have strong female leadership at the organisation I am now. When I was at EY, my team worked with a female partner who was quite young and had children and it was a great example for us to see this. It was so inspiring to see this and to work with her. It’s so important to see representation.

Where the whole sector can take some steps, is to acknowledge that female communication is different than male communication, and to create awareness around this.

How has Imperial equipped you with tools to deal with gender bias?

I was looking to study in London as it’s a financial hub and I felt it was a city that could really broaden my horizons. I wanted to meet lots of interesting and international people. The whole culture at Imperial was so inclusive and positive. I’ve met so many strong and inspiring women whilst I was at Imperial, from my classmates to staff members. I was empowered by the support offered to students on an individual basis to ensure you are confident to apply for jobs and go out in the workforce. In the Netherlands, I was often the only woman in the classroom in my courses, as time this changed, but at Imperial my programme was so diverse and talented.

Tennessee Watt (MSc Management 2018) is a brand and product marketer, technologist and social justice advocate. Currently she is a Marketing Manager Brand & Reputation at Google, and previously held roles as a Digital Communications Associate at Purpose Union. At Imperial she specialised in digital innovation and stays active in the Imperial alumni community as a member of the Imperial College Business School Alumni Advisory Board.

What does Break the Bias mean to you?

To me, break the bias means challenging stereotypes against women. These stereotypes can make you feel personally underestimated or that need to prove a point. It is difficult to have the courage to challenge these, but looking at the bigger picture, if they are not challenged, it may result in missed opportunities for women in the future. Breaking the bias is getting over that interpersonal experience and making it a bigger cause and fighting for the rights of all women.

How have you faced bias in the workplace?

In the past I had a difficult work situation. It was a challenge to be in that environment as a woman specifically as I was underestimated quite a lot and felt a lot of microaggressions. Even though I had just graduated with a business degree, people in my team would ask if I could handle data, or assumed I wasn’t interested in a specific project on video games because I was a woman. There’s a stereotype that girls and women are not as quantitative and are more the emotional and creative. It was very difficult to navigate.

My role at Google is focused on Diversity and Inclusion so I feel like the experiences I went through, were almost a pathway to inclusion work. Working in inclusion has been so cathartic, and it has allowed me to make sense of a lot of the experiences I have been through. It feels positive for me to help companies create cultures that would stop these experiences from happening to someone else.

No company is perfect when it comes to EDI, it’s more of an upwards trend towards inclusivity. I am more empowered to challenge this behaviour now because of the experiences I’ve had. I’ve had a few female and male mentors that have helped me navigate these problems. I feel it’s my role to contribute to fostering inclusivity within the environments and spaces that I occupy for my career.

How has Imperial equipped you with tools to deal with gender bias?

I had a negotiation class whilst studying my Masters at Imperial and that has really helped me. Years after I graduated, it’s provided tools and has reminded me the importance of negotiation.

Imperial has provided me with speaking opportunities for students and to contribute to editorial content. Imperial has just put me forward for the Management Today 35 under 35 Women in Business Award which has really made me feel confident and inspired in my career.

Morgan Mixon (MBA 2021) is Co-Founder of Cleannest, a babycare e-commerce platform dedicated to bringing modern families more peace of mind with category-defining, premium nappies and hassle-free service. Before pursuing an MBA at Imperial, she was Chief Operating Officer of accelerateHER (now EQL:HER), a global network and event series focused on re-balancing gender in the technology sector, and a corporate communications consultant representing governments as well as energy and infrastructure companies.
 

What does break the bias mean to you?

To me break the bias means taking action to combat inequity. Action can manifest in many forms and it’s about identifying the tangible ways you can contribute. Breaking the bias requires challenging the status quo, and often that process is uncomfortable - as all meaningful change is. Leaning into those difficult moments can be less daunting, especially at first, if you’re drawing from your personal strengths. Most importantly, continuously check yourself. Ask yourself, friends, family, or colleagues how you can make a bigger impact. Never settle.

How have you faced bias in the workplace?

Of course, but I have been fortunate to work throughout my career with incredible role models - including Jules Chappell, Laura Stebbing, and Poppy Gaye to name a few. These leaders worked hard to create inclusive work environments founded on empathy and trust so that I could thrive and so that my career path was not limited. I’m grateful for their support and recognise the importance of playing my part to lift up the next generation of women and other under-represented groups. Vouching for the quality of her/their work, opening my network, providing honest feedback on ideas, or recommending people for the media opportunities I see are a few things I've been trying out. Drafting that email for 5 minutes may open a huge door for someone. Give it a go.

How has Imperial equipped you with tools to deal with gender bias?

Crucially Imperial has elevated diversity and inclusion to a core aspect of its curriculum and student experience. The biggest game-changer for me has been Imperial’s financial support of me and my business. I was awarded a Forté Foundation scholarship which made my MBA experience possible and, unbeknownst to me at the time, set me on the path to founding Cleannest with fellow Imperial graduate, Rima Suppan. That financial support in combination with programmes like the Enterprise Lab’s WeAccelerate have made it possible to confront one of the biggest challenges women face - systemic financial inequality. My hope is that many more women also pursue and benefit from Imperial's impressive pool of financial resources.

Asma Aejaz (Global Online MBA 2019) is a Diversity Advisor in Planning & Progress - Climate, Emerging Risks & Policy at Aramco based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Previously holding positions in the Oil and Gas Industry at Shell in Canada as well as HUBCO Pakistan.

What does break the bias mean to you?

We’ve made some progress in breaking this bias. Personally, I believe that mentorships and role modelling play a critical role, and what makes a true difference is when you have champions. It’s very important to create that visibility for yourself, but it doesn’t always happen through serendipity. I’ve been lucky to have both male and female champions and mentors in my career. It’s via those networks and building credibility that we can break the bias. 

How have you faced bias in the workplace?

Working in a typically male dominated industry, gender bias definitely exists. Interesting though, when I started working, it was also a bias in terms of in age. Often, I was much younger than my colleagues at the table and sometimes the only woman in a room with all men. In comparison to my male counterparts, I definitely to had put in extra effort. For example, even a simple update meeting, I made sure to prepare myself. Ensure I had done all of the pre-readings and understand/ study the topics from a non-engineer perspective such that my input is backed is backed by knowledge and research.

So definitely, as a woman working in a male dominated industry, I had to put in the extra effort, I had to be on top of things, if not more. Sometimes I felt I had to reenforce my value by going above and beyond.  Maybe I’ve had to go 2 extra miles in comparison to some of my male counterparts, which was great learning but I do truly hope this will change in the future. I feel the world now understands the how impetrative diversity and inclusion is in deriving true value for business and society.  

How has Imperial equipped you with tools to deal with gender bias?

Hands down the access to the network of fellow classmates, alumni, faculty, and case studies has been phenomenal. Having a network where I had access to people all over the world, some of my co-hort members were scientists, women in STEM, some were lawyers, and that in itself was so empowering. One of my partners in my syndicate group was a brilliant lawyer based in Greece, and the thought leadership she brought to our projects was immense. It’s access to that diverse network that enables thought leadership and the ability to comprehend divergent views.

Additionally, for our final capstone we had a Professor from Germany and she talked about her real-life business ventures. That insight, that reality of being a woman and running a business and seeing her very challenging Academic career, provided a role model in the classroom.

Imperial recognises the one true key challenge that women face, which is the pay inequities between genders. This is a global phenomenon, and it is consistent in all industries, whether it be Hollywood, Banking, Oil and Gas, Professional Athletes. Women are not paid equitably in comparison to their male counterparts. This is a reality. What I really appreciate is Imperial understanding this and offering the Women’s Scholarship. If you compare a man and a woman starting their MBA after a few years in the workforce, irrespective of what region they represent, I can say with reasonable assurance that her male counterpart will have more in terms of financially and monetary resources. Imperial offers a scholarship, to level the playing field. If academic institutions really want to increase the representation and participation of qualified women to their organisations, they need to consider the true reality of the financial inequity

Lola Aworanti-Ekugo (Weekend MBA 2019) is a Digital and Innovation specialist with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She started her career as a software engineer at Investec Asset Management, London. Since then, she has worked in various capacities across different roles in the financial services industry in Europe and Africa at companies Dresdner Kleinwort, Commerzbank, BNP Paribas, Union Bank and First Bank Nigeria. She is currently the Chief Digital Officer at FBNQuest where she is responsible for defining and implementing the Digital & Innovation strategy and roadmap with a focus on identifying new digital product/service/fintech opportunities, optimising customer experience across channels and improving operational efficiency using technology. 

Lola is an advocate for women in STEM, an entrepreneur and author. She has recently launched her first novel “Lagos to London”. A fiction novel aimed at inspiring youths to find their own paths and strive to be their best wherever they find themselves in the world as global citizens.

What does break the bias mean to you?

Having a world where people are not limited, but they are encouraged to fulfil their potential without bias. A world where people are not discriminated against and they don’t lose out on opportunities based on stereotypes or biases, both unconscious and conscious. It also means deliberately identifying areas where these biases and stereotypes are and tackling them head on, not leaving them to chance. With the objective of building a world where people are valued and celebrated because of their diversity and what they bring to the table, regardless of gender, ethnicity, and religion.

I read a statistic that men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. I think it’s important for employers to recognise this and be aware whilst recruiting, and for women to realise they are so capable, and to not be afraid to take these opportunities.

How have you faced bias in the workplace?

I did struggle quite a bit at the early stages of my career. A lot of these struggles were internal battles as I never had any representation. I have never had a female manager because they just were not there. I remember little things like learning to speak up in a room full of men and feeling like maybe I don’t have anything to contribute. I used to feel as a woman in tech, I had to dress down to fit in, hiding my love for fashion and feeling like I wouldn’t be taken seriously if I dressed the way I wanted to in the office. Later I realised that my outfits do not determine my output. Owning and growing into my own self, and my own identity, I started to feel more comfortable as I was being my authentic self.

As an employer and in a leadership role I have the opportunity to mentor and give opportunities to young women, which is something I am so passionate about because I know how difficult it was for me.

How has Imperial equipped you with tools to deal with gender bias?

When I was researching Imperial College Business School for my MBA, what stood out was the diversity, the information and reporting on how diverse your classmates would be. I wanted to learn about global trends, and this really appealed to me. When I think back, my class was so diverse with so many people from different industries and cities all over the world, and it was really about learning from each other as well. For me, it was a big eye opener, it really widened my perspectives, from the case studies to the learning. It was totally mind blowing and worth every scent.