For Bindu Bakrania (Head of Data and Analytics - Private Markets (Capital Investments), International Women's Day holds significant meaning as it celebrates the remarkable achievements of women over the years:
“International Women’s Day is important to me as it is a celebration of what women have achieved over the years. To me, it also serves a purpose to help motivate and inspire the younger generation to chase their dreams, through celebrating the achievements of inspiring role models and highlighting that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. It shows women can break barriers, and together we will support one another every step of the way.”
For Bernadette David ( Data Governance & Testing Manager, Retail, Data Operations), the theme of 'Accelerating Careers' reflects her commitment to growth and allyship:
“For me, it means embracing new challenges, acquiring new skills, and committing to my development, while also offering allyship to others. I go beyond my job description to engage in tasks that broaden my network and provide new insights. This year, I’ve had the opportunity to join an external peer-to-peer coaching program, which has given me a valuable perspective on how others view governance and the shared challenges we face.”
For Laura Kane (Lead Python Engineer, L&G Asset Management), her love for problem-solving led her to a career in data:
“I love solving problems, and data often holds the answers, so a career in data felt like a natural step. In my first data analyst role, I had to learn coding, which I had avoided before. To my surprise, I loved it! Coding is a powerful tool for data analysis, manipulation, and visualisation, and now I’m lucky to work with both code and data every day.”
For Aisha Arshad (Lead Data Engineer - Retail), the challenges she faced as a woman in data were difficult but overcome with support:
“I was once in a position in a previous job where everyone around me was being promoted, but I was still waiting for a senior role. I was told, ‘You are technically able but not senior material.’ Comments like these can deeply affect your self-esteem, and they did for me at the time. However, having a great manager at L&G who has supported and guided me through my data career has been invaluable, helping me unlock my potential and secure my promotion early in my time here.”
For Michaela Finlayson (Head of Data Delivery, LGIR), L&G's support has been crucial to her career development:
“At L&G we are all about developing our people and providing them opportunities to perform at their best. In my case moving from Transformation into Technology as the Head of Data Delivery the support and encouragement I received and continue to get from my manager, my peers my team and networks across the group, I have been able to succeed in the role. If such support wasn't available, the likelihood of me applying would have been very low.”
For Shehnaz Showman (Senior Digital Marketing Manager, L&G Asset Management), her advice for women advancing their careers in data is threefold:
“First, build a strong foundation in the field and its required skills, whether through online learning or formal courses and gain hands-on experience. Second, find a mentor or join professional communities to network, gain guidance, and build a support system. Finally, advocate for yourself—technical skills are important, but soft skills like influencing stakeholders and confidently sharing your achievements are key to progression.”
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