Our CEO, Paula Sussex, said: "For me, #BreakTheBias, as a women Chief Executive, means being there, being present, turning up doing the big jobs and being yourself, being authentic."
Audrey McColl, our CFO, has had a slightly different career journey. She left school and went straight into the workplace, studying at night and in between her family commitments to gain her qualifications. She added: "I was lucky to get the support I needed at every stage of my career to take that next step. I joined SLC six months ago and I was encouraged to see that there were already a number of women in senior positions - women's creativity is definitely valued here and there is no glass ceiling."
Bernice McNaught is our Executive Director for Repayments and Customer Compliance and also leads our transformation. She is passionate about STEM and encouraging young women to consider a career in the field. She said: "If STEM interests you and you want to learn more about it, be confident to go and find out. Science and technology are disciplines, so you need to apply your intelligence, but have the confidence to do that and have the confidence to keep asking questions."
Paula was also delighted to participate in an International Women's Day virtual event with Tesco Bank. She shared her view on being a senior leader in industry, reflected on her career journey and what advice she would give to her younger self. Here are some of her soundbites from what she said.
On her career journey:
To be a CEO, you need a breadth of experience which I have been lucky enough to have gained over the years. I am passionate to afford a similar opportunity at SLC, through our work on Career Pathways. Our comprehensive programme, offering colleagues the chance to upskill and forge ahead in their own careers.
Advice for her younger self:
You do what you are passionate about. Be there. Be present. Be visible.
