“Historic moment” as first man wins a Women in Banking and Finance Award for Achievement

  • WIBF awardsBP group treasurer Alan Haywood claims the WIBF Champion for Women 2015 award
  • Author of a Basel III book and bank regulation specialist Ruth Wandhöfer claims WIBF Award for Achievement
  • 33-year-old highly-skilled mathematician and emerging leader Anett Galosfai named WIBF Young Professional of the Year

For the first time, a man has won a Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF) Award for Achievement, less than a year after the UN Women HeForShe campaign launched to focus on solidarity in the movement for gender equality.

BP group treasurer Alan Haywood on Friday claimed the WIBF Champion for Women award, one of four awards presented at the annual award luncheon. He is known to have challenged senior leaders about the gender gap and to have gained support for a women’s network in the London office of BP’s integrated supply and trading organisation in 2010. Since then, he has promoted the network and has continued to be a strong supporter of gender diversity and inclusion as a factor in business success.

WIBF president Janet Thomas said announcing Alan Haywood as the Champion for Women prize winner was a historic moment.

“It feels like the movement for gender equality has entered a new era and I am pleased men and women are openly united in this shared goal,” said Janet Thomas, Infinity Capital Partners managing director and member of the Powerlist of the top 100 most influential black professionals in the UK.

“Today WIBF held its 18th annual Awards for Achievement and I am delighted that for the first time a wonderful man stood in solidarity on our stage alongside the wonderful women who were equally honoured in the ceremony. All are shining examples of the diverse talent within the banking and finance industry.”

UN Women HeForShe campaign launched in September 2014 to try and galvanise as many men and boys as possible to be advocates for gender equality. To date, more than 300,000 men have registered their commitment to the campaign.

WIBF logoThe WIBF Awards for Achievement 2015 winners are:

Alan Haywood, BP group treasurer, was named WIBF Champion for Women. An outstanding example of a leader actively promoting the business case for diversity and inclusion, Alan Haywood established a women’s group at BP’s traditionally male-dominated office in Canary Wharf. He inspires employees to get involved, promotes the network to senior leaders and advocates for gender diversity and inclusion as a factor in business success.

Ruth Wandhöfer, Citi global head of regulatory & market strategy, is winner of the WIBF Award for Achievement. A regulatory expert in the field of banking and one of the foremost authorities on transaction banking regulatory matters, Ruth Wandhöfer has authored two books, including one on Basel III published in October 2014. She chairs several influential industry bodies, such as the Global Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs Committee of BAFT (a global trade body that represents the particular interests of the transaction banking community) and the EU-wide banking industry Payments Regulatory Expert Group.

Anett Galosfai, Thomson Reuters market development manager – Europe, quantitative research solutions is WIBF Young Professional 2015. Aged just 33, Anett Galosfai has risen rapidly to her current role and is known for building strong relationships in business. By strengthening the relationship between internal stakeholders at Thomson Reuters, she has managed to improve the client retention figures. In addition, she has built strong relationships with UCL, introducing Thomson Reuters internships for students, mentoring the interns and enabling a pipeline of possible future employees for the firm.

EY Restructuring is winner of WIBF Team Diversity. Development of women employees is embedded within the culture of this team. In a notoriously male-dominated transactions environment, the team has an impressive number of women in senior roles. The team has nurtured some truly successful talent – with Liz Bingham (OBE), a past WIBF Award winner, having spent time in it.

EY is headline sponsor of the WIBF Awards for Achievement 2015. Macquarie is sponsor of WIBF Young Professional of the Year 2015 and Credit Suisse is sponsor of the Award for Achievement 2015.

The 400 guests at the awards also heard from keynote speaker Helena Morrissey CBE, Newton Investment Management CEO and 30% Club founder, and distinguished guest Nosh Detox founder and CEO Geeta Sidhu-Robb.

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