Lunch briefing with Baroness Helena Morrissey DBE

We were delighted to welcome Baroness Helena Morrissey DBE, a financier, campaigner, author, and mother of nine. She was an inspirational leader in business, diversity, family life, and in encouraging others to succeed. Author of the best-selling book A Good Time to be a Girl, Helena began her City career in New York, and upon returning to London, she found herself the only woman in a team of 16 fund managers.

She later joined Newton Investment Management, where she was mentored by its founder, Stewart Newton, who taught her the power of true diversity of thought. Seven years later, she was appointed the firm’s CEO. Over the next 15 years, profits more than trebled, and assets grew from £20bn to £50bn.

In 2010, Helena launched the 30% Club to improve the gender balance on UK corporate boards, championed by the chairmen of those boards. By then, women represented over 30% of FTSE350 directors, up from less than 10% previously. The UK was the only country to have achieved such progress without legislation. There were 18 30% Clubs worldwide, and the initiative had expanded to support all career stages, from the schoolroom to the boardroom. It also included the world’s largest cross-company mentoring scheme.

In 2017, she was named the Financial Times Boldness in Business Person of the Year, and on 3 September 2020, she was created Baroness Morrissey, of Chapel Green in the Royal County of Berkshire. In 2021, Helena was announced as Chair-designate of the FTSE 250 company AJ Bell.

We were very pleased to have secured this highly sought-after speaker, described by Fortune magazine as one of the world’s 50 Greatest Leaders. At that time, the Group Chair at Altum, Helena continued to demonstrate an exceptional ability to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and deliver results.