Dame Debbie Crosbie Champions Inclusion in the City of London

Women’s History Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of women across the City of London and to reflect on efforts to foster a more inclusive financial sector. Leaders who champion inclusion are vital to the Square Mile’s continued success, and Dame Debbie Crosbie, Group CEO of Nationwide and the Women in Finance Champion, is a prominent voice for change.

Early Career and Advice

Dame Debbie Crosbie began her career on the Prudential graduate training programme in Glasgow, an experience that highlighted the breadth and impact of financial services. She emphasizes the importance of embracing challenges and continuous learning for career progression. Her advice to her younger self is to have more self-belief and seize opportunities even before feeling fully prepared, recognizing that growth often occurs outside of one’s comfort zone. She also stresses the value of surrounding oneself with supportive and intellectually stimulating individuals.

The Value of a City Career

Crosbie values her role in financial services for its potential to positively impact millions of people, providing financial security, supporting colleague development, and strengthening the UK’s financial sector. She appreciates the unique blend of tradition, challenge, and innovation inherent in working for a large financial services organization in the City of London.

Priorities as Women in Finance Champion

As Women in Finance Champion, Dame Debbie Crosbie aims to accelerate progress in increasing female representation in senior financial services roles. Even as over 400 firms have committed to the HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter, she seeks to translate ambition into measurable and sustainable change. Her key priorities include:

• Strengthening the executive leadership pipeline.
• Supporting mid-career women, a stage where attrition rates are often highest.
• Addressing the impact of future workforce changes, particularly the evolving leadership models accompanying the development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI).

Crosbie believes that the success of women in business inspires future generations and contributes to inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Addressing the Gender Imbalance

Despite progress, women currently hold only 18.6% of senior leadership roles in UK financial services businesses. The Women in Finance Charter remains crucial for continued advancement. Crosbie identifies key areas for building momentum:

• Embedding accountability at executive and board levels.
• Creating modern pathways to retain women in the workforce throughout their lives, and careers.
• Fostering sector-wide collaboration and sharing best practices.
• Implementing targeted interventions to address under-representation in fields like technology and data.

The Charter’s unifying force and shared accountability are essential for driving lasting change.

The Importance of Inclusion

Inclusion is not merely a matter of fairness; it is fundamental to productivity, innovation, and competitiveness. The City of London thrives on attracting diverse talent, perspectives, and experiences. A financial sector that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds is better equipped to serve diverse customers and communities. A sense of belonging is crucial for attracting and retaining talent, ensuring the City remains dynamic, resilient, and globally relevant.

Destination City Programme

The City of London Corporation’s Destination City programme aims to enhance the City’s appeal to investors, students, workers, and visitors by showcasing its offerings.

Related Events: Throughout March, London hosts events celebrating Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. These include walks highlighting the contributions of women throughout London’s history [London Walking Tours], events like “An Open Letter To My Younger Self” featuring Mary Portas [Londonist], and wrestling events celebrating female athletes [Londonist].