Banks host female students in diversity push
London's investment banks and fund managers are playing host to 300 female undergraduates from leading universities in the UK, Ireland and Europe, in an initiative to attract more women employees.
The Capital Chances initiative, sponsored by graduate careers publisher GTI, takes place next week (beginning June 10th). It is in its fourth year and is sponsored by 20 investment banks and fund managers, London Business School and Reuters.
Each first-year student attending will experience life at two of the sponsoring organisations. They will participate in business games based on real work situations, tour the institutions, and talk to recent graduates.
The initiative aims to promote careers in investment banking and fund management among female students and challenge stereotypes.
The list of banks reads like a Who's Who of financial institutions. It includes Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank, Barclays Capital, HSBC Investment Bank, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley, Investec, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, and Fidelity Investments.
Mark Blythe, joint managing director of GTI Specialist Publishers, said: "Investment banks and fund management companies have recognised that they need to build more diverse workforces to retain their competitive edge."
Blythe said that, in the traditionally male-dominated City of London, the Capital Chances programme helped top banks reach out to the best and brightest female undergraduates.
As a result of last year's initiative, 97% of the students who attended are now interested in a career in the City and 68% have applied for an internship, according to Capital Chances.
