A Woman’s Path to Leadership: Key Takeaways from the International Women’s Day event

On March 13th this year, Morson Group and InterQuest hosted the Women Who Make It Happen (WWMIH) podcast series live in London for the very first time and what a memorable debut it was. 

This women’s empowerment event brought together a room full of ambitious, curious, and passionate individuals eager to explore the realities of women’s leadership and the challenges that come with it.

Meet the Women Who Make It Happen

The event was led by Michelle Khan, Director at InterQuest Group and one of the inspiring WWMIH series hosts, whose passion for this topic truly shines through. She was joined by a panel of five remarkable women, each of whom has carved their own unique path to leadership:

Clare Pearson

Clare is the Head of Technology Operations and Delivery Management at Fnality International, leading the delivery of a new way to transact in payments using DLT/ Blockchain technology. As SAFe 5.0 Practitioner, she advocates for DEI (diversity, equality, and inclusion), mentors women in tech, and advises the Payment System Regulator.

Helen Mannion

Helen is the Director at Prospore Leadership and Thinc Property, and a founder of Prospore Leadership, helping leaders create and execute impactful Data & AI strategies. Through coaching and workshops, she turns strategy into action and embeds data-driven cultures. She had led data transformation for brands like Specsavers, O2, giffgaff, and RAC, aligning strategy with business goals. 

Dane Pedro

Dane is the Head of Compliance & MLRO at Mollie, specialising in risk assessments, governance framework, and embedding compliance cultures. She is a Justice of the Peace and senior compliance expert with over 15 years of experience in financial regulation, consumer credit, and payments. A magistrate in HM Courts and Tribunal Services, Dane is also dedicated to mentoring and supporting individuals through advisory roles.

Barbara Duff

Barbara, Global Chief People Officer at IG Group, is the business leader with expertise in leadership development, remuneration, growth, and transformation across startups, scale-ups, pre-IPO, and established enterprises. Skilled in hiring and developing Board and C-suite talent, she has led global HR, Sustainability, and Communications. Barbara is passionate about learning from visionary leaders and bold change-makers.

Claire Gates

Claire is the Global Head of Payments and Solutions at Crown Agents Bank, driving payment innovation and business growth, with over 20 years of experience in payments and financial solutions across American Express, Citi, GE, MasterCard, and multiple startups. She has successfully led major ventures, turnarounds and sales.

Through their stories, they shared how they’ve overcome barriers such as balancing personal and professional lives, dealing with discrimination, and battling imposter syndrome. They also spoke about navigating leadership complexities while staying true to their authentic selves. Together, they offered valuable insights and shared action steps to help accelerate women’s empowerment.

From the Broken Rung to SheEO

The event, titled “A Woman’s Path to Leadership: Are Glass Ceilings Really Holding Women Back?”, focused on providing actionable insights and exploring how women, regardless of age or ethnicity, can stay true to their authentic selves… and succeed. 

From breaking the cycle of the broken rung to advancing and becoming SheEO (a play on ‘CEO’, referring to a successful female entrepreneur or a leader who owns or runs a business), this lively discussion ‒ with active participation from both the panel and the audience ‒ was filled with practical advice, powerful examples, and memorable experiences.

So, what are the main takeaways? What have we learned from female leaders who have overcome challenges on their path to leadership?

Find your own unique path

The first takeaway, which aligns with the theme of the event, is to carve your own path toward leadership. No two careers are alike, and each journey is unique. Take Dane’s example: she always wanted to be a lawyer but ultimately ended up in compliance. As she put it, “My career has not been linear; when I saw the opportunity, I went for it.” Similarly, Claire shared that her career wasn’t intentional, and at one point, she found herself more focused on ‘chasing titles’ than on discovering what she truly wanted to do. The key takeaway here is to find something you’re passionate about and genuinely enjoy.

Therefore, the advice from our panelists was to be open to new opportunities and step into roles that intrigue you, as Barbara said, “even if it means to take the pay cut, trust that success will come later”.

Start with yourself and trust yourself

Above all, knowing and trusting yourself is essential – believing that the journey is worth it. As Helen said, “Start with yourself; we all have our own biases. One thing we can do is to question our beliefs and mindset. We need to challenge ourselves, question and be curious”. 

Taking Helen’s example, she was exceptional at her job but didn’t want to sacrifice her family life. Instead of compromising, she confidently negotiated a part-time role, proving that she could still deliver value to the company. Her story is about the importance of trusting yourself and recognising your own worth as key to career progression.

You have to be willing to put yourself forward and ask for what you need.

- Helen Mannion

Never stop being authentic

Another advice from these female leaders is to always be your authentic self. The panelists shared some of the struggles they’ve faced, pointing out accent, ethnicity or even the way they dressed. But the key takeaway was clear: what makes you different is also what makes you valuable. The very thing that sets you apart helps you stand out in the crowd, so embrace it fully. 

I’ve got long nails, I like earrings, and I’ve even got a few tattoos but that doesn’t stop me or impact me doing my work ‒ I’m not going to change myself for anybody.

- Dane Pedro

Fight the imposter syndrome

Women are more likely to suffer from imposter syndrome than men. According to the Independent, a survey of 4,000 adults found that 53% of women had felt underqualified, incompetent, or self-doubtful. As Helen noticed, “We all struggle with imposter syndrome and limiting beliefs at some point in our careers”.

But imposter syndrome can be overcome. Barbara shared her own experience, admitting she had faced it at some point of her career. She shared a solution for fighting it: write down the worst possible scenario (more often than not, it’s not as bad as it seems) then remind yourself, ‘I can deal with it’.

Seek sponsors and mentors

All of the panelists emphasised the importance of having sponsors and mentors, and they are right about the value it brings. According to Mentorloop, mentoring has been shown to boost women’s job satisfaction and confidence. While being self-aware is crucial, surrounding yourself with the right people is just as important. Both male and female support are essential for overcoming some of the challenges associated with career progression.

For me, it was really important to have a male ally that would champion me.

- Clare Pearson

In terms of support and mentorship, it’s key to start early by inspiring young people. As Clare highlighted, providing young girls with access to inspiration and introducing them to technology and mentorship can shape their perceptions of what they can achieve in the future.

Support other women

The main conclusion, and a last main key takeaway from the event, was to uplift one another. Noticing, supporting and advocating for other women fosters a sisterhood – an environment where they can thrive and where their paths to leadership aren’t blocked by glass ceilings or the broken rung. 

To accelerate change is to support the sisterhood.

- Claire Gates

By supporting one another, women can drive meaningful change and create more opportunities for future generations. Through their actions, they can serve as powerful role models, inspiring others to follow their lead.

At Morson, we actively support women through initiatives like sponsoring events, partnering with organisations that promote diversity and inclusion, and developing STEM-focused programs like the ‘Go Beyond’.