Earlier this month, Rothschild & Co hosted a recruitment event for female students interested in careers in finance and, more specifically, careers in independent financial institutions.

The event was hosted together with our long-term partners, Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London, who deliver educational support, training and mentoring to young people from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds. In the two decades since its foundation, the charity has seen thousands of SEO London alumni go on to work in UK and global corporate firms, with many now in senior leadership positions.

Having held the partnership with SEO London for a number of years, this was our first time hosting one of their regular speaker and networking sessions. We welcomed over 60 students to the London office, where they listened to a keynote by Rothschild & Co’s Sabina Pennings, Managing Director, and participated in Q&A panel sessions on topics such as ‘building a career as a woman’ and ‘women in banking’. Jessica Reoch, Human Resources Director, and Margarida Fonseca, Assistant Director, represented Rothschild & Co on the panels respectively.

Following the sessions, students were invited to network, allowing them to meet the Rothschild & Co community, as well as the other competitor independent banks.

“It’s important that we show our commitment to women in banking. We want to highlight that not only are we there as they enter the industry, but we’re there to support them throughout their career”  said Amelia Atkins-Robertson, Human Resources.

The students in attendance were engaged and interested, gaining valuable insights from the panels that they could take away and apply.

Such events and partnerships enable us to take important steps in improving the balance and inclusion of our firm. Through hosting and participation, we are able to broaden our talent pool and meet candidates who may not have initially considered entering the industry.