The women driving Canberra’s finance industry

Posted on 10 May, 2019

Watch any movie that centres around the financial industry–The Big Short, The Wolf of Wall Street–and it’s usually an all-male cast in suits, sipping brandy and puffing cigars.

Yet while the industry is so often seen as a “boys club,” there are a growing number of women driving strategy and innovation.

Take Eleanor Menzies (pictured right), who manages the paraplanning and technical team at Canberra financial planning firm Green Associates.

With a passion for numbers, Eleanor worked in paraplanning for stockbroking and insurance firms in Sydney and Canberra, and even the public service in Canberra after becoming a mother, before taking her current position at Green Associates five years ago.

She says it hasn’t bothered her that she is in an industry largely dominated by men.

“I actually enjoy being in the minority, by and large,” she says.

“Financial services is never boring. Legislation is always changing, new products are being released, and every client has their own particular goals to meet. It really keeps you on your toes.

“There are some challenges at times, but I find I’m usually able to cut through any gender stereotypes and get my message heard. There are certainly more women in the industry than 20 years ago although I still think there is a way to go.”

Green Associates is playing a role in that change, with a largely female management team, and the majority of their associate advisers being female.

Trina Wood (pictured centre), who is a senior financial planner at the firm, says she’s beginning to notice a difference in attitudes in her 11 years at Green Associates.

“I used to always be asked if I’m an adviser (for men it’s assumed they are), but with more women joining this will lessen over time,” she says.

“The ‘boys club’ has changed a lot as the industry has become more professional. I’ve been active within the financial planning community and earned a lot of respect from this. I think you have to speak up and be noticed and this helps all women in the network.”

Trina has had three children while working, employed with a different business during each pregnancy, and says she has always been given excellent support and flexible working arrangements.

“I’ve had many positive experiences in the industry, my favourite being that when I was eight months pregnant, I accompanied my mother to an appointment with her adviser and he offered me a job in the meeting, which set my career in motion. I jumped from a PA with my previous firm to a senior administrator in that move.”

Trina says one of the biggest challenges of her job is taking complex issues and breaking them into manageable and understandable steps.

“Legislation for super, tax, investments, etc. is complex and for most, beyond their daily comprehension,” she says.

“The public perception has undermined our industry making our job that much harder. It’s a constantly changing landscape—politically, legislatively, and people’s personal circumstances.”

The reward, on the other side of it, is the start-to-finish journey with her clients; guiding them through some of life’s difficult financial situations.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with people throughout major life changes and be on hand to advise them every step of the way,” she says.

“Seeing that progress, the difference we’ve made and the joy they feel as we reach their milestones—that’s amazing.”

Green Associates Chief Operating Officer Biljana Pekic (pictured left), who has been with the company for 11 years, says what has kept her in the industry for so long has been a varied job role, and an everchanging economic, policy and compliance environment.

“We grew from a small family business of five employees to a company with 19 employees and growing,” she says.

“Gone are the days of completing paper application forms by hand, we are a predominantly paperless office now. The majority of our work is done electronically, and we are constantly seeking out new technologies to make our business more efficient, and to provide more streamlined services to our clients.

“However, through all of our changes one thing has always remained consistent, and that’s our commitment and personalised service to our clients.”

the essentials

What: Green Associates
Where: 3/10 Geils Circuit, Deakin
How much: Consultations start at $250
Web: greenassociates.com.au

This is a sponsored post. For more information about our sponsored post policy, click here.