To celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked Rajmeet Bhatti, Head of Business Management, to talk about her work with one of M&G's partners, 100 Women in Finance.
Tell us about 100 Women in Finance (100WIF)
100WIF is focused on building a thriving pipeline of young talent entering the Finance industry. It operates under a guiding principle that we call Vision 30/40. Our goal is for women to occupy 30% of senior investment roles and executive committee positions by 2040.
How did you get involved?
I became a member of 100WIF back in 2009. Early in my career, I was keen to develop a peer network of women in finance to build connections and share experiences. When I attended the first event, I never imagined the organisation would become such a fixture in my career and personal development. The value of such a dynamic peer network has enabled me to remain on pace with industry developments, giving me opportunities to engage directly as a volunteer and, overall, to be better connected.
As the organisation has grown, I've witnessed the power of peer networking first-hand and have benefitted enormously on many occasions. I've relied on the members, and the in-person and virtual opportunities 100WIF provides its members. This has included: connecting issues with real people, gaining a fresh perspective on industry issues, sharing ideas and collaborating with peers and cultivating new, meaningful professional relationships and, in many cases, life-long friendships.
Tell us about your role with 100WIF
Since joining 100WIF, I have been involved with their annual flagship London Gala fundraising event. In the earlier years, I supported the event logistics and, as I grew more experienced, I was appointed Chair of its London Gala Committee in 2017. That means I have overall responsibility for organising the annual event and leading the fundraising component.
Since becoming Chair, I'm incredibly proud that we have raised £3 million to support the 100WIF Foundation and other non-profit organisations who support our vision.
What advice would you give someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and make a positive change within our industry or their local Community?
I would encourage anyone interested in volunteering opportunities to find a cause that you care deeply about and get involved in any way you can – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
For me, it’s rewarding to know that the skills I have learned in a corporate setting here at M&G, from leading teams to working on projects, can have a tangible and direct positive impact on the future of our industry.
It is hard work and requires me to be very organised as I juggle work and family life, but it's well worth the effort. I have had some real "pinch me" moments through my involvement with 100WIF, from opening the London Stock Exchange, hosting HRH The Prince and Princess of Wales, to being featured on the front cover of the Financial Times with Prince Harry at one of our Galas.
Through the impact of work funded by the London Gala event, I hope we can make positive progress towards achieving 100WIF's vision. I'm grateful to M&G and the leadership team for enabling me to be such an active volunteer and for their corporate support to 100WIF in aid of Vision 30/40.
