Leading the South – Celebrating Women in Business
What does it take to make it as one of the South’s top female leaders? To celebrate International Women’s Day we wanted to highlight two of the prominent women we know leading some of the South’s foremost companies.
We spoke to these inspiring business leaders to find out the challenges they have faced, their biggest achievements and the influences that have shaped them. We also asked their advice and top tips for other women looking to take the next step in their leadership career.
Anne Stevens
Anne Stevens is an award winning former Vice President who has held leadership roles in companies such as Rio Tinto, IBM and CSC. Anne is now Member of the Board of Trustees for several organisations including Citizens Advice Portsmouth as well as Council Director for Global Business Women Leaders; HR Executives Councils & Global CHROs at The Conference Board.
What has been your biggest achievement?
I think it was back when my children were very young, I was working as a European Director in IBM, I was a mum, a wife and at the same time studying for an MBA. Having no first degree, I was lucky enough to be sponsored by IBM and achieved my MBA in 2001. It was hard work, with very long days and nights but a very proud achievement for both myself and my family.
Later in life I was awarded an honorary doctorate for my services to women, global business achievements and my charity work which also made me incredibly proud.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced during your career as a female leader? How did you overcome them?
In the 80s, there was definite bias about the role that a wife and mother could play in a corporate business. IBM was always a supportive and inclusive organisation but, needless to say, I came across individuals who made judgements and assumptions about me and women in general.
I think in those situations you have two choices – become a victim of your own self-doubt and allow them to undermine your confidence or hold your head up high and prove them wrong. I chose the latter!
Who have been the strongest influences in your life?
The senior woman who spotted my leadership potential long before I did and who offered me my first managerial position on the back of that – it changed my career aspirations forever. She was a very strong, impressive leader and I learned a lot from her courage and behaviours in a highly technical, male dominated environment.
Also an influence was my father, who always instilled confidence and self-belief in me (he always wanted a son) – and of course my kids who tried to keep me tech savvy and now make me incredibly proud of the excellent human beings they have become.
What tips would you offer to other aspiring female leaders?
A big one for me as a female, was always taking things too personally. Sometimes business decisions are taken that make us feel undervalued and can hurt our feelings! Throughout my career I have learned not to take those decisions too much to heart and to step back and look at things through a different lens. Not always easy but it has helped me enormously on many an occasion.
“I’d encourage other female leaders to take a chance on that next big step, that next big challenge – even when others around you are saying ‘you must be mad!’”
Secondly, I was always seen as a ‘risk taker’ so I’d encourage other female leaders to take a chance on that next big step, that next big challenge – even when others around you are saying ‘you must be mad!’ Ask yourself one thing: ‘Are you the sort of person that allows yourself to fail?’ The answer is almost certainly no!
And finally, it’s never too late to make a change. When I left IBM I assumed I’d never find myself in a big corporate role again. Surprisingly though, Rio Tinto came along two years later completely out of the blue and before I knew it I was starting a new global career, in a new industry in a brand-new role – in my fifties. Very exciting, very scary but most definitely the best career decision I ever made!
Rebekah Harris
Rebekah Harris is Finance Director at MSP Capital Limited and most recently shortlisted for CMA and BDO’s FD of the Year Award 2020. She has worked for some of the South’s biggest companies including Grant Thornton and Fat Face, working her way from Analyst to FD in just over ten years.
What has been your biggest achievement?
Completing the first transaction of an institutional lender lending into MSP was a fantastic achievement. The company was in a place of strong growth and were at a place that we were looking for an institutional bank to provide funding into MSP.
We worked for 6 months designing our optimal banking facility which involved a comprehensive amount of legal work, due diligence, data analysis, presenting to various interested parties and negotiations. It was all very new and was a big day when we completed this facility.
The facility was under £20m and now we have multiple facilities of over £100m. We have gone through a Private Equity transaction with Cabot Square Capital in this time, and several new lenders now lend to us. The Private Equity transaction was an incredible project in the growth of the company.
This was a year’s worth of work – with two due diligence audits, a lot of market research, meeting potential investors, presenting who we were and designing the strategic growth plans for the company.
Realising that we were not such a small company any more was an exciting growth story for MSP and to have been on the front line involved in this was fantastic.
What are the biggest challenges you have faced during your career as a female leader? How did you overcome them?
A challenge I have faced is learning how to find my voice. You need to find the way of communicating with others that works best for you. I have learnt to trust my instinct and back myself. To be prepared, know your goal or agenda and be confident in yourself and your answers.
“Always go prepared to a discussion and know what you want to achieve from it – don’t go to an important meeting unprepared and without a goal or agenda.”
Who have been the strongest influences in your life?
This is a tough question, I’ve worked with many inspiring people over my career; leaders who were incredible at getting the attention of a room and inspiring the audience.
Since joining MSP the directors have been pivotal in my progression. They have trusted my instinct and enabled me to grow the company in areas I have felt beneficial to MSP. To have the support and their backing is very powerful and gives you the confidence to drive something forward.
Emily Tate, who was the Finance Director at Fat Face when I was an analyst there gave me some advice from which I made the decision to go to Grant Thornton to complete my ACA qualifications – which was absolutely the right decision for me. She is very successful and it was always inspiring to see her journey and focus.
What tips would you offer to other aspiring female leaders?
Learn how to communicate effectively with others. This is so important to your success. This includes those who you manage, those who are more senior to you or those externally to your company.
In finance, when you first set out on your career it is easy to be very focused on data and the numbers, however it is so important to think outside of the spreadsheet!
People communicate and respond to different methods of communication styles. Understanding what works for others and what works for you helps you build relationships and helps you and the company progress. It also makes life much more enjoyable if you spend the time getting to understand others and collaborate effectively with them.
Secondly, have the ability to think bigger picture and strategically to drive the business forwards, but also retain the ability and awareness to get into the details when you need to, and when the team requires it. There is a fine line in being too involved in the details and not being able to help grow the strategy of the business,
At the same time however, when you are dealing with a transaction such as an acquisition, it is so important that you know and are aware of the details in the company – so don’t go too high level. Always have an ear to the ground.
Thirdly, get experience from others; seek out learning and advice from those more experienced than you. Find a mentor; someone who can provide you with insight and help you go through complex situations. Look to a group of others who are in similar places in their career who you can bounce ideas off and share concerns and thoughts. This will help you to problem solve.
Go to events to continue your learning and read books and articles on different management, leadership and business techniques. Others have trodden a similar path to you so learn from their experiences to help develop you.