International Women’s Day 2021: Head of Learning and Development, Lorna Bailey

Ahead of International Women’s Day 2021, a number of Fletcherians shared their thoughts. Here’s what our Head of Learning and Development, Lorna Bailey had to say:

I would like to challenge bias and stereotypes of a woman’s role.

I have always been ambitious in my career and looked up to women in leadership roles. I have experienced sexism in the past, the most obvious being when I didn’t get a job in a male dominated office, as the male hiring manager told me ‘I would be a distraction for the lads’.

Starting out as a young manager of a department, I was very conscious of my gender and age. I felt I had to work even harder to prove myself and justify my position. I have always had male managers and been very lucky to have had amazing support from them with any sexism I have faced. They encouraged me to progress and fulfil my career aspirations. My advice to any young female in business would be to have confidence, try not to doubt yourself and don’t change to fit in with what you think is expected of you. Men can be great allies and fight gender inequality alongside women, my amazing husband being one of them.

It is fantastic to have female leaders at Fletchers to look up to and learn from. As a mother to a daughter, I hope she never has to face bias because of her gender and I am confident we are creating a world of role models for her.