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I have been lucky to get tremendous support from my management which ensured I received the flexibility necessary to be both a mother and a fund manager. But others have not been as fortunate.

«You can be a mother and have a career – it is not either or»

There needs to be a lot more support in the industry for women who are choosing to have a family as well as a career - and this must extend beyond maternity leave to support women with young children. Flexibility will entice women into fund management and increase diversity, which has been shown to benefit company performance. I feel very strongly about the fact that you can be a mother and have a career – it is not a case of either or; women should not have to choose. This is a message I want to give junior female analysts entering the industry.

Companies must also support evolving parenting roles – providing flexibility for both fathers and mothers. The industry must also support «returners» – where mothers return to employment, often after significant breaks, which can be very challenging.

«Unfortunately, there are still ceilings to crack for women in finance»

We are already seeing progressive companies leading the way to ensure parents are able to raise a family alongside their careers, and to increase the representation of women through their recruitment strategies.

I am optimistic for my young daughter. She will likely grow up in a world where women will enjoy far more equal opportunities. This relates to the gender pay-gap, senior positions and board representation. Unfortunately, there are still ceilings to crack for women in finance.

Claire Shaw manages the Oyster European Mid & Small Cap Fund at SYZ Asset Management.

Previous contributions: Rudi Bogni, Peter Kurer, Oliver Berger, Rolf Banz, Dieter Ruloff, Samuel Gerber, Werner Vogt, Walter Wittmann, Alfred Mettler, Peter Hody, Robert Holzach, Craig Murray, David Zollinger, Arthur Bolliger, Beat Kappeler, Chris Rowe, Stefan Gerlach, Marc Lussy, Nuno Fernandes, Richard Egger, Maurice Pedergnana, Marco Bargel, Steve Hanke, Andreas Britt, Urs Schoettli, Ursula Finsterwald, Stefan Kreuzkamp, Oliver Bussmann, Michael Benz, Peter Hody, Albert Steck, Andreas Britt, Martin Dahinden, Thomas Fedier, Alfred Mettler, Brigitte Strebel, Peter Hody, Mirjam Staub-Bisang, Nicolas Roth, Thorsten Polleit, Kim Iskyan, Stephen Dover, Denise Kenyon-Rouvinez, Christian Dreyer, Kinan Khadam-Al-Jame, Robert Hemmi, Claude Baumann, Anton Affentranger, Yves Mirabaud, Katharina Bart, Frédéric Papp, Hans-Martin Kraus, Gerard Guerdat, Didier Saint-Georges, Mario Bassi, Stephen Thariyan, Dan Steinbock, Rino Borini, Bert Flossbach, Michael Hasenstab, Guido Schilling, Werner E. Rutsch, Dorte Bech Vizard, Adriano B. Lucatelli, Katharina Bart, Maya Bhandari, Jean Tirole, Hans Jakob Roth, Marco Martinelli, Beat Wittmann, Thomas Sutter, Tom King, Werner Peyer, Thomas Kupfer, Peter Kurer, Arturo Bris, Michel Longhini, Frederic Papp, Claudia Kraaz, James Syme, Peter Hody, Claude Baumann, Dennis Larsen, Bernd Kramer, Ralph Ebert, Marionna Wegenstein, Armin Jans, Nicolas Roth, Hans Ulrich Jost, Patrick Hunger and Fabrizio Quirighetti.