‘IT’S OK TO BE VULNERABLE.’

Baroness Helena Morrissey has forged an extraordinary career as a financier, gender equality advocate and now style influencer – all while raising nine children. She gets honest about the setbacks, sexism and her ‘superwoman’ status.

ON HER CHILDHOOD: I grew up in the small seaside village of Alverstoke near Portsmouth and was an inexplicably driven little girl. I’d describe myself as a ‘manic Brownie’. I always wanted to get the most badges, the best grades. Everyone assumed that my younger sister was the ‘domesticated one’ who would get married and have kids, while I was the ‘career girl’. That always bothered me. I remember thinking, ‘Why can’t I be both? Why must I choose?’ I went to the local co-ed state school and my parents, both science teachers, were thrilled when I got a place to study philosophy at Cambridge University – they had met at Cambridge in 1958.

ON HER EARLY CAREER: After university, I landed a job with Schroders. Having been interviewed by a man and a woman at the final stages, I joined the firm with the false impression that my gender wouldn’t hold me back. I went straight out to their New York office to learn about fixed income for two years, before returning to the London headquarters as a global bond fund manager, where I was the only woman in a team of 16.

Soon after that, I had my first child. When I returned to work after five months’ maternity leave, I was passed over for promotion. I genuinely assumed it must be something to do with my performance so I asked my boss what I needed to do better. He replied: ‘There’s nothing wrong with your performance, but there is some doubt over your commitment to the company after having a baby.’ I was shocked and disappointed; my work ethic hadn’t changed just because I’d had a child. It was a rude awakening, so I started to look for a new job.

I moved to Newton Investment Management which was smaller, more entrepreneurial and more meritocratic. Stewart Newton, the founder, said: ‘We don’t want clones here. We want different personalities and perspectives.’ He genuinely encouraged women to be women, instead of trying to act like men. Within seven years, I was made chief executive.

ON HER CURRENT ROLE: My career is multifaceted. I’m chair of the investment industry’s Diversity Project and FTSE 250 firm AJ Bell; I sit on various councils and advisory boards; and I’m a member of the House of Lords. Following comments I made about the Prime Minister, I recently resigned from my role as a senior non-executive director at the Foreign Office. Unfortunately, we live in a society where it’s still very difficult for people to speak out. A lot of organisations say they value integrity and diversity of thought but, if you happen to say something uncomfortable or you disagree, you’re no longer welcome. Ultimately, honesty and freedom of expression are more important to me than a job title.

ON HER TOUGHEST MOMENT: When I launched the 30% Club in 2010, just 12.5% of FTSE 100 board directors were women. I wanted to do something to improve the gender balance and speed up the glacial rate of progress. Now the idea of gender-balanced boards is very widely accepted. But when I initially approached FTSE chairmen for support, many were overtly hostile. One of them shouted at me for an hour, telling me that having more women on boards would ‘destroy British business’. I received hate mail. I had a stalker. There were many, many times when I thought, ‘I can’t deal with this anymore’. When you try to change things, the journey is often difficult and painful.

‘Ultimately, honesty and freedom of expression are more important to me than a job title.’

‘Ultimately, honesty and freedom of expression are more important to me than a job title.’

‘Ultimately, honesty and freedom of expression are more important to me than a job title.’

ON HER STYLE: I’ve always loved fashion. My mum told me that I used to change three times before breakfast! When I started my career, I dressed and acted to blend in: dull navy or black suits with a white shirt and heels. When I joined Newton Investment Management, I ditched the staid outfits for more feminine clothes – still professional but more ‘me’. I’m drawn to modern, clean lines and bold, bright, joyful colours. When I look polished and put-together, I feel more confident and able to get on with the job. I started an Instagram account with daily tips on career dressing and wrote my latest book, Style and Substance, to show that you can be serious about work and still enjoy fashion. I want to help other women to look the part, sound the part, feel the part and therefore be the part.

ON BEING A ‘SUPERWOMAN’: After having each of our nine children, I felt pressure to look as if I was on top of everything, to show that I could ‘do it all’. Even when I suffered a painful miscarriage in the office at 12 weeks’ pregnant, I soldiered on, chairing a board meeting and telling no one. I’ve frequently been labelled as a ‘superwoman’ in the media but, on many occasions, I was really just acting. I want to spare the next generation of women from putting themselves under such pressure. It’s ok to be vulnerable, to show weakness, to be honest.

ON STAYING SANE: I switch off from work by hanging out with my family and friends, turning off my phone and taking the dog for a walk. I’ve been doing Ten’s Dynamic Reformer Pilates for a decade now. It’s a very clichéd thing for a middle-aged woman to do, but I do feel better and stronger for it.

ON THE FUTURE OF WORK: We can’t let ourselves get into the situation where men are going into the office five days a week, while women are working from home. Bosses need to put clear hybrid-working rules in place – and lead by example.

If you do work from home, make sure you’re still visible. Don’t assume that if you work hard and keep your head down, senior people will notice you. Book in 15-minute catch-up calls with your manager. Be more vocal than usual when you’re on Zoom. Wear a bright colour that will make you pop out from the screen. Overcompensate.