Openwork has urged the financial services industry to work together to attract more women into financial advice.
The UK's largest financial advice network has already carried out a review of its own recruitment and promotion practices and launched a leadership development programme to support women.
Speaking at Openwork's Inspiring Women in Financial Services conference, Claire Oldstein, the network's marketing director, said: "Women are hugely under-represented in the UK advice community with industry estimates that just 11 per cent of advisers are female.
"The financial services industry needs to address the issue of women missing out not just on jobs as advisers but also on senior leadership positions. The progress made by the Treasury select committee’s women in finance inquiry is very welcome but change needs to accelerate.
"Openwork’s Inspiring Women in Financial Services conference has been an important step in focusing on gender distribution in financial services. In 2019 we aim to turn up the volume on this issue and campaign with our partners to focus on gender imbalances."
The conference was attended by more than 100 female advisers, planners and employees and focused on recruitment strategies to better engage with women on opportunities in the sector.
Sonia Wheeler, one of the conference panellists and managing director at Openwork member Essential Wealth Management, said: "Financial advice offers excellent career prospects and it’s important that we communicate the opportunities that are available so we can bring more women into advice and planning roles."
damian.fantato@ft.com
