Focus on Finance 21st Jan 2010

31/03/2010 The Banking Industry is Listening, Changing.... Female finance was top of the Stormont agenda today as financial experts from all over the UK and Ireland came to 'Focus on Finance' with Women in Bu ...
The Banking Industry is Listening, Changing....

Female finance was top of the Stormont agenda today as financial experts from all over the UK and Ireland came to 'Focus on Finance' with Women in Business.

Angela Knight, Chief Executive of the British Bankers Association was very forthright in addressing the concerns of business owners stating that while everyone appreciates we are trading in difficult times, the banking industry does recognise that more has to be done to ease the pain felt by small businesses; she said "The banking industry is listening, it is changing, it does understand its responsibilities in underpinning the economy and it understands its responsibilities to society. We have stepped up to the table for change and we are not walking away."

Angela was keynote speaker at the Invest Northern Ireland funded event and was joined on the panel by Million Dollar Round Table member Caroline Banks, Dawn Purvis MLA and Eileen Sowney, Sales Director of the AIB Group UK.

Over eighty businesswomen from Northern Ireland raised with the panel the financial issues they face not only in developing their businesses but with personal finances also. High on the agenda was access to short and medium term finance from the high street banks, an issue facing many small businesses who are finding it difficult to fund their development.

Other financial issues debated included the pension deficit faced by women when compared to their male counterparts. Women were also described as more cautious investors than men, while financial institutions were urged to make 'small print' financial information clearer and local government representatives were lobbied to provide increased support for businesses to match the range of support measures available to start–ups.

Christine Boyle, Chair of Women in Business was delighted to provide businesswomen with access to such an expert panel, "Finance is such an important issue for our members. Whether it's advice or guidance on pensions, or whether it's business funding or investment, it is always on the agenda. Having this distinguished panel of public, private and industry sector representatives provided the ideal opportunity for our members to seek advice and receive guidance on a plethora of financial matters".

Northern Ireland's businesswomen are no doubt better informed and connected as a result of today's event and are now better equipped to make more informed financial decisions both professionally and privately.

Online social networking is next up for Women in Business with an interactive workshop focusing on making good business use of websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. See www.womeninbusinessni.com for more details.

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