IMPACT Newsletter – December 2020

We would like to start by wishing you a Merry Christmas, although understandably you may not be feeling quite as festive this year. We do hope however that you manage to celebrate somehow and are able to draw some positives from this unusual year we have had.

For Leverton, team camaraderie is a real positive we have drawn from 2020. With us all working from different locations (from London to Scotland), it was important that we kept team spirit up and collaboration flowing. Zoom workouts with Joe Wicks on a Wednesday morning became a regular sticking point, as well as virtual drinks and a chat on a Thursday evening!

Another was that we adapted to the world of virtual events; running a Wellness Series with Ninety One where we learnt about gut health, discussed how to boost morale and some of us even tried our hand at Pilates and Yoga for the first time! More recently we joined them in educating sixth form female students about the world of Asset Management and gave our advice on handling interviews.

In November, Natalie spoke on the panel at InterInvest’s event; “Diversity in Investment Management – are we shifting the dial?” and we also teamed up with Capital Group and Dr Linda Robson to Break the Myth of Balance.

We are currently exploring new topics for next year – I hope that we will reach the stage where we can meet for these events in person, but until then; stay safe, enjoy Christmas and best wishes for the New Year.

Below is a roundup of the top articles from December.

 

How These Women Investors Crushed It In 2020

In an investment industry known for big egos, overconfident analysts and “activists” who routinely tell CEOs how to run their companies, investor Nancy Zevenbergen and her team of four portfolio managers differentiate themselves by simply listening.

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Investment Week reveals winners of the Women in Investment Awards 2020 – relive the full ceremony now

There were a record number of nominations for the awards this year, which shows the sector’s commitment to accelerate the pace of change towards a more diverse and inclusive industry even during these difficult times.

Congratulations to all the winners!

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Funding Female Founders: If Male VCs Won’t Do It, Women Angels And Limited Partners Will

Where venture capitalists fear to tread, women angels are marching ahead.

The importance of angels to female founders cannot be understated: 27% of angel portfolio companies have a woman CEO, according to the Angel Funders Report 2020 by the Angel Capital Association. Over the last 10 years, the percentage of women becoming angels has nearly tripled—increasing from 11.3% in 2009 to 29% in 2019. This surge is playing a critical role in the earliest-stage, female-founded companies getting funding.

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Why wealthy women of colour are more confident investors than their white female peers

The world’s wealthiest people are overwhelmingly men. And the world’s wealthiest women are overwhelmingly white.

But women of colour—specifically Black and Latina women—who are among the economically privileged in the U.S. are nevertheless more confident in their abilities as investors than their white female peers according to a new survey by JPMorgan Wealth Management.

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