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Our opening hours will change during the festive season.
Our opening hours will change during the festive season. We will close from 2.00pm on the 24th December and reopen at 9.00am on the 27th December. Our usual opening hours will then apply. We will be closed on the 1st January and reopen at 9.00am on the 2nd January.
Maria Darby-Walker joined Redwood’s Board following a career spanning financial services, PR, marketing, and investor relations. As the Bank’s Chair of Remuneration Committee, she is committed to keeping a close eye on issues including the gender pay gap, diversity and inclusion.
She is also a champion of the Women in Finance Charter, a pledge that businesses can take to create a gender balance across all levels of the business.
Maria, who sits on three financial services boards as a Non-Executive Director, regularly mentors women in senior roles, saying: “I take great delight in seeing them succeed.”
She sees her role as a champion of other women and encouraging them to make their voice heard in the world of banking.
“Women have a tough time being heard no matter what the industry – it’s a big subject and one that is being slowly addressed, but these things take time,” she said. “Culture and tone from the top really matter in organisations such as ours in order to start making a difference.”
Maria encouraged women to go for roles or promotions which they may not think they are qualified for, as “men are much more prepared to give things a go, whether they can do the role or not”.
“Get as many qualifications as you can – it builds confidence and demonstrates an independent testimony to your capabilities,” Maria advised. “I’d also say to get a mentor who you can go to and ask for help. Learn to say no and don’t be a people pleaser.”
Maria was named as one of the ‘Top 100 women to watch’ by Cranfield School of Management in 2018. She said that having women in senior roles brings a new dimension to an organisation.
“Like all aspects of diversity, it’s important to have a different perspective in the room and to ensure we don’t go down the road of ‘group think’,” she said. “Companies that have a strong female representation tend to have a different kind of leadership style which may involve more empathy, listening, and often, low ego.”
Maria has her own female role models that she admires. Among them are Kate Bingham, who chaired the UK Government’s Vaccine Taskforce and developed the strategy for vaccine deployment during the pandemic.
Another is actress and activist Angelina Jolie, who Maria admires for her humanitarian work, in particular her role in the campaign, Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.