At Close Brothers Premium Finance, our dedication to developing a culture of inclusivity is paramount. As a testament to this commitment, members of the BeTogether network (BT), Zandria Dias and Charlene Manyakaidze, recently had the privilege of engaging in enlightening interviews with influential women. Through these discussions, we've learned about their professional trajectories and the importance of fostering an inclusive environment.
In the forthcoming segment of our Inspiring Inclusion series, we’re delighted to showcase Helen Fincham, Manager of our Business Operations team. Helen's narrative offers a glimpse into her journey and imparts invaluable insights for aspiring young women navigating their own career paths.
BT: Can you tell us a bit about yourself outside the work environment?
HF: I’m a mum of two children, who are both under 5, so life is quite chaotic! I try to see friends and socialise for some normality as much as I can but, I spend a lot of my time at soft plays and parks. I know this won’t last so I’m trying to remember this and enjoy all the time that they want to spend with me before their teenage years.
BT: What was your first role within Close Brothers and what route did you take to get to your current position?
HF: I started at Close Brothers in 2013, as a School Fees Administrator within Premium Business Operations. I then moved into the Commercial UK team as an Administrator before a promotion to Deputy and Manager of the team. This was then followed by a move to manage the Ireland Commercial team. I then had a maternity leave in 2019 before moving to the Arrears management team followed by another maternity in 2021 and returning to manage Arrears management team along with Account Maintenance before the merge into PL UK Team to the current day.
BT: What advice would you give to young women who are starting out their career?
HF: Don’t settle or be scared to try new things to find your own path.
BT: The theme for this year’s international women’s day is ‘Inspire Inclusion’. How can we better achieve this within the business?
HF: It would be great to see more women in ‘Head of’ and leadership roles. I think that this representation is important and something that then encourages future female leaders to aim for these positions.
BT: Who are your role models and why?
HF: I don’t think I have a particular role model (of course apart from my Mum), however anyone that juggles a good work/life balance at this point I think would be mine, with two young children I find this a struggle sometimes.
BT: When you’re not working what do you enjoy doing?
HF: Baking with the children or going on adventures with them and my partner to find new places. I also enjoy watching a good Netflix series or socialising with friends.
BT: What would your number one film/book/Tv recommendation be?
HF: I’m currently watching Trigger Point on ITV which I’m really enjoying. I used to love reading a good book but unfortunately that has disappeared over the last few years but something I must make more time for!
BT: If you could have dinner with three female leaders, dead or alive, who would you pick?
HF: Michelle Obama, Marilyn Monroe and Kim Kardashian.
BT: Not a question, but please can you share your favourite quote around female empowerment/inclusion?
HF: "There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish."
