McGill Desautels alum sheds light on inequities faced by women entrepreneurs

Harriett Baldwin (MBA’85) is spearheading an extensive examination of the financial landscape for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United Kingdom. Highlighting a stark gender disparity, she points out only 2% of venture capital funding in the UK goes to businesses run by women, while men fill 90% of all senior roles at hedge funds. As Conservative Member of Parliament for West Worcestershire and Chair of the Treasury Committee, Baldwin draws on her own experiences of sexism while working in the financial services sector to help motivate her to improve the circumstances for others. “I have always cared passionately about this,” she shares with The Guardian, “not just in business but now I am an MP. I want to see a 50:50 parliament in my lifetime. I really do.”