Apex Group has opened its global Women’s Accelerator Network in NZ, offering a free career development program aimed at reducing gender bias in the finance sector.
The Apex-sponsored effort in NZ will “involve four events per year, both in person and virtually, focused on nurturing future finance leaders by providing guidance, problem solving techniques and mentorship”, according to a release.
Billed as probably the “only free career accelerator” of its type in NZ, the program “is open to all women in finance, particularly emerging leaders, regardless of your role or workplace”.
As well as three Apex NZ representatives – NZ head, Donna Mason, head of strategic delivery, Jessica Oliver, and director, Rebecca Palmer – the Women’s Accelerator Network local steering committee includes ASB head of wealth distribution, Ngaire Angus, and incoming Mercer NZ chief, Anna Scott.
In a statement, Mason said: “Women are hugely under-represented in finance leadership, which creates an uneven playing field for those coming through and a lack of diversity that ultimately harms our industry and the people we serve.
“Women account for just one in four C-suite roles in the finance sector in New Zealand and in middle management positions women make up approximately 35% – we really want to change that.”
Since establishing the program in New York and London in 2023 some 400 women have received training or mentoring, the release says. The global investment administration group, headquartered in Bermuda, expanded the network to Singapore and Hong Kong in 2024 – also heading out into non-finance waters the same year in a partnership with SailGP.
“In the first year, more than half of participants achieved promotions, career progression, or moved into new roles after completing the programme,” the release says.
The Women’s Accelerator Network website offers further and sign-up details.
Elsewhere this month, the artificial intelligence (AI) superannuation administration start-up, Sevaka, struck an agreement with fellow NZ fintech, Qippay, to develop a KiwiSaver open-banking service.
Under the proposal, the two firms will collaborate on building an application to streamline KiwiSaver contributions via open-banking rails – the four Australian-owned banks will be subject to new open-banking legislation in NZ as of this December with Kiwibank to join the regime the following year.
Clive Fernandes, Sevaka founder, said in a release, the open-banking could “transform the way Kiwis engage with their retirement savings”.
“For example, by making contribution management simple, secure, and actionable, we’re helping members take control of their financial futures,” Fernandes said.
Sevaka launched last year to build AI-based software capable of automating up to 80 per cent of KiwiSaver admin tasks. The company is currently developing a prototype with one KiwiSaver provider.