Coronation Fund Managers was announced as the winner of the 2024 100 Women in Finance Europe, Middle East, and Africa Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award this month.
100 Women in Finance (100WF) is a global organisation dedicated to advancing gender equity in the finance industry. The award was presented at its 17th gala in London on 6 March.
Funds raised at the annual event benefit programmes and local programme partners, empowering women from all backgrounds to pursue careers in finance.
The 100 Women in Finance Foundation, the gala beneficiary, supports the organisation’s programmes and initiatives. Its mission, known as Vision 30/40, is for 30% of senior investment roles and executive committee positions to be filled by women by 2040.
At the event, 100WF commended Coronation for “demonstrating that, through deliberate implementation of DEI policies and initiatives, they have significantly expanded opportunities for women and black investment professionals to gain in-depth portfolio management skills and investment experience”.
Coronation was also a finalist in 2023.
The other finalists in 2024 were Man Group and Pictet Asset Management.
According to 100WF, the goal of the Industry DEI Award, sponsored by JP Morgan, is to recognise organisations that are driving forward and shaping the future of women in the finance industry.
Carole Crawford, senior adviser at the CFA Institute and 100WF board chairperson, applauded Coronation, Pictet Asset Management, and Man Group for their commitment to developing the investment management skills of their talented women.
“In the face of intense industry competition, these firms have emerged triumphant. This achievement can be attributed to their purposeful integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and initiatives leading to a notable enhancement in female representation within senior investment and executive committee roles within their firms,” said Crawford.
Kirshni Totaram, a senior executive at Coronation, said the asset manager was honoured to receive the 100WF Industry DEI Award, “which acknowledges our commitment to nurturing a diverse workforce over our 30-year history”.
With an employee complement that comprises 51% women and 63% black employees, Coronation is a recognised leader in transformation in the finance industry, both locally and abroad.
In 2022 and 2023, the organisation was awarded first place for its gender reporting as a JSE-listed company at the Gender Mainstreaming Awards Africa, and in 2023 it was awarded first place for diversity at both the European Pension Funds Awards and the Irish Pension Funds Awards, as well as first place for Transparency and Reporting at the UN-supported Women Empowerment Awards.
In 2020, Coronation became a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, which provide guidance on how to promote gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace. Half of Coronation’s board seats are taken up by women.
Totaram said Coronation’s ability to leverage diverse views was one of the ingredients of their continued success.
“We firmly believe that diverse collaborators provide us with an inherent advantage in a competitive and unpredictable world and that fostering an inclusive work environment is critical to unlocking the diversity dividend,” she said.
Another trailblazer in the insurance industry, Deborah Zurkow, the global head of investments at Allianz Global Investors, was also honoured at the gala event.
Zurkow was presented with the 100 Women in Finance EMEA Industry Leadership Award for her leadership and mentorship in the financial services industry.
The award is presented annually in recognition of exemplary professional talent, business ethics, and passion for investing that further define and advance the industry’s standards of excellence.
