Eileen Foley
“When I entered financial services, there was a sense that women had to conform to the men—that we needed to blend in with the norms that were set by them. I can remember being the only woman in a sea of gray suits, thinking, One of these things is not like the other. Oh, it’s me. I think as a society—and as an industry—we’re really celebrating people’s differences more now.”
How to do better: “I feel a huge responsibility to those who are coming behind me—women in particular, but male and female—to ensure that people are able to stay in the workforce if they want to. That they don’t have to choose between having a family and caregiving responsibilities and working. We allow for flexibility—particularly with the technology we have today. It’s how we as individual leaders set the tone.”
—Eileen Foley is executive director of the family office at BNY Mellon Wealth Management. bnymellonwealth.com
