How things change. In the late 1970s, when giving a lecture to some 300 bright young CIPFA accountants, I started my talk with ‘Ladies and gentlemen’ – then realised there were no women in the audience. I remonstrated with the crowd about the enormous talent going to waste and continued with my lecture.
Three decades later, I see that seven of the ten winners of the Future Leaders awards are women – (Future Leaders supplement, Public Finance, October 30–November 5). Good luck to them all, male and female, in their splendid careers.
Rodney North, director of finance, Wessex Water
