Woman who wants us to mind the gap
on research that suggests such disparities will not be eradicated until 2069.
It makes for gloomy reading, albeit even that figure might be a tad optimistic. EY produced a report – “Woman. Fast Forward” – which quotes the World Economic Forum’s prediction that it will take 170 years for women to win gender parity.
Nelson believes that addressing these issues is critically important for Scotland’s business landscape, and although momentum is building, even the most progressive firms have much to do.
“How can we be driving business in the right way if 50 per cent of the workforce are left behind?” she asserts. “There remains a lot of unconscious bias. Some people think there isn’t a problem – and there may not be in some companies – but there is still work to be done to drive change.”
It is a cultural shift she’s had a key hand in shaping within EY itself. “I’m a strong believer that the more diverse the team, the better the business outcome,” says Nelson. “There is empirical evidence around increased financialperformanceandshare price as well as a stronger economy.
“Ifthereisabunchofwhite men sitting round a table about to go to a pitch, our guys will look around and think: ‘this isn’t right’. It is about removing that unconscious bias. But unless you put a spotlight on it and give people that lens to look through, they just don’t think about it.”
It is six years since Nelson joined EY and arguably her career – and life – path has been far from conventional. The youngest of three children, she hails from an army family and was born in Germany. They all returned to Scotland and her father’s hometown of Irvine when Nelson was five.
She had a strong work ethic from an early age, getting a teenage Saturday job in a hairdressers and washing dishes on Sundays to make extra pocket money.
“I couldn’t wait to work. I don’t know where that came from – I think it was just in my genes. I was always thinking up little schemes and writing off to companies with ideas.”
Nelson recalls how, aged seven, she penned a letter to confectioner Trebor complaining that the stickers in her bubble gum pack were ripped and to suggest some helpful business pointers. “I was probably being quite precocious, but this huge box of sweets arrived later with a letter of apology.”
She later attended Greenwood Academy, a state-run secondary school that has recently been jokingly dubbed “the Eton of Ayrshire” on account of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Nelson and BBC presenter Shelley Jofre being among its successful alumni.
While Nelson describes herself as “not particularly academic”, she was voted school captain in sixth year. When the rumbling teachers’ strikes of the mid-1980s led to the traditional end of year dance being cancelled, she rallied pupils in four schools across Ayrshire to organise a joint event.
It was early portent of her future vocation. “Looking back now I realise it is what I do every day at work,” she smiles. “But at that stage in my life I didn’t know that was a skill.”
Nelson eschewed attending university and moved to London when she was 19. Her first job was working for an advertising agency and she later did ad production for The Guardian.
From there Nelson moved into sales for Video Arts, a company which produced management Career high Becoming an equity partner at EY. Career low Returning to work after my first child. Favourite film Much Ado About Nothing. Last book read We Were Liars by E Lockhart. Best trait Eternal optimist. Worst trait Impatience. Best advice received That you can take a pause. All the important things will still be there. Biggest influence My late mum and dad. Favourite meal A good curry. training films using the madcap antics of British comedians such as John Cleese, Prunella Scales and Robert Lindsay to highlight the dos and don’ts of good business practice.
But her world was turned upsidewhenhermother Catherine died from cancer aged 53. Only 22 herself at the time, Nelson recalls how her confidence crumbled.
“It undoubtedly affected me hugely, although at the time you don’t admit that,” she says. “I moved back to Scotland to live with and look after my dad. This was an era when everything was in London. People told me I was mad to come home.”
It took time to find her feet again, but it was a period Nelson credits with shaping an enduring philosophy. She uses the analogy that life is like the circle line on the London Underground: it Favourite holiday destination Perth, Australia. I got engaged there. Favourite music Anything goes, partial to 1980s pop right now. Ideal dinner guests Kirsty Wark, Michelle Obama, Justin Trudeau, Kevin Bridges, Karen Brady and my daughter Hannah. doesn’t matter if you get on and off, you can always catch another train.
“People often think life has to be linear but it doesn’t,” she says. “That has always stood me in good stead. You can take a pause. All the important things will still be there.”
She went on to work at Royal Mail, completing a masters in marketing at Kingston Business School on evenings and weekends, before becoming sales director for a small research agency.
By then 34 and having had her first child, the train hit the buffers. “When I went back to work after maternity leave that was a really difficult transition,” she says. “I found it a tough time. I had invested a lot of time and energy in the company.”
Nelson moved on to Scottish Power, then RBS Insurance, before joining EY in 2011. “Had yousaidtomethenthatfour years later I would be a partner, I wouldn’t have believed it,” she says.
Which brings us neatly to the present day. Nelson is based in Glasgow and married to Martin, 48, an environmental engineer. The couple have two children, Hannah, 12, and Hamish, six.
She is currently training for Los Tres Picos, an EY Foundation charity fundraising trek to ascend the three highest peaks in Spain on consecutive days in June.
“I was up Conic Hill a couple of weeks ago and have been pounding the streets of Glasgow wearing trainers with my suit.”
The only time Nelson sits still is when indulging her favourite pastime of jigsaws: a UK map, collage of retro sweetie wrappers and a 3D Minion have been among the recent projects.
Named EY’s outstanding mentor last year, Nelson is again shortlisted for the same award which will be announced this week.
Nor is her enthusiasm for nurturing talent limited to her own sector: she was integral in the recent launch of Women in Journalism Scotland alongside her old school friend Jofre.
Mentoring is a clearly a major passion. “You have to give people the power to believe they can do something that they think they can’t,” she says.
“I’m not an easy mentor. I will really challenge them and there is a lot of toughening up to be done.
“Too often women will sit passively and wait for other people to spot things. I encouragethemtoleanin.If someone I’ve mentored replicates that with two other people? Well, that’s brilliant.”