For 2026, the theme for International Women’s Day is Give to Gain – a call to move beyond statements of support, and recognising that if you want to support progress, you have to share time, influence and opportunity. Mentorship and advocacy sit at the heart of this – talent rarely moves forward solely on its own.
Mentorship and advocacy in the private equity industry
Fiona Moore, Head of ESG, ECI
ECI are a founding sponsor of Level20, the leading industry body for women in private equity. The team have been both mentors and mentees across multiple cohorts, and I’ve found out firsthand as a mentee the benefit of having space to talk things through, sense check decisions and discuss career planning openly with someone who knows the private equity industry well, but in a confidential forum.
Mentorship on its own is not enough, however. Research from Level20 and LSE finds that advice is helpful, and guidance can help shape careers. However, the most important way to actually change outcomes for female talent is through advocacy. Careers accelerate when senior leaders are willing to use their influence to open doors, challenge bias and actively sponsor talent. This is something leaders do by default, taking individuals under their wing, bringing people into projects, and singing some people’s praises in meetings. Thoughtful advocacy involves considering if you are doing this fairly across the team, beyond highlighting those that look and work in a similar way to you.
That insight continues to shape how ECI think about people management, and in 2025, ECI included specific questions aligned to the Level20 framework in its engagement survey to better understand performance on inclusivity, including questions about whether there is someone at work who encourages development and if leaders are inclusive in how they support people across the organisation. We know there is a long way to go at ECI and in the private equity industry, however, transforming advocacy within organisations is likely to be one of the most impactful levers we can pull.
The power of having a voice
Mariana Valle, CEO, Insurance Insider
Female CEOs are still the exception to the rule. In fact, the latest figures show just 6% of FTSE 250 CEOs are women. Since we are, well, pretty rare, I get asked all the time, how did you do it? The truth is, being CEO was never a goal. Growing a business was. And the path was never clear or straight, but if I look back, three key factors got me here.
The first is a combination of grit, determination and drive. The longer my CEO tenure goes, the more I feel these are the absolute key attributes to lead a business. The second is curiosity, not just related to your market and your clients, but people. The third is opportunity, and here is where I feel the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day really speaks to me. You make your own luck with one and two, and a good dose of hard work and charm. But without the advocacy of others, it is a tough climb. Add to that some time away from work for maternity leave, and women are not starting from zero; they are at -5.
In my career, I had amazing mentors and advocates who believed in me before I did, and influenced opportunities that were essential in my journey to here and beyond. I can’t emphasise enough the importance of connections, as well as the power of having a voice – to ask for advice, guidance and learning opportunities. And this year’s ‘give to gain’ theme reinforces this message, that to instigate change, we need to give women a platform to be heard, the resources to help them get there, and advocacy to ensure they thrive.
A good mentorship dynamic
Joanna Knight OBE, CEO, Leaders.inc
It’s important to look for mentorship rather than wait for it. People don’t tend to tap you on the shoulder and say, ‘I see something in you, let me help.’ You have to scan the room, think about who you admire, and be brave enough to ask for time. That also doesn’t have to be another woman or minority – it’s more about who you can learn the most from in that moment.
As a mentor, I find people get the most value out of your help when you’re human and honest. If you’re considering mentoring someone, remember that some of the most valuable learning comes not from what leaders got right, but from the mistakes they’re willing to share. That openness builds trust, which allows people to really grow.
If you feel you don’t have the time to support someone, think about what else you can do to help them. Signposting, connecting people, or helping others step into mentoring roles themselves. Progress happens when we all take responsibility for supporting talent, not when we wait to be asked or assume someone else will do it.
Setting up success from the start
Scarlett Salamon, IR Analyst, and Georgia Ling, Investment Analyst, ECI
How can you set talent up for success from day one? A well-designed buddy system and induction process can make sure people find their footing and their confidence quickly. ECI established this in the last 12 months, having a named Buddy for each new hire.
Scarlett Salamon, who joined as an Analyst in the IR team in 2026, comments: “Joining ECI has been an incredibly welcoming experience. From day one, people have taken the time to introduce themselves, and I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with teams across the firm to understand not only their individual roles but how they collaborate with one another. The buddy system has been particularly valuable – having a friendly face in the office and someone you can turn to with any question, no matter how small, makes a real difference. Georgia, who joined around six months before me, has been a great support as my Buddy, sharing practical insights and advice on what she found most helpful as a new joiner.”
Georgia Ling, who joined the investment team in 2025 and has been a Buddy to Scarlett since she joined, comments: “Having joined ECI not too long ago, I found the buddy system to be a helpful forum to discuss any ‘silly’ or ‘obvious’ questions I had about the firm, the job, etc. I’ve enjoyed being able to provide that same space for Scarlett, even if I may not have all the answers yet!”
Shared lessons across private equity networks
Rich Pearce, Partner, ECI
Private equity firms are uniquely placed to create meaningful networks across their portfolios. By bringing talent together, individuals can learn from one another, rather than having to navigate similar challenges in isolation. This is a foundational principle of our ECI Unlocked programme, bringing business leaders together to share experience, practical insight and lessons learned across the portfolio.
In 2026, ECI is launching a Rising Stars programme designed to identify and support high‑potential talent across the portfolio. It will give talent access to coaching on topics such as leadership and self-awareness, facilitate networking with others going through the PE journey, and help participants develop the confidence and capability needed to progress into senior roles over time Importantly, while the programme is open to all high‑potential individuals, portfolio leaders are encouraged to think carefully about diversity when making nominations, helping to broaden access to development opportunities and support more equitable progression across the portfolio.
What can I do to help?
Tamsin Webster, Head of People, ECI
Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s 2013 book ‘Forget a Mentor, Find a Sponsor’ was transformational for me in my thinking of how to best support the next generations of talent in organisations to progress to senior positions. Many of us seek out mentors in our careers, as a helpful way to learn from others’ experiences and encourage us in our career steps.
This isn’t unhelpful, but securing sponsorship rather than mentorship is a much higher-stakes initiative. Finding someone who is prepared to recommend you and support you, and risk their own reputation in doing so, takes much more time and considered effort.
What can you, an individual reading this who presumably wants to support talent through your organisation, do to help? Ask yourself the question – can you nurture relationships with more junior people in your organisation that over time may build beyond advice to truly connecting them with opportunities?
If you are an individual looking for more sponsorship and advocacy, the question is are you investing in relationships around you, building long-term trust and demonstrating consistent reliability, initiative and capability? If you don’t have someone who would risk their reputation on you, what relationships do you need to spend more time on to prove that it is worth doing?
Both parties in a sponsor relationship don’t operate in isolation. Organisations should create opportunities across teams and geographies. In larger companies, these can be formal programmes, but smaller companies can create a culture where individuals are expected to consider how they’re helping others reach their potential.
