March marks Women's History Month, and International Women's Day takes place on 8 March. This year's theme is about 'inspiring inclusion' and how we can foster a sense of belonging in the workplace for women. Whether, for example, it's a busy working mum or a young person starting out in their career, every woman should feel supported and empowered in their career.

With this in mind, we asked some of the women at Walkers to tell us about their journeys. Elsa Chow, vice-president of AML, Compliance and Regulatory, Claire Townshend, chief human resources officer, and Nicola Byrne, senior vice-president of Walkers Professional Services (WPS), all took the time to share highs and lows from their career so far. Here's what we learned.

All of us face big decisions in our careers

Each of these women have faced trials, tribulations and big moves in their careers. For Elsa, this was a leap of faith by leaving behind friends and family in Canada to move to Hong Kong. Without a work permit, job secured or a place to live, the odds were stacked against her. "Moving to Hong Kong has been my greatest challenge, but also my biggest success," Elsa said. "I stayed focused and had supporters around me so I could achieve my goals."

Claire always had a strong 'why' for her HR career, gaining valuable experience at the BBC and House of Fraser before moving into professional services. She took the opportunity to move to the Netherlands and South Africa for her career, where her company at the time collapsed and was absorbed into KPMG. "Although at the time it didn't always feel great, career and personal growth also came out of challenges in the workplace," Claire said.

As for Nicola, who climbed the ladder at KPMG from a trainee accountant all the way to director, she found the sacrifices she'd made to get there meant the job had become all-consuming. "I knew I didn't want to hit the pause button on my professional journey, but I wasn't sure I would find another role where I could progress and develop my career." Nicola joined Walkers in 2021 and hasn't looked back.

Juggling kids and work is always a balancing act

Most women find work-life balance difficult with young children, and our interviewees are no exception. "I had a challenging phase when I wanted to fully focus on my baby while I had a promising and growing career waiting for me," Elsa commented. She credits open communication, time-management skills and prioritising her wellbeing as the key to success for balancing both.

Claire and her husband had a 50-50 partnership from the start as they raised two children, flexing their routines as one or the other's jobs got hectic. Her husband was the first man in his company to request a work-from-home day for managing childcare nearly a decade ago, and has done so ever since. "The family unit needs both parents to expect adaptability in their companies – in the past it fell to women," Claire comments. "I've certainly lived what I believe."

One of the reasons Nicola joined Walkers was so she could get a better work-life balance and spend more quality time with her family. She's found Walkers has given her the best of both worlds: exposure to a fast-paced, challenging work environment, while also letting her be more present at home. "It's definitely helped me find the balance I've been looking for," Nicola said.

Your network is everything

A trusted mentor or great boss sets the tone for how much you enjoy the day-to-day in the office, your career progression and your confidence. Put simply? None of us go far without the right support.

Elsa's two most important career role models have been her former HSBC manager, who she says taught her how to be a leader, and Daniel Booth, our WPS managing director in Hong Kong. "Daniel's trusted me to build out the team and spearhead different initiatives in Asia," Elsa said. "His support has made my Walkers career motivating and purposeful."

As for Claire, she's lucky enough to have had mentors and old bosses turn into firm friendships, with one even being godmother to her children. "None of these were developed by an organisational plan – more from informally building authentic relationships," Claire said.

A powerhouse audit partner at KPMG taught Nicola what breaking the mold and glass ceilings looked like. In her time at Walkers, she credits managing director Fiona de Lacey as a strong, ambitious female leader who's enforcing our cultural values. "There's so much consideration for each team member's life outside of work," she added.

Our personal networks are just as important. Each of these women gave kudos to their parents, partners and friends for giving them the courage to move across the world, take leaps into new opportunities and start families alongside their careers.

Final takeaways

All our interviewees have had bumps in the road in their personal and work lives. Through developing their professional skills and mindsets, they've furthered their own careers and inspired other women around them to do the same. "I can't change the events around me, but I can change the way I think and put my energy towards it," Elsa said.

Their work and personal networks have also had a huge hand in supporting their growth and proving that inspiring inclusion in the workplace leads to remarkable things for women. We're excited to see what comes next for Elsa, Claire and Nicola.

This is the first part in our International Women's Day series. For more info about this year's theme, click here.