Women in the boardroom: Anne O’Dwyer

Anne O'Dwyer

Women in the boardroom: Anne O’Dwyer

Anne O’Dwyer, managing director of Duff & Phelps Ireland, shares her thoughts on leadership, gender quotas and a changed business environment.

Could you tell us a bit about your career path and what your role involves now?

Having studied accounting and finance in DCU, I joined a mid-tier accountancy firm, OSK, where I trained to become a chartered accountant. I stayed with OSK for a number of years after I qualified and progressed to management level before moving to join the audit team at RSM Farrell Grant Sparks as a senior manager in 2007.

At the end of 2008 I was promoted to director within the audit team. However, shortly after that the world started changing and the recession hit. At the end of 2009 I transferred into the restructuring and insolvency department where I used my background in audit and advisory to quickly develop new skillsets and adapt to a changing market. In late 2012 I was delighted to be promoted to partner within the firm.

In July 2014, the restructuring and insolvency division of RSM Farrell Grant Sparks was acquired by Duff & Phelps, a global valuation, corporate finance and restructuring firm. My role now as managing director requires me to continue to lead a team of circa 60 talented individuals and to grow our existing business in a fast moving market. As part of my role I have advised a number of financial institutions, state agencies and companies on strategic restructuring options. I have also led a large number of highly complex formal recovery and insolvency assignments.

Do you think being a woman made it more of a challenge to get to your where you are and, if so, how?

Traditionally restructuring and insolvency would have been considered a male dominated industry especially at the top level, as there are very few women at partner level in the sector. However the key attributes required to succeed in this area are empathy, strong communications skills, good decision making skills, and the ability to multi task – these are skills that many women have in abundance. For me it is not about whether you are male or female, but whether you have the ability, are willing to work hard for it and are going to bring others forward with you. I have been extremely lucky in my career to date as I have always found myself working with people who have encouraged, challenged and supported me.
 
How has the environment changed for women in business, particularly in your own area, over the last five or 10 years?

I don’t think there has been significant change in the industry for women in particular. I think both women and men have faced the same challenging environment during the recession. I do feel there is definitely greater awareness and initiatives out there working to encourage women at a senior level in industry than there was ten years ago which is definitely a positive step.

Do you believe it’s important to have a more diverse range of skills, opinions and backgrounds in business and leadership positions and, if so, why?

Absolutely, one of the key attributes that distinguishes our team at Duff & Phelps from our competitors is our multi-disciplined team. Our team is made up of accountants, bankers, property experts, chartered surveyors, insolvency practitioners and corporate financiers. By bringing together different skillsets, experience, backgrounds and empowering talent you create a dynamic team that pushes and challenges itself with client service at the forefront.

How do you define great leadership?

I think it is essential to listen and learn from the strengths and experience of others around you. Always strive to lead by example and bring people forward with you. I’m a big believer in your strength being in your team.

What particular traits do you think women in general bring to leadership roles?

The obvious one is multi-tasking but I also think empathy and being able to adapt a softer approach in business can sometimes be a big plus especially in highly emotive situations which we would regularly come across while working on restructuring projects.

How do you feel about gender quotas?

I am not in favour of gender quotas as I think that women are capable of obtaining senior positions on their own strengths and merits. I think empowering and mentoring fellow female colleagues will assist in bringing more ladies through to senior levels. We have some very bright and talented females across all levels within our team and I have no doubt that with continued support and encouragement some of those ladies will be future stars in the boardroom.

What do you believe are the main obstacles to women getting into leadership roles and how do you think these can be overcome?

I think hard work, perseverance and good support structures are crucial for any woman seeking to get into a leadership position. It is important to believe in yourself and your own abilities. Work/life balance is always difficult, but it can be achievable if you build up an excellent team around you.

Do you feel that being a positive role model to other women and to girls is important?

I don’t know that I would see myself as a role model, but I do think that it is important to share your experiences and offer support and encouragement to those seeking it regardless of their gender.

Are you actively doing anything to encourage more women into leadership positions? If so, could you give me details?

As a managing director within Duff & Phelps I am part of Duff & Phelps Network of Women (NOW) which was launched in 2012 to attract, develop and retain women at all levels of the firm. NOW offers special resources in such areas as recruiting, training, marketing, business development, networking and communications, as well as numerous events that inform and inspire. NOW is led by the female MDs across the 30 offices we operate from and we are committed to growing NOW as a community that encourages and supports successful employee and client relationships.

What would your main tips and advice for success be?

Know and appreciate your strengths and weaknesses, believe in yourself, trust your instincts, bring people along with you and work hard but most importantly don’t forget to have fun along the way.

Who or what has influenced you most?

My parents always worked hard when we were kids and instilled a strong work ethic into the family. Nothing was ever handed to us on a plate, so you always felt a sense of achievement when you did well on your own merit. Education was very important in my family, there was no such thing as missing a day of school in the O’Dwyer household growing up – you’d need more than a doctor’s cert to get around my parents!

When I worked in OSK my boss (Tadhg O’Sullivan) always challenged me and pushed me to do better from a very early stage in my career, I developed a lot of my management style from working with him.