Spotlight on Women at Focus: A Conversation with Belinda Jackson

What does International Women’s Day or Women’s History Month mean to you personally?

I have an ambivalent relationship with International Women’s Day. On the one hand, I love that we are highlighting women and the inequality that still exists. It’s important to shine a light on women’s contributions and on the gaps that we still need to close. These moments create energy, visibility, and conversation.

On the other hand, I hate that we still have to do it. Women are half the world’s population. It should not require a special day or month to validate our impact. My hope is that one day our contributions are simply assumed, expected, and woven into everyday life, not something that needs a campaign.

As a mum of both a son and a daughter, this shows up in how I talk to them. With my son, I focus on inclusion and respect, how he shows up for women, how he supports them, and how he understands their experience.

With my daughter, the message is different. I tell her, “Do not let anybody question whether you can or cannot do something. It is an equal playing field.”

So, for me, International Women’s Day is a reminder to keep pushing for equality, and to keep raising the next generation to assume that equality is the starting point, not the prize.

What challenges have you faced as a woman in this industry, and what helped you navigate them?

I started out in HR at a big professional services firm and then moved into one of Australia’s five big banks. I spent years coaching leaders on how to be effective and supporting the business, but over time I decided I wanted to lead teams and own commercial outcomes myself.

That led me to run client service teams, first at one bank and then at another, before moving into marketing and customer experience. Eventually, I came back into HR with a very different lens, having held responsibility for P&L, client outcomes, and frontline teams. That real-world experience has been invaluable.

Coming from a non-traditional path, I did face moments where my credibility was questioned. Years ago, I remember a direct report saying to me, “What can you offer me? You don’t have the technical stockbroking background.” And it was true, I didn’t have deep technical expertise when it came to margin lending or trading, but I did have deep experience in identifying opportunities to improve a business, coaching and guiding people, elevating their careers, and setting them up for success.

Did it feed into imposter syndrome? Absolutely. I think most of us feel that at some point. For me, it became fuel. It made me more determined to show that I was adding real value. One of the things I will always espouse is that you do not need to be the deepest technical expert to be a strong, capable leader.

Working in a predominantly male industry has also made me much more intentional about how I show up in leadership rooms. I’ve lost count of how many tables I have sat at where I was the only woman.

As a result, I’ve made it my personal mission to make sure that men are aware of how they show up in those forums and meetings. Even the pre-meeting banter can feel like a boys’ club, with conversations about football, AFL results, and which team is up this week. I enjoy football as much as anyone, but it can feel very one-dimensional. So, sometimes I’ll deliberately mix it up with a joke that doesn’t fit the mold. One of my favorites is, “Have you seen the latest episode of The Bachelor?”

It’s a small thing, but it helps normalize that different interests and perspectives belong in the room. Over time, the conversation starts to shift. All of this has made me more aware of both the visible and invisible ways culture is shaped, and more determined to keep nudging it forward.

What change for women in this industry are you most encouraged by right now? In your opinion, how can organizations better support women’s career growth?

Over the course of my career, I’ve seen real progress in women’s access to senior roles and in how we understand the different stages of women’s careers.

Early in your career, it’s often about getting as far as you can, as fast as you can. Then, for many of us, comes the family stage, stepping into parenting and navigating the return to work. The good news is that we now see more men leaning into parenting and feeling some of the same pressures that women have carried for a long time. That shift is healthy for everyone.

But there is another stage people don’t talk about nearly enough, which is perimenopause and menopause. You can be at the most senior point in your career and suddenly find yourself sitting in a meeting, staring at the table, completely unable to find a word that would have come to you instantly a couple of years ago. It can be humiliating. It can shake your confidence at exactly the time you are at your peak in terms of experience and contribution.

I’m starting to see more conversations around this in the workplace, which is a really positive shift. That matters because we need to be able to support our most talented women so they don’t step away early because they’re not feeling at their best.

For me, the answer has been to acknowledge it lightly and move on. I’ll say something like, “I am really sorry, it’s the menopause brain. I’ve lost my train of thought, come back to me.”

People laugh, we move on, and in the process, we normalize it. The more open we are about it, the more understanding there is. It’s been really encouraging to see.

What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

For me, the greatest reward has been the ability to move fluidly across disciplines while still using the same core strengths.

I have worked in learning and development, generalist HR, client service, customer experience, and marketing, as well as roles that look a lot like Chief of Staff. I have run teams, owned P&L outcomes, and then come back into HR with that breadth of experience. That variety has given me a deep understanding of how decisions in one part of the business land everywhere else.

If I strip it all back, the thing that consistently gives me the most joy is helping people grow. I love seeing people who have been on my teams go on to bigger and better roles, knowing I played a small part in setting them up for success. I love helping deliver outcomes that are good for the business, our clients, and our people at the same time.

What advice would you give to women considering a career in finance or wealth management?

First and foremost: just do it. Wealth management and finance can look more daunting from the outside than they feel once you’re doing the work. The environment is more supportive than ever, and businesses increasingly understand the value of diversity as a commercial necessity.

One of the big advantages of this industry is the flexibility in career design. Over time, there can be real scope to shape the kind of clients you work with, the team you build around you, and the style in which you operate. There is no single mold you have to fit into.

There’s also a powerful personal benefit. You build financial acumen and learn how to set yourself and your family up for success. That knowledge stays with you regardless of what happens in your career or personal life.

What does mentorship, formal or informal, look like to you?

Early on, I learned a lot simply by observing people, how they showed up, how they treated others, and how they handled pressure.

One leader in particular made a huge impression on me through the way she expressed gratitude. She thanked people often and sincerely, and you could feel the goodwill and engagement it created. I carried that with me, and it has shaped how I lead.

Today, I mentor others both formally and informally. I get enormous joy from being someone people can bounce ideas off, someone who can offer strength, encouragement, and honest feedback.

To me, mentorship is less about a title and more about how you show up. It’s about being consistent, candid, generous with your experience, and willing to support and challenge people in equal measure.

Any final thoughts you would like to share with women at different stages of their careers?

There is one piece of advice someone gave me when I was hesitating about applying for a role, and it has stayed with me ever since: if you don’t ask, the answer will always be no.

That line sits in the back of my mind whenever I’m on the edge of something that feels a bit big or uncomfortable. It doesn’t guarantee the perfect outcome, but if you don’t lean into it and give it a go, the outcome is certain.

That same lesson applies to negotiating salary, throwing your hat in the ring for a promotion, or stepping into a new industry. Know your value, advocate for yourself, and trust that taking the first step is often what opens the door.