Monique French, chief credit officer at CIBC FirstCaribbean, is among 24 female executives of some of the biggest companies in the Americas identified as having the leadership traits for top-level executive management positions. 

French has been shortlisted for the WeQual Awards for senior female executives in leading companies around the Americas.

Nigel Holness, managing director of CIBC FirstCaribbean, hailed French as “a risk management expert, well rounded and very talented member of the corporate and investment banking team who has led and contributed to numerous industry and private sector committees and boards”.

French has had over a decade of experience at the executive level in corporate banking, treasury, derivatives and risk management in Barbados and Jamaica.

RECOGNISING OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN SENIOR ROLES

‘I am proud and honoured to be selected as one of the three finalists for the WeQual Award (Finance category) 2021 which promotes diversity and celebrates the excellence and capabilities of women. The WeQual Award process involves introspection and caused me to reflect on the exceptional and generous colleagues who have helped me to grow professionally and supported my career advancement,” French said.

“I hope that my successful participation and such initiatives will serve to reduce spaces where female Caribbean professionals are under-represented at the highest decision-making executive level.”

The WeQual Awards recognise outstanding women in senior roles.

With a mission to tackle the slow progress in appointing women to executive positions, the organisation aims to make businesses more inclusive by identifying exceptional women executives and address the gender imbalance across the world’s executive committees.

Katie Litchfield, founder and CEO of WeQual Awards, devised the new platform which calls for women senior executives to build their case as to why they deserve to be appointed to the executive committee.

Since its creation, 35 per cent of the winners of previous WeQual Awards in the UK, EMEA and the Americas have been promoted to the executive committees of major global companies. 

“This is our second year of running the awards in the region and we continue to be impressed by the sheer quality of the women leaders that we are finding in the Americas,” said  Litchfield.

“We have to keep our foot on the throttle with gender – and incorporate diversity – to make sure that all companies are looking at leaders from all backgrounds. Equality is really what WeQual is all about.”

In addition to CIBC FirstCaribbean, the Americas finalists are from a wide range of sectors and companies, including ABB Ltd, Analog Devices, AstraZeneca, BlackRock, Capital One, CGI, Comcast, Diageo, FIS, HSBC, IBM, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Marriott International, Morgan Stanley, Prologis, ServiceNow, SiriusXM, TELUS, Kellogg Company, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.

The 24 finalists in eight categories were assessed against specific criteria: Leadership, Cognitive Ability, Drive & Resilience, Integrity, Emotional Intelligence, Personal Development, Approach to Equality, and Knowledge of the Business.

All candidates were assessed blind with no name or company revealed in their application. 

Eight executive judges will hold 30-minute interviews with the three finalists in their category before choosing a winner. The categories are Business Security, Business Transformation, Business Turnaround, Commercial Innovation, Finance, Leadership Excellence, Operational Performance, Technological Impact.“WeQual promotes the equality of women in the business world by recognising outstanding professional achievements and impact. While many consider that this should be a normal thing, in reality we need sound initiatives like WeQual to act like catalysts in creating a more fair and equal society.” 

The winners will be announced this month.

Among supporters of the awards are: Ann Cairns, executive vice chair of Mastercard and global chair of the gender equality campaign group ‘30% Club’; Sir Ian Cheshire, chairman of Barclays; Dame Inga Beale of Mediclinic; and Ron Kalifa OBE of Network International. 

Said Cairns: “WeQual promotes the equality of women in the business world by recognising outstanding professional achievements and impact. While many consider that this should be a normal thing, in reality we need sound initiatives like WeQual to act like catalysts in creating a more fair and equal society.” 

This senior group of 24 executives will become members of the WeQual Club and join the existing 96 senior FTSE and Fortune 500 female executives.