In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’ve brought in Dr Laura Ryan, Head of Research and Development at Ardea to sit down with us and discuss her lived experiences as a woman in finance. We talk about the unique challenges women faced in a male-dominated industry and strategies to overcome these hurdles, why it’s ok to ask for what you want, juggling a professional career and building an off-grid house in inner-city Sydney, and how Australia compares to the rest of the world on the gender equity front. 

Dr Ryan led a joint research project on behalf of the CFA Institute with a grant from ANU on the role of gender, in promotion rates, in the financial services industry.  One of the key findings was just asking for a promotion was worthwhile. This eye-opening research provides quantifiable insight into gender bias.

You can find the full study here: 

https://www.ardea.com.au/new-study-indicates-gender-identity-an-important-factor-in-likelihood-of-promotion/ 

Dr Ryan was also featured in Grand Designs in late 2024 with her aptly titled Impossible House, an ambitious project which has seen her convert a 104m2 2-bedroom Newtown workers cottage into a fully off-grid, sustainable (and extremely liveable) home. 

Visit her website: 

https://theimpossiblehouse.com.au/

Watch her Grand Designs episode: 

https://iview.abc.net.au/show/grand-designs-australia/series/11/video/FA2214H010S00

Visit Laura’s house on Sustainable House Day on Sunday 4 May 2025:

https://sustainablehouseday.com/2025-featured-homes/