Improving gender balance has been a priority for financial services recruiters for many years and, unquestionably, progress has been made. However, there is so much more that can be done. In certain areas of finance, like Private Equity, the greater challenge is that at the entry-level, many female candidates and those from more diverse backgrounds, are simply not aware of the career options or regard the industry as opaque, elitist, too hard to break into or simply ‘not for people like them’. If things are to change we must commit, invest early and open up access. We must commit to educating, cultivating and developing our female talent at the point they make their first steps towards a career – at age 17 and 18.