He has been looking to appoint a female financial adviser to his busy team in Chester for some time, but has so far drawn a blank.

He said: “There really doesn’t seem to be any women coming into the industry at the moment, and I think this is an issue which really needs to be addressed. “I am really disappointed we can’t find any candidates, and I think we, as an industry, must start looking at what we can do to make the job more attractive to women.”

He feels a female financial adviser would be a huge benefit to his team and is determined to try and find a solution. He added: “We have a number of females in technical supporting roles, but for me a female adviser would bring different skills, outlooks and qualities to our advice team and our offering.

There are also occasions when you try to match personalities with the clients and a female adviser could give us another option.”

The experience of other members of the team, perhaps, gives a clue as to some of the problems women face in the industry. Georgia Perry has just gained Chartered status with Innes Reid as a paraplanner – an office-based job working with and supporting the financial advisers. Paraplanners do not deal directly with clients but do help prepare and administer the financial plan or reports for them.”

Georgia had previously worked as a financial adviser with another firm before she joined Innes Reid in 2014. She said: “I never found any obstacles to working as a female adviser in a more male dominated industry until I had children. At that point my job involved a lot of travel and work after hours which made it difficult to fit around having two young children, especially as my husband is also a financial adviser!”

But she is keen to stress how much she enjoys her current role, and how rewarding the job can be. “At Innes Reid, I can work the hours that suit me and help me fit my work around my family.” She now really enjoys her role as a paraplanner – and is looking to develop her role with Innes Reid.

She said: “I love working for Innes Reid as the advice here is so wide ranging and technical which makes the job interesting and challenging. I also love my job because the company is flexible and family friendly which means I have a great work life balance.”

The firm has been in business in the Chester area since 1999 and boasts a team of highly-trained and qualified independent financial advisers.

We have been granted the prestigious ‘Chartered’ status by the Chartered Insurance Institute – a status only awarded to firms with a ‘commitment to developing and maintaining the knowledge and capability of their people’.

Anyone interested in a position as a financial adviser with Innes Reid should contact Mark Reidford on 01244 347583 for more information.

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