Member Article

A level playing field

As companies across the country celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) (8th March 2022), a Southport based business is kicking gender stereotypes into touch.

The addition of two new recruits, means that asset management company Seventy Ninth Group, has a workforce that is over 50% female - and in senior positions – and it is also sponsoring a young footballer to achieve her sporting dream.

Scarlett McMahon recently made her debut for Wales Women’s U17’s team, playing two matches for the national side. Seventy Ninth Group’s sponsorship has enabled her to study for three A-Levels at Mount Kelly College, Tavistock, as part of a football scholarship.

She said: “It is challenging in any sport to secure sponsorship as a young athlete, but perhaps more so in football - which has historically been a male dominated sport. Seventy Ninth Group’s support will play a part in my ambition to become a professional footballer.”

Off the pitch, Natalie Bellis, 35, from Liverpool, has been appointed as Chief Executive Operator and Gill Newman, 53, from Chorley, as Chief Operating Officer with the Southport based business.

The duo add significant experience to the company. Gill has worked in global banking across multiple jurisdictions including Asia and Pacific, North America and the Middle East. Natalie is highly skilled in compliance regulation and risk, with over 10 years in the industry.

In 12 months, Seventy Ninth Group’s UK based team has grown from just six to 18, as the company expands its portfolio to include the acquisition of 11 natural resource concessions - located in west and central Africa.

Natalie Bellis said: “I am immensely proud to have been appointed CEO at such a pivotal time in the company’s development. The financial security and stability of the business, allows us to acquire high-potential, undervalued assets from companies that are unable to further develop them.

“International Women’s Day is important in promoting equality and dispelling stereotypes around women in business. As a company, we are committed to providing opportunities for all staff, promoting equity, diversity and inclusivity - which is reflected in the gender split of our senior management team and female representation on our non-executive board.”

Seventy Ninth Group is an award winning, family-owned asset management company with entrepreneurial spirit. Its portfolio includes Seventy Ninth Luxury Living, Seventy Ninth Resources, Seventy Ninth Commercial, Seventy Ninth Experienced Investors Fund, Seventy Ninth Global.

In 2021, the company won the Outstanding Growth Business Award at The Global Business Excellence Awards and the Best New Business Award at The Best Business Awards. Dave Webster, Group Chairman, also won the Asset Management Chairman of the Year Award at CEO Monthly’s Chairperson of the Year Awards.

*Photo caption: (L-R) The 79th Group’s Ashley Weston, Jake Webster, Gill Newman, Justine Murphy, Curtis Webster, Alicia McMahon and Natalie Bellis.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Dobbie .