the IPC Media Blue Fin Building in Southwark for a celebratory drinks party, there was plenty of talk about how times have changed since the network was founded in 1978. Members gathered on the terrace of the Blue Fin Building to admire one of London’s best views. With a panoramic view of the Thames and Tate Modern, there was general agreement that this was a spectacular venue entirely appropriate for a sophisticated networking event.
CWN started off thirty years ago with meetings in the offices of founder members, then moved to Mother Bunch’s Wine Bar, the famous City watering hole, now closed, and swiftly progressed to holding meetings at important venues all over London as it does today.
Past CWN presidents at the 30th Anniversary Party included Diane Morris, of dnm Strategies, Mei Sim Lai of Lai Peters & Co. (pictured right below) and Nicola Stevens of Nicola Stevens and Associates. Past presidents who could not attend, including Anne De Suiza of Foster Denovo, Hilary Sears and Alison Thorne, sent messages of support.
CWN’s current President, Clare Dobie, a Director of Braxted Marketing Measures, (pictured third left) told members gathered at the Party that she had a message from Joni Nelson, one of the network’s founders, and a American businesswoman now based back in the States. The message began with a question. “In the light of current events - Have you all still got jobs?” To which Clare answered – yes at present, but these are of course very worrying times for everyone employed in the City and elsewhere.
Clare continued with a more positive message pointing out that over the past 30 years City Women’s Network and its members had been through downturns before and the network is still here after such a long time because members so highly value the contacts and personal support that members offer each other. City Women’s Network will be even more necessary in the future as times get harder and contacts become more and more important.
CWN member Janet Gaymer, The Commissioner for Public Appointments, and formerly with Simmons & Simmons (pictured above second left with Jane Keir of Kingsley Napley on the extreme left), told the audience of more than 80 senior women, that women now had more choices of careers than 30 years ago. A big majority of women – 85% - now work full time before they have children. However this drops to 35% after having children, and on average women are still earning less than men. She said more and more women were choosing to become entrepreneurs and set up their own businesses, because this gave them control over their lifestyles.
Other members attending the 30th Anniversary Party included Jane Platt, Chief 
Executive of National Savings and Investments (seen on the right of the picture with Roz Morris, MD of TV News London Ltd and CWN Vice President), Fiona Woolf, Former President of the Law Society of England and Wales, and representatives from PwC, BT, Euronext Liffe, Informa, Alliance Francaise, Fortis Bank, Lai Peters & Co., of Rotman School of Management, Toronto, and lawyers from Kingsley Napley, Dundas and Wilson, Starr & Partners, Rooks Rider and Alexander JLO.
CWN founder member, Monica Fisher, 54, now chairman of the Children’s Hospices UK, but formerly with Bank of America and First National Bank of Chicago, told the audience of 80 women with ages ranging from their late twenties to over 70 that, having done some research through old CWN files, she had found out that in the 1970’s and 80’s the membership had a higher proportion than now of American women working in the City as lawyers and in financial services.
In addition the most numerous first name in the 1980’s membership was Sue, and the most common surname was Williams. And twenty years ago CWN did have one (apparently archetypal) member actually called Sue Williams.