Some 45 women in this report have not appeared in previous reports, published in 2015, 2013, 2011 and 2010. No less than 21 women in this report are portfolio managers of hedge funds. Eight work in sales, investor relations or marketing. Seven are practising lawyers. Four are COOs. Three work at prime brokers. Two are risk managers, two are allocators, one is a finance director, one a regulatory consultant and one a researcher. Women have attained the highest echelons right across the hedge fund industry.

Among the portfolio managers, many work for large hedge fund managers, which run over $10 billion, and several of them have personal responsibility for running billions. They may have been active for as many as 20 years, yet this report is, in some cases, their first media exposure. As credit and alternative lending are of growing importance to the hedge fund industry, it is also notable that women occupy senior portfolio manager roles at many leading credit houses: Avenue Capital, BlueMountain, Canyon, Gramercy, Oak Hill and TCW.

After studies are complete, social networking can help career development, and growing numbers of voluntary organisations, in addition to the CFA Institute and the CAIA Association, are helping women with their careers. The organisation 100 Women in Hedge Funds is now called 100 Women in Finance. High Water Women is another group with a wide-ranging membership that has some focus on impact investing. Girls Who Invest is, as the name suggests, focused more specifically on those managing money. The 30% Club in the UK wants 30% of company directors to be female. We do not think that so-called glass ceilings need prevent the advancement of women in the hedge fund industry, but educational and career choices made many years ago could leave some opportunities out of reach.

Overall, we look forward to a steady and continuing growth of women in senior roles throughout the industry.