Pip Wilkins, CEO at the British Franchise Association, focuses on Women in business

Pip Wilkins, CEO of the British Franchise Association (bfa), an inspirational female figure in franchising for many years using her drive, determination and focus to encourage more women into the sector. With the bfa's Empowering Women in Business (EWIB) event coming up in September, Pip shares her insights into women in franchising, their journey, and the possible benefits of the franchise business model.

I have been a passionate advocate for women in business and have supported bringing more women into the franchise sector for many years. It's why, ten years ago, the bfa launched an event aimed solely at women. One of the first events of its kind in the sector, it set out to create an environment in which women from the franchising and wider business communities could come together with a common purpose, to make new connections and to share best practices among their peers. The event was well-received and has evolved to become one of our flagship events, Empowering Women in Business (EWIB).

But one thing that struck me back then was the lack of female business owners who we could approach to take centre stage on our agenda. A decade on and the landscape for women in business, along with attitudes towards them, has changed dramatically. I don't have to look much further than the bfa's own board of directors to see how the dynamic has shifted. When I accepted the role of CEO in 2016, there were 3 women on our board, a rise from just 1 ten years ago. Today, including me, we have 10 female directors representing half of the board. The reason? As a woman in a senior position myself, I have made sure that the bfa actively encourages women to put themselves forward for board director positions, but this has only been possible because there are more females coming into the sector.