‘Leadership is taken, not given’: what five female consultants would tell their younger selves

Many consultants say that PwC’s flexible working initiative – ‘The Deal’ – gives them the time to combine career progression with outside commitments. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images

The world of consulting is changing, with more flexible working options, bans on all-male shortlists and commitments to greater gender diversity in senior positions. However, as with most industries, there’s still a way to go to achieve equal numbers of women and men in top roles universally. One of the businesses making strides in that respect is PwC, which has a consulting executive team made up of equal numbers of men and women.

Here, five women from PwC’s consulting practice reflect on promotion, their work-life balance, and what they wish they’d known at the start of their careers.