On October 22nd, Nasdaq Copenhagen held its Second Annual event that focused on women investors -- Ladies Night at Nasdaq Copenhagen. The sold-out event provided the 450 plus group of women with speakers and panel discussions with the intent to increase the trading and investing knowledge for these attendees. Partners for the evening included Nordea, Nordnet, the Danish Shareholder Association, and Young Shareholders.
"As a stock exchange we have an interest in strengthening the equity culture in the Danish market. We find that there is a group of women who ask for basic information on how to invest and how to get started, and this is what we are trying to provide for them," says Javier Lopez Garrido, communications director at Nasdaq Copenhagen. He points out that women in recent decades have made immense strides in many areas; education, career, salary levels and life expectancy, and he is therefore pleased that women are now also starting to show more interest in investing in stocks. "The current investor in Denmark is a man somewhat advanced in years. It is very positive that we are seeing new groups beginning to show interest in the stock market."
The night kicked off with Bjørn Sibbern, President of Nasdaq Copenhagen, who welcomed the group and introduced the Nasdaq Copenhagen Stock Exchange. The keynote speaker was Canadian portfolio manager, Barbara Stewart.
Some of the panel discussions included:
- The Rise of the Financially Confident Woman -- Although women lag men in equity investing, both in Denmark and globally, technology is beginning to change everything. Trends like social, mobile and passion investing are making the financially confident woman the new target market for equities. These women are risk aware, but not risk averse, and they are about to go viral. Barbara Stewart, CFA; is a Partner and Portfolio Manager at Cumberland Private Wealth Management, where she works with high net worth investors, both individuals and families. Barbara is also a researcher and writer on issues around women and financial literacy, and published the fifth installment of her Rich Thinking series on International Women's Day in March, 2015.
- How Do I Get Started? -- Panel experts by moderator Nina Munch Perrin. The panel included Ann Lehman Erichsen, private economist with Nordea, Per Hansen, investment economist at Nordnet, and Bjørn Sibbern, President of the Nasdaq Copenhagen Stock Exchange.
"It's amazing that the demand for this event has been so great, since we have not done anything special to advertise for it. It may be an indicator that there are more passive segments, which can be activated with relatively simple methods to embark on the stock market," said Javier Lopez Garrido. "It is very positive that we are seeing new groups beginning to show interest in the stock market."
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
