“More women are stepping into leadership positions with grace and strength”

Carmel Moore, FCA, Director at the One Moment Company, has seen the number of women in senior positions rise throughout her career, but, she says, true equality has yet to be reached

From my convent school days to becoming a Chartered Accountant, an in-house Tax Director, a Big Four Tax Partner, and now running my own business, my career has been far from linear. 

I never followed a grand plan or five-year roadmap – just trusted my gut, took risks and made mistakes along the way.

My original aspirations were creative, but the harsh reality of Ireland’s job market steered me towards the accountancy profession. 

As a law graduate, I started my career with KPMG. On the first day of my training contract, despite the new suit, the shoulder pads and the briefcase, the bus conductor still charged me the children’s fare. 

This early career path laid the groundwork for an unexpected, yet deeply fulfilling, professional journey. 

I moved to London (for romantic reasons) in the late 1980s. My heart was broken while I was there, but my career flourished. I spent 13 happy years on the in-house tax team at Barclays. 

My next chapter took me to Pfizer, as Senior Director of the European Tax Centre. That role, filled with challenge and variety, alongside a hugely talented team, sparked my interest in coaching and leadership development.

I became a Partner at EY in London, specialising in tax transformation, honing my expertise in change management and leadership development for deep technical experts, focusing on balancing subject matter expertise with soft skills, communication and handling ambiguity.

Since 2017, I’ve been on a different path, co-founding the One Moment Company with my wise and wonderful business partner, Marty Boroson. 

An unlikely combination of a zen priest and a Chartered Accountant, we are a specialist consulting and leadership business that is 100 percent focused on time, with a radical approach that is very different from traditional time management. 

I believe that women have been taught to think about time differently to men. Growing up, I learned that time was a resource to be used for the benefit of others. 

The women around me put their own needs last. It’s still a deep-seated belief that underpins the busy lives of the women I coach, and it holds them back. 

I’ve always had an academic side hustle. I like to say it’s a love of learning, but it’s really a love of pens and stationery! 

I have a master’s degree in English literature from King’s College London and I am a Master Practitioner in Neuro-linguistic Programming. 

I’ve studied organisational development. I’ve done an Advanced Diploma in Personal, Leadership and Executive Coaching at Kingstown College. And now, my son has just signed me up for a refresher course in Irish. Every day really is a school day.

Gender equity in the accounting profession

I’ve witnessed significant progress in gender equity over the years, but it is never enough.

I’ve been the only woman on a team several times (including at the gym this morning). I didn’t work for a woman until 2006. 

I’ve experienced everything from clumsy flirtation, to pay disparity, to being overlooked for an overseas promotion opportunity (“But you have a baby! We didn’t think you would want to go!”) to being formally reprimanded for my more eccentric fashion choices. 

I’ve run the gamut of the many indignities a woman can experience in the workplace. 

My way of dealing with things early on was to be very, very professional – aka terrifying. One particularly mortifying round of 360 feedback revealed that is exactly how people experienced me: scary. 

Even my handbag received an honourable mention in the feedback: “She wields her handbag like a battle shield.”  

Being this way was exhausting. I would come home wrung out every evening, remove the suit of armour and collapse with a Chardonnay. A coaching course taught me that flexibility, softness and openness are part of leadership. 

I haven’t always been vocal and visible when it comes to women in the workplace. As I became busier with family and with work, I relaxed my vigilance. I had this vague idea that things were better, weren’t they? I was so wrong. 

A chance hosting of a young female leader’s event revealed that, despite advancements, women were still not feeling there had been any change. 

They had the same questions that had troubled me all those years ago: imposter syndrome, not speaking up in meetings, not advocating for oneself, work-life balance issues, fear of failure, networking difficulties and lack of mentorship. 

I resolved to do better and use my coaching and leadership development skills to support others. It has been a joy. 

Today, more women are stepping into influential leadership positions in finance with grace and strength, though the journey is far from complete. 

I would love to see a continued push towards not just increasing the number of women in leadership, but also ensuring their voices are heard and valued equally and integrated into commercial decision-making processes.

Navigating career advancement and mentoring

My career has been one of many organic steps. It has evolved through recognising opportunities as they have arisen. 

I will give anything a go – I am open to new experiences. That, and retaining an Irish sense of humour. It’s defused many a tense steering committee!

Mentoring and networking relationships are crucial for women as they progress in their careers. Everyone needs to take all the help they can. 

There are potential mentors everywhere. Make a list of people you admire in your company, ex-colleagues, or someone interesting you met at a conference. Ask for advice. Good people love to help. 

My own experiences with mentoring have been enriching; particularly the dynamic exchange in my reverse mentoring relationships. I would recommend it. 

The quest for work-life balance

Achieving work-life balance has been tough, especially in high-demand roles. 
A major spine operation in 2014 forced me to reevaluate my priorities and slow down, reminding me that self-care isn’t optional. 

I learned the hard way. The key is setting boundaries and being intentional about how you allocate your time. 

If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be to trust your instincts. 
The times when I ignored or overrode my gut feelings didn’t end well. Trusting your intuition in decision-making is crucial, as it aligns with your core values and aspirations. 

The future of gender equality

I joined a group of women leaders at the Institute recently to meet with the Minister for Finance, Jack Chambers. We discussed the unique challenges faced by women in their career journeys and how these barriers can be more effectively addressed by policymakers. 

But the discussion went deeper. There was a profound exchange on how society needs to change for the better, to create and foster truly inclusive workplaces. 

Women shouldn’t have to contort their lives to fit in. The Institute is committed to taking this agenda forward and we’ve been shaping what a dedicated women’s programme could offer.

I would advocate for more courageous workplace conversations in real-time, rather than relying solely on policies and events. 

It is important to address inequities as they occur and foster a more immediate and impactful learning environment for everyone. But women need the skills and confidence to host these conversations. This is where coaching and mentoring play their part.

Reflecting on my journey, I find that each step and misstep along the way has contributed to a broader understanding of work and life. 

Despite the miles travelled, I still feel as though I am just starting, eager to learn and contribute.