Janet Britz - Member of the FSC Empower Women Working Group
Here’s to getting more money in the hands of women!
1. Let’s start with you — what drives you, and how has that shaped your career journey?
There’s a quote I love which says "I stand on the sacrifices of a million women before me thinking what can I do to make this mountain taller so the women after me can see farther." It truly resonates with me. My passion has always focused on financial education by providing financial advice that is easy to understand and accessible to everyone. This commitment, especially to empowering women through financial education, comes from my own experiences and drives my dedication to making financial advice inclusive and actionable.
2 What challenges or opportunities are front of mind right now?
It's widely known that a key challenge for financial advisers when helping clients with retirement planning is the gap between the retirement income they want and what they are actually on track to achieve through their accumulated savings.
In practice, this gap is often shaped by life circumstances for women. Career breaks for caregiving, reduced working hours, and competing financial priorities can all impact long-term wealth. Combined with the gender pay gap, this can mean lower contributions over time and less opportunity for compounding growth. In some cases, investment engagement also becomes more passive during busy life stages, which can further affect long-term outcomes. The reality is that these small differences, when left unaddressed, compound significantly over time and result in materially lower retirement balances for women, even where saving intentions are similar to those of our male counterparts.
This is where the opportunity lies - financial advice needs to be more intentional, earlier, and more personalised to women. The focus should be on clearly showing the long-term impact of today’s decisions through projections and modelling, and helping women understand the impact in different contribution levels, risk profiles, and retirement timing. When we can see the future more clearly, we are far better equipped to make confident decisions today.
There is also real momentum building through female-focused financial education and workplace financial wellbeing initiatives across our industry. These are helping to close gaps in confidence and engagement with investing. However, the biggest opportunity remains in earlier, more consistent conversations that turn awareness into action.
3. What are you most excited about in 2026 — personally, professionally, or for the financial services industry?
We are doing some fantastic things behind the scenes at FSC Empower Women Working Group, and it’s great to see all the industry support specifically around gender pay gap reporting. It’s concerning that there is still a gender pay gap within financial services sitting at 23%, compared with the national average of 5% and we are working on changing that. We are also excited about the work that we are doing to increase the number of women working in decision making positions in financial services and improving the financial confidence and wellbeing of women. Our upcoming FSC conference theme Amplify will highlight many of the exciting things that we are doing so do come along if you haven’t already got a ticket. We’ve got some pretty good speakers lined up!
4. What advice would you share with women navigating their own growth in financial services and growing their own financial wellbeing?
For women navigating their own growth in financial services - cultivate a community of supportive, like-minded individuals and embrace the power of your network. Stay confident in your abilities, resilient and open to new learning opportunities.
For women growing their own financial wellbeing - firstly, don’t wait for confidence before taking action. One of the clearest findings is that we tend to delay investing or decision-making until we feel ready - but in finance, time matters more than timing.
Secondly, be intentional about your earning power. The data shows that income is one of the biggest drivers of long term financial outcomes, and small differences early compound significantly. That means being brave and negotiating your salary as well as actively managing your career trajectory - not just working hard within it.
Thirdly, engage with your money, not just understand it. Knowledge alone isn’t enough - regular engagement is what drives better outcomes. That could be as simple as reviewing your KiwiSaver or investments, checking which fund you are in, and making sure your strategy actually matches your long-term goals rather than short-term comfort.
5. Looking back, what’s a career decision or turning point you’re particularly proud of (or learned most from)?
Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate. I often return to my core values that have guided me - passion, confidence, resilience, and the courage to test boundaries while staying mindful of the bigger picture. These qualities have shaped not only the professional decisions I’ve made, but also kept me grounded in my mission to empower others financially.
There are many moments I’m proud of, more recently being nominated for the Financial Capability Advocate Award. This was a humbling acknowledgment of my ongoing efforts to promote financial literacy and education. Another standout experience was being selected to participate in an Australasian research project led by the University of Otago. The research explored the career paths of female financial advisers in a male-dominated industry, highlighting the barriers women face and the strategies we use to overcome them. Being part of this work was both insightful and affirming, and marked an important point in my professional growth.
There have also been several other milestones along the way, including winning the Outstanding Adviser Award in 2018 and being selected by AMP’s Executive Leadership team for the inaugural Women in Advice Leadership programme. These experiences have shown me that success is not just personal achievement, but the difference we make in empowering others.
6. How do you stay balanced or refuel outside work?
I’ve learned that staying balanced isn’t something that just happens - it’s something I have to be intentional about. I’d describe myself as an active relaxer. I recharge best by keeping moving rather than switching off completely. Outside of work, I enjoy distance running and compete annually in events. It’s a great way to clear my mind, manage stress, and maintain perspective, which helps me show up more focused and resilient at work. I also value getting outdoors more generally, whether it’s a walk or time near the water, as well as spending quality time with my family and close friends.
7. What does empowerment mean to you?
Empowerment to me is about independence, financial confidence, and choice. I see empowerment as having the knowledge and confidence to make decisions that shape your own financial future, rather than feeling dependent on someone else or uncertain about your options.
It means understanding your money - how it comes in, where it goes, and how to grow it, feeling confident asking questions (no matter how silly they may seem) and making decisions aligned with your values, not pressure or fear.