For Mowlam, confidence is the key to success for women. For a post with a city brief, she had to learn quickly about financial matters. On her first day she had to attend a lunch in a city bank…

"I knew nothing about banking, I walked into the lunch, put my shoulders back, my best suit on and said 'Gentlemen, very good to see you, could you give me each five minutes on the major issues we should be addressing.' At the end of the lunch, I hadn't had to express a view on anything. So it's that kind of confidence which is probably a bit of a dodge. But it's confidence that makes the difference as to whether you make it in politics, media business or anything.., I think having women in positions where young women can see them doing things… it's terribly important to build confidence among young girls and I go into schools and …talk to them about what they could do with their lives."