Rhian Howell | Age: 50 Head of the Bristol office, head of professional and financial risks

Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP

Bristol, England

A committed Welsh rugby fan, Rhian Howell named her son Thomas Iestyn in honor of a former player, and those Welsh roots have been reflected through her career.

A lawyer specializing in financial services and insurance, she originally wanted to be a physiotherapist until her mother cajoled her into applying to university to study law. Her successful application led to a change in plan, but also a degree of “imposter syndrome.”

“I know a lot of women believe this, but it has taken a long while to change my mindset,” she said.

She left Wales to marry, returned briefly after her divorce before moving to Bristol. “Both events involved changing roles to suit my personal circumstances, but joining RPC was my first major career move made for the right career reasons.”

She joined RPC in 2018, after working at several other law firms, and heads the firm’s Bristol office.

“Rhian is a genuine champion of women in the legal sector, and she has been rightly lauded for her pioneering efforts,” said RPC managing partner James Miller. “For all her technical expertise and business acumen, Rhian is equally focused on her people and helping them achieve their aspirations on a personal, as well as professional level.”

Her efforts include championing open conversations among her colleagues about menopause. “We need to get rid of the stigma around menopause — did you know we lose 10% of women ‘of a certain age’ who are not supported when they need it?” she asked

In response, she has opened up the dialogue internally and engaged with help group Reignite, which encourages women to return to work after career breaks. “It is all about having confidence in ourselves and believing in ourselves,” she said.

While Ms. Howell is busy with a fulfilling job, she also has time to look after her son — who just started university — two cats, two dogs and a horse, as well as visiting her retreat in Spain.