Our approach 

We appreciate that different ways of seeing and thinking can make us stronger as a team. We seek to bring people together from diverse backgrounds and aim to strike a balance in skill set, character, experience and point of view.  

Hayfin’s ethos is the antithesis of groupthink and we ensure everyone feels valued. We use our different perspectives to solve problems and make better decisions. We embolden our investment professionals to become champions of diversity and constantly engage with our portfolio companies, sponsors and other market participants to drive D&I change. 

We will continue to promote an environment that fosters diversity and provides opportunities for development, advancement and leadership within the firm.

Our actions

We strive to hire the best person for the job in terms of ability and fit with our culture of discipline, collaboration, integrity and creativity. We also know that cognitive efficiency is enhanced if our teams are truly diverse.  

Hayfin has become more diverse as the company has grown and developed. As of 2023, the firm remains more ethnically diverse than each of the US and UK populations and embodies a truly global employee base, with 33 nationalities and 42 languages represented. Out of our 217 employees, 98 consider themselves multilingual, with six speaking at least four languages. 

This data is taken from our bi-annual staff survey which covers a wide set of demographic data, including many aspects of employees’ concerns and experiences relating to diversity, both positive and negative. We use these results to monitor the impact of policies over the long-term and to allow continuous feedback and improvement. 

We inform our recruitment partners that we want to meet the most diverse range of candidates they can source. This aligns with our commitment to focus on recruiting, retaining and promoting talent from a range of backgrounds, an ongoing commitment to our diversity achievements that we monitor on a regular basis. 

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London: In 2021, Hayfin launched its pilot internship programme in partnership with Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) London, a charity that supports young people from underrepresented backgrounds. Their priorities around social mobility, gender and ethnicity align with ours. As a founding member of the Alternative Investment Programme, we developed a programme alongside a range of other leading European and global private equity and asset management firms committed to diversifying their candidate pool. The programme initially gave eight interns paid experience in our London and New York offices. In 2023, we expanded the programme and we now recruit 13 interns spanning across our business operations functions and investment teams.

Global Women’s Initiative (GWI): In 2022, Hayfin launched the Global Women’s Initiative (GWI). In an industry where women are underrepresented, the GWI is charged with fostering an environment to attract and retain talented women, propelling them to successfully meet career objectives. GWI is an inclusive, nurturing forum to benefit the professional and personal growth of all women within Hayfin. As part of this initiative, we have also been identifying compelling external organisations to partner with to support the delivery of the GWI’s objectives and mission, and have recently become a member of 100 Women in Finance.