100 Women in Hedge Funds: MPC new girl Kristin Forbes’s talk goes from Bard to verse
Kristin Forbes, the American economist who became one of the Bank of England’s newbies this summer, could have been a breath of fresh air. She’s the first woman to serve on the bank’s rate-setting committee for five years – she could have really shaken things up. But alas, she’s toeing the party line… of shoehorning awkward metaphors into her speeches.
Speaking at a 100 Women in Hedge Funds event at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce on Cheapside, Kirsten spoke of the exchange rate and, er… A Midsummer Night’s Dream, naturally.
“And just as Puck was set loose to create mischief in the forest in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, I must confess that I also feel a bit mischievous by discussing the exchange rate,” she told the audience. Eh?
“For the investors hoping to leave tonight with an insight on where sterling might move next – I’m sorry to disappoint you. But it will not be as disappointing as in A Midsummer Night’s Dream when Hermia learned that the man she had just eloped with was in love with someone else.” Hmmm, pushing it a bit.
But at least she knows her audience. Forbes listed firms ravaged by the strong pound. “Rolls-Royce, Regus, Croda, Bunzl, GlaxoSmithKline and Mothercare [I figure I had to include the last one for this audience.]”
Indeed. No woman wants to go to a speech without a mention of Mothercare.