It's interesting, I'm currently doing a research project on this topic and how we can improve the % of female financial advisers. The percentages are roughly 22-25% of advisers are females in Aust, NZ, US and Canada, UK is 16%. It seems to me on the surface that women start in financial services as advisers, but our compliance regime makes it difficult for them to take breaks to have families and so when they come back, they go into admin, paraplanning, money coaching or something completely different.
I agree Tamara-Morey that flexible working may make an impact in the future, but it will be slow unless we change some of what we do.
In my opinion there are not enough female adviser role models around for younger entrants which in itself becomes an issue.
We need to work together as a profession if we are to make a change.