There are just a few things veteran investor Kim Shannon remembers about her earliest days working in the Canadian investment industry—that and the fact that there were few if any women in the office, and they never wore pants.

It’s International Women’s Day on March 8th, and in honour of that, we’ve put together a special report on Canadian women in business and finance. Shannon’s portrait of what the typical investment office looked like in 1983 has changed markedly. We’ve ditched the cigarettes and suspenders, and women hold a far more prominent place than they did 30 years ago.

One such example is Gail Cook-Bennett, who has blazed a trail in Canadian boardrooms. In exclusive interviews with The Analyst, Cook-Bennett, along with Kim Shannon, share their views on how to engage more women in corporate Canada.

In addition to our special report on women in finance, we’re also covering the Future of Finance, delving into some of the trends that might shape the future of money in Canada and around the world. Are Bitcoins here to stay. and can they move beyond their shady Silk Road roots? Is crowdfunding actually a good way for Canadian companies to raise money? And how can Canada’s small brokerages position themselves for success in the future?

And speaking of the future, outgoing CEO, Peter Jarvis, shares his vision of the future. You can see what he’s planning to do in retirement in “Both Sides Now.”

As always, we hope you find this issue of The Analyst both helpful and interesting. We always welcome your feedback. Feel free to send us your suggestions, ideas, and story pitches to theanalyst@cfatoronto.ca.