International Women's Day

In line with this year’s International Women’s Day theme ‘Give To Gain’, we’re proud to shine a light on four women from across Sworders, each with a story shaped by ambition, curiosity and the willingness to step forward when opportunities arise. Their career journeys reflect the many different ways progress happens - through taking on new challenges, learning on the job, backing yourself when it matters, and building confidence over time.

Charlotte Lee-Finglas

Starting out as the Sale Coordinator of our Fine Interiors team in January 2021, Charlotte's role focused on organisation, marketing and client management, as well as supporting the day-to-day production of the department's sales. However, having always been particularly interested in the objects themselves, and over time becoming increasingly involved in cataloguing, she gradually took on greater responsibility for research and lot descriptions. Charlotte found one of the most rewarding aspects of the role to be researching objects and uncovering the stories behind them, particularly when working on single-owner collections that bring together pieces assembled over many years.

In March 2023, she was promoted to Valuer and Cataloguer, where in addition to researching and cataloguing works, she started helping to build sales through consignment gathering, and supporting the practical preparation of each auction so the Head of Department can concentrate on securing new business.

Throughout her career Charlotte feels she has benefited enormously from the advice and encouragement of the more experienced women around her; finding that often, the challenges she faced – both professionally and personally – are ones they have already encountered, and their willingness to share those experiences has been incredibly valuable.

The sense of openness and support shown by female colleagues helped her to feel more confident in taking opportunities and speaking up when she might otherwise have hesitated. Charlotte recognises that it has shown her how important it is to create space for those conversations, and to offer the same encouragement and support to others where possible. Offering support isn’t always about having the perfect answer, but about asking the right questions and working through a problem together. That collaborative approach not only leads to better solutions, but also strengthens confidence, professional relationships, and fosters a culture where opportunities multiply.

"It’s easy to become absorbed in the day-to-day routine of work, so taking time to listen to and share experiences with colleagues can be incredibly valuable. Talking through challenges or approaches often brings fresh perspectives and has helped me reflect on how much I’ve learnt in my role at Sworders, as well as the company’s progress over the five years I’ve been here."

Earlier in her career Charlotte recalls being quite cautious about stepping outside her comfort zone, and as a young woman in a traditional industry, there can sometimes be a feeling that you need to prove yourself before your voice is fully heard.

As her responsibilities grew, so did the opportunities to take on challenges independently. Some have gone very well and others have involved learning from mistakes, but both have been equally important. Facing those situations helped Charlotte to develop confidence in communicating with clients, resolving problems and trusting her own judgement; and over time she understood that growth often comes from those slightly uncomfortable moments where you take a chance and allow yourself to learn as you go.

Louise Gardner

Louise recently joined Sworders, in November 2025, as an Administrator. In the time she has been here so far, she has already been able to make significant contributions to the area of client service, by tapping into her transferable skills. Louise has found her first few months to be a rewarding experience and is fascinated by the auction industry.

"I am encouraged to continue to contribute my ideas and my point of view has been valued. It is lovely to know that I am able to demonstrate my customer service skills in a variety of different ways within the business." 

There have been many moments where Louise has offered support by having meaningful conversations with other members of the business, and in return this has helped her grow. She continues to strengthen rapport with her colleagues, building on trust, and this results in her being open to new avenues of development within the company, creating a sense of achievement and excitement for the future.

'Give to Gain' resonates with Louise as she feels supported and encouraged to be a integral part of positive changes and growth within the wider team. She feels valued when offering her perspective and feedback, and notices how this has a direct effect on the client experience.

Grace Julier

Grace joined Sworders in February 2023 after spending almost two and a half years working at an auction house in Singapore. She started the very week she flew back to the UK, and recalls that the typical British winter weather was undoubtedly a shock to the system!

Grace's journey began as a Sale Coordinator in the Fine Interiors department, which specialises in well-crafted, stylish period and modern furniture, and decorative arts. The role primarily focused on the administration and coordination of auctions, including: receipting property, supporting photography and catalogue production, monitoring enquiries, organising exhibitions at our London Gallery, and assisting with social media marketing.

Although she enjoyed the role, Grace is always keen to learn and take on new challenges, and found herself eager to gain greater responsibility within the department. In particular, she sought more creative involvement in catalogue design, having taken several InDesign and Photoshop courses during her time at Mallams Auctioneers, where her career began as a porter (which she notes was a very useful experience that helped her learn how the whole auction process works).

Eventually becoming the department’s first point of contact for the Fine Interiors catalogue, Grace worked closely with Catalogue Manager Diane Baynes to create front covers, contents pages, and feature spreads, as well as overseeing the overall layout. Alongside this, she was keen to expand her knowledge as a Cataloguer, researching and learning how to accurately describe the items we consigned for auction. This experience also allowed Grace to expand into our Private Sales department, where she took on a coordinating and catalogue design role for auctions such as Guinevere | The Last Hurrah, Better by Design | The Principal Contents of Boden Hall, and Paul Atkinson | The Nomadic Collector, among many others.

Grace's true interests, however, lie in Indian, Islamic, and Southeast Asian art, having encountered a wide range of objects during her time working in Singapore and travelling across Southeast Asia.

In 2025, she began developing a dedicated section within the Asian Art department focusing on these categories, in addition to her initial role. Grace presented the idea to our Directors' Board, alongside a proposal for transitioning to the Asian Art department. The plans were approved, and there have already been some promising results, for example, three unusually large Indian paintings on mica sold for nearly £13,000 (inc. fees) in our November 2025 sale. Grace officially moved into the Asian Art department in January 2026.

"For me personally, I think ‘Give to Gain’ means pushing your boundaries, stepping outside your comfort zone, and taking a chance even if it seems daunting! Over the past few years at Sworders, I have developed enormously as an individual, and I am hugely appreciative of the encouragement and support I have received along the way. I am very excited for what's to come!"

Frances Lavender

Frances joined Sworders as an Accounts Assistant on 10 June 2020, following a slight delay from an original start date in April 2020, due to covid. Frances didn’t come from an auction house background, having instead worked in a high street bank for 37.5 years, ever since leaving school.

Starting fresh in a different industry required whole new processes and systems to be learnt, and at speed, in order fulfil a demanding role and support her colleagues, whilst continuing to give great customer service in a very different environment. When seeking a change in career, Frances knew she had a lot to give and hoped to find an established company with a wonderful reputation to take her on.

"I grabbed the chance for an interview with Sworders and I haven’t looked back. I have grown in confidence, attained skills I didn’t previously have such as working with Excel spreadsheets, and most importantly love my role. Giving my time, effort and expertise has resulted in a more rounded ‘Me’."

To Frances, 'Give to Gain' means exactly that; she hopes that giving her time, understanding and experience (gained in both her working and personal life) to others, has helped her grow as a person and enables her to provide colleagues and friends support in return. She loves helping others to go that extra mile, ‘thinking outside the box’ in their daily tasks. Younger colleagues have learnt from Frances many years of customer service, such as how to interact with people in person or on the telephone. In return, her younger colleagues have taught Frances many technical skills, and she feels able to learn new things with confidence.