This is the second FN 100 list of the most influential women in European finance. While the glass ceiling appears to be rather more opaque in investment banking than in asset management, there are 16 chief executives and 46 heads of department on the list.

This year, we include lawyers working within FN's areas of coverage. According to a survey from The Lawyer magazine, nearly 20% of partners in the top 100 UK firms are female, a new record. The legal sector is an exceptional high point, however.

The latest report from the UK Government's Equality and Human Rights Commission entitled 'Sex and Power' found the number of women in the most senior positions is plunging, although the proportion of female directors of FTSE 100 companies has edged up from 10.4% to 11%. The statistics make grim reading, but make the achievements of the 100 women listed here all the more impressive.

• How we chose

Over the past three months, Financial News canvassed the market for opinion and drew up a long list of 250 women. All nominees had to be based in Europe working in investment banking, asset management, hedge funds, private equity, wealth management, exchanges, trading or support services to these sectors. Candidates were then marked for influence over their area, leadership within their sector, performance over the past year, and their capacity to shape their business and/or industry over the year to come. The list was then whittled down to 100.

Compiled by Yasmine Chinwala and Ben Wright. Research by Alice Foster.