The contribution of Jewish women to the world of business is being marked this week in a two-day conference at the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

The summit, coordinated by the Jewish Women’s Business Network (JWBN), brought leading entrepreneurs, lawyers and corporate figures to the capital.

Speaking at the opening of the stock exchange on Tuesday, Liz Truss, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, praised conference attendees – dubbing them “people with drive who really change the world”.

She added: “[There is a] latent energy of thousands of women in the UK who could – but don’t yet – set up their own business.

“Women are the most untapped resource in the UK. I am big supporter of disruptors and women are the greatest disruptors since they can see things that old business cannot.”

Jewish businesswomen from Britain and the US were also joined by Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, the Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, and Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UK, Sharon Bar-Li.

Diane Côté, the chief risk officer of the LSE group, and the chairwoman of the Women Inspired Network, said: “We are celebrating the contribution of Jewish women to the world economy.

“We are committed to equality in the workplace, between men and women and our aim is to get to women into 40 percent of senior leadership roles by 2020.

Ms Côté added that her organisation conference was set up “to inspire and promote gender equality”, saying she hoped the summit would be “the beginning of new partnerships, new beginnings and new friendships.”