P O L L Y C O U R T N E Y
Author of Golden Handcuffs | Poles Apart | Defying Gravity | The Day I Died | The Fame Factor
Polly's press & media appearances
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Self-flagellation and the City
Rediscover your Passion - Go It Alone
Finansmiljøet i London - et Jobbhelvete
Fear and Loathing in the Heart of the city
My Glittering City Career Turned into Golden Handcuffs
Do Women Really Get a Raw Deal in the City?
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City woman who quit over sexism admits pole dancing 30th August 2006 She claimed to have quit a high flying career in the City because she could not stand the sexism. In particular, Cambridge graduate Polly Courtney complained about her male colleagues' nights out that would 'typically end up in the local strip club.' Strange then, that the 26-year-old, who has just completed a novel based on her harrowing time in the Square Mile, freely admits that enjoys a spot of pole dancing herself. She has even posted revealing pictures of herself in action on two websites.
Miss Courtney's book, Golden Handcuffs, which is due to be published in November, is a fictional account of her experiences while working at investment bank Merrill Lynch in London and New York. After graduating with an engineering degree from Cambridge, she was recruited by the company on a starting salary of £37,500, plus a £7,500 golden hello bonus. But she soon realised the gruelling hours, backstabbing and unrealistically demanding bosses meant the job was not worth the money. One of her main gripes about working for the investment bank was the sexism she endured from male colleagues. She moaned that during a period in the New York office, where she was the only woman in a team of 21, she was seen as a secretary, not as a banker. She told the Observer: 'It was hard not to take personally comments such as 'When does your work experience end?', 'You must have slept your way into university' or ' sorry Polly - we would invite you along, but we're planning to pull tonight.' 'I was even told by colleagues that the only reason I got the job was because of my legs.' Despite these concerns, on her official website www.pollycourtney.com, she is happy to include a picture of herself hanging upside down with her exposed legs wrapped around a pole, together with other photos of herself in provocative poses. She also posted a larger version of herself pole dancing on the Friends Reunited website. Her entry on the site reads: 'Trained as a mechanic, quit engineering. Sold my soul to the City, quit banking, Now writing fiction set in the City, working in FYEO nights..' FYEO is short for For Your Eyes Only, a chain of table dancing clubs. Last night Miss Courtney told the Daily Mail: ' I have done pole dancing a few times with friends for a laugh, but it's not a regular hobby or anything. 'I was just being sarcastic when I said I worked at For Your Eyes Only. I'd never do anything like that.' She left Merrill Lynch after taking £10,000 voluntary redundancy. Despite her experiences, still works in the City as a freelance strategy analyst and also plays violin in the semi-professional string quartet, No Strings Attached. Her novel tells of two fresh faced graduates whose high hopes about life in the City are shattered as they find themselves being forced to sell their soul to their employer. She said: 'It is based on my experience at the bank, but I must stress that it is fictional.' t.kelly@dailymail.co.uk
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Polly's TV & Radio appearances
From Engineer to Investment Banker to Novelist
Berliner Zeitung Magazin, 2007
I Know the Pressure Matthew was Under
I Sold My Soul to the City - then Wanted it Back
Banker Novel Shows it's not all Success in the City
Taste of High Life in City can Seduce Interns
City Woman who quit City over Sexism admits Lapdancing
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