Sarah Turner | Sales Effectiveness Manager | Barclays
I joined the business in August 2021 and spent just under 2 years as a Graduate.
During this time, I was lucky to have the opportunity to work across three vastly different areas. These were: Commercial Management, Sales Enablement and Corporate Marketing. Through these roles, I was able to build up a varied and broad skillset, as well as establish a strong network of peers and Senior Leaders, both of which continue to provide huge value to me. In my current role as Sales Effectiveness Manager, I work to provide analytics at a more insightful level in order to drive the business performance forward, including deep dives into metrics such as win rates and delivering tools to allow Sellers to dynamically view a full-year forecast of delivery. Alongside this, I am passionate about supporting current Graduates, endeavouring to pay forwards the invaluable advice I have received. Within a year of joining the business, I also took on a co-chair role for a committee within our Gender Network, and love having a platform to help make an impact to our local community through fundraising initiatives and collaborative events with our charity partners. I’m proud of what I have achieved during my first few years at the business and can’t wait to see what the future holds. I’m incredibly grateful to colleagues who are supporting me on the way, and hope that I can do the same for others.
Rouya Mardani | Eagle Labs Proposition Delivery Manager | Barclays
Rouya embarked on her professional journey in banking and finance whilst studying Psychology and Counselling at the University of Huddersfield.
Despite initial doubts about fitting into the traditional banking world, Rouya was determined to pursue this career path becoming the first in her family to venture into banking. Born in the UK to parents that migrant in the 1970s, she recognised the industry's lack of diversity, which only fuelled her desire to pioneer within her family.
Starting as a part-time cashier at her local branch, Rouya quickly advanced to become a personal banker demonstrating her capabilities and earning recognition for her high achievement. Her leadership qualities were evident as she rose to the position of branch manager, overseeing a team of nine during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, where she emerged as an influential leader.
In 2021, Rouya transitioned to Eagle Labs as a Digital Security Hub Lab Manager, dedicated to supporting Greater Manchester's cyber ecosystem. Alongside her main role Rouya advocated passionately for Barclays to promote diversity and inclusion, proactively engaging in related initiatives. Following a promotion, she extended her support to government-funded programmes such as Product Builder, supporting idea-stage founders in testing, validating, and developing their products. Rouya also contributed to the Female Founder Accelerator programme, providing women with tailored masterclasses and 121 support, and launched the Black Venture Growth programme, supporting Black founders in overcoming barriers to fundraising through targeted support and facilitating their scaling journey.
Lucy Ellis-Keeler | Vice President, Global Business Development & Innovation ICRM | Citi
Lucy Ellis-Keeler is a Global Compliance Officer for Business Development and Innovation at a major bank, supporting the business growth in adherence with global laws rules and regulations.
Prior to this role, Lucy sat on the trading floor covering Commodities in Europe Middle East and Africa and solved cross departmental challenges and furthered people strategy in a Chief of Staff Office.
Before joining in 2021, Lucy completed a graduate program at another major bank, covering their Payments and Leasing business, and earning a certification in Regulations & Securities from the CISI. During this period, she started organising mentoring walks with US NGO, Vital Voices, which sparked her love for bringing together networks to inspire and empower communities.
Beyond her professional endeavours, Lucy mentors students with Career Ready and the University of Bristol, and leads volunteering and donation drives with Smart Works, a charity who empower women into employment through interview coaching and dressing. Lucy was selected as a UN Women UK delegate for the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) and is a One Young World Ambassador.
Lucy is the co-chair of the Future Leaders Shadow Board (FLSB) for Women in Banking & Finance (WIBF) UK, a membership body that has championed women in financial services for over 40 years. Lucy demonstrates leadership and oversight of the Board as an advocate for governance she hopes to inspire organisations of all sizes to accelerate change through youth representation.
Jessica McNamee | Senior Manager, Customer and Colleague Strategy | Lloyds Banking Group
I grew up learning from two fantastic parents: my Dad an Assurance Analyst (methodical and quality-obsessed), my Mum an End of Life carer (full of warmth and zest).
This combination created in me a natural passion for creativity and collaboration, with a level-headed pragmatic approach to project delivery.
My career to date has been, without a doubt, a rollercoaster. The English language Graduate spent all her free time as the Station Editor of the university radio, responsible for the station and its 100+ volunteers.
Neither are a natural translation towards banking, but I quickly differentiated myself from Economics and Accounting graduates with my innovation, project management experience and, critically, ability to tell a story.
This language of storytelling has continually set me apart, applying its benefit to everything from data visualisation, to senior stakeholder engagement, to inciting change.
My thirst for knowledge and change has characterised a broad set of roles across my 8 years, from customer co-creation and design through to proof of concept, strategic vision setting, and delivery of key core programmes for LBG.
In the latter I was promoted to Senior Manager with a team of eight, becoming one of the youngest leaders in the Bank.
I now lead a team of ten on Customer and Colleague Strategy, and also co-chair a regional team of 40 volunteers for the Breakthrough Women's network.
I love both roles and their platform for me to make a meaningful impact.
The bookworm... the broadcaster... now the banker and Breakthrough Co-Chair.
Emma Letheren | Equity Research analyst | RBC
I joined RBC on their graduate scheme after studying Economics at the University of Nottingham.
After nine months on Equity Sales I moved into the Consumer Staples team in Equity Research. I was able to keep spending time with clients, which I love, but also develop my accounting and valuation skills and get a better insight into a specific sector. I feel very lucky that the move was into Consumer Staples - a tangible and relatable sector as we all consume food, beverages and personal care items. My career has enabled me to spend my days conversing with interesting and incredibly intelligent people about how the world will evolve (including the CEOs and CFOs of some of the biggest companies in the world!). The role has also afforded me the opportunity to fly to many interesting places such as Mumbai and Mexico City to understand the consumer in these markets.
Alongside my role in Equity Research, I am the Secretary Officer at RWomen, an Employee Resource Group at RBC focused on championing D&I through events, personal development and charity opportunities for employees. Within this role I focus on driving impact of the committee which is set up with various sub-teams (Membership, Communications, Events, Internal Cultural Change). I bring all of those teams together and develop resources to help us collaborate in the most effective way.
Dialid Santiago | Vice President Quantitative Analyst | Bank of America
Growing up in a small town in Mexico, where most people still relied on a cash-only economy, I knew little about Finance and Banking.
Despite this, I had the fortune to pursue my dream of studying mathematics and becoming a Financial Quantitative Analyst. This has given me the opportunity to learn, grow, meet amazing people, and most importantly being able to give back and help others who are starting their own journey.
Before coming to the UK, I got an MSc and a BSc in Mathematics. In 2016, I graduated from the University of Warwick with a PhD in Mathematics/Statistics. I started my journey as a Quant at The Co-operative Bank, working on operational risk and credit score models. Then, I joined Barclays as a model developer focusing on statistical models for Corporate banking. I made the transition into Investment Banking by joining the CCR team at Barclays, and later at Bank of America. During those years, I worked on developing, monitoring, and benchmarking mathematical models for market and credit risk.
In 2021, I took on a new challenge by joining the front office Commodities Quant team at Citigroup. This gave me the opportunity to expand my view of the business as a whole. The same year, I became a mom and experienced the huge transformation that this conveys (full of challenges but also an incredible renewed enthusiasm, energy, and ambition). Currently, I work as a Cross-Asset Quant at BofA and dedicate my free time to writing, teaching, and mentoring.
Kellie Kwarteng | Founder & CEO | Halzak / Elevate - Women in Tech
Kellie Kwarteng is a recruitment industry leader and champion for diversity and inclusion within the tech industry.
As Founder and CEO of Halzak, Kellie connects underrepresented talent with leading tech companies. She also founded and hosts Elevate - Women in Tech, spotlighting inspirational stories to empower women`s ambitions in the tech sector and as of 2024 a Leadership Mentor Program and inspiring community network for women and male allies to connect and inspire women to remain in tech.
Previously, Kellie served as UK Partner at SThree PLC a global $1 billion STEM specialist, spearheading the launch and growth of their Public Sector division into the group`s largest UK division. She then became Global Group President for a boutique tech staffing firm, supporting their growth and operations.
In addition to her recruitment experience, Kellie operates as a business coach to staffing companies and women in tech. She is passionate about opening doors for diverse talent and helping companies build inclusive teams.
Outside of work, Kellie is a dedicated wife and mother of two. She enjoys playing and coaching girls` netball in her spare time. With her multifaceted career and commitment to empowering others, Kellie is a leader driving change in the recruitment industry.
Katie Gerald | Director | K.A.G. Recruitment Consultantancy Ltd
Kate Gerald, Founder and CEO of K.A.G. Recruitment Consultancy, Business Coach, and passionate advocate for women in business.
With over 25 years in Recruitment, I have channelled my expertise into not just leading a successful business but also empowering women in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Empowering Women in Business: I am deeply committed to gender diversity in the workplace. My role extends beyond my company as I engage in female empowerment communities like Santander Women in Business, Round table forums and host regular women in business events to bring communities together. My work in these forums, coupled with my experiences, have provided me with unique insights into the challenges and opportunities for women in business.
Expert in Coaching and Training: My passion for development has led me to focus extensively on coaching and training. I specialise in areas such as:
- Retention and Aftercare: Helping businesses develop strategies to retain top talent.
- Interview Training: Equipping candidates with skills to excel in job interviews.
- Leadership and Management Coaching: Guiding leaders to enhance their management skills and drive business success.
- Sales and Strategy Training: Assisting professionals in developing robust sales strategies and business plans.
- This focus on coaching and training is a reflection of my commitment to not just place candidates in roles but to ensure their long-term success and growth within their chosen fields.
Support for Candidates and Businesses: Beyond recruitment, we have launched initiatives like the Candidate Handbook and “By Your Side” service, offering comprehensive support to job seekers.
Jo Lister | Head of Consulting Knowledge and Capability | BAE Systems
When Jo first started as a Graduate Management Consultant many moons ago, she and her female peers looked around and thought “where are the senior women?” She honestly believed that her stint as a Consultant would end in her early 30s because, otherwise, how could you be a Consultant and a Mum?
Instead, Jo`s shown that it is absolutely possible to do the job she loves, have kids, be the first person to achieve Chartered Management Consultant via In Depth Interview, and stand in the gap she saw when she started.
Jo has consistently championed women; from co-founding a Parental Leave buddy scheme to support parents returning to work, creating a pilot sponsorship programme targeting women in her account to being a visible and approachable role model on many leadership teams. Jo is also active externally to her organisation too, supporting the recruitment of woman into IT by telling her story on panels across the country.
Working as a Consultant, Jo to creates mixed teams to take advantage of the benefits of diverse thought. Jo ensures that everyone felt welcome and able to bring their own special something to the mix.
Jo is responsible for revitalising internal knowledge management, setting the consulting competency framework for our 600+ consultants to develop within, and defining training pathways for all consultants.
At the same time, Jo promotes her ‘Term Time’ only contract and the value of flexible working so she’s able to leave early for school pick up!
Yuxi Pan | Associate | On Purpose London
Yuxi is an accomplished professional with a diverse background in behavioural science, risk management, and social impact leadership.
Holding an Executive Diploma in Behavioural Science from the University of Warwick, she was honored with the Change Makers Scholarship, reflecting her commitment to driving positive change. Her journey with Warwick was driven by a desire to understand systemic change and the pivotal role of behavioural science.
Passionate about social change, Yuxi served as the inaugural Risk Management & Governance Lead for Women of Colour Australia (WOCA), a volunteer-led charity dedicated to empowering women and girls of colour. Here, she honed her skills in risk management crafting foundational practices critical for WOCA`s expansion and diverse initiatives. Notably she supported the Executive Leadership Development Program, funded by grants from the Australian State Government, supporting numerous women of colour in realizing their leadership potential.
Transitioning from Sydney to London, Yuxi is now an Associate of the On Purpose Social Impact Leadership Program. Here, she channels her passion for social innovation, nurturing purpose-led startups and not-for-profits. Committed to continuous learning and giving back, she volunteers as a facilitator for UK not-for-profits such as WEA Adult Learning and also mentors young female leaders.
Yuxi`s ethos revolves around the idea of paying it forward, leading by example through courage and unwavering dedication to a values-aligned life.