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.
Olivia Greenwell | Programme Manager | Get Further
Olivia`s academic background is in mathematical physics but she also has a keen interest in politics, psychology and music. On graduating from the University of Manchester, Olivia undertook a Teaching Assistant role, with a particular focus on children with Special Educational Needs.
Olivia moved into the charity sector in September 2022, taking on a role as a workshop facilitator for Solutions Not Sides. The workshops aimed to educate young people about the conflict in Israel-Palestine by encouraging critical thinking and a non biased approach.
Having enjoyed working with this age group, Olivia took on the role of Lead Tutor at Further Education charity, Get Further, in November 2022. This was alongside her work with Solutions Not Sides. Olivia quickly progressed within Get Further to the roles of Programme Coordinator, Senior Programme Coordinator and, most recently, Programme Manager in February 2024. As a Programme Manager, Olivia manages a team of Programme Coordinators and contributes to Get Further`s strategy and development as a member of the Senior Management Team.
Olivia is passionate about tackling educational inequality and has enjoyed seeing the positive effects of Get Further`s work on students. She has contributed to Get Further`s policy and advocacy work by organising MP visits to partner colleges and networking with key figures in parliament. Olivia has also contributed to Get Further`s impact analysis by using her mathematical skills to study factors affecting student attendance and attainment.
Leia Patel | Student
I am only young! Over the past 3 years, I have been very involved with charitable efforts touching various causes. I really love to make a difference in this world, and I really care about other people.
I have been involved in several fundraisers which I have organised with my mum. These have included me competing in three Little Mudder races, through which for one I was able to work with my class friends to raise £2500 for Cancer Research. I have walked two 10k routes, raising money for Plan UK International and also for Little Lives UK.
My proudest efforts were when I was tasked by my school to work on an open homework project focussing on the number 140, in celebration of the school`s 140th birthday. I decided I wanted to swim 140 lengths, to raise £140 for Brain Tumour Research, in memory of my grandmother who I never got to meet and who passed away at 37 years from the illness. I also wanted to support the charity as my good friend`s dad is undergoing treatment at the moment for his brain tumour. I had an amazing opportunity to speak to the charity about the work they do. I interviewed with them for a press article which was also picked up by local papers. I was able to raise £550.
My focus this year is to grow my hair to donate to Little Princesses Trust, to enable them to make wigs for children with cancer.
Kellie Coyle | Marketing Manager | Action Tutoring
I have worked for Action Tutoring for almost five years; just over two years as Marketing Manager, and a Partnerships Coordinator and HR/Office Assistant prior to that.
Having worked in schools in Luton (my hometown) as a Volunteer Reader and Teaching Assistant, I was motivated to join my current organisation because I wanted to make a difference to children’s lives, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Following the completion of my undergraduate degree in English and American Literature at the University of Birmingham, I worked for a year as a Teaching Assistant. Unsure of my next step (but certain it wasn’t teaching for now!), I travelled and worked abroad for a few years in customer-facing roles before returning to the UK and moving to London.