Memona Mohammad | BT
I value being an ambassador for the technology community, demonstrating female contribution and innovation to the industry. I started my career as an apprentice in BT Technology, Service & Operations, helping to build the virtual network connections for business end-users and even for the Olympics!
Now aged 22, I recently moved to BT Global Services, working as part of a team on contracts to deliver communications and IT services to organisations, providing the best possible solutions for our customers. It’s exciting being part of a diverse workforce and at the heart of telecoms and technology.
As well as studying part time for a degree in Information and Communication Technology, I have achieved professional registration as an Engineering Technician and ICT Technician through the Institute of Engineering and Technology. I have also attended the 2014 One Young World summit, collaborating with representatives from over 180 countries and leading multinationals, working on building global partnerships for the future.
Through participation in the Inspiring Women Campaign I have volunteered at local schools, career fairs and mentoring events, educating females of all backgrounds on the opportunities and careers in STEM. I have also hosted students for work experience at BT to provide true insight and encouragement. Spreading the message of women in technology, I have taken part in live TV discussions and been featured in publications.
My aspiration is to continually be a positive role model for current and future generations of young people, supporting them to confidently enter the world of work and to explore and build on my own journey within the industry.
Sarah Smith (née Ryland) ǀ CGI
Sarah is a highly flexible and outcome focused Business Consultant at CGI (formally Logica), where she joined as a graduate five years ago. She is extremely dependable and organised, with the determination to deliver value as quickly as she can to her clients.
The majority of Sarah’s experience is from the Banking sector where she recently managed the design and delivery of a national communications campaign for the Current Account Switch Service. Facing off to all the major current account providers in the industry, this was a high profile role in a complex stakeholder environment, one which gave Sarah the opportunity to flourish.
Sarah is motivated by not only exceeding expectations, but also creating an enjoyable environment for the people around her. She is open, honest and supportive of colleagues; she enjoys giving her time to help others. Sarah is looking forward to mentoring the 2015 graduate intake.
Sarah was part of a small team who founded the CGI’s women’s network. She proactively took the lead in establishing a communications strategy and plan, and led a team of volunteers to deliver it. She believes her success in this role is attributable to providing clear direction, delineation of responsibilities, motivating the team when they were up against their day jobs and setting the mantra for quality outputs.
She has a structured approach to her development, actively seeking feedback, taking one competence at a time to focus on, learning, and seeking opportunities to practise outside her comfort zone. During her time at CGI she has achieved an Exceeds Expectations performance rating every year, been promoted twice, and this year she has been nominated for the CGI Emerging Talent and Leadership Programme.
Sarah is recently married and she likes nothing more than indulging her enthusiasm for travel, food and fitness.
Sakeena Lalljee | Aquis Exchange Limited
Having cut her teeth in European trading technology with initial experience at agency broker Instinet, Sakeena spent the subsequent few years honing her industry knowledge at Chi-X Europe, which became the largest pan-European equities trading venue before being bought by BATS Global Markets. She played a key part in technology initiatives including Sponsored Access and the Chi-Delta non-displayed order book (now CXE Dark, Europe’s largest non-display equities book).
Since moving to Aquis Exchange, the subscriptions-based equities exchange, Sakeena was promoted to the role of Client Relationship Manager and has built valuable relationships with trading firms and technology providers alike. She is a key point of liaison within Aquis and played a vital part in its timely launch. She also oversaw the creation of the Company’s internal management information system, working with Aquis’ development team to create a suite of reports, allowing better client service and enhancing the Company’s technology sales package.
An English graduate from Queen Mary, University of London, she also holds a Certificate in Investment from the CISI, for which she received the ‘Outstanding Achievement award’ for scoring the national joint highest result.
Outside work, Sakeena chairs the Women’s Network at the British Pakistan Foundation (BPF), promoting the development of British Pakistani women via its Inspirational Women Speaker Series, workshops and networking opportunities.
Sakeena is a Level 1 qualified football coach and has played for Tower Hamlets Ladies. She has previously volunteered to deliver coaching sessions for local schoolgirls and the Queen Mary Women’s Football Club, where she played whilst at University. Most recently, she participated on the refereeing team at a football match in aid of Cancer Research UK, organised by the Rotary Club of Harrow.
She aspires to reach management and board level in the financial services, and continue making a positive difference to the industry.
Chloe Apps | Lloyd's
Chloe Apps is a highly skilled Personal Assistant with extensive experience in the fields of administration, diary management and office management. She joined Lloyd’s in February 2012 and believes that behind every great leader, there is a PA typing furiously on their smart phone…
Chloe is passionate about people, teams and charity, and aspires to raise the profile of the support staff across the industry, who ensure that those on the frontline are able to succeed. Chloe oils the wheels of the Operations team at Lloyd’s – she anticipates what they need before they even know they need it and juggles diaries and tasks whilst maintaining zen-like levels of outward calm.
When she isn’t busy pulling all the strings behind the scenes, Chloe is working to coordinate social responsibility activities for her team, such as building a partnership between Lloyd’s Operations staff and the Clara Grant School, and organising volunteering days at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park.
Prior to her employment at Lloyd’s, Chloe worked for 3 years in the demanding world of Fashion Buying, which she will assure you is just as glamorous as Insurance.
Chloe holds a BA Hons degree in English Language & Communication and lives in Essex with her partner and their two house rabbits.
Sarah Gerken | Willis
I have been in the insurance industry for over three and a half years, joining the Willis graduate scheme after my degree in European Studies and Spanish at the University of Manchester. I began my career as a kidnap-for-ransom broker, transitioning to work on some of the most prestigious accounts at Willis after 18 months. I speak fluent Spanish as I have lived in Chile, Cuba, Spain and Colombia. My hobbies include surfing, bouldering and yoga and I have a green belt in kung fu.
Melanie Ogden | Transport for London
I am a Chartered Civil Engineer and “Project Manager for Tunnels and Shafts” on the prestigious £1bn Northern Line Extension project in the heart of the capital. All eyes are upon us, as this is a project spanning three borough councils, uniquely funded and employing some of the latest technologies available to deliver value to the public purse.
It is my role to ensure the steady and successful progress of the project, and whilst that requires technical knowledge, the key skill is to actively manage the stakeholder interface with project’s many third parties. These include the Battersea Power Station Developers, Network Rail and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home – plus our project delivery partners who have a large and mature project management architecture of their own. To achieve this, I lead a talented multi-disciplinary team of Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Planners, Graduates and other key stakeholders.
I am responsible for the design and construction of 3.2km of twin-bored and SCL tunnels and shafts. I also have responsibility for the £40m design and build work package for two new step plate junctions and four new cross passages at Kennington Station, connecting the new extension to the existing Northern line railway and managing the subsequent increase in passenger flows through the station. I act as the seamless link between railways systems engineering, mechanical engineering and civil engineering for these works, ensuring all aspects have been considered from design through to operation and maintenance. I am responsible for establishing an acceptable closure strategy to undertake the work, balancing the needs of the project with those of the travelling public. I have consulted with stakeholders throughout the business alongside the Principal Contractor and project team to establish the most effective way of completing this. It is my options paper which has been presented to the business.
As a young woman who has come from a small town in the country to work in Engineering in our incredible city, I am inspired every day by engineering around me which most people take for granted and the fantastic engineers with whom I have the privilege of working every single day. My passion and enthusiasm for the built environment means that I have always wanted to get out from behind my desk and see society transformed – and I feel that is a much more tangible and inspiring message for young people considering engineering.
I try to live my life with integrity and make the best decisions for my project within my professional abilities. I am keen to show young women and men that they have a world of choices open to them in engineering, that there are many routes into the industry and that their dreams can be fulfilled. I had a relatively tough start to my time in senior school and struggled academically, not always getting the best grades, but sheer determination has brought me ample success and the respect of my peers.
I love speaking in public and I love seeing children’s faces light up when I explain the possibilities offered by an engineering career: a career where you have freedom, the chance to work internationally, to join fantastic professional teams which feel like your family and to leave a built legacy which you would be proud to show your grandchildren.
My passion for my trade shines through in all I do, including the work I have done this year as an IET ambassador for their ‘Engineer a Better World’ campaign. This included giving media interviews, something I absolutely love. Equally, I am not afraid to let my professional mask drop in the name of engineering, appearing in the ICE “Engineering Happiness” film dancing under the Hammersmith Flyover, (one of my first projects after graduation).
I want children to see engineering as an enjoyable career with plenty of support: I always tell children that going to work is like visiting my second family. In my first year in London, I mentored a young student; this experience taught me so much, in particular that younger people often just need the confidence to tackle a profession; confidence which may not exist in the family home. I want to be the person who bridges that gap and inspires them into our profession.
Jacqui Quigley | LinkedIn Emea
I am a Senior Administrative Assistant for 3 Directors at LinkedIn EMEA Head Quarters in Dublin, delighted to be diving headfirst into my new role and meeting new people. My years of experience varies from roles such as Executive Assistant to Event/Project management. I am also an executive committee member the newly established Association of Professional Administrators in Ireland. I won the pa-assist’s 2014 All-Ireland PA of the Year. Since winning the award, I have been involved in public speaking engagements in Ireland and UK, blog writing and being runner up in some other awards. I moved to Dublin, from a small town, in 2001 for college and haven't looked back since, apart from a short stint in the UK where I completed my degree in Media and Communication. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world, Dublin is an amazingly vibrant energetic city, where you meet new friends on a daily basis. I have a keen (if not unnatural) interest in all things social media and hope to develop my role in this area going forward. Outside of work, I love reading and movies. I used to do some boxing but I found exercise was just too good for me even though I find it really enjoyable.
Sascha Grimm ǀ Cooley
Sascha Grimm is an associate solicitor at the London office of Cooley, sitting in the commercial litigation department. Sascha is also the Chair of a women’s legal network called Women In Law London (WILL), which aims to tackle the poor retention rate of women in law.
Having always been passionate about diversity within the legal profession, Sascha became involved early on in her previous firm’s internal women’s group. This experience made her appreciate the complexity of the issues behind the huge loss of female talent in the legal profession and she became determined to be part of the movement to drive change.
At the end of 2013, after unsuccessfully trying to find an external women’s network focused on associate-level women (the very demographic leaving the profession), Sascha pulled together a group of lawyers and together they set up WILL – a young, dynamic, grassroots network aimed at pre-partnership and senior management female lawyers in London.
WILL launched online in July 2014, with the official launch event in October 2014. Since then WILL has acquired over 1,700 members representing more than 350 different law firms and companies in London. WILL holds frequent events and has set up a number of initiatives, working with members as well as with firms and companies directly, to drive positive change in the legal profession.
Sascha is extremely passionate about encouraging law firms and companies to invest in and pull up their female talent. She is an energetic and committed Chair of WILL, balancing this role with her day job, as well as sitting on her current firm’s internal Women’s Initiative. She regularly speaks at public events about women in law and also sits on the Executive Committee of the Equal Justices Initiative, which promotes greater diversity within the Judiciary.
Alice Powell ǀ Alice Powell Racing
Alice started karting when she was 8 years old and has been a motorsport fan all her life. At 22 years old, she has had some stand out career highlights, which include becoming the first ever female to win the Formula Renault BARC UK Championship. She is the first and only female to get in the points in the GP3 Series and last year, she was Champion in the Formula Renault Asia Championship. Alice is also a BRDC Rising Star, which means she is part of the prestigious British Racing Drivers Club. As well as this, she is also an Athlete Supporter for the Women Sports Trust, promoting women’s sport and raising awareness.
This year, Alice is running an all-female kart team in the Formula Kart Stars Championship, which is supported by Bernie Ecclestone. As well as this, Alice is coaching other young female kart racers.
Her racing highlight for the year so far was racing in the 24hr Silverstone with Aston Martin, alongside their CEO, Andy Palmer.
Alice works hard to get females into Motorsport, and to coach and help guide them to their