Jasmina Negrini | Barclays
Jasmina Negrini, a multilinguist who has studied and worked in five countries, earned a Master's degree in Economics and Business Studies from the University of Bologna and put her skills to use across a 20-year career in financial services for top tier American and British banks.
She currently works at Barclays in the Chief Operating Office for Europe and the Middle East, after delivering strategic and transformational projects such as the Structural Reform Programme and the Brexit Programme.
Jasmina, noted for trailblazing collaboration and partnership across different diversity networks in previous workplaces, has turned her energies at Barclays to co-chairing the London Environment Network, a colleague network supporting Barclays’s ambition to become Net Zero by 2050, while also supporting Women's Initiatives and more broadly Diversity and Inclusion across the different resource groups.
Her passion for stewardship was recently acknowledged through the win of the ‘Women in Leadership’ programme in 2021 where she was recognised for demonstrating entrepreneurial excellence and championing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. She was also awarded an ‘Inclusive Leader Award’ in 2022.
Jasmina is a Trustee of an award-winning charity and dedicates her time to numerous projects for the conservation and management of urban green spaces and is actively involved in citizenship activities helping social enterprises and innovative companies achieve their full potential.
Milly Batchelor | NatWest
Milly Batchelor works in Youth Banking at NatWest Group and chairs the industry wide Scottish Financial Enterprise’s Young Professionals (SFE YP) Network.
Milly is passionate about unlocking the potential of future leaders and technology to amplify the positive role of financial services in society. Under Milly’s leadership, the 800-strong (and growing) SFE YP network provides support, development and access to senior leaders and policy makers, enabling members to campaign and drive change on topics they care about. This was exemplified by the network’s recent pre-COP26 Green Finance Youth Summit and report and strategy published on tackling Mental Health discrimination as well as the delivery of regular learning and speaker sessions, networking events and a peer mentorship programme to encourage skills development for young professionals and a culture of uplifting each other.
Within the bank, Milly also focusses on supporting others, championing, and advocating for diversity and inclusion, as the coaches lead on the bank's Gender Network Development programme, a workstream lead for the Allied Males network and a Wellbeing Champion, supported by her recent completion of an external Mental Health Awareness Certificate.
Milly is currently on secondment from the Web Experience Team, Digi Tech at NatWest and has previously worked in Customer Journey Management for mortgage retention at NatWest following her role as Strategy and Planning manager for Mortgages and multiple previous roles at Tesco Bank. Milly feels that her experiences to date have played a huge part in her understanding and ambition to support others in their day to day lives. Outside of work, Milly is always striving to learn, and is currently completing a certificate in sustainability as well as learning British Sign Language alongside enjoying gardening and spending time with her family, friends and rescue dog, Mabel. Milly also regularly volunteers and raises money and awareness for charities and causes.
Milly won Rising Star at the 2021 Women in Tech Excellence Awards and was listed in the Feb 2022 Business Insider's 35 under 35 category.
Kirsty Wigley-Smith | Logicmonitor
My recruitment career began over 15 years ago working within niche industries in agency.
After testing various roles spanning across employment and recruiting I found my sweet spot, working in-house within a hyper growth Software Vendor as the first EMEA Recruiter on the ground.
During this role I was responsible for GTM recruiting & recruitment programs across the board, helped the company to scale from 3 to 16 Countries, 40- circa 300 people and was part of an incredible growth story that took us from scrappy start up with $100m valuation to a $3.7bn acquisition with a 17.3x enterprise value/trailing twelve month revenue multiple. After 4.5 years in this company I transitioned to Logicmonitor and have been with the organisation for just over 2 years now.
My mission when joining was to be able to streamline our hiring process, formalise our hiring criteria and to train and enable Stakeholders with interviewing techniques as well as empower them to make smart hiring decisions. All of this would allow us to grow EMEA into a successful region.
I've worked in Leadership roles now for over 4 years and take huge satisfaction from watching my team grow and achieve, I am passionate about hiring the absolute best people possible for my team, as well as the company overall and I strive to ensure we are competitive in the market by advocating for what we need in EMEA to be successful. Examples of this would be streamlining our hiring process to push to remove barriers to hire in the form of multiple cognitive tests, as well as petitioning for increases in packages - salaries and benefits to ensure we can attract and retain the best talent possible. This has been done by building valid business cases based on market data, as well as building trust amongst global stakeholders.
The pandemic was an extremely difficult time for us all and unfortunately I personally suffered the death of my Son after he was born prematurely in 2021. After some time out on maternity leave I came back to Logicmonitor on a phased return to work and set my personal goal to hire additional team members for Talent Acquisition, which would allow us to deliver effectively on our 2022 hiring plans, as well as additional project work in my plan. I've successfully grown our team to 4 in-house Recruiters and we closed out FY21 Q4 with the largest number of hires ever achieved in EMEA. We have already beaten this hiring number in FY22 Q1 which I am extremely proud of. I will be going on maternity leave again in July this year and know I will be leaving my team set up for success, as well as leaving the EMEA business in a great position ready to hire for the 2nd half of the year.
Laura Mahoney | Browne Jacobson LLP
After graduating, like many people, I was thrown into the world of work after being under the comfort blanket of education and was quite clueless about what I wanted to do.
All I knew was that I was passionate about people and after working in several different roles and doing lots of travelling, decided to enrol myself onto the CIPD and pursue a career in HR. My first HR position was working for a law firm and nearly a decade later, I am still working within this industry. The very nature of being an HR Advisor is that you work closely with ambitious individuals who experience a diverse range of situations that directly impacts their ability to be their best. Being a part-time working mother (of two young sons), I can specifically identify with the challenges women face when trying to climb the career ladder and so my passion to drive the agenda on equality and women's health & wellbeing began!
Over the last 12 months, I have had the amazing opportunity to also become more involved in D&I matters (with our wonderful D&I team), specifically in leading projects that I hope can make a real difference in spreading awareness of the challenges women may face while at work, breaking down stigma and helping shape a culture of inclusivity at the firm. I am very proud of the work we delivered on menopause awareness and domestic abuse and hope to continue to create a community at work where we are able to support one another to reach our collective potential. I also look forward to continuing to educate my colleagues within HR and the firm of the fantastic opportunities they have to help drive the D&I agenda; HR have the privilege of being able to try and do this with nearly every conversation we have whether it be on pay, talent planning, health and wellbeing, performance - the list is endless in ways we can help create a more inclusive culture for everyone.
Chanise Evans | BBC
Growing up in Telford in the Midlands, I didn’t set out to be a journalist.
I did know I wanted to be a leader and create change for those from underrepresented communities like myself. I applied to the BBC Digital Journalism Apprenticeship and was successful. It combined my two favorite things, telling stories and technology.
Graduating the BBC Digital Journalism Apprenticeship I achieved a DISTINCTION and the highest overall grade in my End Point Assessment which is now used as the standard to mark against.
Since starting at BBC Radio Coventry where I trained in Radio, TV, Online and Digital, I have worked at BBC News Online Birmingham. Ensuring underrepresented audiences are given a platform to tell their stories is extremely important to me. While at BBC News Online Birmingham, every single story I pitched, filmed, and edited featured on the front page of The BBC News website. I brought local diverse communities, with authentic voices to a global audience.
I then moved to London for my current role at BBC Young Reporter. I currently support under 18’s telling the stories that really matter to them. Helping to develop their ideas for broadcast in a way that speaks authentically to young people. The main part of my role is to produce, film and edit digital content for various BBC platforms. In recognition of my abilities, I have been headhunted by various parts of the BBC to present panels, workshops and events. I was also asked to be a part of a Creative Diversity Experience, as a copywriter.
Outside of my role as a digital journalist, I have recently developed my on screen abilities, hosting live online broadcasts such as The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers, and a follow up event Graduate Careers Live. My interest in sport has also led me to become involved with sports presenting; I host Netball matches for both the England National Team and Team Bath Netball.
Louise Farrow | British Army
In the past year I have had the privilege of taking part in events which have helped numerous Cancer charities in and around the UK and those surrounding mental health.
I was also blessed with the opportunity to communicate with a great orphanage in Nepal who specialise in care of young women, where myself and my team will be visiting within the next year.
In service I have deployed to various locations where I have had the great honour of working with numerous different nations around the world. Our work has not only allowed us to form strong bonds, but also to assist in the effort to bettering their conditions.
Whilst in Iraq I was afforded the fortune to assist and aid with the NATO Building Integrity team, where we worked hard to implement anti-corruption methods within the Iraqi Ministry of Defence whilst also working alongside the Iraqi Government. The work that the NATO mission conducted over in Iraq is nothing short of fantastic, and there are real life changes taking place to better the lives of millions. Corruption within governments is something many countries sadly have the burden of suffering from, but with the efforts of many, burdens can and will be lifted throughout the world to make the world a better place for all. The work in Iraq allowed us to create a path which could lead to a more unified country and build an environment where corruption no longer exists, allowing better working environments.
I take great pride in offering my assistance and aid to whomever may require it and I believe in empowerment of everyone, no matter their gender, beliefs or culture which is something we can all champion.
I truly believe that the only way we can empower our people is by providing a suitable work/life environment to allow them to feel empowered. This falls to selfless leadership and a large amount of coaching and mentoring.
Trudianne Bedward | BBC
Trudianne was born in a deprived area of Birmingham, unfortunately known for its gang violence and unemployment rates being one of the highest in the country.
She didn’t particularly enjoy school but, eventually found her passion in dance and decided to study performing arts. Trudianne later joined a dance agency performing around the world and set up her own dance classes for children. However, as she experience weight issues and depression her passion for dance was lost and she spent the next 6 years working as a barista. It was after the loss of a pregnancy that she decided she needed to get back on track with finding her passion again.
She landed a role with ITV in London and over the years Trudianne has worked on productions such as British Soap Awards, The Chase, and even looked after David Cameron for the Euro Referendum. She’s worked at Channel 4 on various projects and BBC Studios working with the team that delivers campaigns for the likes of Doctor Who and Top Gear but found her niche in events whilst working on the BBC Studios Showcase trade event and the Country File live event. She is paving her own way by creating her own opportunities, including presenting to the BBC in their New York Office and in her current role, as an event producer, pitches ideas and produces event to help attract diverse talent to join the team. She is loving every minute and found her love for dancing again in her spare time. Trudianne volunteers with Butterfly books, creating book launch events in collaboration with organisations such as the NHS , British Army and London Fire Brigade.
Trudianne is proud of where she has come from and is a wonderful role model for young girls in Birmingham and countrywide. No matter what your background, if you work hard enough and focus, you can achieve your goals.
Naomi Whitbourn | Nesta Challenges
My goal is to drive the development of innovative social businesses, to help tackle some of the world's biggest challenges.
I started my career at PwC in 2014 as a fresh-faced intern, before joining the graduate scheme in 2017. Looking back, it was – perhaps – a surprising fit. I had just finished a Master’s degree, where I specialised in international refugee policy, and I knew that I wanted to forge a career with social impact. My instinct told me that I could leverage the private sector to achieve these goals.
I went on to work at PwC for four fantastic years, where I managed international programmes across Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, focussing on sustainable finance, education and healthcare. I worked with a wide range of clients, including the UK government, international governments and the private-sector.
Throughout this time, I also worked as a pro-bono consultant for several non-profit organisations, including: Frontline Aid (a social business redirecting humanitarian aid to local grassroots organisations); and the Refugee Council (a UK-based charity supporting refugees).
During the coronavirus pandemic, I began thinking more creatively about tackling social challenges. In January 2021, I founded the Voices of Development podcast, with the aim to learn from entrepreneurs and leaders developing innovative business solutions. In less than a year, the podcast attracted over 1,000 followers and I spoke to some leading minds in social entrepreneurship, including Nigel Kershaw OBE (Co-Founder of the Big Exchange and Chair of the Big Issue Group) and Beth Larsen (Co-Founder of Charm Impact).
In July 2021, having been inspired by my podcast guests, I joined Nesta Challenges: a social business that designs and delivers challenge prizes. I am currently managing a youth entrepreneurship programme in Ghana (the Ghana Science & Tech Explorer Prize), working with 20,000 young people to develop entrepreneurial skills and businesses to tackle community challenges.
Looking ahead, I'm excited to continue driving and promoting the development of innovative social businesses.
Rosie Franca | NatWest
Rosie Franca is not a ‘typical banker’. She obviously likes numbers and has solid analytical skills but what really excites Rosie is people - she loves seeing others succeed!
Since joining NatWest Group in 2015, Rosie has held roles in Business Banking, Entrepreneurship and Affluent Banking.
In addition to her current role in London, Rosie leads a variety of global initiatives - covering Climate Change, Sustainability, Enterprise, and People. She is also an active Women in Business Ambassador and Mentor.
During the pandemic, Rosie volunteered as an Enterprise Relief Grants Assessor, supporting Young Entrepreneurs and The Prince’s Trust.
Having lived in 3 continents, Rosie’s diverse career, interests and experiences include transforming a $1bn business, whilst exceeding commercial and non-commercial objectives – delivering 20% net growth.
Rosie graduated from Oxford's Executive Leadership Programme in 2021, and is now pursuing her MBA at University of York. She is a member of Women in Banking and Finance (WIBF) and Women on Boards (UK). Rosie is also a Fellow of Leadership Western Australia.
