Rimshah Razzaq | BBC
When I was growing up in Pakistan, I never thought that one day I'd be working in the Tech sector. Moving to England was a massive change as a 12-year-old; I had to learn a new language and culture while battling an identity crisis.
At 16, I wanted to join the army - crazy I know! But my media teacher knew I was made for the Tech and the Broadcasting world, and encouraged me to apply for a media apprenticeship. That’s how I ended up working for the BBC and haven’t left yet. I honestly believe we are making a difference - I passed my GCSEs because of Bitesize.
I have been been very fortunate and have had various job roles across the organisation. At 16 no one really knows what there doing. I started my career journey in production as a runner setting up a production offices on location, getting to mess around with cables and tech was a dream. I tried Talent and Resourcing for BBC Children's for a while and then moved on become an IT Manager for BBC Religion, Comedy & Children's. This is was my calling, I loved fixing issues and helping teams make the most of their IT equipment.
It's so important to keep learning and then I went on to do an operations role, where I was responsible for the operational delivery and the point of contact for all publishable content through to iPlayer, Red-button and Technical Operations. This allowed me insight to the digital world and then I went on to become a Project Manager in Software Delivery in BBC Design and Engineering. It was only at this point I knew the career path I wanted and it was in project management.
As a Project Manager I get to work with people across the organisation, solve problems, help build strong teams and deliver change that helps the public in England and Worldwide. Soon I will be working for BBC Sounds, A streaming media and audio download service from the BBC that includes live radio broadcasts, audio on demand, and podcasts. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers, cars, and smart televisions.
Swati Gupta | Cognizant Technology Solution
Swati is a Digital Consultant at Cognizant, with a problem-solving attitude to help Financial Services clients enhance their customer experience and increase operational efficiency while collaborating with various FinTech partner ecosystems.
Being part of the business family in India, her father insisted on joining the steel business while she wanted to fulfil her mother’s dream to become a doctor. Little did she know when she sat down with her first computer that she found her partner for life. The enthusiasm for technology increased manifold when she developed a visual cryptography project during her engineering degree by dividing and encrypting image to resolve digital crime.
Being part of business family, she wanted to create a healthy mix of finance and technology to resolve real life challenges using digital transformation. MBA in Finance and CFA helped her understand the business side of the coin. In 2014, she published an article on Big Data: A ‘Big’ leap towards profitability.
At Cognizant, she is currently working on hyper-automation of cross-asset post trade operations using FinTech platform. She has led engagements in consulting services including advisory and implementation of digital operational transformation of risk and wealth management domain for leading investment banks. She has been engaged in implementing industry landscape, defining business strategy, identifying regulatory impact, reinforcement of core business positioning and bringing in digital transformation using leading disruptive technology including FinTech, AI & cloud.
She coaches and mentors the new analysts and always tries to bridge a gap between objective of the organization and needs of the colleagues. She also holds a Certificate in Agile leadership.
She has authored various point of views including ‘Digital transformation of trade expense using AI/ ML’ and ‘Analytical enterprise data migration- a strategic approach’. She has won ‘Consulting award’ in 2017 at Cognizant for her engagement in data strategy project. She currently works as the co-editor of BFS Consulting newsletter.
She is a firm believer of education and actively engage in teaching program in ‘MyPustak’ to help underprivileged children learn and grow.
Outside of work, she likes to paint, dance and cook.
Jessica Thorne | IBM
I graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2018 achieving a First Class Honours in Business Management with a Year in Industry.
For my undergraduate placement I worked as a digital specialist at General Motors for the myOpel service across multiple platforms. I had personal accountability to improve the customer experience, working closely with senior stakeholders, across many different cultures and countries. Throughout my education, my efforts and attitude have been formally recognised and awarded with prizes for my contribution to school life. Having grown up playing netball, tennis, lacrosse and dance, I have always thrived in a competitive environment. This has channelled my ambition and drive to exceed in all aspects of life. In my final year of university, I received the Accenture Award for Business, achieving the highest mark in a strategic management course. Whilst at university, I was selected by Capgemini to lead a student project team to identify new marketing opportunities for local charities. I have always had a passion to give back to the community. In 2015, I went to Tanzania to volunteer, teaching maths and English to orphaned children. In 2019, I joined IBM on their graduate scheme. I did not have a technical background, however, I rose to the challenge and immediately immersed myself in becoming a technical consultant; upskilling myself and learning to use various technologies, consequently becoming a subject matter expert in cognitive applications. I am now a cognitive consultant, specialising in delivering AI solutions for various different clients within IBM. I am currently working with a UK Top 10 bank to deliver a new asynchronous AI messaging platform for their customers.
Charlotte Davies | Royal Air Force
Charlotte Davies’ career in the Royal Air Force began in 2001 when she joined as a Weapons Technician in charge of maintaining and managing aircraft weapon systems.
Throughout her career, Charlotte’s greatest passion has been the development of others by encouraging them to be the best they can be. She has taken advantage of the many opportunities offered in the Royal Air Force to hold instructing and development roles and has relished the privilege to help people grow professionally and personally. She has been honoured to teach, guide, mentor and coach a wide range of people. From instructing recruits how to iron shirts and polish shoes, to developing a new armament training package for Puma Helicopter Force, she views every day as an opportunity to learn and promote understanding in order to create an inclusive workplace environment. Charlotte is also a strong advocate of equality. As Co-Chair of the Royal Air Force LGBT+ Freedom Network, she uses her position to advise and guide the broader community on LGBT+ matters. As part of the LGBT+ community and as a female role model, she supports RAF Diversity Allies to showcase difference and grow awareness. Through engagement, she supports those personnel in the minority but also widens awareness within the majority, working tirelessly towards a positive culture of belonging. Her reach is wide. She is a ‘reverse mentor’ to a number of executive managers at Royal Air Force Benson and within the Royal Air Force Senior Leadership Team. She offers her perspective to help leaders make more informed decisions for the workforce. She is also a key member of the Royal Air Force Executive Shadow Board; a board of junior personnel that offers their perspectives on key policies and working principles that affect the entire Force. Charlotte is passionate in the pursuit of change. Her commitment to truth, advocacy and knowledge sharing has contributed to significant organisational changes and a greater awareness of inclusion for all personnel in the Royal Air Force.
Joanne Ellett | British Army
Jo is a Captain in the Corps of Royal Engineers. Her career in the British Army began aged 16 when she attended Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College. Prior to this she was brought up, educated and a member of the Army Cadet Force in East London.
Following her A levels, Jo went on to study a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Design Engineering at Aston University, Birmingham. On completion of her degree she attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to complete the Regular Commissioning Course, commissioning in August 2014.
Jo’s career so far has been varied, including command of soldiers at Troop level, project manager for a construction site in Kenya, planning and delivery of training, control of community engagement, influence and social media for a Regiment, Battlegroup Engineer to the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, which included a deployment to South Korea and being the team leader for the Army Youth Outreach Team (AYOT).
Jo is currently the Regimental Operation Officer at 1 Royal School of Military Engineering Regiment, responsible for the planning and coordination for an establishment of over 1500 personnel. Competent, committed, and professional, she operates across a swathe of functions to positively influence both outcomes and ambition.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic Jo was required to manage the Regiment’s response. Under pressure and whilst many others dispersed, she guided her team from ‘the routine’ to a war-footing, operationalising many of the internal processes of the Royal Engineer’s largest training establishment and demonstrating fortitude, versatility and leadership. She worked tirelessly to enhance the safety of the whole force; improve situational awareness, and brought about greater coherence between the Station, health authorities, and Defence Primary Health Care. An inspiring endeavour and one easily recognised by the limited disruption to the substantial training outputs and through various accolades received.
Jo’s commitment and resolve has not just been limited to her ‘day job’; she is a mentor for newly commissioned officers and has worked assiduously to be selected to represent Great Britain as a Bobsleigh Pilot, allowing her to use her position and experience to unlock recruiting opportunities. Her engagements on behalf of Army recruiting have been particularly impressive, as have those with various Servicewomen’s and BAME networks. As a credible, confident and fervent public speaker she has regularly briefed and inspired young audiences of over 600, highlighting opportunities within Defence.
An inspirational real-life role model for aspiring females, athletes and all military personnel. Jo is a first-rate ambassador for the British Army.
Megan Lloyd | British Army
Born in 1984, the fifth child and only daughter of a widowed mother, Megan grew up below the poverty line on a tough Essex estate where drugs and crime were part of daily life.
Against the odds, she gained the top GCSE grades in her year in a failing school and rose to Head Girl despite the bullies and gangs. Joining the Army as a teenager to escape the estate, Megan was accepted as a soldier into the Intelligence Corps. At 19 she was sent to serve in Northern Ireland and at 21 she served her first tour of Afghanistan, having qualified as a linguist. By 24, Megan had served three tours of Afghanistan and made a name for herself as a distance runner and mountaineer, leading teams of soldiers all over the world raising money for charity and awareness for the suffering of animals and children abroad. Megan became a mother aged 26 in 2011, juggling her career with childcare, rising through the ranks with the support of her strong single mother, who died suddenly in 2015. Despite the tragic loss, Megan continued her job deploying soldiers to Iraq and remained committed to charity fundraising events that enabled community defibrillators to be placed into two rural primary schools. Selected for a commission from the ranks in 2018, Megan was awarded the rank of Captain and qualified in military accountancy within the Adjutant General's Corps (Staff and Personnel Support). In 2018, whilst undertaking a military trial, Megan was injured and required surgery to her hip and a long period of recovery. With her future uncertain, Megan slowly recovered with the help of military charities and in 2021, was selected to run the famous Marathon Des Sables desert ultra-race for the charity Walking With The Wounded. She hopes to raise £5000 and continue to inspire other injured soldiers not to give up hope.
Megan now leads a team of specialist soldiers in support of the King's Royal Hussars, a Royal Armoured Corps Regiment in Tidworth, Wiltshire.
Claudine Martin | British Army
Staff Sergeant Claudine Martin is a serving Soldier in the British Army for the past 14 years.
She is the winner of PA life 'PA of the Year 2019', shorlisted for 'Rising Star of the Year 2019' with Miss Jones PA, shortlisted ‘Women in Defence Awards 2020, finalist for 'We are the City' Rising Star Award 2020 and finalist for Secs in the City ‘PA of the Year 2020’. She was featured in PA Life Magazine in summer 2019 sharing her experiences as a Soldier and PA. She was also featured in the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper where she gave tips and advice to Lupus sufferers during the COVID lockdown. She was one of the speakers at the PA Show 2020 where she spoke on a panel with celebrity PAs.
Claudine is a keen public speaker and spoke at numerous virtual events. This includes the wellness revival festival where she spoke an a panel with wellness experts promoting wellness in the workplace. She also spoke at Fast forward 15 Bame ambassdors event and and was interviewed on Amaze tv to raise the awareness about lupus. She has a passion for motivational speaking and does motivational vlogs on her you tube channel.
Claudine joined the Army in 2006 when her son was just a year old and deployed to Iraq 6 months later. Prior to her assignment at 11 Inf Bde, she worked as the PA to the Director Army engagements and commuications at the Ministry of Defence and Chief HR Administrator at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst within New College. Claudine sits on the executive committee as the Events lead for the Chronic Conditions and Disability in Defence network (CANDID), it is a network that supports military personnel and their families who are living with chronic conditions and disabilities.
She is passionate about encouraging and inspiring PA’s to maximise their full potential. Claudine sat on the judging panel for PA Life PA of the Year 2020 Star awards. She is a keen advocate for the Lupus UK charity and actively does charity runs to raise the awareness about Lupus. She is a mentor for the ILE network, a network aiming to inspire young people from ethnic minority and disadvantaged backgrounds. Claudine is also a mentor for Fast Forward 15, a programme that aims to inspire, encourage and empower women in the events, hospitality and related industries to be the best they can be. She is also a member of Event Marketing Association (EMA) and is a committee member for their diversity and inclusion working group, a group that aims to encourage and promote diversity in the events industry. She is also a brownie and guide volunteer where gives her time to teach girls about trying new things, learn more about themselves and their community.
Claudine is part time student with University of Lincoln where she is studying for a bachelors degree in Human Resources Management.
Shreen Mahmood | Muslims Connect
Shreen Mahmood, is a proud British Pakistani Muslim, born in Birmingham, West Midlands.
Previous posts have included NHS Marketing and Communications, Administrative Manager and Fundraising Executive.
She is currently a Radio Presenter, International Fundraising Consultant, World Hijab Day UK Ambassador, and has set up a not for profit initiative called Muslims Connect. She organises events, workshops and webinars around pertinent issues such as women empowerment, confidence, mental health, family values, youth empowerment and much more. She has been invited to TV, Radio, events, schools and youth groups as a motivational speaker.
She is a keen traveller and is the first female group leader organising faith inspired guided trips to Jerusalem.
She was pivotal in setting up a successful local faith based community station in Wolverhampton.
She has a passion for charity work. In Ramadan 2020, her projects for Yemen have raised just over £50000. She has travelled to Africa, Turkey, Pakistan to deliver aid with many charities. She is one of the very few Muslim female humanitarians in the UK.
Emily Cunningham | South Tyneside Council
Emily is deeply committed to achieving meaningful impact at the intersection of ocean recovery and social justice.
She currently leads the Local Government Association's Coastal Special Interest Group, aligning 56 coastal local authorities behind a shared vision of a more sustainable and equitable future for England's coast and its communities. She is a founding member of the national One Coast Coalition and is co-Secretariat to the Coastal Communities All-Party Parliamentary Group. Having worked for governmental and non-governmental organisations at a national and local level, Emily has a strong track record in the development of pioneering projects and campaigns that engage people with our ocean and its protection. She believes a more inclusive and effective version of ocean conservation is possible and has secured over £5m funding for projects which work with underserved communities to enable them to access, enjoy and protect their local ocean. She is a Trustee of the UK’s leading marine charity, the Marine Conservation Society, where she is driving culture change as the Board’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Champion. She is an active mentor and role model for young conservationists and in 2020 was named as a global "30 under 30" for environmental education. She is a first-generation graduate and holds a BSc and Masters in Marine Biology.
Hannah O'Neill | Action Tutoring
After graduating with a degree in Sociology and Criminology in 2016, I became the 'Programme Coordinator for Liverpool' with Action Tutoring - a national education charity dedicated to supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve a meaningful level of academic attainment, with a view to enabling them to access further education, employment or training.
In August 2020, after 3.5 years as a Programme Coordinator, having built a series of strong, collaborative relationships and partnerships across the region, I was promoted to the new position of 'Partnerships and Fundraising Manager', leading corporate and university relationships across the country to strengthen the charity, whilst overseeing the charities fundraising activities.
A passionate volunteer, having volunteered for several years as an A-Level Sociology tutor, a mentor for young women, befriender for Mencap and a Veterans charity for retired Armed Forces personnel, and as a fundraiser for The Cat’s Protection League. My CPD includes qualifying as a certified Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner, Timeline Coach and Hypnotherapist Practitioner.
I innately believe we can all be the difference that makes the difference.