Arpita Agrawal | HSBC
Robust experience of nearly three decades in leading Finance change, large scale global IT delivery and support functions primarily in financial services and manufacturing domain across consumer markets including retail and institutional.
Pioneered focused practices for mergers, divestments, strategic sourcing initiatives, global development services and sizeable supplier engagements. Managed delivery verticals, lead shared services horizontal teams and setup technology & testing methodologies. Record yield output by devising competent models for account management, change management and resource management.
Contributed to strategic initiatives for nailing financial challenges and provided sturdy guidance for entire progression cycle from conceptualization to implementation. Proficient in operating mature Finance Technology & Change function that enables informed strategy and decision making in alignment with financial objectives and target operating model. Drives delivery of investment projects as per P3M standards along with dexterity in driving CXO engagements, team management and performance improvements.
Lead various Diversity & Inclusion initiatives including women empowerment, pride & rainbow, workforce enablement, People with disabilities, Girl Child Education in India.
Anju Gurung | British Gurkhas Nepal
After my studies of intermediate level in Commerce, I immediately started to look for a job due to financial problems.
I started my first job as a sales executive in an art gallery from the year 2002 to 2006. It involved the selling of arts and decorative objectives. My main job also included the dealing of customized framing for arts, photos, and decorative objects.
I joined British Gurkhas Nepal in the year 2007 as a telegraph operator. Getting adapted to a military environment was amazing. It was in a different city from where I live. In between the years, I continued my studies and graduated with a Bachelors’ degree in Humanities and Social Studies. Then I was posted as an assistant mess manager back to my hometown in 2014. A very challenging job since day one but a great experience. Then 2017 was the year that I was promoted to my current position as an assistant to Civil Secretary in the headquarter. This must be the most suitable position for me as I felt I have achieved a lot for me as well as the organization. I got the opportunity to test my skills in Human resource matters and issues.
PwC
We are a global professional services partnership organisation.
As professional advisers we help our clients solve complex business problems and aim to enhance their ability to add value, manage risk and improve performance. Primarily Accountants and Management consultants, we offer services in Actuarial, Audit, Risk, Consulting, Deals, Tax and Technology.
NatWest
A relationship bank for a digital world.
We champion potential; breaking down barriers and building financial confidence so the 19 million people, families and businesses we serve in communities throughout the UK and Ireland can rebuild and thrive. If our customers succeed, so will we.
NatWest Group is the largest business and commercial bank in the UK, with a leading retail business. We are the biggest supporter of the business sector – banking around 1 in 4 businesses across the UK and Ireland, from start-ups to multi-nationals.
We are closely connected to our 19 million customers across the UK and Ireland; through a comprehensive range of banking and financial services, and a strong local and regional footprint. This connection to customers and communities builds our trust and knowledge; enabling us to support our customers effectively, throughout their lives as their financial needs and priorities evolve.
We champion their potential, by helping to identify and break down the barriers they may be facing. During this period of economic uncertainty and disruption, we have stepped up to support our customers in faster, more personal and digitally-enabled ways. Guided by our purpose and strategy, we have the proven intent and means to deepen our customer relationships, grow our business, balance the needs of all our stakeholders, and drive long-term, sustainable returns for our shareholders.
In an ever-changing world it has never been more important to stand for something. Our Purpose is our North Star – it is the cornerstone of everything we do. It recognises that our business is made up of a network of relationships with multiple stakeholders with different interests. We know relationships run deeper than transactions and that we need to consider the interests of all our stakeholders. In 2020, Our Purpose could be seen in action, as we stepped up quickly to put in place extraordinary measures to support our customers, colleagues and communities through the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are three focus areas of Our Purpose where we can make a meaningful contribution to our customers, colleagues and communities: climate, enterprise and learning. We will lead the fight against climate change by playing an active role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. As the champion of businesses in the UK and Ireland we will remove barriers to enterprise and help the economy build back better. And we will build financial capability by helping those who want to take control of their finances and their futures to make the most of their money.
The strength of our culture underpins everything we do. We deliver on our promises and live by our values as one bank; serving customers, working together, doing the right thing and thinking long-term.
Our strategy is to deliver on Our Purpose and drive sustainable returns to shareholders through four strategic priorities. We will support our customers at every stage of their lives by being more relevant to them and by building deeper relationships as we evolve our propositions to meet their needs throughout their lives. We will be much simpler as a bank and much simpler to deal with for our customers, through a focus on great customer service technology and improving customer journeys. We will be powered by innovation and partnerships by using new technology and digital expertise to deliver an excellent customer experience – harnessing our internal knowledge and experience and partnering with leading external organisations around the world. We will allocate our capital better to drive growth and optimise returns from a safe and secure base.
We will deliver these priorities from a strong balance sheet and capital generative businesses, which give us the necessary flexibility to navigate an uncertain outlook, to support our customers, and deliver sustainable returns to shareholders.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force was formed in the crucible of the First World War and for over a century has been constantly dedicated to serving the needs of the Nation both in times of peace and conflict.
The four core roles of the RAF are: to defend the airspace of the UK, our dependent territories and our allies; to provide air mobility, often in support of humanitarian operations; to provide intelligence through the use of aerial reconnaissance; and lastly, within strict legal constraints, to apply force to achieve national objectives.
The RAF’s capability does not primarily come from our equipment, although much of it is at the cutting edge of technology, rather it comes from the quality of our people. We are therefore dedicated to selecting, training and supporting all of our Service personnel so that they can best fulfil their potential both for themselves and for the Nation. With more than 32,000 very different individuals making up a cohesive and united team, we take pride in driving forward ‘Through Adversity to the Stars.’
Joe Fowles | Oliver Wyman
I am an Engagement Manager in the Public Sector and Policy team at Oliver Wyman, a global management consultancy firm.
I support governments, regulators, and public bodies across the world in dealing with their toughest challenges, focusing on areas such as economic development, combatting financial crime and organisational transformation. My previous roles were at the British Business Bank and PayPal.
A large part of my work looks at inclusion and under-representation. I co-authored Alone together: Entrepreneurship and diversity in the UK, as well as the UK Venture Capital & Female Founders report. At Oliver Wyman, I co-founded Men4Change, a network that seeks to actively engage men and other allies in reducing inequities at the firm and in our society. I also serve on the global committee of Oliver Wyman’s Women’s Network (WOW).
I live in North London and at the weekends you’ll either find me running along the Regent’s Canal or cheering on Arsenal and the England cricket team.
Tom Robb | PwC
I grew up in London with New Zealand parents and went to a comprehensive school in North London.
I joined PwC on the graduate scheme in 1999 and have done a number of roles mainly focused around insurance and asset management audit. I was promoted to partner in 2011 and became the leader of the UK Insurance Audit practice with a team of around 400 in 2017. About 10 years ago, I became involved in diversity through events run by iWIN, ISC, iCAN, and the Chartered Institute of Insurers (Insuring Women’s Future), including sponsoring events, pledging for HeforShe and encouraging women and men in my teams to get involved.
Gary Ford | Moonshot Consultancy Ltd
I am an independent consultant working across the IT sector and the wider management environment, where I have a particular interest in the intersection between technology and diversity and inclusion. I am the founder of Moonshot Consultancy Ltd.
I have more than 30 years’ experience in the IT industry, focused on Financial Services.
Until early in 2020, I was a Managing Director within Global Technology at JPMorgan Chase (JPM), a large US financial services organisation with over 270,000 employees. Whilst there, he led a number of strategic programmes across the firm, as well running several large IT service management functions for their Corporate and Investment Bank.
In the last year, I have also set up 2 other new businesses in partnership with others. The first is a dialogic thinktank called the 4iforum which is looking to help people in leadership roles create new ways of thinking through the power of dialogue. The second is an EdTech start up which is looking to become the TripAdvisor for Education.
I am currently also working with NHS-Digital on a service management transformation programme.
Stuart Nyemecz | Dell Technologies
At Dell Technologies I lead the Enterprise Business in the UK.
Ultimately, we help customers deal with the myriad of challenges around realising their Digital Transformation, and in the Enterprise division, we work with the largest and most complex organisations globally. I am also a Board Member, a Diversity Champion and a company spokesperson, and I play an active part in a couple of EMEA and Global leadership committees.
My previous roles in Dell Technologies included Strategy and Sales leadership positions, as well as deep vertical expertise within the financial services and public sector divisions. I brought my consulting experience to Dell Technologies from Accenture as part of a joint venture to establish Dell Technologies original consulting business where I led the delivery organisation, and prior to that had an earlier IT career at BT. I hold a BSc in Computer Science from Durham University and alumni of Cranfield Business School.
I am an advocate of balancing a strong work ethic with time for family and adventure, having taken a six-month sabbatical with my own young family to travel the world.
Jibran Ahmed | Capco
I lead the Research and Development and Innovation Labs teams at Capco, which focus on the use of cutting-edge technologies, such as AI and Machine Learning, to solve existing problems within Financial Services and build the future of the banking industry.
I have a passion for modern technologies and a heritage in delivering innovative change for some of the biggest banks in the world, covering Retail, Commercial, Wealth Management and Investment Banks.
I’ve worked in the Financial Services sector since completing my studies in Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, starting initially as a software developer, before moving on to architecture design and change implementation. Over the last eleven years as a consultant, I’ve focused on pushing the boundaries of Financial Services by making the “art of the possible” a reality for large financial institutions, not only through implementing technology change, but also through pushing for changes in the way organisations work, collaborate and most importantly how they create environments for their people to thrive.