Georgina Robinson | Miller Insurance Services
I started my career in Insurance 13 years ago, initially working as a Lenders' Insurance Advisor at Miller Insurance Services.
After a year or so in this role I moved into the construction team working as an insurance broker.
I have enjoyed growing in my role and am now an Account Executive in the International Construction team. My role involves client management and business development as well as continuing broking and managing underwriter relationships.
I enjoy the variety of my role working with international clients to develop their construction insurance programmes.
I did leave the industry for 2 years after the birth of my second child in 2015. This was not an easy decision but at the time I could not find a solution to juggle child caring responsibilities and working in the City.
I only returned in 2017 after the opportunity became available to work flexibly and re-joined Miller on a job-share basis.
As my children have grown and childcare has become more flexible I have been able to return into my role full time and benefitted from being able to progress in my role, receiving promotion and recognition from Miller for my efforts.
Neeru Verma | PwC
Understanding insights, coupled with the right technology to ensure it is not only providing a robust solution but also an enhanced customer experience, has been the key principal within my career when delivering transformative programmes across the Financial Services Sector.
After graduating from Aston University, I spent a year in retail banking, before joining the IBM graduate scheme, where I started my career in software services sales. I soon decided to specialise within financial services and the world of data, but it was the analytics, and making the difference that really got me excited. Just over 8 years and few small moves in between, I have found my new ‘work home’ at PwC.
Over the last three years my focus has been within the Insurance industry and I have successfully delivered complex technology solutions to insurance clients, changing the status-quo on how they serve their customers through improvements in claims and policy platforms.
I’m fiercely passionate about enabling people to bring their best selves to work every day and I strongly believe a winning team is the key to success. Therefore, with successful delivery being my core goal, I also wear multiple hats where I can invest in my teams and the client through knowledge transfer and mentoring high performing versatile teams across multiple geographies.
Alongside my delivery role it has been very important for me to promote and actively make a difference within Gender and Inclusiveness, particularly regarding cultural awareness. Having come from a BAME background, it is important for me to break down the barriers and perceptions and create a platform for an integrated working environment. I am involved in several activities around the firm: I have worked with leadership to share and lead on gender and cultural differences, and how this can create different behaviours and dynamics. I also play an active role in supporting and co-leading the Tech Associate group for new graduates and supporting the technology careers of many team members, by delivering coaching and training sessions in insurance industry digital technologies and agile delivery methodologies.
Outside of my work life I am passionate about travel, fitness, and family. Travel being so much that I have also qualified and set up as an independent travel agent with an aim to grow a team and provide further career opportunities of my own in the future.
Shu Lee | PwC
I have always been interested in mathematics which naturally led to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in mathematical sciences.
Having decided not to pursue an academic career, I went on to work in various data and analytics departments across different industries, ranging from retail to specialised engineering. I joined PwC as a data and technology consultant in 2019 and I have been working with some of the largest insurers in the UK on data driven strategies. My mathematical training has been invaluable in my working life as it trains me to discover the best logic for possible solutions and relate the data available to problems in hand.
Alexandra Egge | Mott MacDonald
Alexandra is a Town Planner who takes an innovative approach to the analysis of wellbeing and social impacts of the built and natural environment.
She has an MSc in Spatial Planning and Urban Design from the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London, for which she was awarded the RTPI Prize for Academic Achievement. She began her career as a Transport Planner specialising in scheme appraisal and analysing the wider impacts of integrated transportation infrastructure upon social and economic outcomes. She developed an industry-leading tool, the Wellbeing Impact Evaluation (WELLIE) to embed the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act within the Welsh Transport Appraisal Guidance (WelTAG) Process which enables practitioners to maximise the contribution of transport infrastructure towards wider community benefits and builds these benefits into the business cases for schemes. She was awarded the Royal Town Planning Institute Young Planner of the Year 2019, the Constructing Excellence Wales 'Future Leader' Award and the CIHT Cymru 'Small Transportation Project or Study' award for her work to develop, promote and implement WELLIE on projects throughout Wales. In 2019 she published 'Rethinking Wellbeing in Transport Appraisal' which she presented at the Transport Practitioner's Meeting, in addition to hosting workshops and lectures for Welsh Government and professional institutions to share her research on Designing Infrastructure for Wellbeing.
In 2020 Alex progressed into her current role as a Town Planner where she builds upon her experience and expertise to create communities which support sustainable wellbeing through a holistic approach towards placemaking. She is currently developing and presenting a module on the theme of Sustainable Placemaking within Cities which will be presented to an international cohort of Cities Practitioners. She is also developing research to explore the impact of spatial psychology upon place-based solutions to health inequalities as part of the post-COVID19 recovery for city centres.
Amy Whitehead | London Underground
After graduating from the University of Leicester with a 1st class honours BSc Mathematic, I applied and successfully joined the extremely competitive TfL’s Project Management graduate scheme.
Whilst on the scheme I have worked on a diverse portfolio of projects varying in size and complexity; including Cycle Superhighways (Feasibility), Fit for the Future (Concept Design) and Earls Court Development Project (Delivery/Handover). I also had a six-month placement in project sponsorship where I was accountable for 7 Commercial Development projects.
During my time on the graduate programme, I completed my MSc in Project Management at UCL (University College London). Juggling my studies with a full-time career proved difficult, however, due to my persistence, resilience and time management skills, I successfully graduated with a Distinction and was asked to present my dissertation findings at a RICS Conference in April 2018.
After the graduate scheme I became an Assistant Project Manager in LU (London Underground) Asset Development, which managed large scale enhancement projects with 3rd Party investments. I worked across several projects including Lillie Bridge Depot Facilitation Project, London Road Sidings Feasibility Study, Tottenham Hale Station Upgrade (£50m) and Colindale Station Redevelopment (£27m). I was responsible for the management of different workstreams within these projects as well as a stakeholder engagement during a difficult period for LU, where there were several significant organisational changes.
Due to my experience in delivering during the design phases, I became Acting Project Manager for Colindale Station Redevelopment in January 2018 and after a successful interview process, I became Project Manager in May 2018. I managed the project through concept design; successfully obtaining approval from the London Fire Brigade and LU discipline engineers for the use of Glulam Timber in the station, an unprecedented achievement for a LU station. I also led the team and obtained planning permission from Barnet for the station and the adjacent site development. One of the biggest challenges was to overcome the conflicting interests of the station and the adjacent site development in terms of interfaces with structure, delivery timescales and logistics.
Working on Colindale Station Redevelopment has provided me with the opportunity to challenge the norm and use my initiative to find project efficiencies, whilst ensuring that quality and health and safety is not compromised. One key example of this is the Construction Support Study that was completed as part of the procurement of detailed design. This approach had some significant positive outcomes including reducing the Estimated Final Cost by £6.9m and improving the construction sequencing, reducing the station closure period, by more than half, from 27 weeks to 12 weeks.
After being identified in March 2020 as a future leader within Renewals and Enhancements (R&E), I was invited and succeeded in applying for an Executive Officer role. This position gave me responsibility for leading key business improvement initiatives on behalf of the Head of Renewals (R&E 2021 Initiative) and provided exposure and input to senior leadership decision making. I was able to develop effective working relationships with Directors, Senior Managers and staff across LU and promote positive strategic relationships across R&E. I have been instrumental in ensuring that R&E wide initiatives are applied in the Renewals Programme and identifying any potential issues, and solutions, with the subsequent roll out.
I am due to start as Lead Project Manager for Infrastructure on the Safe Track Access, a high priority project with aggressive timescales.
Leading important projects and teams as a young female has been challenging due to underlying biases around younger people and females in the construction industry. However, due to my motivation and proactive approach to achieving projects, targets and business objectives, as well as constantly striving to challenge and look for efficiencies, I am able to overcome these barriers.
Emma Palmer | Rail Delivery Group
Emma graduated with a BA in Management & Marketing, then went on to complete an MSc in Travel Management.
She joined the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) as Strategic Lead for Innovative Ticketing in 2016. She has been working to develop the industry customer proposition for Near Field Communication (NFC) ticketing and technical solutions that will deliver a revolutionary ticketing experience for customers.
She recently completed a 6 month secondment at Chiltern Railways as Head of Revenue. Now back at RDG she is leading an industry work stream on revenue recovery and commercial agreements.
Whilst working full time and being a mum to two small children she is also studying for a Diploma in Strategy and Innovation at Saïd Business School.
Emma is leading conversations in the rail industry with regards to improving Diversity & Inclusion within the rail industry. She has a clear goal to see better representation of minorities at senior levels and inspire others.
For 13 years Emma spent time her spare time as a legal advocate for young people in care as she is passionate about children's' right.
Hanna Osundina | Balfour Beatty Investments
I studied Architecture (BA) at the University of Sheffield and then went on to study Project Management in the Built Environment (MSc) at Oxford Brooks University and I am currently a Senior Development Manager for Balfour Beatty Investments.
I was inspired to enter the industry after reading ‘As Stars Shine Down’ by Sidney Sheldon. In this novel, the protagonist, Lara Cameron, is an Architect turned Property Developer and dominates a traditionally male industry. I read this book at 11 years old, and was inspired by the strength and determination of Lara, and understood what I wanted to achieve in my own career. I studied Architecture with dedication and pursued a role in Project Management to embody the change that I hope to see in this industry.
As a development specialist, I have had the opportunity to work on complex mixed use regeneration schemes in London. In my current role as Senior Development Manager, I am seconded to the East Wick and Sweetwater project joint venture, an £850 million regeneration project on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. In this role, I manage the feasibility, business planning, budget, design, programming and planning for c.1,800 homes and 20,000 sqft of non-residential floor space. I bring my skillset as a MRICS qualified planning and development professional to help achieve the vision for a community first neighbourhood. I additionally oversee eight internal staff members, including development managers, design managers and project managers, and over 24 different consultant teams, to help achieve the ambitious nine-month programme to submit the reserved matters planning application for c.1,600 homes across five phases. My previous experience includes Senior Development Officer and Development Officer roles at Linkcity (formerly Bouygues Development) and Peabody Housing Association, respectively.
I also founded Black Women in Real Estate in 2019 with the mandate to provide a community whereby Black women can effectively network, connect, empower each other and grow in the professional lives. Through my role on the Estate Gazette's D&I Content Advisory Panel, I am actively working with the industry to include diversity and inclusion in the workforce. In addition, I am the Vice Chair of the University of Greenwich's Construction, Property and Surveying Practices Industry Advisory Board, and sit on the board of E16 CLT: a community land trust in Newham, helping to make strategic decisions on the management of newly owned ex-council properties and the feasibility of future opportunities.
Lily Webb | Transport for London
Lily is passionate about delivering projects that positively transform customer experiences and deliver innovative solutions for clients in the transportation sector.
Lily studied MEng Civil Engineering and graduated with First Class Honours in 2016. Whilst at university, she was a scholarship student on the Institution of Civil Engineers/University of Surrey Scholarship scheme, gaining 18 months of industry experience with a major engineering consultancy with overseas visits in the North America, Middle East and Asia Pacific regions.
After graduating, Lily pursued her interest in the transportation sector, successfully delivering solutions for aviation clients and their local communities in and around London. Since 2019 she has worked for TfL, leading projects supporting the modernisation of Rolling Stock to deliver improved reliability, environmental benefits and transformative customer experiences for London Underground. Alongside her project management roles, Lily has supported the roll-out of training courses for her colleagues; digitally upskilling her project team and promoting TfL’s environmental commitments and sustainability initiatives as part of an award-winning Safety Foundation Course. Lily has also been recognised with “Make a Difference” awards for her continued contributions to improving safety and security across the business.
Outside of work, Lily is a passionate STEM ambassador and a member of the University of Surrey’s Industrial Advisory Board, a role in which she contributes to taught content evaluation and informs strategic changes to undergraduate degree programmes to better suit the future needs of industry.
Danielle Burton | GTR (Govia Thameslink Railway)
I joined the Railway as a member of the Social Media Team.
I had just completed my Masters Degree in History from the University of London and was at a loss of what to do or where to go next. Graduate unemployment was at an all-time high and I was feeling extremely despondent with the lack of opportunities out there. I applied for an internship with a celebrity boxer as a Social Media Manager and was very lucky to be successful. I was exposed to fantastic experiences in a fast paced, highly pressurised role where every single day was different and I loved it. However, the hours were long, the job offered no long-term security and I felt I was increasingly isolated from my family and friends due to always being on-call. When my contract came up for renewal, I decided it was time for a change but had no clue where to even start, and I definitely hadn’t even considered a railway career. It was only when I saw an advert for a social media advisor based at Three Bridges that this became a reality, and I was pleased to be offered an agency position. I loved the environment in Control; it offered me the fast-paced, ever-changing dynamic that I craved but with all the stability and progression opportunities that the Railway offers. I quickly realised that my future was here; I was surrounded by ambitious, hard working individuals who had really thrived and suddenly new doors were opened for me.
Since then, I have had roles as a Station Control Manager, a Senior Station Control Manager and now in my current role as a Training and Development Manager. I have been supported by my peers and my managers, and believe it shows that the Railway isn’t as fixed as it may be perceived to be. If you work hard and push yourself, you can achieve whatever you set your heart on, and I am so passionate about exposing our business to the millions of young people who would never even consider the Railway as a career path. This led me to co-chair our newly established Women's Network Group. There are so many opportunities for progression and self-development and I feel very fortunate to have stumbled into such a dynamic and exciting industry. My railway career has changed my life; I have a job I love, surrounded everyday by colleagues I count as friends, and have just bought my first house, simply because I started a career in the railway. I am fortunate to have met so many amazing fantastic people from all over the network, and especially lucky to have been involved in the Women’s Network Group. It has brought women from all over the country together to support each other, empower each other and contribute to the changing dynamic of our industry. This really is a time for a new ‘Rail Way’ and it’s an exciting time for anyone in our business.
In my current role, I have led the delivery of a Continuous Improvement and Culture Change Programme; Emerald. This has been both my biggest challenge and greatest opportunity in my career to date. I have worked to make lasting change at every stage of the employee lifecycle, and to create a more inclusive and forward-thinking working environment. I most recently was awarded my chartered membership of the CIPD, which was the next step in my career. I am looking forward to using this in my future and expanding my horizons.
Carolyne Ferguson | Kier
I started my association with customers as a 14-year-old wanting to earn extra cash in the evenings and weekends and soon found that my passion for people grew as I progressed into my late teens.
People fascinate me, probably why I choose a career in retail so I could truly examine them in all their glory. Over the years, I have experienced customers not knowing how to effectively communicate! I have been on the wrong side of customer's aggression too many times. Simply because customers did not know how to articulate their problems to me. So, what did I do?
I listened! After I had stepped back!
I joined Marks and Spencer as a Visual Merchandiser but very soon worked through the ranks to become a store manager. Leaving M&S, I joined Debenhams and enjoyed many a year interacting with customers and staff.
In 2014, I needed a new challenge but wanted to transfer my customer skills to another industry, so I joined a construction company as a customer service officer. Learning from the bottom about the industry but still keeping those important links and transferable skills, I felt that I had finally come home!
Promoted to Stakeholder Manager and then Stakeholder and Communications manager gave me aspirations to always deliver open and honest expectations to everyone involved so that confidence and trust could be built by all parties.
I started working for Kier Highways on the smart motorway project on the M23 in April 2018. Working on a major project is always exciting and keeping all the plates spinning is a challenge but really enjoyable and rewarding.