Nicola firmly believes that the finance sector has a responsibility to create a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable world. From 2007 whilst working on a trading floor, Nicola began to question the negative impact of complex financial products on the wider economy. Following a career break in 2010 to work on a sustainability project in Peru, she studied part time for a Masters in CSR focusing on corporate governance, ethics, sustainability and human rights, achieving first class honours. Since 2012 she has been pioneering the EMEA CSR programme of MUFG, a major Japanese bank, developing a regional community investment programme leading to the bank’s shortlisting for a prestigious Lord Mayor of London Dragon award. At a global level, she initiated a materiality analysis to identify the bank’s most important social and environmental issues in order deliver value to the business and stakeholders. Ready for a new challenge, she has recently joined EY’s EMEIA financial services office as Corporate Sustainability Operations Lead.
A change agent, Nicola is passionate about inspiring, educating and learning with and from others to move the dial in a collaborative way; through mentor and mentee relationships, as a co-founder of the women’s network at MUFG, as an active One Young World ambassador and with a blog on the Huffington Post. Consequently, she has been invited to speak in New York at the B Team forum, a collection of business and world leaders led by Richard Branson, who have come together to advance the wellbeing of people and the planet through business. Committed to be part of changing the sector for the better – Nicola advocates for more women in senior roles, more long-term and ethical decision making and a financial services sector that responds to the needs of our society.