Rouya embarked on her professional journey in banking and finance whilst studying Psychology and Counselling at the University of Huddersfield.
Despite initial doubts about fitting into the traditional banking world, Rouya was determined to pursue this career path becoming the first in her family to venture into banking. Born in the UK to parents that migrant in the 1970s, she recognised the industry’s lack of diversity, which only fuelled her desire to pioneer within her family.
Starting as a part-time cashier at her local branch, Rouya quickly advanced to become a personal banker demonstrating her capabilities and earning recognition for her high achievement. Her leadership qualities were evident as she rose to the position of branch manager, overseeing a team of nine during the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, where she emerged as an influential leader.
In 2021, Rouya transitioned to Eagle Labs as a Digital Security Hub Lab Manager, dedicated to supporting Greater Manchester’s cyber ecosystem. Alongside her main role Rouya advocated passionately for Barclays to promote diversity and inclusion, proactively engaging in related initiatives. Following a promotion, she extended her support to government-funded programmes such as Product Builder, supporting idea-stage founders in testing, validating, and developing their products. Rouya also contributed to the Female Founder Accelerator programme, providing women with tailored masterclasses and 121 support, and launched the Black Venture Growth programme, supporting Black founders in overcoming barriers to fundraising through targeted support and facilitating their scaling journey.