TOP 10 - FUTURE LEADERS 2021
This award will recognise those that have initiated processes or begun working on this agenda within their organisation.
AMBILY BANERJEE
Director, Therapeutic Group, Global Regulatory Affairs
Ambily has been co-leading EMBRACE ERG since 2019, and has influenced senior leaders at GSK to implement strategies such as setting targets for senior roles and implementing sponsorship programmes for ethnic minorities. Ambily is the Deputy Chair of the Network of Networks, which brings together ERG leads from 120+ organisations to share best practices. Ambily also serves on the Board of a not-for-profit ‘Microbit Educational Foundation’ which strives to improve representation in Tech. She is a Trustee of ‘Slough Council for Voluntary Services’, a charity that has played a key part in supporting the local community during covid.
AYOOLUWA OGUNBAMBI-ALAO MIET
Project Engineer
Balfour Beatty
AyoOluwa has worked at Balfour Beatty for 4 years, firstly as a graduate engineer and now as a Project Engineer on High Voltage substations. To date, she has been highly active within D&I and has: contributed to various development programmes, reviewed content for training, ran events, delivered presentations, Co-Chaired the Multi-Cultural & Allies Affinity Network and reverse mentored the group CEO. Recently, she was consulted on the Black Inclusion Plan and is a member of the working group responsible for its delivery. Her hobbies include cooking, climbing & skateboarding.
EUNICE ZHU
Director, Head of Counterparty Risk (XVA) Trading
SMBC Nikko Capital Markets (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation)
Eunice is an award-winning derivatives specialist and trader, CFA charterholder, with proven success leading the counterparty risks (XVA) trading desk buildout, portfolio management and strategic project management. Eunice is a winner of the WATC Rising Star Award (in Banking & Capital Markets). As a passionate advocate for gender and racial diversity, Eunice has been instrumental in creating and leading several women’s networks, including the Lean In (Women in Banking & Finance) circle with 227 members and counting.
JEREMY ITOJE
Chief of Staff to Global Head of FS&I
Jeremy is dedicated to putting the BAME agenda at the forefront of Atos’s priorities. He has become a vital part of the Together Network; the companies race and culture network, throwing himself into every opportunity to improve the BAME experience in Atos. Jeremy uses large platforms to address BAME issues. In October he won an Atos speaking competition, he spoke on how digital can be used to liberate people whether that be racial or cultural. He also gave a speech at the Diversity Expo regarding the importance of diversity within the technology industry. Both talks can be found online.
KEMI FAJOYE
HR Advisor
Kemi Fajoye is the co-founder and Co-Chair of P.R.I.M.E. Under Kemi’s inspirational leadership, P.R.I.M.E. was nominated in the 2020 Ethnicity Awards in the category of top ten ERGs/Networks. Passionate about DEI and a founding member of Pearson’s Global DEI Taskforce, Kemi was selected as one of four secondees at the end of 2020, managing and leading the review of company-wide policies and practices with a DEI lens. Her leadership and commitment to workforce equality and inclusion led to Kemi changing roles from Senior Investigator, to Human Resources Advisor for Pearson in January 2021, further leveraging her DEI experience and knowledge.
KENJI KING
Treasury Credit Risk and Regulatory Submissions Manager
Co-operative Bank
Hi, my name is Kenji King and I’m an accountant at the Co-operative Bank. I’m also a committee member of REACH: a colleague-run inclusion and diversity network designed to celebrate the Bank’s Race, Ethnicity And Cultural Heritage. One of our key aims is to take action that supports ethnic minority career progression. Over the past year, we have worked with the Social Mobility Foundation (one of the Bank’s strategic charity partners) to pilot an e-mentoring scheme within the Bank which is designed to provide opportunities for young individuals from the SMF’s “aspiring professionals programme” (high-achieving year 12 students, typically from lower-socio-economic, ethnic minority backgrounds) to access the workplace.
LATISHA MCKENZIE
Procurement & Finance Officer
National Grid
Latisha McKenzie is the Procurement and Finance Officer at National Grid, one of the world’s largest publicly listed utilities. Besides her role, Latisha is the Chair of ‘ONE’ National Grid’s multicultural network aimed to promote and celebrate ethnic diversity.
Latisha is passionate about Diversity, Equality and Inclusion and during her chairpersonship, Latisha has led a committee of volunteers and some 500+ members to break down barriers and celebrate the successes of ethnic minority talent, both internally and externally.
Building several partnerships, Latisha has encouraged the conversation of D&I and Allyship through her organisation and the importance that it brings back to the workplace and wider society.
NAYEEM SYED
Senior Legal Director
London Stock Exchange Group
Nayeem is a Senior Legal Director at London Stock Exchange Group where his recent work focus has been complex outsourcing and enterprise and financial technology procurement. He has previously worked at Google, Barclays, TimeWarner and ViacomCBS. He is a New York and UK qualified lawyer with an MBA from London Business School.
Nayeem is Co-Chair of the Asian Inclusion Network at LSEG. Over the past few years, he has worked to grow the network and engage with senior leadership for support. Nayeem has actively pressed the D&I agenda with management, including constructively challenging and changing policies and activities. The network grew from zero to 200+ members, formed a network of networks (NoN) with other major financial services firms’ BAME networks and set up a BAME cross-mentoring scheme. He is also Chair of Governors at a secondary school.
SIMONE ROBINSON
Senior Talent Consultant
Jaguar Land Rover
Simone Robinson is a Senior Talent Consultant at Jaguar Land Rover and also chair of the R.E.A.C.H (Race Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) Employee Network. Simone is dedicated to creating a more inclusive culture at Jaguar Land Rover by empowering under-represented employees of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, ensuring they are respected, included in the workplace, and have equal opportunities.
So far, Simone’s integrity and perseverance have created safe spaces for people to feel supported, given underrepresented employees a platform, and started those difficult conversations on race to break down barriers. Taking every opportunity to address the knowledge gap that currently exists, Simone champions the views, experiences, and identities of the network members across the business, so that people can develop a better understanding and together create a culture accepting of all.
Simone also leads a team of volunteers every Friday night to help tackle homelessness in Birmingham. The volunteer-led charity, Let’s Feed Brum, provides food, drink, essential supplies, and friendship to those living on the streets.
VINCENT EGUNLAE
Grant Thornton UK LLP
Vincent is a qualified accountant and a public sector consultant working at Grant Thornton UK LLP. Vincent co-founded and is Chair of his firm’s Ethnicity Network, aiming to reduce the firm’s ethnicity pay gap and become more representative. Vincent also sits on the Inclusion Advisory Board, advising the Strategic Leadership Team on operational and strategic decisions.
Vincent is also the co-founder of The Open Private School, a charity that aims to provide state-school-educated students with some of the intangible benefits of private education. He is also a One Young World Ambassador (the world’s pre-eminent forum for future leaders.)