Emma Letheren | Equity Research analyst | RBC
I joined RBC on their graduate scheme after studying Economics at the University of Nottingham.
After nine months on Equity Sales I moved into the Consumer Staples team in Equity Research. I was able to keep spending time with clients, which I love, but also develop my accounting and valuation skills and get a better insight into a specific sector. I feel very lucky that the move was into Consumer Staples - a tangible and relatable sector as we all consume food, beverages and personal care items. My career has enabled me to spend my days conversing with interesting and incredibly intelligent people about how the world will evolve (including the CEOs and CFOs of some of the biggest companies in the world!). The role has also afforded me the opportunity to fly to many interesting places such as Mumbai and Mexico City to understand the consumer in these markets.
Alongside my role in Equity Research, I am the Secretary Officer at RWomen, an Employee Resource Group at RBC focused on championing D&I through events, personal development and charity opportunities for employees. Within this role I focus on driving impact of the committee which is set up with various sub-teams (Membership, Communications, Events, Internal Cultural Change). I bring all of those teams together and develop resources to help us collaborate in the most effective way.
Anna Blomqvist | Director, Product Specialist, Investment & Wealth Solutions | HSBC Private Banking
After 12 years in investment banking and institutional research sales in both New York and London and took the leap to join HSBC Private Banking and wealth management.
I initiated and build the business we call Equity Advisory offering bespoke equity portfolio service in line with clients’ investment criteria and risk tolerance. Today we proactively manage 125+ portfolios and USD500m in assets on an advisory basis. Our Equity Advisory Service has become a ‘differentiating factor’ and a ‘competitive advantage’ for HSBC Private Bank with an established track record of outperformance. We recently expanded responsibility to also include the funds business with both active and passive investment solutions.
At home I am blessed with a supporting husband and three energetic young boys.
In Wealth Management we have the opportunity to help clients reach their dreams. With thoughtful dedication and perseverance, always putting the client at the centre of what we do, we can make a true difference.
In my spare time I am an active member of the Investment Committee of a UK Charity Girl Friendly Society that support unprivileged girls and young women.
Hacer Evans | Managing Director | Accenture UKI
Since joining Accenture 3 years ago, Hacer has led the Tax and Borders & Trade business, for the UK arm of this global consultancy. Prior to joining, she has spent the last 27 years working in the public sector.
Hacer started her career in the field of Forensic Science at Thames Valley Police, following this she held various leadership positions as Head of Forensic Science and Head of Profession for Justice and Forensic Science at BTP.
In 2014, Hacer graduated from the Strategic Command Course and in 2015 transferred to Sussex Police as an Assistant Chief Officer, taking up a national role as Director of the Digital Policing Portfolio. Here she was responsible for developing and delivering digitally enabled enhancements to national policing across four major programmes of work.
In 2020, Hacer joined NHS Digital as the Director of Screening Technology, responsible for the operational management of national screening services and the national Digital Transformation of Screening programme. During this time Hacer was also responsible for the Mass Flu Vaccination programme and mobilised the National Booking Service for C-19 Vaccinations.
As the UK Technology Gender Lead at this global consultancy, she is passionate about gender equality in technology and is an ambassador and advocate for STEM, investing time in making young women aware of the opportunities available to them.
Dialid Santiago | Vice President Quantitative Analyst | Bank of America
Growing up in a small town in Mexico, where most people still relied on a cash-only economy, I knew little about Finance and Banking.
Despite this, I had the fortune to pursue my dream of studying mathematics and becoming a Financial Quantitative Analyst. This has given me the opportunity to learn, grow, meet amazing people, and most importantly being able to give back and help others who are starting their own journey.
Before coming to the UK, I got an MSc and a BSc in Mathematics. In 2016, I graduated from the University of Warwick with a PhD in Mathematics/Statistics. I started my journey as a Quant at The Co-operative Bank, working on operational risk and credit score models. Then, I joined Barclays as a model developer focusing on statistical models for Corporate banking. I made the transition into Investment Banking by joining the CCR team at Barclays, and later at Bank of America. During those years, I worked on developing, monitoring, and benchmarking mathematical models for market and credit risk.
In 2021, I took on a new challenge by joining the front office Commodities Quant team at Citigroup. This gave me the opportunity to expand my view of the business as a whole. The same year, I became a mom and experienced the huge transformation that this conveys (full of challenges but also an incredible renewed enthusiasm, energy, and ambition). Currently, I work as a Cross-Asset Quant at BofA and dedicate my free time to writing, teaching, and mentoring.
Kellie Kwarteng | Founder & CEO | Halzak / Elevate - Women in Tech
Kellie Kwarteng is a recruitment industry leader and champion for diversity and inclusion within the tech industry.
As Founder and CEO of Halzak, Kellie connects underrepresented talent with leading tech companies. She also founded and hosts Elevate - Women in Tech, spotlighting inspirational stories to empower women`s ambitions in the tech sector and as of 2024 a Leadership Mentor Program and inspiring community network for women and male allies to connect and inspire women to remain in tech.
Previously, Kellie served as UK Partner at SThree PLC a global $1 billion STEM specialist, spearheading the launch and growth of their Public Sector division into the group`s largest UK division. She then became Global Group President for a boutique tech staffing firm, supporting their growth and operations.
In addition to her recruitment experience, Kellie operates as a business coach to staffing companies and women in tech. She is passionate about opening doors for diverse talent and helping companies build inclusive teams.
Outside of work, Kellie is a dedicated wife and mother of two. She enjoys playing and coaching girls` netball in her spare time. With her multifaceted career and commitment to empowering others, Kellie is a leader driving change in the recruitment industry.
Olivia Greenwell | Programme Manager | Get Further
Olivia`s academic background is in mathematical physics but she also has a keen interest in politics, psychology and music. On graduating from the University of Manchester, Olivia undertook a Teaching Assistant role, with a particular focus on children with Special Educational Needs.
Olivia moved into the charity sector in September 2022, taking on a role as a workshop facilitator for Solutions Not Sides. The workshops aimed to educate young people about the conflict in Israel-Palestine by encouraging critical thinking and a non biased approach.
Having enjoyed working with this age group, Olivia took on the role of Lead Tutor at Further Education charity, Get Further, in November 2022. This was alongside her work with Solutions Not Sides. Olivia quickly progressed within Get Further to the roles of Programme Coordinator, Senior Programme Coordinator and, most recently, Programme Manager in February 2024. As a Programme Manager, Olivia manages a team of Programme Coordinators and contributes to Get Further`s strategy and development as a member of the Senior Management Team.
Olivia is passionate about tackling educational inequality and has enjoyed seeing the positive effects of Get Further`s work on students. She has contributed to Get Further`s policy and advocacy work by organising MP visits to partner colleges and networking with key figures in parliament. Olivia has also contributed to Get Further`s impact analysis by using her mathematical skills to study factors affecting student attendance and attainment.
Kellie Coyle | Marketing Manager | Action Tutoring
I have worked for Action Tutoring for almost five years; just over two years as Marketing Manager, and a Partnerships Coordinator and HR/Office Assistant prior to that.
Having worked in schools in Luton (my hometown) as a Volunteer Reader and Teaching Assistant, I was motivated to join my current organisation because I wanted to make a difference to children’s lives, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Following the completion of my undergraduate degree in English and American Literature at the University of Birmingham, I worked for a year as a Teaching Assistant. Unsure of my next step (but certain it wasn’t teaching for now!), I travelled and worked abroad for a few years in customer-facing roles before returning to the UK and moving to London.
Natalie Diana Busari | Director | The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis CIC
After spending more than a decade working as a Software Engineer and Web developer in various banks and media agencies in central London and Canary Wharf, my career took a U-turn when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), this life-changing moment led me to dedicate myself full-time to my not-for-profit patient organisation, The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis.
Since my MS diagnosis, my journey has been about breaking societal norms and amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities within the MS landscape.
Establishing The Nerve of My Multiple Sclerosis CIC, I created a safe space specifically for Black women navigating the challenges of living with MS. Through this organisation, I tirelessly advocate, support, and empower, aiming to change misconceptions and nurture a sense of belonging for all.
My dedication to advocacy and passion for change has enabled me to have access to various platforms, shedding light on the lack of diversity in MS research and media. My goal extends beyond just representation; it is about reshaping how MS is perceived and approached in diverse forms.
As I strive to break barriers, I aspire to be a source of hope for Black women worldwide, encouraging them to share their experiences and demand a place at the table. My mission is to revolutionise MS awareness, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable future.
Priya Rajendran | Managing Director - Sub cluster Operations head | Citigroup
I started my career in the hotel industry in India and moved onto the Banking Industry.
Leading Service and Operations & Technology teams is my passion. I joined a call centre in the UK for Citigroup in 1999. I later gained experience as a subject matter expert when the call centre was migrated to Barcelona which resulted in me leading the next big migration from Barcelona to Chennai a few years later. My first role as Country Operations and Technology (O&T) head was in 2008 when I realised my passion for people management and leading O&T teams. In 2014 I wanted to expand my experience and moved into a regional role in Anti Money Laundering. In 2016, I joined Standard Chartered Bank as the Regional Head for Private & Banking Operations. In 2020 I rejoined Citi as the Cluster Operations & Technology head for Turkey, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. This role brought me experience in managing countries in a war related crisis. This led me to my current role of managing Operations & Technology across 9 countries in North Africa, Levant & Central Asia consisting of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Kazakhstan. Managing a crisis and Operational Resilience has become a big part of the roles I have carried out in the last few years.
Jasmine Bishop | Senior Programme Coordinator - Attendance | Get Further
Jasmine began her career in education during her time at university, supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their GCSE science studies through tailored, one-to-one tutoring on the ASCENTS programme.
This ignited a passion for helping young people from all backgrounds to access to the support they need, to gain key qualifications and skills, and she hasn`t stopped tutoring since.
In 2022, Jasmine jumped at the opportunity to join tutoring charity, Get Further, as an opportunity to support young people on a wider scale. By coordinating English and maths tuition programmes for students at Further Education colleges across the North of England, she was able to make a big difference to the lives of students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are missing the gateway qualifications they need to access opportunities and unlock their potential.
In her time at Get Further, Jasmine has overseen the delivery of programmes in some of England’s most remote locations, providing students with transformative, tailored support that would otherwise be out of reach. She has grown with the rapidly expanding charity, quickly becoming a leader in the programmes team and taking on responsibility for key areas such as tutor communications and student feedback. In her current role, she holds responsibility for driving charity-wide programme attendance, a notable barrier to student attainment in schools and colleges. She hopes to continue to make a positive change to the lives of students by ensuring excellent engagement with the support Get Further offers, and by collaborating with dedicated individuals across the sector.