2023 Top 100 Executives

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Titi Cole

CEO, Legacy Franchises

Citi

Raised in Nigeria and having worked on five continents, Titi Cole sees Diversity, Equity & Inclusion through a global lens. As the first Black woman on Citi's Executive Management team, Titi uses her position as CEO of Legacy Franchises to address systemic and structural barriers that impede the advancement of women and underrepresented groups. Titi is actively engaged in DE&I efforts within Citi by supporting Citi Women as a Global Co-Lead, the Black Heritage Network and Pride Network and, outside the organization, she donates her time to support financial literacy programs with the Council for Economic Education and various schools and universities. Titi has also helped expand recruiting and talent identification for Citi University Partnership in Innovation and Discovery, a program where underrepresented minority students work on innovation projects to gain training, mentorship, and networking.

Funmi Adegoke

Group General Counsel & Chief Sustainability Officer

Halma plc

Funmi is Group General Counsel and Chief Sustainability Officer at Halma, the FTSE 100 global group of life saving technology companies. Halma is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture throughout the Group and is a signatory of Change the Race ratio. As a member of the Group Executive team, Funmi helps drive a culture of inclusion where everyone feels they belong, and aims to challenge stereotypes and support emerging talent, with a focus on enabling work environments where everyone can fulfil their potential. She speaks publicly and candidly about her experiences, supports corporate Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives, sponsors ethnically diverse individuals and has partnered with organisations that improve diversity within the legal profession. Outside of Halma, she is a non-executive director of a FTSE 100 company.

John Chen

Executive Chairman and CEO

BlackBerry

Mr. John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO of BlackBerry, has been a pioneering Asian American CEO in the technology industry for decades. At BlackBerry, he has built a diverse leadership team where 50 percent of BlackBerry's Board of Directors are either racially or gender diverse, and every leader is committed to driving diverse representation and expected to role model inclusion, mutual respect, accountability, integrity, and innovation. As a distinguished voice in business and foreign policy, Mr. Chen previously served on the U.S. President's Export Council and co-chaired the Secure Borders and Open Doors Committee. He also is active in the not-for-profit community, including serving as a trustee of Caltech, a national trustee at First Tee, and Governor of the San Francisco Symphony. Additionally, Mr. Chen is a signatory to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge in the U.S. and the BlackNorth Initiative in Canada.

Sir Ivan Menezes

Chief Executive Officer

Diageo

Since becoming the CEO of Diageo in 2013, Ivan has been passionate about driving inclusion and diversity at the company. In 2020 he launched a new 10-year sustainability action plan titled ‘Society 2030: Spirit of Progress’. The plan laid out goals including increasing the representation of ethnic minorities in leadership positions to 45% by 2030, as well as increasing the percentage of Diageo suppliers from female and minority-owned businesses year-on-year. Ivan was awarded a knighthood as part of the King’s 2023 New Year Honors List, with the citation of the award highlighting the work he has done to champion both female and ethnically diverse talent within both the company and wider society.

Tiger Tyagarajan

Chief Executive Officer

Genpact LLC

Genpact is a global professional services firm focused on delivering outcomes that transform businesses. With over 115,000 employees across 30+ countries, diversity, equity, and inclusion is a continuous journey that is core to Genpact’s business strategy to better serve clients, employees, and communities. Under Tiger’s leadership, Genpact has made strides to reach its vision of having a 50% gender-diverse workforce globally, reporting 42% global gender diversity in 2022, with women making up 50% of its board. Genpact's DEI initiatives include a broad range of programs designed to attract, retain, and support women professionals at every stage of their careers. The company’s commitment to gender diversity is evidenced by recent honors, including being named to the Forbes Best Employers for Diversity 2023 List, and the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. Tiger is a champion of diversity and serves on the board of directors at Catalyst, an organization at the forefront of driving diversity momentum.

Oluchi Ikechi-D’Amico

Partner, Head of Strategy & Transactions, Capital Markets, APAC

Ernst & Young

Strategy & Transactions advisor across Financial Services; experience leading strategic initiatives and M&A programs across 3 continents. DEI leader across EY’s Strategy & Transactions business across APAC Financial Services, representing 300 professionals and advising the APAC Board on DEI matters. Successfully led DEI training initiatives on career development and personal branding, to those from underrepresented backgrounds, inspiring a community of people. Led flagship DEI events and learning content for EY, in collaboration with Financial Services institutions, reaching over 500 people. As the only Black partner in EY’s Strategy & Transactions Financial Services UK and Asia-Pacific businesses, Oluchi prioritizes meeting with professionals from ethnically diverse backgrounds to understand how she can support them. Active sponsor, advocate and blogger on DEI; including production of ‘inclusive leadership’ learning content for Stanford Graduate Business School. The Founder of ‘Fully Bossed’, helping professionals, including those from underrepresented backgrounds, accelerate in their careers using soft skills.

John Hope Bryant

Founder, Chairman & CEO

Operation HOPE

John is the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, Inc., the largest non-profit provider of financial literacy, and economic empowerment services in the United States for youth and adults. He is also the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Bryant Group Ventures, and Founder and Principal of The Promise Homes Company, which is the largest minority-controlled owner of single-family rental homes in the United States. As CEO, he encourages all his employees to promote diversity and inclusion. At Operation HOPE, they promote social justice for ethnically diverse individuals through an economic lens. Within the past year, HOPE has experienced incredible growth and expansion with a focus on diverse communities that are typically underserved. With currently 200 HOPE Inside locations across the country, John and his team of passionate coaches, will continue to support the wider community through programs, partnerships, and initiatives.

Mauro Gregorio

President, Performance Materials & Coatings, Latin America Oversight

Dow

Mauro’s commitment to inclusion is evident not just within his own diversified leadership team but also in his wider efforts to institutionalize inclusion via Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Among 11,000 employees in his business globally, ERG participation has increased from 39.2% (2019) to 58% (2022). Mauro is the Executive Sponsor of Dow’s Hispanic ERG, which was named Hispanic ERG of the Year by Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. A role model to advocate psychological safety, Mauro led multiple sessions with ~400 people leaders to promote a culture where everyone is confident to speak up. He sponsors PROJECT Ybá in Brazil, an initiative to develop a women-led association to harvest the bioactives in Amazon Rainforest to increase family incomes, while conserving the rainforest. As the co-chair of the U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum, Mauro meets regularly with both governments to improve bilateral collaboration in educational programs that create bridges for social advancement.

Kathy Quashie

Chief Growth Officer and Executive Committee Member

Capita plc

As Chief Growth Officer, Executive Committee Member at Capita, and a sponsor for the Race and Ethnicity Employee Network, Kathy continues to accelerate awareness and call to action on diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Influencing with multi-year targets in Capita, to match representation in leadership to representation in society, her passion for ED&I drove her to shine the spotlight on how businesses can continue to enact change through reverse mentoring and continuous learning programmes. Kathy previously chair networks, written blogs, shared insights in round table discussions and continues to mentor. As a leader in her executive role, Kathy also supports the equality and inclusion ESG agenda for business through board and responsible business committees.

Gail Peterson

Chief Marketing Officer

Ecolab

As the CMO at Ecolab, Gail founded the Black Leaders Forum (BLF) to raise courageous truths to the organization about the Black experience and create a supportive community focused on developing emerging Black leaders. Gail's initiative also encompasses a mentorship program for manager-level associates, and 75% of its mentees have been promoted since joining BLF. Outside of the scope of her role, Gail is a member of the black executive CMO Alliance and the Executive Leadership Council. Savoy Magazine awarded Gail 'Most Influential Black Executives' in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

Richard Iferenta

Vice Chair and Partner

KPMG

With over 20 years’ experience spanning law, tax and financial services, Richard is a dedicated leader who advocates, challenges and helps to push for sustainable positive change at every opportunity. He was the first Black Partner appointed at KPMG UK and throughout his career he has played a fundamental role in helping to build a more diverse, inclusive and equitable culture within KPMG UK and across the wider business community. One of his recent achievements includes the launch of a Black Leaders Network dinner series, connecting Black executives with upcoming talent in a bid to increase Black representation in Board rooms. He’s a coach, mentor, speaker and panellist who always brings his passion for seeing more Black leaders and greater intergenerational wealth for the Black community to life. Richard has featured in the Top 10 of the Powerlist since 2019 and he also Chairs Business in the Community’s Race Diversity Board.

Kirk McDonald

CEO, North America

GroupM

As CEO of GroupM North America, Kirk leads 7,500 people shaping the next era of media where advertising works better for people. An industry leader with 25+ years of experience across leading brands, media companies, and technology providers, Kirk champions a new balance where advertising is a less interruptive and more valued part of the media experience. Kirk is deeply committed to increasing representation and developing talent through purposeful inclusion and responsible media investment. Under his leadership, GroupM formed the Media Inclusion Initiative to support and grow diverse media companies and creators and launched GroupM University and GroupM Launch Pad to bridge the gap for applicants from non-traditional backgrounds and education pathways. Kirk is a founding member of the Black Executive CMO Alliance and serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations, including Elanco, Paley, Ad Council, and the Advertising Week Advisory Council.

La-Toya Hackney

Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

Saint-Gobain North America

La-Toya is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at Saint-Gobain North America, a manufacturing organization of over 18,000 employees, focused on sustainable building materials. At SGNA, La-Toya serves as Executive Advisor for the LEAD (Leading Efforts for Ancestral Diversity) employee resource group and was responsible for spearheading a diversity internship program within SGNA's legal department, allowing students from ethnically diverse backgrounds to explore the legal career opportunities within manufacturing. In addition to her work at SGNA, La-Toya serves on the Board of Directors of WHYY, a leading public radio and television broadcasting organization in the tri-state area, and on the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Education Fund. This organization enables equitable access to higher education for students in underserved communities. La-Toya is also engaged with Philadelphia VIP, a legal aid organization providing pro bono legal assistance and ensuring access to justice for low-income Philadelphians, small businesses, and nonprofits.

Yasmin Diamond

Executive Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs

IHG Hotels & Resorts

Yasmin is Executive Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs at IHG Hotels & Resorts, and one of the company's most senior women and ethnic minority colleagues. A role model and mentor for colleagues, Yasmin is responsible for all global communications, corporate responsibility strategy and key public affairs activity. Her focus on creating an inclusive environment at IHG starts within her own diverse team – three quarters of which are women. She has been a member of IHG's Global DE&I Board since 2018, setting IHG’s inclusivity agenda and ensuring the company is hiring and developing diverse talent. Yasmin is also part of IHG's UK working group that builds ethnically diverse talent within the UK corporate office and promotes diverse recruitment. She has been Executive Sponsor of IHG's Europe-based employee network, Embrace, since its inception. The network helps ethnic minority colleagues collaborate and educate others about their role at work and in society.

Chasity Henry

Vice President, Deputy General Counsel

Jacobs

As a Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Jacobs, Chasity is one of two global leaders for Jacob's black employee network (Harambee). She is also an active facilitator for an internal women's leadership program called WISE, which aims to create a safe space for women in leadership positions to share experiences, network, and get advice from other women who deal with similar situations. Passionate about education and equity, Chasity founded the NEW Roundtable, Inc. This nonprofit organization drives the inclusion and advancement of Black women attorneys through targeted relationship-building, professional development initiatives, and mentoring. The group comprises over 100 attorneys practicing in Dallas in-house, at law firms, in academia, and in government.

Serufusa Sekidde

Chief of Staff, ViiV Healthcare

GSK

Since 2021, Serufusa has co-led EMBRACE, championing race and ethnicity issues within the global bio-pharmaceutical giant GSK. He featured in the 2022 Empower Executives Role Model List and was a finalist for the 2022 UK Black Talent Awards. As co-chair of GSK's Infectious Diseases Physicians' Forum in March 2021, he has also been involved in strategy for recruiting and developing infectious diseases talent in GSK. For the past eight years, Serufusa has been a Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute – the world-leading Washington DC-based think tank – and been advocating for social change, and equity in the healthcare sector globally through media such as CNN, Al Jazeera, BBC, and other public forums. Finally, as an award-winning rapper – with his latest album The Solutionary Manifesto released in 2021 - he has used English, Swahili, and Mandarin Chinese to advocate for change.

Praveena Yagnambhat

Chief of Staff & Boeing Global Engagement lead

Boeing India & South Asia

Praveena is the Chief of Staff & Boeing global Engagement Lead at Boeing in India. She is passionate about supporting historically excluded groups and has led several community engagement initiatives in India which include education for school children, skill development programs for over a thousand youth from lower socio-economic backgrounds, healthcare facilities in government hospitals and skilling of veterans and their families in India. Praveena’s outstanding work around enabling access to health services, education and skilling was recognized by the governments of Nagaland, Mizoram, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir.

Claire D’Abreu-Hayling

Chief Scientific Officer

Sandoz

Claire is an inspiring champion of diversity and inclusion, and has a proven track record of leading change, working with teams to identify disparities and promoting consistency based on capabilities, experience, and tenure. Her efforts have played a significant role in creating an inclusive work environment where everyone can thrive. Claire is committed to mentoring Black and Asian women pursuing careers in STEM. She also serves on the Governance Board for Regents Theological College, where she champions diversity in studentship and advocates for Black representation in education. Claire's passion for D&I has also led her to be a sought-after speaker. She presented at Reuters Pharma 2022 on Black Women in STEM careers, sharing her insights to inspire change and promote diversity. Claire’s efforts have been making a real difference, and her dedication and commitment to creating a more inclusive world continues to drive positive change within Sandoz and beyond.

Roger G Arrieux Jr

New York Managing Partner

Deloitte

Roger is a financial expert and business leader with over 35 years of professional experience, leveraging financial, risk, regulatory compliance, and governance expertise to advise senior management and board members of public and privately held companies, including alternative investment vehicles. As Deloitte’s New York Managing Partner, Deloitte’s US headquarters and largest offices, Roger helps to drive client and business growth and build relationships with community organizations and business and civic leaders. Roger has impacted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in his internal and external roles throughout his career. Roger is a long-standing supporter of various nonprofit organizations that focus on academic acceleration, currently serving as the Chair of the Harlem YMCA Board of Directors, Chair of the Black Achievers in Industry Steering Committee, and Chair of the Braven New York Board. He also serves on the National Board of Directors of the A Better Chance and Braven charitable organizations.

Matheus Souza

Chief Innovation Officer

SAP Latin America & Caribbean

As the Chief Innovation Officer at SAP Latin America & Caribbean, Matheus has an extensive portfolio of projects designed for innovation with social impact that are considered global best practices within SAP. Matheus also managed SAP’s DEI framework in the SAP Labs Latin America in 2022 and currently leads an initiative focused on anti-racism to promote discussions around inclusion at Latin America & Caribbean. Outside of the scope of his role, Matheus also deliver lectures at Universities and events about how DEI activities fuel innovation.

Timothy Wilkins

Global Partner for Client Sustainability

Freshfields Brukhaus Deringer

Tim has over two decades of experience guiding social justice, cultural, and sustainability initiatives across New York City and around the world. Tim leads the firm’s global sustainability practice, advising clients on regulatory, litigation and transactional issues, including the role business can play in the fight for racial justice. Tim has been a fierce advocate for social justice on several boards of leading non-profit organizations, including Chair of the New York Public Radio, Co-Chair of Governance for the Public Theater, and Chair of Governance for the NYC Economic Development Corporation. At Freshfields, Tim established programs to bolster the success of students and lawyers of color, including founding the firm’s participation in Legal Outreach, a mentoring program for NYC high school students. Most recently, Tim was named by Crain’s New York Business as a “Notable Leader in Sustainability” in its May 2023 edition.

Bridget Lea

Managing Director of Commercial

BT / EE

As the Managing Director of Commercial at BT/EE and the only black female at her level in BT Group, Bridget is committed to creating opportunities for the BAME community by ensuring that both her own personal lived experiences and those of other minority groups are shared openly and aired at the most senior forums. Bridget has led the way for BT to work with the 10,000 Black Interns Programme. Within BT Bridget is committed to driving a culture of inclusion through role modelling allyship. Outside of BT, Bridget sits on the Board of Governors for Manchester Metropolitan University, where she supports the University's commitment to equality and diversity by being a regular inspirational speaker. In 2022, she was the keynote speaker at the Black Girls Tech Summit and shared valuable insights on how to kickstart a career in tech, and how to stay true to your authentic self, be brave and not be afraid to speak up.

Tony Simpson

Partner, Sport Industry Lead

Oliver Wyman

Tony is Oliver Wyman's first UK Partner of Afro Caribbean descent. As such, he is opening space for colleagues to follow the leadership path through co-chairing the firm’s Professional Black Network, mentoring many of the firm’s Black consultants in the UK and USA, and championing the recruitment and development of diverse talent. Tony also drives broader societal impact as a Board Director and Trustee for the Drive Forward Foundation, which helps care leavers, many of whom are Black and Asian, find work opportunities. As a Trustee, and a person of colour, who sits on the Board of Birmingham Museums and Galleries, Tony supports cultural alignment that reflects the diverse heritage of Britain’s second city. Tony is also passionate about inclusive performance and driving inclusion in sport, recently leading the mandate that resulted in the appointment of the first Black Chief Executive in English football.

Hannah Reid

EMEIA People Director

Apple

As EMEIA People Director at Apple, Hannah is committed to attracting and supporting career progression for Black talent including through internal, external events and digital campaigns. She is executive sponsor of Black@Apple where she proactively amplifies Black voices, inviting peers to speak on a podcast distributed across the network and featured in morning team meetings across Apple retail in the UK. Hannah also mentors and advocates for many colleagues across the 36 countries she leads. She uses her platform to inspire and aid progression. Beyond Apple, Hannah works with educators across the county to discuss how education for Black, Brown, and underprivileged communities can be improved. She also partnered on an internship program to place Black talent into paid opportunities. Moreover, Hannah is an advisory board member for The Edge and has been working with them in partnership with UK BlackTech to create a new hub for diverse tech talent in the North of England

Elizabeth Brandon

Partner

Reed Smith LLP

Elizabeth is a Partner at Reed Smith and Chair of the firm's STAARS program (Sustaining and Training African American Attorneys at Reed Smith), which she joined intending to increase the retention of Back attorneys and professionals. Within the scope of STAARS, Elizabeth has founded an Associate Academy, a 1-year training program for Black associates that provides coaching, mentorship, and essential career skills training in a safe space that respects their unique lived experiences and perspectives. Throughout her career, Elizabeth has been engaged in organizations dedicated to advancing the careers of diverse attorneys and increasing diversity in the legal and business communities. As such, she is a Founding Member of the Network of Empowered Women, a nonprofit formed by Dallas-based Black women attorneys, and a Member of the Dallas Women Lawyers Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to elevating the standing of women in the legal profession.

Reshma Ramachandran

Chief Transformation Officer, Non-Executive Board Director ISS A/S and Oxford Instruments

Oxford Instruments

As Chief Transformation Officer of the organizations she has worked for, Reshma is one of few women of color in senior management positions in Switzerland. She serves as the sponsor for the Ethnic Minority Women's Network and is a mentor to several ethnic minority women in the organizations she has worked for. She is a vocal advocate for advancing women, especially women of color in the workplace. Her TEDx talk on changing the paradigm for women of color in corporate Europe was received with overwhelming accolades. She was the Chair of the World Woman Agenda at WEF Davos 2023. Reshma also sits on the Advisory Board of the World Women Foundation and has been a keynote speaker at over 100 events that support advancing equality & equity for women.

Deepak Soni

Commercial Director

AXA UK

Deepak is an Executive at AXA a French multinational insurance company headquartered in Paris, with a presence in over 51 countries and over 93 million customers. Deepak is the Commercial Director and member of the UK Executive Commercial Board. As a member of the Executive team Deepak plays an active role in developing and driving an inclusive and diverse culture across AXA and is also an Executive sponsor of AXAs REACH (race, ethnicity and cultural heritage) Network as well as a member of the UK D&I Board. His commitment to diversity is evident in driving Network membership by over 400% and diversification of his own executive team with 50% gender diversity and 30% ethnic diversity. Deepak's passion for fostering an inclusive community comes from his own family background, who set up a Cultural Trust over 20 years ago to raise cultural heritage awareness amongst 2nd/3rd generation Indians in Northeast England.

Monique D. Jefferson

Chief People Officer

Community Preservation Corporation (CPC)

Monique joined the Community Preservation Corporation nine months ago as their Chief People Officer, and she has already implemented several initiatives to support the organization's path to becoming a more diverse and inclusive workplace. For example, Monique established CPC's first Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Council, developed a strategic plan that included the establishment of diversity goals for officer-level hiring and promotions, formally rolled out the use of pronouns in internal and external employee communications, and adapted their HR system to allow employees to self-identify across various demographics. Monique is also a board member at CALIBR, an organization dedicated to accelerating the readiness of mid-level Black executives for senior executive roles, and a Youth Facet Chair at The Links Incorporated, where she developed and implemented STEAM careers and HBCU readiness programs for Meyer Levin Middle School in Brooklyn, NY.

Suresh Raj

Global Chief Growth Officer

Virtue Worldwide

Suresh sits on the Global Management Team at Virtue Worldwide, the award winning global creative agency. Suresh has been a vocal champion of diversity and equality throughout all his professional roles across the Americas, EMEA, APAC and LatAm. As Chief Growth Officer, Suresh emphasizes on the need to bring diverse lived experiences to deliver strategically sound and inspirational creative campaigns. Ensuring diverse individuals are given the opportunity to work on award-winning campaigns is part of Suresh’s mission to make the organization a place for all to belong Suresh’s executive sponsorship of a number of networks which focus on the personal and professional development of Black, Asian and Latin communities sees him actively soliciting the engagement of these groups within the business as well as within client activity. Through INvolve and the Marketing Academy USA, Suresh is a mentor to numerous ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ professionals.

Tom Shropshire

General Counsel & Company Secretary

Diageo

Tom is one of the most senior Black Executives in the UK, and the only General Counsel & Company Secretary in a top FTSE company. Tom is also a Board Director at the Bank of England, a Trustee at Comic Relief and a Patron of the Amos Bursary in the UK. Tom has continued to be one of the driving forces behind the Parker Review. Since joining Diageo in June 2021, Tom has been a passionate champion for diversity and inclusion across the business. As the Executive Sponsor of Diageo's Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage Employee Group (REACH), Tom has provided guidance and leadership to ethnically diverse employees and allies, and supports REACH-led initiatives across the year. In 2022 and 2023, he sponsored Diageo's Race Equity Weeks, as well as helping to further the work of Diageo BRGs in North America.

Tendayi Munyebvu

Director and General Manager

Jacobs

Tendayi is a member of all eight Employee Networks at Jacobs. He is the Global Chair Emeritus of Harambee, the Black Employee Network, and is the Europe Advocate of the Jacobs Career Network. Tendayi led the EMEA Council in spearheading the firm's Action Plan for Advancing Justice & Equality which focuses on the inclusion and development of its Black workforce. Some of the objectives realized this past year include the continuation of a partnership with Cowrie Scholarship Foundation to financially sponsor Black students through undergraduate studies, collaboration with councils such as Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Greater London Authority on STEAM outreach for Black and diverse students at local schools and universities, establishment of a senior leadership sponsorship program for Black talent and the publication of the company’s third UK&Ireland Ethnicity Pay Gap in 2023. The council advocates for metrics on recruitment, retention, advancement and representation of Black talent.

Shelina Janmohamed

Vice President, Islamic Marketing

Ogilvy Consulting

As the Vice President of Islamic Marketing, Shelina champions Muslim engagement and expression within Ogilvy. By bringing more diverse clients into the organization on projects as varied as relationship apps, content production and Ramadan consumption, Shelina’s work benefits staff and consumers in developing inclusive and representative ways of working. In addition to sitting on WPP and Ogilvy’s Inclusion Board Shelina dedicates time to improving diversity and inclusion and ensuring pastoral care of junior talent from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. She works with the comms team to establish a calendar of religious and cultural events. In regular columns for Campaign magazine Shelina writes about culture and diversity. She advises cultural organisations like the British Film Institute and AMAL foundation on representation of Muslims in the Arts. She’s an awardwinning author and newspaper columnist. She’s just published a book for girls 10+ “BeYOUtiful: Radiate Confidence, Celebrate Difference and Express yourself”.

Satvir Bungar MBE FCA MCSI

Managing Director and Head of Business Services Sector, Mergers & Acquisitions

BDO LLP

Satvir’s longstanding commitment to championing ED&I and creating sustainable society changes has helped deliver big movements. As BDO’s CEDAR Network Lead, Satvir uses his platform to empower a diverse workforce to increase representation and leadership ranks for ethnically diverse colleagues. He is part of BDO's ‘Be Yourself’ video, openly sharing his experiences about BDO’s unique culture to promote social mobility. Satvir leads BDO’s annual mentoring programme, creating safe spaces for under-represented talent to tackle barriers to future career growth. As a responsible ethnic business leader, Satvir was selected as Batonbearer for Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, received an invitation to 10 Downing Street to discuss social mobility initiatives with government advisers and recently selected as a notable alumni at King’s College London which amplifies the achievements of its diverse alumni community. Satvir is NED to a charity and regularly delivers keynote speeches providing top tips on career growth and commercial management.

Bjorn Haines

Head of People Experience

BlackRock

Bjorn Haines serves as BlackRock’s first Head of People Experience, charged with deepening employee engagement globally, and driving adoption of an “employee experience” mindset. He also serves as Global co-lead of the firm’s Black Professionals Network and was previously co-lead of DEI for the firm’s US Wealth business. In both instances, Bjorn led the launch of diverse mentorship programs, pairing early career professionals with senior leaders, and has been an outspoken champion of DEI throughout the organization. Outside of BlackRock, Bjorn also co-leads the Money Management Institute's Social Justice Advisory Council, where member firms advise and advocate for efforts to accelerate the progress of DEI within the industry by engaging the collective capabilities of the member firms. Lastly, Bjorn serves on the NY advisory board of Facing History & Ourselves, an organization that uses lessons from history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate.

Dorothy Burwell

Partner, Global Partnership Board Member

FGS Global

Dorothy has been involved with promoting diversity, equity and inclusion at FGS Global, since 2014. In the last year, enhancements in the talent pipelining and recruitment process led to ethnic minorities making up over a quarter of all new hires in the year. The company’s DEI programming includes financial and pro bono commitments to local charities serving diverse populations, debiasing recruitment practices, ethnicity paygap reporting, instituting training on solidarity across differences and continued support of the Taylor Bennett Foundation, which seeks to increase ethnic minority representation in the communications industry. She has also delivered training internally and for clients on Destigmatizing the Race Conversation. Dorothy also serves on the DEI advisory committee for Which?, the consumer champion and as chair of London (UK) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, a charity supporting women and ethnic minorities with mentoring, training and other support to increase their access to economic opportunity. She is a non-executive director of Pennon plc and Post Holdings, Inc.

Alanna Lee

Managing Director, Legal & Compliance Division

Morgan Stanley

As a Managing Director in Morgan Stanley’s Legal & Compliance Division and a member of the EMEA Diversity Action Council, Alanna uses her platform to help influence, shape and deliver the Firm’s D&I strategy within the Division. She is the co-executive sponsor of Morgan Stanley's Net East Asia employee network, which works to attract, retain and celebrate East Asian talent, whilst also amplifying voices to highlight the positive impact of cultural differences on career opportunities and progression. Alanna has also been a mentor through the Social Mobility Foundation, and for many women in her profession. She has participated in several speaking opportunities within the industry to help promote the inclusivity of ethnically-diverse individuals, most recently being a keynote speaker at the University of Warwick's Women in Finance Society 'Females in Finance Conference' in January 2023.

Tevin Tobun

Chief Executive

GV Group (Gate Ventures)

Tevin recognises the importance of creating an inclusive culture that values differences. As CEO GV Group, he actively seeks diverse perspectives and experiences to ensure equal opportunities for all employees. In addition, Tevin founded Tobun Foundation which continues to impact lives by supporting education through scholarships; launched the 'Education Support Program,' initiative that supports young people from underrepresented backgrounds, many students continue to benefit from Maths and English online tuition sessions. Tevin is a Life Patron of Springboard charity, which develops pathways for diverse people to access jobs, and as Council Member of the Open University, is responsible for delivering the University's strategic vision, Tevin is instrumental in the launch of the scholarship programme which offers 50 scholarships for black students, launched in 2023. Recently inducted into the Dr Martin Luther King Board of Sponsors, an honour bestowed onto individuals who have contributed greatly to business and social Impact globally.

Jacqui Moore

Executive Producer

Peloton Interactive

The murder of Ahmaud Arbery was the catalyst for Jacqui to make a commitment to increase diversity and representation in media and sports. As Executive Producer at Peloton Interactive, this has been achieved through the creation and implementation of diversity and inclusion riders in vendor service agreements, identifying diverse supplies, increasing representation in front of and behind the camera, and disrupting stereotypical narratives in both casting and story-telling. Jacqui serves as Advisor to media non-profits creating opportunity and equity for underrepresented communities and mentored diverse creatives for New Inc - the first museum-led cultural incubator at the intersection of art, design and technology. As a marathon runner, Jacqui is active in increasing inclusion and diversity in endurance sports and is the first Jamaican female to complete the World Marathon Majors.

Hoa Ngo

UK Managing Director

Comensura

In 7 years as the UK Managing Director, Hoa has driven Comensura to achieve colossal growth and navigate changes in a turbulent market. She is an executive sponsor for Impellam Group’s IM Multicultural, which aims to reflect the DE&I of all Impellam’s staff. Hoa’s passion for building a more inclusive society goes beyond her work at Comensura and Impellam Group. She has immersed herself in supporting women in prison, specifically at Drake Hall, a category C women's closed prison in Cheshire. As Employment Advisory Board chair at Drake Hall, Hoa's work with the prison is focused on changing the perceptions and stigmas around hiring ex-offenders and building a platform that connect employers with prisons.

Pam Kaur

Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer

HSBC

Pam is the only Asian woman to sit on HSBC’s Group Executive Committee, which she has been part of for the last 10 years. Pam is committed to using her platform to educate, encourage and support inclusive change in the organisation. In May 2020, she became the executive sponsor for the bank’s multi-year Global Ethnicity Inclusion program – increasing ethnic diversity across the organisation to reflect the customers and communities they serve, by better enabling the career progression of people from all ethnic backgrounds. She is also the first executive sponsor for the HSBC Global Embrace network for ethnicity and race. It helps HSBC to attract, retain and engage a more diverse range of talent, and educate on embracing inclusion to support a more ethnically diverse and multicultural workforce. Pam also sits on the Abrdn Plc Board of Directors.

Karim Chowdhury

Vice President - Private Banking

Butterfield

Karim was named in the Empower Top 100 Future Leader Role Model List 2022. He was also listed as an EqualityX 2022 Top 100 Influential Muslim in the UK and Top 10 Influential Muslim in the Financial and Professional services category. He has recently been involved in forming Butterfield’s first DE&I council, selected as a member representing Bermuda. In his previous role, Karim was a founding member and deputy chair of the Unity network, promoting DE&I at Schroders Personal Wealth. He was also an ally of the Woman's, Disability and LBGT+ networks. Karim provides mentoring to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. He has arranged work experience, CV support and networking opportunities to students encouraging them to pursue a career in financial services. He has made it his mission to seek out and help others who don't have suitable and inspiring role models to fulfil their potential.

Brendon Seeto

Head of Asia Pacific, Market Intelligence

S&P Global

As the Head of Asia Pacific, Market Intelligence at S&P Global, Brendon aims to actively include DEI topics in his team discussions, to ensure it becomes a standard practice within the business. In addition, Brendon is passionate about outreach and driving opportunity and inclusion for the community. He mentors colleagues and also provides pro-bono support and advice for start-ups and businesses.

Gerald Yao

Global Head of ESG, Chief Strategy Officer, & Co-Founder

FiscalNote

Gerald is the Co-Founder, Chief Strategy Officer, and Global Head of ESG at FiscalNote, where he leads the company's environmental, social, & governance initiatives and line of business. At FiscalNote, Gerald also implemented the Corporate Social Responsibility and DEIBA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Accessibility) functions. He co-founded FiscalNote after a decade of leading operations in the non-profit, public schools, and start-up sectors. Gerald started his career in the nonprofit space in high school and was a founding member of Operation Fly, an initiative to support homeless and underprivileged students across North America. Gerald studied finance and sociology at Emory University.

Moni Mannings

Non Executive Director, Chair of Remuneration Committee

Hargreaves Lansdown PLC

Moni is the first person of color on FTSE100 Hargreaves Lansdown’s Board, a NED and the Remuneration Committee Chair. Moni was instrumental in helping HL’s TV ads be more inclusive and diverse; supported the CEO in an improved recruitment process yielding greater ethnic diversity in senior hires; and encouraged voluntary ethnicity pay gap reporting. Moni founded EPOC (Empowering People of Color), a not-for-profit, peer to peer network working to increase non-executive, ethnic minority engagement on all Boards whether commercial, public sector or charitable. Since 2021, EPOC has held 30+ in person and virtual events, conducted roundtable discussions on Ethnic Minority Representation on Boards at No. 10 Downing Street, engaged 300+ executives from under-represented ethnic minorities and 100+ FTSE Chairs, SIDs and NEDs at EPOC events and secured NED roles at several FTSE 350 companies including 1 FTSE 100 Board, and on high-profile industry bodies, charities, educational, sporting and creative boards.

Anji Kang-Stewart

Global Head of Marketing, Managing Director

Man Group

Anji is one of the most senior women in Man Group’s Sales & Marketing team, she is an advisor to the firm’s South Asian employee network and a mentor to three women from underrepresented backgrounds. Within the industry, she is a Steering Committee member of the Diversity Project's #TalkAboutBlack workstream and profoundly supports several of the organisation's initiatives, including the #IAM campaign in support of racial fairness, the #WeAre campaign that seeks to destigmatise the perception of disability and the EnCircle mentoring programme for young Black professionals. Anji regularly speaks at diversity and career-focused events, highlighting the difference that sponsorship and advocacy can make particularly for women and members of underrepresented groups, and providing advice and sharing stories of hurdles she has had to overcome in her own professional career.

Samay Shah

Partner

Slaughter and May

In addition to his role as a Partner at Slaughter and May, Samay is also a Diversity and Inclusion Partner, through which his efforts have led to the implementation of D&I champions across the legal groups, to embed diversity and inclusion as a key part of every function of the business. Samay is leading as a D&I champion for the Financing group. Samay also co-leads the firm’s Race Fairness Partner-Led Working Group. The working group’s key initiatives include implementing mentoring and leadership programmes for ethnic minorities, particularly Black heritage talent, and tools to support partners in developing ethnic minority talent. Samay is also the lead pro bono partner for the Black Equity Organisation, a non-profit focused on promoting economic, legal, social, and political equity for Black British communities.

Emelia Quist

Head of Policy Research

Federation of Small Businesses

As the Head of Policy Research at the Federation of Small Businesses, Emelia oversees all areas of diversity policy, especially the work on ethnic minority entrepreneurship, which benefits over 5 million UK small businesses and self-employed professionals. Emelia's work on diversity goes beyond ethnic minority entrepreneurship and covers workplace diversity and community cohesion. Recently, she commissioned and led a significant research project, the first of its kind, on ethnic minority-led businesses, with the Centre for Research Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship. The main research findings were raised several times in Parliament.

Girish Ganesan

Senior Vice President, People

S&P Global

As Global Head of People for multiple businesses at S&P Global, Girish championed numerous strategic initiatives to increase diverse representation and foster an inclusive talent acquisition and development process - all aligned with his deeply held belief — that there’s strength in diversity. He actively mentors ethnically diverse individuals and LGBT+ people of color through several organizations, such as TENT, Ascend, YearUp, and GirlsWhoCode, and is an active speaker who focuses on being the voice of ethnically diverse individuals on intersectionality, LGBT+ people of color, micro-aggressions and intentional inclusion. Outside his day job, Girish is a non-executive director of CRISIL Limited and on the Board of Directors at the Association of Talent Development (ATD), the largest professional association of talent development professionals with 35,000 members in 120 countries. He has been featured on numerous lists for his transformational leadership and DEI work, and was named one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 in 2019.

Verdun Perry

Global Head of Blackstone Strategic Partners

Blackstone

Verdun S. Perry is the Global Head of Blackstone Strategic Partners (“Strategic Partners”), having joined the business in 2000, the year it was founded. Mr. Perry chairs the Investment Committee for each of the Strategic Partners funds and is currently an advisory board member of multiple third-party funds. Mr. Perry serves on the board of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO), an organization focused on narrowing the opportunity gap for minority high school and college students, as well as increasing diversity in the financial services industry. Mr. Perry founded Blackstone’s Diverse Professionals Network (“DPN”) in 2014 and chaired the network for its first 6 years. Mr. Perry also serves on the boards of Morehouse College, the Partnership for Education Advancement, the New York Police & Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation. Mr. Perry received a B.A. from Morehouse College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Katrina Nusum

Head of Group Compliance and Deputy Bermuda Site Head

Fidelity International

Katrina is the Head of Group Compliance and Deputy Bermuda Site Head at Fidelity International, where she is actively involved in building a community throughout their offices for ethnically diverse employees by working with the senior leadership team to implement the Cultural Diversity Action Plan, to set ethnic diversity targets and to implement programs and activities that will support and develop culturally diverse staff and contribute to Fidelity's corporate culture. Katrina is also a Stanford National Black Alumni Association Board Associate, where she co-hosts events to provide Black Stanford students and alumni information on topics relevant to them, such as mental health, childhood financial insecurity, defining career paths, and how to network successfully.

Bansi Nagji

President, Healthcare

GoodRx

As President, Healthcare at GoodRx, Bansi has been instrumental in setting up CRGs at GoodRx and co-chairs the AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander) resource group and sponsors the organization’s newly appointed head of DEI. He is also a member of the fundraising Campaign Board for INSEAD, where he supports funding scholarships for minority candidates. More recently, Bansi has been appointed as a keynote speaker at AXS 2023, one of the largest conferences in the pharmacy space, where he will be talking about DE&I in healthcare companies and how this drives better health equity outcomes.

Charles Kyalo Mukiti

Area Operations Director, Sub-Saharan Africa

British American Tobacco

Charles joined BAT Kenya as Operations Management Trainee in 2000, and over the past 23 years, he has grown through the organization in various roles of increasing responsibility and scope. This has shaped him into a keen advocate for gender balance and a mix of nationalities, ethnicity, and cross-industry experiences to challenge the status quo and deliver breakthrough results. He was recently promoted to Area Operations Director for Sub-Saharan Africa a role that spans more than 30 countries. Most recently, he was the Operations Director for BAT Bangladesh, he accelerated inclusion in Operations by more than doubling the number of female managers. The outstanding work performed by Charles goes beyond BAT. He sponsored the launch of Bangladesh's first-of-its-kind mentorship program for STEM female students from different universities & ethnic backgrounds and the launch of the first-ever corporate grooming platform for Agri-Science students in Bangladesh called Elevate.

Hans Brown

Chief Information Officer and Head of Engineering - Corporate Trust and Depositary Receipt

BNY Mellon

Hans Brown is responsible for setting and delivering the technology strategy in support of Corporate Trust and Depositary Receipts businesses. He is dedicated to enabling digital operating models of the future, leveraging technology to deliver increased operating leverage, innovating new business models and products to enable our clients to be successful. Within BNYMellon, he is recognized as a digital first change agent, passionate about creating opportunities for all irrespective of background; firmly believes with the right support, everyone can flourish. He is the executive sponsor for IMPACT DiverseTech, an employee/business resource group focused on developing diverse leaders from Black and Latinx backgrounds, an Advisor to DiverseByDesign, a training organization preparing low-income populations for careers in Technology, a vocal DEI advocate with BNY Mellon and externally. Building and cultivating diverse teams is a business imperative and he continually advocates to increase diversity and lowering barriers to access technology careers for underrepresented minorities.

Fiona Bolton

Partner

Simmons & Simmons LLP

Fiona has ensured that race and ethnicity inclusion is treated as a business priority at Simmons & Simmons, by driving the conversation and acting as a sponsor and spokesperson for race and ethnicity inclusion. She has also helped to oversee the firm's race and ethnicity action plan, based on recommendations and principles of the Race at Work Charter, to ensure that objectives are met. Fiona has co-chaired the firm's race and ethnicity network 'EMerge' since 2019 and helped launch EMerge's mentoring program, which she also participates in, mentoring senior allies on the challenges and opportunities for ethnic minority employees. Fiona has also taken part in various conferences and seminars, discussing diversity and inclusion.

Annette Byron

Partner

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Annette co-leads the Freshfields Global Black Affinity Network and is Partner sponsor for social mobility. She is on the firm's graduate recruitment panel and on the cross-function social-mobility committee to further help those from non-traditional backgrounds join the firm and thrive. She is a founder and driving force behind Freshfields Stephen Lawrence Scholarship, a bespoke recruitment, development, and mentorship program. The program has seen 400+ Freshfields UK volunteers in the last two years, 29 scholarships awarded and four scholars earning Freshfields training contracts. Annette has also helped shape Freshfields’ five-year diversity commitments and targets, including on race/ethnicity, to continue to drive change. Furthermore, she facilitated and was sponsored speaker at events on race and cultural diversity that saw a high level of engagement at all levels of the firm and beyond. Annette is also a sponsor for Future Leaders – Freshfields’ bespoke talent and development program for Black/ethnically diverse colleagues.

Ann Marie Gothard

Vice President, Global Corporate Media Relations

Henry Schein

Beyond her role as Vice President, Global Corporate Media Relations at Henry Schein, Ann Marie is an Executive Sponsor for Pride & Allies, the company's ERG for the LGBT+ community, a Founding member of the Women's Leadership Network, and led the creation of "Revelations," a series of candid conversations about coming out and breaking down barriers that make living openly possible. Within her community, Ann Marie is President of the Board at Pride Live, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and supporting the LGBT+ community via social advocacy and community engagement. She has also co-founded the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, the first LGBT+ visitor center within the National Park System dedicated to preserving the Stonewall legacy for current and future generations, and Pride Live's Stonewall Day, a global campaign that elevates awareness for the Stonewall legacy through an annual concert and a collective of activists, celebrities, and business leaders.

David Ziyambi

Partner

Latham & Watkins

Through the visibility of being a Partner at Latham and Watkins, David is committed to developing Black talent in the legal industry and wider business circles in the UK, the US and Africa. As one of the founders of Latham's Black Lawyers Group, he helped conceive and spearhead an ecosystem focused on recruiting, retaining, and progressing Black lawyers by fostering an inclusive culture. The program spans financial advice, a layered mentoring program, bespoke training sessions, and recruitment initiatives. He also leads numerous pro-bono initiatives (e.g., the Windrush Compensation Scheme Legal Clinic and the landmark oral history project, Making of Black Britain) that support Black communities. Having grown up in Zimbabwe, David understands the challenges that minority groups face in London's competitive legal market and is doing his part by supporting students and young lawyers. David also holds board/trustee positions with several organizations, including BIGKID Foundation and International Lawyers for Africa.

Michael Pugh

President and CEO

Carver Federal Savings Bank

Michael Pugh is the President and CEO at Carver Federal Savings Bank, and through his work to amplify and empower diverse voices, Carver has been a springboard for putting women and minorities in high-level positions of power across the industry. Under Pugh's leadership, Carver has invested heavily in cultivating a new generation of diverse entrepreneurs whose small businesses of today may become the corporations of tomorrow with access to the right platforms for generational wealth building, upward mobility, and access to capital. Moreover, Carver has partnered with fintech to increase access to capital for women and minority small business owners by offering micro-loans and other initiatives that look past the traditional credit score and instead use factors like on-time rent and utility payments to assess the true creditworthiness of an applicant.

Julia A. López

Partner

Reed Smith LLP

Julia is a Partner in Reed Smith’s life sciences health industry group, a Chair for UNIDOS - Reed Smith's business inclusion group supporting Hispanic/Latinx talent, a member of the Princeton office recruitment committee, and a participant of RS’ DEI Reciprocal Mentor Program. Through her work, Julia aims to promote and support recruitment, retention, and professional development of Hispanic/Latinx talent. Outside of the scope of her role at Reed Smith, Julia is a committed DEI leader and serves as a National Finance Director at the Hispanic National Bar Association, where she helps to implement national initiatives for Hispanic/Latinx attorneys and students. Under Julia’s leadership, the HNBA has raised nearly $9 million dollars over the last three years to support their philanthropic programs and has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to deserving Hispanic/Latinx law students. Julia was also the founder of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey’s scholarship endowment.

Dennison John

President

SAP Labs Latin America

Dennison’s experience working in different locations like India, Germany, Finland, Malaysia, and Brazil has built his experience in fostering an inclusive environment in which diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and practices are valued and respected. As the President at SAP Labs Latin America, Dennison has ensured that the company becomes a front-runner for D&I in Brazil, winning the #1 Great Place to Work award for the large-sized companies' segment among all industries in 2022. Also, as a sponsor of the Black Employees Network (BEN), initiatives such as the Black Talent Attraction and Development Program have fostered reflection and awareness of structural racism, increased the inclusion and sense of belonging of employees, and strengthened the upward social mobility of Black people.

Amit Sinha

Chief Technology Officer - SMB and Scale

Microsoft UK

As the CTO - SMB and Scale at Microsoft, Amit is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) advocacy through several initiatives, such as mentoring STEM professionals and students, championing diversity with customer executive management teams and supporting internal Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic initiatives. Amit has also been an active speaker in several forums on the importance of diversity for innovation and growth, and has created a national reach strategy for a charity which includes students interviewing professionals on STEM careers, with a focus on participants from a minority background. He also supported students in sharpening interview skills by doing mock interviews.

Jorge Otero

Chief Risk Officer of the Investment Bank

Deutsche Bank

In the early stages of his career, Jorge was fortunate to have a mentor who advocated on his behalf. Today, beyond his role as Chief Risk Officer of Investment at Deutsche Bank, Jorge is pound to sponsor and mentor black, indigenous, and people of color colleagues to ensure they are being supported and listened to, especially considering how ethnically diverse individuals tend to have additional challenges when working at large organizations.

Christina Liciaga

Head of Retail Products

HSBC

Christina is an entrepreneur turned international finance executive, with 18 years’ experience leading national and global teams across Asia, Latin America, UK and Europe. In HSBC, she Co-Founded the Black Action and Advisory Council to keep pace and conviction to HSBC’s Race Commitments, launched STRETCH45, an internal venture to cultivate ethnic minority talent, and Chairs Embrace the race and ethnicity ERG. She’s an Executive Trustee for JUSTICE, an all-party law reform and human rights organisation which challenged Racial Disparities of Children in the Youth Justice System and championed Increasing Judicial Diversity. She’s also Trustee Chair of the Strategy & Finance Committee for Brixton House, a combined social venture, cultural hub and theatre working to make the arts more inclusive and representative. Externally, Christina has founded organisations supporting women of colour, advises minority owned ventures, is a speaker and panellist on DEI issues, and mentors black and female talent globally.

Celia Liu

CEO, Central and Southern Europe

ISS World Services

As CEO of ISS A/S for Central & Southern Europe, after the D&I strategy creation, Celia has been working closely with the Cultures, Race & Ethnicity ERG to discuss equality and embrace diversity in all business areas across the company. As a result, the company has advanced into forming new partnerships with different organizations to create programs and review policies according to the objectives of the D&I strategy. Moreover, they facilitated the TENT Foundation Program to start pilots in mentoring, support, and job opportunities for more than 700 refugees across Europe. As a result, ISS continues moving forward to create a more inclusive and diverse workplace and achieve the goals planned with its D&I strategies. Celia also has been an active public speaker for several webinars with DIAL Global lecturing on leadership, equality, and diversity.

Gayathri Kamalanathan

Partner

Slaughter and May

Gayathri joined Slaughter and May in 2021 and co-leads the firm’s Race Fairness Partner-Led Working Group, with strategic oversight of the firm’s people strategy specific to race and ethnicity. The key initiatives include implementing mentoring and leadership programmes for ethnic minorities, particularly Black heritage talent, and tools to support partners in developing ethnic minority talent. Additionally, Gayathri is a sponsor partner of a firm-wide D&I training programme to increase inclusion. As a member of the firm’s partner-led recruitment strategy committee, Gayathri ensures there is a pipeline of trainees joining the firm from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities. She further supports the recruitment strategy by giving presentations and talks to large student audiences on her experience and advice from her career journey to inspire students, particularly ethnic minorities on the legal career path. Gayathri mentors and coaches junior female and ethnic minority lawyers; alongside sponsoring the firm’s DIVERSE Network.

Hannah Smith

Head of Nordics, SPDR ETFs

State Street Global Advisors

Hannah is Head of Nordics where she is responsible for leading business development and strategy for the region. Hannah leads the company's initiative to increase diverse representation across the asset management industry. As part of this, she successfully advocated for State Street to partner with Black Women in Asset Management and Talk About Black, and now oversees a team which manage these partnerships. Hannah sits on the board of State Street’s I&D Council and conducted work to better align policies across divisions. She led the firm's initiative to develop internal talent and produced a report with recommendations on how to address the lack of diverse representation. Hannah is an ambassador for Reboot which aims to continue the discussion of race within the workforce and regularly speaks on industry panels about her experiences as a Black woman in finance. Hannah was named as a Financial News Rising Star and on Black Women in Asset Management’s 40 under 40 list.

Dr Rehana Sidat

Vice President Risk Management

GSK

Beyond Rehana's role as the Vice President, Risk Management at GSK, she is an active sponsor, mentor, and coach to many staff members and has also sported professionals on 'The Talent Accelerator' program. Rehana actively participates in DEI opportunities; as the LT DEI sponsor in her department, she set the expectations of DEI strategy, held leaders to account & drove specific ownership & action. In 2022 she received the Top 10 Influential Muslim in Healthcare Award from Equality X and in 2021 she received the GSK Inspirational Role Model Award. Outside of the scope of her role at GSK, Rehana continues to strive to build a diverse, inclusive, and equitable culture. She is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Inclusion & Diversity Committee and a key contributor to the definition and participation of the partnership with the RSC for the Broadening Horizons, promoting Ethnic Diversity in Chemical Sciences.

Bal Mahil

Head of Distribution Operations

axa xl

Bal has had a 20-year career spanning the technology and insurance industry. In January 2020 Bal was appointed Head of Distribution Operations following eight years in the Global Risk Function at AXA XL where she had successfully managed large transformations following multiple acquisitions and mergers. Bal also co-founded and co-chairs Rise, the first multi-cultural network group at AXA XL, focused on the development and inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Its support led to the company publishing their first Ethnicity Pay Gap Report in 2021. Bal is a steering committee member on the Insurance Cultural Awareness Network, an industry network for international and ethnic minority development. Bal was named in the Empower Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executive Role Model list in 2022 and the Insurance Business UK’s Elite Women list 2023.

Andrea O’Leary

VP of Talent, Development and Inclusion

ModMed

Andrea is committed to driving impact and change as the VP of Talent, Development and Inclusion. Just recently in this role, she evolved a strategy around DEIB and provided more support and structure for ModMed's ERGs. In her previous organization she was the Representation Chair for the Global Inclusive Leadership Council, where she fostered programs to create visibility for diverse leaders. Also, as the Black Professional Network national leader, she led the group's expansion to Canada and Brazil, increasing the community by 100 colleagues. Outside ModMed, Andrea has served, since 2019, on the Board for Cara Collective, helping individuals affected by poverty, homelessness, and incarceration find gainful employment. Additionally, she has served since 2022 on the board for UnLearning Space, an organization focusing on recognizing and resisting systems of oppression and healing. Moreover, Andrea facilitated over 30 workshops/discussions in DEIB internally and externally with organizations, professional associations, and community nonprofits.

Isabella Mascarenhas

Vice President, Grass Roots Education & Social Impact

RS Group Plc

Isabella founded and Co-chairs RS Group Plc's EmbRace ERG who have created a three-pillar action plan based on feedback from 100s of ethnically diverse colleagues. They have set targets to ethnically diversify senior leadership, signed public charters, recommended initiatives that attract, develop and promote ethnically diverse talent. Embrace host educational events such as Global Heritage Week, Black History Month and South-East Asian Heritage Month celebrations to celebrate the valuable and often hidden contributions that we have made to life as we know it. Embrace encouraged the organisation to sponsor industry events, support charities and grassroots organisations that positively impact global majority communities. Isabella is a member of the TNON SteerCo (The Network of Networks) who specialize in achieving greater ethnic diversity in business through a range of targeted initiatives and awards to celebrate inspiring role models. She also mentors ethnically diverse youth to realise their full potential.

Daniel Acosta

Managing Director and Senior Partner

Boston Consulting Group

Danny Acosta is the leader of BCG’s West System of offices, the recent leader of its US State & Local Public Sector practice, and a core member of BCG’s Technology, Media & Telcom (TMT) practice. Danny served as a member of BCG’s Racial Equity Task Force Leadership Team, where he shaped how BCG would address systemic inequality internally and externally. Danny served as the leader of the Black+Latinx@BCG Diversity Affinity Network for eight years where he developed and implemented strategies to attract and develop talent. Moreover, Danny works with BCG's Center for Inclusion and Equity partnering with organizations to build inclusive cultures, deliver social impact, create business value, and drive systemic change. Danny is a founding member of the Council for Urban Professionals, and his board activity includes the Latino Donor Collaborative, Southern California Public Radio, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the Univision Foundation, and the Global LA Advisory Council.

Akima Paul Lambert

Partner

Hogan Lovells

Akima joined Hogan Lovells in 2021 as a Litigation Partner specializing in high stakes commercial disputes. She has a long history of work on diversity, equity and inclusion matters over the last 15 years including as a Committee member of the Black Solicitors Network’s City Group, and co- founder of Creating Pathways, a bespoke mentoring and professional development program for black and minority lawyers that has assisted more than 150 City lawyers to date. She plays a pivotal role on D&I matters at Hogan Lovells. She supports the Co-Chairs of the REAHL Network (a network established for the successful integration and promotion of ethnically diverse lawyers and staff) including as a Partner Champion and as part of the Steering Committee for Black History Month. She is a Mentor on the firm’s INCLUDED trainee mentoring programs and serves on the firm’s Moderation Panel for qualification of trainee solicitors, ensuring fairness on retention on beyond. She has been instrumental in amplifying the firm’s pro bono offering for the Black Community including on Windrush Compensation claims and supporting black female not for profit organizations such as World Afro Day. Akima was listed in The Lawyer Hot 100 2022 and was named the BBBA Senior Leader of the Year in Professional Services in 2022. Akima regularly blogs on diversity and inclusion matters as they relate to race in her weekly #FrIDay blog on Linked In. Some of her contributions have been amplified in Legal Business, Bloomberg News and The Lawyer.

Aditi Javeri Gokhale

Chief Strategy Officer, President of Retail Investments and Head of Institutional Investments

Northwestern Mutual

As Chief Strategy Officer, President of Retail Investments and Head of Institutional Investments, Aditi holds executive accountabilities for Northwestern Mutual’s strategy to drive growth, competitiveness, and relevance. She oversees more than $570 billion in company and client assets, including over $325 billion in the institutional investment portfolio and nearly $245 billion in retail client assets. Aditi also is executive sponsor of Northwestern Mutual's African American Employee Resource Group and a champion of efforts to increase visibility and connections between diverse employees and senior leaders. Additionally, Aditi oversees the Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures fund which invests in early-stage startups developing financial products and solutions addressing consumers’ needs. This includes $20 million in funds set aside to help Black-owned entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses. Part of a $100 million impact investing strategy, the firm also sponsors a Black Founder Accelerator, providing financial support and mentorship to improve outcomes and drive change.

Amaar Khan

Managing Director and Chief Information Officer - Asia Pacific

BNY Mellon

Amaar Khan is a Managing Director and Chief Information Officer for BNY Mellon Asia Pacific. He is responsible for providing engineering consultancy, change execution and localization services in response to regional regulatory and client requirements. Beyond his role as Chief Information Officer, Amaar is an ally and champion for the firm’s DEI programs. He is the Regional Executive Sponsor for the IMPACT Multicultural Network, which focuses on recruitment, retention, professional development, and advancement of multicultural employees. Additionally, he is the Global Executive Sponsor for Asian Community Engagement, which strives to raise awareness of the rich diversity of Asian heritage and culture, while fostering a sense of community through empowered connections. Outside of his mentorship and sponsorship of employees and business resource groups, Amaar moderates and participates in fireside and panel discussions, championing the professional advancement and inclusivity of multicultural and gender diverse employees to foster a greater sense of community.

Shim Sameer

Head of Preferred Business and Lending

Bank of America

Shim Sameer leads a team of more than 3,000 specialists within Bank of America’s consumer organization providing financial solutions to clients and communities. Shim is widely known as a passionate advocate for equality and inclusion, dismantling perceptions and barriers built by unconscious bias. She serves as executive sponsor for LEAD for Women employee network, comprising 44,000 members spanning 25 countries. She has founded multiple leadership forums for women leaders providing access to resources and developmental opportunities. Shim enjoys addressing global audiences through forums, panels and events, discussing topics such as leadership, economic empowerment and advancing gender equity. She serves on the boards of the National Association of Asian American Professionals, Girl Scouts of Greater New York and Massachusetts Bankers Association, and is a multi-year recipient of the “INDIA New England News” list of Outstanding Women, and the Empower Top 100 Executives and the HERoes Top 100 Women Executives lists.

Rahul Gumber

Chief Risk Officer

Aviva Canada

Rahul has been the Chief Risk Officer of Aviva Canada since April 2022. Since joining Aviva, Rahul has been a passionate advocate for DEI and an active proponent of creating a meritocratic and inclusive culture within companies. In Rahul’s prior role, he was the Executive Sponsor for DEI in Aviva Ireland where he worked with leadership teams to develop and implement a company-wide DEI strategy. As the current Executive Sponsor for diversity and inclusion in Global Risk, Rahul established the DEI program for the function and, along with his colleagues, has promoted and participated in a number of initiatives aimed at advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace across the four pillars of their work: governance, data and metrics; education and training; communication and events; and recruitment, retention and progression.

Rakesh Thakrar

Group CFO

Phoenix Group Holdings plc

Diversity and mobility are defining aspects of Rakesh’s life, he is a high-flyer from an immigrant background, his father was from Tanzania and mother a Ugandan refugee. Since his appointment to the Board as Chief Financial Officer, Rakesh has been Executive Sponsor for Social Mobility. The intersectional strategy has dramatically improved Phoenix's Social Mobility Index ranking, through actions like a recruitment DEI audit, ensuring adverts are bias-free and focussing graduate recruitment outside of the Russell Group Universities. He sponsored the Kickstart Programme, offering entry-level positions for young benefit claimants. His focus on data has helped drive analysis of colleague DEI data and publication of the first Group ethnicity pay gap. Beyond his role at Phoenix Group, Rakesh works with Progress Together, a taskforce led by the City of London Corporation that collaborates with financial services companies to promote social mobility and aims to progress and retain a socio-economically diverse workforce.

Natascha Jesuvant

Store Director – Convenience Central

Tesco

As the first ethnically diverse female Store Director to be appointed at Tesco, Natascha has been educating teams on cultural diversity and its benefits in the workplace. She runs a Diverse Talent Community for 60 female colleagues across the Convenience format, which provides sponsorship, guidance, and personal development, directs the Race and Ethnicity network, and supports colleagues in recognizing and celebrating cultural dates. Natascha also takes her advocacy beyond Tesco by celebrating important dates, such as Diwali, with local customers, fundraising for Birmingham City Children's Hospital, organizing a toy collection at Christmas for those who couldn't afford it due to the cost-of-living crisis, and supporting the Positive Youth Foundation, a charity that aids young people in the Coventry area. More recently, Natascha completed the London Marathon for Charity.

Camille Drummond

Senior Vice President, Global Business Services

BP

Camille has achieved over 30 years in the energy industry, from a trainee accountant to SVP of Global Business Services, with multiple finance roles across different businesses. She is a qualified accountant with a Masters degree. As a female of Jamaican heritage, Camille is passionate about opportunities for under-represented ethnicities in the workplace. She is Executive sponsor for bp's Positively Ethnic Network and is instrumental in progressing bp’s ambition to reflect diversity inside the company. She is also a founder of the Black Executive Leadership Team, which aims to develop black leaders at bp. Additionally, Camille has forged strong partnerships with leaders in other companies, to develop talent across organizations and pursue greater supplier diversity in corporate supply chains. Camille is on the advisory board of Business in The City's "Race Leadership Team," which provides strategic guidance to employers to help break down barriers that prevents progression of ethnic minorities.

Amira Barger

Executive Vice President, Health Communications & DEI Advisory

Edelman

Amira K.S. Barger, MBA, CVA, CFRE is an Executive Vice President at Edelman, providing senior Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and Communications counsel. She is a scholar-practitioner and thought leader who brings experience in strategic communications that reach stakeholders, mobilize community and inspire action. At California State University East Bay, she is a professor in marketing and communications. She is a data-informed, organizational architect who leverages design thinking to advance DEI and solve complex challenges. Amira's work in DEI goes beyond her Edelman role. She is a member of Benicia California’s Commission United for Racial Equity (CURE) - an accountability partner to government, a Board Member of By the Bay Health -a nonprofit health system in California, a member of Journalistic Learning Initiative -which engages students in storytelling to build confidence, and a founding member of Benicia Black Lives Matter, a grassroots organization in the Bay Area.

Rama Gollakota

Partner

Oliver Wyman

Rama is the product of a first-generation immigrant upbringing, learning to adapt to his surroundings from school age. This experience shaped how he navigated through the predominantly Anglo/European ranks of Australian businesses. This experience greatly shaped Rama's passion for and approach to DEI in the workplace. In addition to being a Partner at Oliver Wyman, Rama is the regional lead of EMPOWERED, the firm's employee resource group that promotes a collaborative, safe, and comfortable workplace for all colleagues by combining the Ethnic Diversity strategy with grassroots priorities. EMPOWERED also promotes recognition of indigenous communities through the ‘Acknowledgment of Country' in regular course of business and supporting remote indigenous communities through charitable giving. More recently, the group has been supporting the development of Oliver Wyman's Reconciliation Action Plan for Australia and the Pacific Islands, and celebrating cultural and religious festivals.

Silika Shellie

Director of Food Product & Innovation - Grocery

Sainsbury's

As the Director of Food Products and Innovation at Sainsbury's, Silika has developed & spearheaded the 'Thrive' program, which aims to Influence business through gaining senior-level support & sign off to invest in a retail 'first of its kind' free incubator program to support Black founders-led start-up food & drink businesses transition to supermarket shelves. Silika led the team to develop an authentic and meaningful program that addresses specific barriers for Black founders. As a result, three businesses will be sold in Sainsbury's this year. Beyond Sainsbury's, Silika mentors black male undergraduates at AddPsalt, and is an active member of the Black FMCG Network. In this professional network, she acts as an event panelist to inspire attendees to strive for success and encourage senior decision-makers to take individual actions to drive collective change.

Karen S. Carter

President, Packaging & Specialty Plastics

Dow

Karen S. Carter is President of Dow’s Packaging & Specialty Plastics (P&SP) business operating segment. With annual sales of more than $29 Billion, P&SP is widely recognized as the world’s largest materials supplier of polyethylene resins and functional polymers serving key growth markets like food packaging, health and hygiene, infrastructure, and consumer goods. Carter’s cross functional leadership team is diverse with 45% women, 25% U.S. ethnic minority and 35% international talent representation. Carter has served in a progression of roles at Dow since beginning her career with the Company in 1993, including most recently as their Chief Human Resources Officer and first Chief Inclusion Officer, where she successfully institutionalized inclusion and diversity as key drivers for long-term growth. In her current role she remains committed to driving inclusion, diversity and equity as business imperatives. Carter has a bachelor’s degree from Howard University and a master’s degree from DePaul University.

Ritu Shirgaokar

Head of International and Regulatory Legal

State Street Corporation

Ritu is executive sponsor to the Race and Ethnicity network, guiding their agenda to amplify the voice of employees in holding management accountable. Ritu speaks openly about her lived experience as a lawyer, an ethnic minority, and a female. As one of the few regional ethnic minority leaders, she uses her role as a trusted advisor to inspire stronger awareness and action, through regular panel events and counselling of executive colleagues. As a senior leader of the legal division, her “LCARS Shares” platform empowers lawyers to share their personal stories of inclusion, promoting a deeper sense of belonging across the global team. Moreover, Ritu is a founding advisory council member and ambassador to Reboot, a voluntary coalition led by Noreen Biddle (an Empower role model), using the power of story-telling and research to advance the diversity dialogue in financial services between senior business leaders, ethnic minority role models and allies.

Kelechi Onukogu

EMEA Head of Risk and Controls

Wells Fargo

Kelechi is a Managing Director and EMEA Head of Corporate Investment Bank and Enterprise Functions, Risk and Controls. He is a senior risk and control expert with a career that spans 20 years. He has a passion for Diversity & Inclusion and played a pivotal role in creating and co-chairing the UK Barclays Black Professional Forum. His team won the 'Inclusion Champion' category in the 2019 Citizenship and Diversity Awards. In 2020, he was appointed as the global head for the 'Race at Work agenda' sitting in group HR to design and execute the strategic framework for Barclays and successfully published the Bank-wide commitments in October 2020. Most recently within one year of joining Wells Fargo, Kelechi was instrumental in lobbying the bank to sign-up for the UK Race at Work Charter and was appointed Executive Sponsor in 2021 to help drive the Race At Work strategy in the EMEA region.

Mitesh Sheth

Chief Investment Officer, Multi-Asset

Newton Investment Management

Upon joining Newton as their multi-asset Chief Investment Officer, Mitesh took on join executive sponsorship of the firm’s DE&I Council, introduced new recruitment partners to support the placing of professionals back into mid/senior roles after a career break, and encouraged colleagues to share more stories by fostering regular firmwide discussions around mental health, as well as race and ethnicity. Outside of the scope of his role at Newton, Mitesh is a member of the Diversity Project’s Advisory Council and is also an executive sponsor for the Diversity Project’s Race and Ethnicity workstream, its campaigns, and programs. Moreover, Mitesh is a regular DEI speaker, has run workshops on ‘embracing discomfort’, volunteers with grassroots social mobility charities and in 2021 brought together UK & global investment consultants to agree upon a common DE&I questionnaire for the investment industry to bring consistency and momentum, now part of the Asset Owner Diversity Charter.

Shay Mustafa

Senior Vice President, Business Communications and Sustainability

Reynolds American Inc. Subsidiary of British American Tobacco (BAT)

Shay is a transformational leader with over 20 years of experience who currently serves as Senior Vice President, Business Communications and Sustainability on Reynolds American's leadership team. Shay is the Executive Sponsor of BEYOU, the company's 300+ member African American Employee Resource Group and is a driving force behind initiatives such as the African American Leadership Connection to increase minority representation within the organization. She is a proponent of whole-of-society solutions, such as harm reduction public health policies and philanthropic efforts to eliminate economic disparities in her community. Shay is the chairperson of the Reynolds American Foundation Board and was instrumental in the fulfilment of the corporation's $3 million commitment to support social justice in the U.S. Having personally benefited from early-career mentoring and internships, she is an advocate for focusing on talent development as a means of fostering sustainable diversity and inclusion throughout organizations, particularly at the leadership levels.

Oluwabukunola Olukoga

Senior HRBP Commercial, West & Central Africa

British American Tobacco

Oluwabukunola Olukoga is a Senior HR Business Partner at British American Tobacco. Passionate about promoting diversity, she is a business leader who is actively involved in promoting people strategy. Oluwabukunola inspires colleagues from diverse cultures through mentorship, coaching, and workshops facilitation for employee resource groups, including Women in BAT. She led the formulation of BAT East Africa Persons with Disabilities strategy, demonstrating her commitment to equity and inclusion. She continues to encourage employees, helping them build capabilities, advance their careers, and feel valued. Outside of her professional work, Oluwabukunola is an active member of the Nigeria-British Association, a non-profit organization focused on cultural exchange and building relationships between Nigerian and British communities. She also serves as a career coach and panellist at next-gen educational academies, promoting inclusive and progressive environments. Oluwabukunola leadership has inspired individuals and organizations to view diversity as a strength and work towards a more equitable future.

Dionne Aiken

CMO

Kantar

Dionne is the Global Executive Sponsor for I&D at Kantar Profiles and played an integral role in formulating a strategy winning the hearts and minds of the business. Feedback suggests it has had a significant and lasting impact. Passionate about the next generation and paying it forward, Dionne was instrumental in Kantar partnering with the 10,000 Black Interns programme. She mentors a number of individuals within her organisation, as well as externally, helping diverse talent further increase their leadership capability. Currently an advisor on the Kantar Global I&D Committee, Dionne balances these commitments with her primary role as Chief Marketing Officer. Additionally, Dionne is a Non-Executive Director at the BFE Leadership Group, a frequent participant in panel discussions and DE&I events including a recent roundtable at Number 10 Downing Street. She is a Baton Award winner and judge for The National Diversity Awards and a number of Marketing Industry Awards.

Debbie Ellison

Global Chief Digital Officer

VMLY&R Commerce

After establishing VMLY&R COMMERCE’s Roots UK network, six further ERGs have been introduced including gender equality, parents & carers and LGBTQ+. Debbie’s Incubator work experience program for 16–18-year-olds is in its fourth year in London and has expanded to New York. Students from Black, Asian, Mixed Ethnicity or lower socio-economic backgrounds are eligible for a full scholarship to study business administration thanks to the partnership Debbie established with Hult Business School. Debbie has led VMLY&R COMMERCE to track 60 DE&I KPIs resulting in the business being named Diversity & Inclusion Company of the Year. Most recently she launched the UK’s Inclusion Experience consultancy, helping businesses connect inclusive communications to transformational change, leading global brands like InterContinental Hotels & Resorts develop more inclusive, world-class customer experiences. In the Ethnicity Awards, Debbie has been listed in the Inspirational Leader Category for three years running.

Martin Barnett

Global Head of Technical Product Experts, Search Ads 360

Google

Martin is the Executive Sponsor for the Black Google Network (BGN) Employee Resource Group UK Chapter. He is a coach and mentor for BGN EMEA Chapter Leads and members, advising on career development, leadership and engagement of senior executives. He has overseen the expansion of the Employee Resource Group across several regions and been a vital part of establishing chapters in France, Ireland, Nordics & Benelux, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa as well as the recent launch of its newest chapter in Germany. In addition, Martin coaches senior executives and managers within the organization on inclusive leadership, and promoting the career growth of under-represented talent. For the UK Gov Department of Work and Pensions and Youth Justice Board Mentoring Circles Pilot Program, Martin serves as a consulting mentor.

Rob Anarfi

Chief Risk Officer

Beazley

‘Rob Anarfi is the Chief Risk Officer at Beazley Group. He joined in 2012 as Head of Internal Audit. Rob has held senior audit roles at the FCA, Aviva, Zurich, and Allianz. He also qualified as a chartered accountant with PwC. Rob is the founder and executive sponsor of BeazleyRACE, the company's employee network focused on race, culture, and ethnicity. He helped the D&I Steering Committee set and communicate the public race and ethnicity targets, which Beazley has been progressing with to ensure better racial inclusivity and diversity across the company at all levels. Rob is also the Co-Chair of a cross-industry initiative, Race Action Through Leadership. RATL brings a diverse group of senior insurance professionals together to help improve the representation of minority ethnic professionals at all levels of the insurance industry.

Julien Linger

Advisory Partner

PwC

Since joining PwC, Julien has been an active sponsor and supporter of Connected Cultures, an internal network for cultural diversity. Within Connected Cultures, Julien is a panelist to discuss the importance and challenges of inclusion and diversity and acts as an informal coach for colleagues with non-western backgrounds across the firm. Julien has also been part of the Roots Inspire network as a mentor for several professionals in the Leadership Catalyst Program - Roots Inspire is a leadership development platform by ethnic corporate leaders for ethnic leadership talent. In the past he has appeared on Dutch national television as a panelist to discuss the ways in which diversity & inclusion in Dutch society could be further improved.

Marie Caliskan

Head of Development Programmes

Tesco

Marie co-founded the Black Action Plan for Tesco and has been leading the Talent Equity Pillar element since 2021; The plan impacts all under-represented groups and aims to dismantle systemic racism across the business. Marie played a pivotal role in designing Tesco’s Diverse Talent Community (DTC) spotlight programme for black talent, featured in the 2022''If Not Now, When'' Report. It’s designed to remove progression barriers for all under-represented groups to ensure that everyone within Tesco has an opportunity to get on. Externally, Marie is heavily involved with the Black British Network which led to an invitation to attend and speak at a CEO Roundtable session in 2021, where she shared her experience of being Black in the workplace with over 20+ CEOs.

Jig Ramji

Group Head of Talent

LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)

Jig's passion and commitment to the global DE&I strategy as LSEG’s Group Head of Talent is helping LSEG continue to create an inclusive culture where people truly belong. In 2022, his leadership helped achieve an ambitious Senior Leadership gender representation goal, expand our leadership goals to achieve better gender and ethnicity representation and a refreshed global DE&I focus that is regionally relevant. Outside of his role at LSEG, Jig holds multiple directorships including the Financial Services Skills Commission, the Roffey Park Institute and the LSEG Foundation. Jig’s current priority is how we continue to drive and encourage trust for colleagues to share their diversity data so that LSEG can drive a data-led approach in its DE&I decisions.

Balbir Bakhshi

Chief Risk Officer and Executive Committee Sponsor for the LSEG Pride Network

LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)

Since joining LSEG in early 2021, Balbir is a regular speaker at events across the company advocating for sustainable change around all aspects of diversity and inclusion. In his time at LSEG he has led initiatives that have focused on numerous changes across recruitment processes, and he personally sponsored the introduction of a return-to-work program aimed at female returners. In addition, Balbir has a strong voice on social media campaigns across all D&I topics and promotes what LSEG does to support the LGBTQ+ community as the executive sponsor for LSEG Pride. Furthermore, Balbir has a focus on D&I across the industry and frequently engages with peer risk officers to exchange ideas for encouraging more diverse candidates into risk management and changing the face of financial services in support for a more diverse workforce. Balbir is also a Board member of London Clearing House Ltd, London Clearing House S.A and Tradeweb Markets Inc.

Annie Leung

Chief of Staff to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

As the Chief of Staff to the CFO at Vertex, Annie has designed and implemented an inclusion, diversity and equity (ID&E) strategy for the CFO organization that focuses on further expanding diversity in the talent pipeline and recruitment, fostering an inclusive team environment, creating equitable access to development opportunities, and increasing transparency of promotion and performance management processes for all CFO employees. Across Vertex, she advocated for, and piloted, corporate training on Allyship and Inclusive Hiring; promotes the development of next-generation Black and Hispanic leaders through program design and operational support for 6-month mentoring circles led by the CFO; and collaborates closely with the HR and ID&E teams on “healthy team” metrics that have been incorporated into the company’s global talent dashboard. Externally, Annie has been working on building and launching a mentoring circle for young Asian women in the Boston area who aspire to a business career.

TJ Lim

Managing Director, US Private Bank Head of Digital Platforms

JP Morgan

TJ Lim is a passionate advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in and outside of J.P. Morgan. At the firm, TJ is an active member of the Asian Leadership Forum as well as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender+ (LGBT+) Executive Forum. He is actively involved in promoting inclusion topics into the workplace. He was featured in a panel at this year’s senior leaders meeting, where he spoke about losing his mom, migrating to the US, coming out as a gay man, and his Asian-American experience. TJ also actively integrates DE&I at work by leading cultural celebrations such as Diwali and Lunar New Year. He has also hosted small group “open conversation” sessions with global employees from the United States, India and the Philippines about inclusion, covering topics such as sexual orientation, gender and race. TJ also represents J.P. Morgan on the Technology Council for Asia Society.

Niken Wresniwiro

Senior Vice President, Global Communications

WPP

Since joining WPP in 2018, Niken has made it her priority to showcase the diversity of the company’s people and markets. She has personally pushed external organizations and enforced WPP's commitment to only appear at events and on panels with gender and ethnic diversity. She has also advocated for the inclusion of minority ethnic speakers at high-profile events, identifying and putting forward leaders from both across WPP’s global network and outside of her organization. Moreover, Niken led the promotion and helped launch WPP's Consumer Equality Equation report; the most comprehensive report on Minority Ethnic consumers, and actively champions inclusion within the organization to provide a platform for diverse voices across WPP’s internal and external channels.

2023 Top 100 Executives

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CEO, Legacy Franchises

Citi

Group General Counsel & Chief Sustainability Officer

Halma plc

Executive Chairman and CEO

BlackBerry

Chief Executive Officer

Diageo

Chief Executive Officer

Genpact LLC

Partner, Head of Strategy & Transactions, Capital Markets, APAC

Ernst & Young

Founder, Chairman & CEO

Operation HOPE

President, Performance Materials & Coatings, Latin America Oversight

Dow

Chief Growth Officer and Executive Committee Member

Capita plc

Chief Marketing Officer

Ecolab

Vice Chair and Partner

KPMG

CEO, North America

GroupM

Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

Saint-Gobain North America

Executive Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs

IHG Hotels & Resorts

Vice President, Deputy General Counsel

Jacobs

Chief of Staff, ViiV Healthcare

GSK

Chief of Staff & Boeing Global Engagement lead

Boeing India & South Asia

Chief Scientific Officer

Sandoz

New York Managing Partner

Deloitte

Chief Innovation Officer

SAP Latin America & Caribbean

Global Partner for Client Sustainability

Freshfields Brukhaus Deringer

Managing Director of Commercial

BT / EE

Partner, Sport Industry Lead

Oliver Wyman

EMEIA People Director

Apple

Partner

Reed Smith LLP

Chief Transformation Officer, Non-Executive Board Director ISS A/S and Oxford Instruments

Oxford Instruments

Commercial Director

AXA UK

Chief People Officer

Community Preservation Corporation (CPC)

Global Chief Growth Officer

Virtue Worldwide

General Counsel & Company Secretary

Diageo

Director and General Manager

Jacobs

Vice President, Islamic Marketing

Ogilvy Consulting

Managing Director and Head of Business Services Sector, Mergers & Acquisitions

BDO LLP

Head of People Experience

BlackRock

Partner, Global Partnership Board Member

FGS Global

Managing Director, Legal & Compliance Division

Morgan Stanley

Chief Executive

GV Group (Gate Ventures)

Executive Producer