Top 25 Black and ethnically diverse women in Corporate UK 2023

Supporting our mission to promote diversity and inclusion, we proudly present the first edition of STRETCH25, an exclusive yearly tribute to 25 exceptional Black and ethnically diverse women advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in Corporate UK 2023

This distinguished list of outstanding female leaders in Corporate UK represents the zenith of our annual conference, STRETCH. They are not only pioneers but architects of change within their respective industries.

With this recognition, we celebrate their journeys, expertise, and steadfast dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Their stories embody innovation and progress, serving as a guiding light towards a brighter and more equitable future.

1. Hannah Reid

Expertise
Human Resource (HR) Senior Management

Current position & company
People Director of Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) at Apple

LinkedIn profile
Hannah Reid FCIPD

Key DEI contributions

Pioneered work experience program for South London schools, focusing on an under-represented demographic with diverse accessibility needs.
Serves as an executive sponsor of Apple employee community, black @Apple, driving initiatives which include digital campaigns for corporate teams and engaging all UK retail stores through daily downloads and activations that amplify the association’s objectives.
Initiated strategies with external partners to amplify, engage, and hire black talent.

Hannah Reid is People Director of Europe, Middle East, India and Africa at Apple.

Formerly Senior HR Director of EMEA Consulting at Gartner, Hannah has over twenty years of experience in Human Resources. She has held several senior roles in HR including Head of HR for the City of London Police where she was one of the highest ranking black civilians in the UK Police service.

Hannah has received a number of accolades throughout her career, including top 100 most influential black women in the U.K. and most recently she was named in the 2023 ‘EMpower Top 100 Executives’ list which recognises senior leaders globally who role model and advance inclusion and diversity.

2. Mary Mosope Adeyemi

Expertise
Career Advocacy

Current position & company
Lead Career Strategist & Coach at Visible Strengths Co.

LinkedIn profile
Mary Mosope Adeyemi

Key DEI contributions

Founded Visible Strengths Co., a career academy to help women in corporate careers build purposeful, profitable and progressive careers.
Host of the viSHEbility Talk show to amplify the marketplace stories of Black Women to elevate them and empower others.
Provided over £40,000 of angel investment as well as advisory services to support businesses founded by Black Women. Investments to date include – Career Masterclass, BYP Network, Herconomy and others.

Mary Mosope Adeyemi is a dynamic and purpose-driven impactpreneur with a rich background in the corporate world, having worked at renowned institutions such as Goldman Sachs and Bank of America.

She has transitioned into a second career as the visionary CEO of Visible Strengths Co., where she empowers career professionals to discover their purpose and excel in personally fulfilling and financially rewarding roles.

Mary’s impact has attracted several recognition and awards, including the:

We are the City Rising Stars in Banking Award (2017)
Top 40 under 40 Black Women in Asset Management Award (2023)
Inspirational Woman in Finance Award by Women of Excellence (2023).

3. Shauna Roper

Expertise
Human Resource (HR) Management

Current position & company
Global Head of Inclusion, Global Functions HR at HSBC

LinkedIn profile
Shauna R.

Key DEI contributions

Successfully implemented inclusive hiring practices that focused on skills and behaviours, removing biases and increasing HSBC’s representation of minority backgrounds talents.
Promotes education around systemic racism and discrimination, delivering bespoke workshops to internal C-Suite and external clients and partners, to ensure everyone plays their part in removing barriers.
Challenges the status quo and creates innovative programs that provide safe spaces for minority groups to succeed, and uses her platform to impact policies and create a more inclusive culture.

Shauna Roper is a visionary JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) leader in the Financial Services sector who embodies love-based leadership. She co-chairs the EmpowHER program, which reached 30% of Black Heritage Women in the UK within six months and focuses on amplifying their voices and providing tools to navigate bias.

One of her most significant contributions is the multi-award-nominated DEI learning program “In Their Shoes”, created in the wake of the George Floyd case, to amplify the workplace experiences of Black Heritage employees.

Recognised as a Top 75 DEI influencer in EMEA, Shauna’s impact extends beyond the workplace to inspire change in communities, reflecting her lifelong dedication to creating an equitable world.

4. Adese Okojie

Expertise
Human Resource (HR) Management

Current position & company
Founder and CEO at Black Women in HR

LinkedIn profile
Adese O.

Key DEI contributions

Created a community where Black people are educated and mentored.
Helped Black women connect and network amongst themselves to reach their full potential for success.

Adese established BWHR in June 2019 out of her own personal experiences as a black woman navigating her career in the United Kingdom. Since then, the BWHR tribe has developed from a networking platform to a strong force through supporting its community with education, networking, and recruitment.

Along with leading the BWHR strategy, Adese is a Senior HR Business Partner at a multinational Engineering company, a Board of Trustee member and a strong advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Adese also received an empowerment award nomination for her role in the career development of black women in HR from Nations of Women in 2021 and was recognised as one of the top 50 women around the world by Powerhouse global magazine.

5. Adefunlola Garber

Expertise
Risk and Controls Management

Current position & company
Head of Digital Services Control at NatWest

LinkedIn profile
Adefunlola Garber

Key DEI contributions

Shares her personal career stories and is open about the challenges/mistakes she made + lessons she learnt along the way.
Encouraged and mentored two colleagues to apply to serve as co-chairs of the Natwest Group Multi-Cultural Network. The network delivered a report on Banking on Racial Equality: A positive roadmap for change setting the standard for racial equality in NatWest Group, accompanied by a set of targets and commitments.
Reverse mentoring C-Suite Execs to help build understanding and empathy regarding the challenges faced by Ethnic Minority colleagues.

Funlola is the Head of Controls for the NatWest Digital X organisation with over 25 years’ experience of risk management and control framework design and implementation.

She started out her career at Price Waterhouse Lagos, Nigeria and has extensive experience of Internal and External Audit across Telecoms, FMCG and Financial Services as well as a breadth of experience executing risk and controls framework.

Funlola currently leads a diverse 1st line controls team supporting the NatWest Digital X organisation spread across multiple locations/regions. She is married and has a 10-year old son. In her spare time she watches football and Formula 1.

6. Ariel White-Tsimikalis

Expertise
Law

Current position & company
Partner, Tech & Life Sciences at Goodwin Procter

LinkedIn profile
Ariel White-Tsimikalis

Key DEI contributions

Led diversity initiatives at Goodwin Procter, like Black Counsel Forum 2023 and Black Women in Tech client event.
Actively involved in community projects, including setting up the first Black student exchange between Queen Mary University and Spellman College.
Received accolades such as the “Mentor of the Year” award at the Women Influence Power in Law Awards and being included in the UK’s 2023 Power in the City List.

Ms. White-Tsimikalis leads the UK Equity Capital Markets & Public Company practice at global law firm Goodwin Procter. She advises late stage growth companies, particularly in the Tech and Life Sciences sectors, on their journey to the public markets and regularly acts for issuers, underwriters and investors on equity capital markets transactions (including IPOs, secondary offerings and private placements), corporate governance matters and general public company representation.

As a member of the firm’s ESG & Impact Group and Public Company Advisory Practice, Ms. White-Tsimikalis helps listed and later stage private companies navigate ESG issues. She is also a member of Goodwin’s Women’s Health & Wellness group and serves on the firm’s Steering Committee focused on the ESG implications of the US Supreme Court Dobbs decision for the firm and its clients.

7. Jacqueline Taiwo

Expertise
Career Advocacy, Law, and Finance

Current position & company
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer at Black Women in Asset Management (BWAM)

LinkedIn profile
Jacqueline Taiwo

Key DEI contributions

Launched the BWAM Asset Management conference, bringing together the largest community of Black women in the asset management field globally.
BWAM events and initiatives have connected, empowered and inspired Black women to thrive.
Pioneered the 40 under 40 Awards, giving much needed visibility to the asset management industry’s rising stars.

Jacqueline Taiwo runs Black Women in Asset Management (BWAM), a global organisation supporting the retention and advancement of Black women working in asset management. A private equity lawyer and compliance professional with over ten years of legal experience, Jacqueline is passionate about building inclusive and diverse workplaces in the financial services industry.

Some of her achievements include winning Advocate of the Year in the 2021 Women in Finance Awards and getting listed by Real Deals in 2020 as one of 40 individuals making a notable impact on improving diversity and inclusion in private equity. In 2022, she was also named one of Brummell’s 30 Inspirational Women in the City.

8. Winnie Annan-Forson

Expertise
DEI advocacy

Current position & company
Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) at Royal Mai

LinkedIn profile
Winnie (Oudemans) Annan-Forson

Key DEI contributions

Co-Founded Excellerate Black Futures, an organisation aimed at accelerating Black talent.
Led DEI efforts within two organisations including the launch of Race at Work strategies and gender and ethnicity programmes.
Educated a number of organisations on DEI and how to accelerate diverse talent.

Winnie Annan-Forson is an award-winning Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Royal Mail. She has extensive experience across various HR disciplines including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Development, HR Strategy and Partnering, Retail and Business Banking.

Winnie is a Black British Business Awards Professional Services, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Tech and We Are The City Rising Star Award winner, recognised for building diverse communities that drive social change.

9. Afua Kyei

Expertise
Banking and Finance

Current position & company
Chief Financial Officer at Bank of England

LinkedIn profile
Afua Kyei

Key DEI contributions

Co-executive sponsor for the Bank’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, driving cultural changes and advocating for inclusive practices and an equitable workplaces.
Working on the Bank of England’s court review of ethnic diversity and inclusion.
Honoured as one of the ‘100 Most Influential Britons of Black Heritage’ on the Powerlist 2023, affirming her commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion agendas.

Afua Kyei is the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director at the Bank of England, overseeing critical areas such as Finance, Strategy, and Tax. Dedicated to driving societal impact and cultural change within organisations, Afua serves as a co-executive sponsor for D&I initiatives at the Bank.

Afua’s contributions have earned her prestigious awards, including CFO of the Year 2021 award by the Women in Finance Awards UK. She has also been recognised in influential lists like the 100 Most Influential Britons of Black Heritage.

10. Saffron Demel-Espeute

Expertise
Sales, Research, and Procurements

Current position & company
Founder at Black in Procurement

LinkedIn profile
Saffron D.

Key DEI contributions

Spotlighting key role models in procurement through ‘Celebrating Black Excellence in Procurement’ event.
Hosting a roundtable discussion on how to increase black representation within the procurement profession.
And providing time and investment into CV writing and interview preparation as a mentor.

Saffron is a visionary change-maker who has significantly contributed to the procurement community by founding the ‘Black in Procurement Network’ in 2021. There, she uses her expertise and leadership to promote diversity and create opportunities for individuals of Black heritage in the procurement profession.

With an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion, Saffron’s passion has long been evident in previous initiatives she has led, like the Lloyds Banking Group Ethnicity Role Models list 2019. The list highlighted inspirational leaders from diverse backgrounds within the organisation.

11. Amani Terhas Boros

Expertise
Sustainability and Business Transformation

Current position & company
Managing Director, Head of Sustainability at State Street Bank International

LinkedIn profile
Amani Terhas Boros

Key DEI contributions

Founded and co-chaired the EMEA Black & Asian Employee Network for nearly 4 years, advocating for ally support and gaining over a thousand sign-ups through 50+ town hall presentations.
Successfully prompted the Credit Suisse Board to address the lack of Black talent representation, resulting in a commitment to double the number of Black talent in VP-MD roles.
Leveraged her sustainability role to hire top female talent and mentor individuals from underrepresented groups to support their entry into the profession and overall career development.

Prior to her role at State Street, Amani Terhas Boros was the Global Head of Risk and Control for the Sustainability, Strategy and Finance Group at Credit Suisse, where she managed sustainability risk, impact strategy and investments. She is also the founder of Amatte Group, which launched Amatte Coffee and supports the education of farmers’ children, orphans, and female farmers in need of business skills.

She is an advocate for equity and has mentored over 100 people within and outside of the Banking industry. In an effort to further address the gap in representation, Amani founded the Credit Suisse EMEA Black & Asian Employee Network and has been part of various panels to increase awareness.
Over the years, Amani has been recognised for her contributions in the press and won the prestigious Women In Banking & Finance ‘Young Professional Award’.

12. Dupe Akinsiun

Expertise
Human Resource (HR) Management

Current position & company
Global HRBP Talent Manager at GSK

LinkedIn profile
Dupe Akinsiun

Key DEI contributions

Created a global toolkit to combat workplace microaggressions, implemented across 50+ countries at GSK.
Established a mentoring and sponsorship program for mid-level female managers, resulting in a 28% career progression rate within 6 months of launch.
Launched a thriving community for Nigerian Professionals in the UK, amassing over 800 members in just two weeks, aimed at fostering integration and equitable access to opportunities for success among Nigerian immigrants.

Dupe Akinsiun is a Chemical Engineer turned global HR professional with over 15 years progressive experience with leading multinational organisations like PwC, AstraZeneca, Coca-Cola HBC, Solvay, and more.

Dupe is also a 2022 member of the Forbes Coaches Council and a 2018 Advisory Mentor to the Queen’s Young Leaders across the Commonwealth nations. She’s been an independent Coach, Trainer, and Speaker with the Maxwell Leadership Team since 2016.

As a result of her contributions to workplace excellence, she’s received numerous awards and recognitions including the:

2020 Leading Ladies Africa Top 50 Nigerian Corporate Ladies.
2020 CMO African Women Leadership Awards.
2022 9ti5 Chick Top 100 Career Women in Nigeria.
2023 PowerWomen 100.

13. Yinka Fadina

Expertise
Internal audit and risk management

Current position & company
Head of Audit, Retail – COO & Everyday Banking at NatWest

LinkedIn profile
Yinka Fadina

Key DEI contributions

Established the Reciprocal Mentoring programme Bank which matches over 220 diverse colleagues with senior leaders within NatWest including CEO & CFO.
Established an ethnicity Taskforce with 10 commitments for colleagues, customers and communities with a new black target.
Arranged a number of Enterprise and Career workshops in the community.

Yinka Fadina is a Head of Audit within Natwest group, helping to keep their 17 million Retail customers safe. She has over 18 years of audit experience within the Financial Services sector, including working for organisations such as PwC, Barclays and the Bank of England.

Since 2020, she has been a co-lead on NatWest group’s Banking on Racial Equality Taskforce, commissioned by the CEO to review and accelerate the progress made on the ethnicity agenda within the group. Yinka is also a former global co-chair of the Natwest Multicultural network.

14. Tejal Shah

Expertise
Tax Consultancy, Operations, and Human Resource (HR) Management

Current position & company
Global Head, Talent at Kantar

LinkedIn profile
Tejal Shah

Key DEI contributions

Relaunched and chaired the Global Women at Kantar ERG, leading to a 33% membership increase and establishing new chapters for Women in Tech and North America.
Utilised Diversity and Inclusion data for leadership talent reviews at Kantar, enhancing awareness and shaping ambitious gender and ethnicity targets.
Spearheaded an inclusive Global Mentoring Programme, offering priority access and reverse mentoring, fostering mutual learning and diverse perspectives.

Tejal Shah is a dedicated DEI advocate, and as the chair of the Global Women at Kantar Employee Resource Group (ERG), she organised Kantar’s most successful International Women’s Day celebrations in 2023. Under her leadership, the ERG also experienced a 45% membership growth, with new chapters formed for Women in Tech and in North America.

Through data-driven approaches and a powerful video highlighting women’s experiences at Kantar, Tejal fostered DEI awareness at the executive level. She also spearheaded the launch of an inclusive Global Mentoring Programme, prioritising ERG members and offering reverse mentoring opportunities.

Tejal’s efforts led to Kantar’s recognition as Company of the Year at the Burberry British Diversity Awards and she continues to drive positive transformations, ensuring that all women at Kantar can thrive and contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s success.

15. Dr. Yvette Ankrah

Expertise
Coaching and Consultancy

Current position & company
Director at Leading with C.L.A.R.I.T.Y

LinkedIn profile
Dr Yvette Ankrah MBE

Key DEI contributions

Launched a national campaign for women in business to receive more support and representation.
Established a corporate business dedicated to driving workplace innovation and transformation, where 85% of her 9-member team are women and 85% are of Black ethnicity.
Contributed to the literature on the Ghanaian second generation with her PhD thesis

Dr. Yvette Ankrah MBE is a transformative business coach and consultant, known for guiding high-achieving women in business toward success — without the pitfalls of burnout. With over 25 years of business expertise, Yvette champions the importance of nurturing a thriving inner foundation of self-care for sustainable, stress-free, and profitable enterprises.

Yvette’s extensive qualifications include accreditation as a Neuro-Linguistic Programming Master, Spectrum Performance coach, and Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner. She has also received extensive recognition for her work, from winning a Microsoft/O2 business award in 2013, to attracting a Best Coach nomination at the Best Business Women Awards in 2015, and receiving an MBE for her impactful work with women in business in 2017.

With her team at Leading with C.L.A.R.I.T.Y, Yvette provides executive coaching and leadership training to organisations.

16. Katherine Gansallo

Expertise
Human Resource (HR) Management and DEI advocacy

Current position & company
Diversity and Inclusion Director at London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)

LinkedIn profile
Katherine Gansallo (MCIPD)

Key DEI contributions

Taken LSEG’s senior women’s leadership numbers from 31% to 40% in the space of a year.
Supported more than 100 black females advance in their careers over the last 4 years seeing salary increases of somewhere between 20 -50% through my consultancy Katherine Gansallo consulting.
Implemented the first women return to work programme at LSEG which saw more than 75% of the inaugural class able to achieve permanent roles at LSEG.

As the Director of Diversity & Inclusion at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), Katherine Gansallo oversees 25,000 employees spanning 70+ countries. Her focus is on embedding diversity and inclusion throughout LSEG’s systems and processes, empowering leaders to champion inclusivity. So far, Katherine has initiated numerous DEI programs, introduced family-friendly policies, and led her team to pilot a comprehensive Disability and Social Mobility Strategy.

Recognised for her contributions, she was shortlisted for Head of Diversity of the Year at the British Diversity Awards 2021 and the European Diversity Awards in 2019 and 2022. Under her leadership, LSEG has also earned prestigious awards, including Large Brand of the Year at The Bank of London Rainbow Honours 2022 and Company of the Year at the European Diversity Awards 2022.

17. Hannah Awonuga

Expertise
Career coaching and DEI advocacy

Current position & company
Group Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Partner at Knight Frank

LinkedIn profile
Hannah Awonuga

Key DEI contributions

Spearheaded the drive for socio-economic inclusion within financial services through her NED position on Progress Together.
Set up Meet My Future Self for Year 10 girls to change the narrative of lack of Black and ethnically diverse women in the workplace.
Mentoring and coaching Black female professionals since 2017.

Hannah Awonuga is the Group Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Partner at Knight Frank. She started her banking career at the age of 17, and spent about 11 yrs leading remote teams in the retail, business and corporate banking before transitioning into Diversity and Inclusion.

She is also a multi-award winning DEI thought leader and speaker and in the last two years, she:

Won the 2021 WeAreTheCity rising star award.
Was named amongst the 2021/2022 most inspirational D&I (Diversity and Inclusion) professionals by D&I leaders.
Got listed in the 2021 Top 25 most influential DEI practitioners by HR Magazine.

As the Founder of Rarity London Inclusion and Development services, Hannah is a passionate and knowledgeable speaker and facilitator, experienced in delivering inclusive leadership workshops and keynote addresses.

18. Elsie Akinsanya

Expertise
Human Resource (HR) Management

Current position & company
People Director for Corporate & Institutional Banking and Business & Commercial Banking at Lloyds Banking Group

LinkedIn profile
Elsie Akinsanya

Key DEI contributions

Ex chair of Citibank’s BAME network, spearheaded the showcasing of inspirational, professional Black people in UK history (during Black History Month). Brought in guests such as historian David Olusoga and journalist Raji Omar.
Mentor matching of early-career professional black women with seasoned professionals via “Each one, Reach One” platform.
Sponsored and advocated for diverse talent during her keynote addresses at the 2023 Black Women in Tech Festival.
Intentionally building inclusive leaders in organisations she has worked in.

Elsie serves as the People Director for Business & Commercial Banking and Corporate & Institutional Banking at Lloyds Banking Group since January 2023. Previously, she held roles at Citibank, including Managing Director for HR in Emerging Markets and Global Head of HR for Treasury and Trade Solutions.

Her diverse HR experience spans financial services, research, and pharmaceuticals, including positions at Fidelity International, Market and Opinion Research International (MORI), and Quintiles International. Elsie is an accomplished Executive Coach and a former Non-Executive Director at Hyde Housing who frequently speaks at career conferences.

19. Asia Sharif

Expertise
Software development

Current position & company
Software Engineer at NatWest

LinkedIn profile
Asia Sharif

Key DEI contributions

Dedicated time and expertise to mentor over 70 women in the tech industry, helping them navigate challenges and achieve their career goals.
Conducted workshops and talks focused on diversity and inclusion, spreading awareness and promoting dialogue on these important topics within the tech community on a global scale.
Co-leads the STEM Committee at NatWest, working on initiatives for gender diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities for women in technology.

Asia Sharif is a highly accomplished software engineer and tech influencer, recognised as one of the most influential women in tech by Computer Weekly in 2023. Beyond her technical prowess, she’s an engineering mentor, blogger, and blockchain enthusiast. She founded ChainVerse to transform prison communications between inmates and their loved ones, and actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

Asia’s career achievements have earned her recognition in publications like POCIT, Code First Girls, Black Valley, and The Voice in The Shadows Book, and she uses her platforms to inspire underrepresented individuals to pursue tech careers. She also represents women in technology at the United Nations and is an Ambassador for Google’s Women Tech Makers Program.

20. Dr. Joanna Abeyie

Expertise
Media, Social Enterprise, and DEI Advocacy

Current position & company
Founder & Director at Blue Moon

LinkedIn profile
Joanna Abeyie

Key DEI contributions

In 2008, at 20, she started her own social enterprise, Shine Media, which saw her place over 3,000 people from diverse backgrounds into work within creative industries.
Collaborated with Baroness Deborah Bull to establish the Creative Diversity All-Party Parliamentary Group where she is a joint secretary.
Awarded an MBE in the 2020 New Year’s Honours list for her contribution to diversity and inclusion in the creative and media industries.

Dr. Joanna Abeyie MBE is a multi-award-winning social impact entrepreneur, champion of diversity, inclusion, and equality as well as making a mark as an award-winning journalist and broadcaster.

Joanna has spent the last 14 years increasing the employment of diverse talent by creating inclusive hiring practices and working cultures. In 2006 and at the age of 18, she and six of her colleagues launched a charity called Elevation Networks Charitable Trust. Subsequently (in 2008), Joanna founded her own social enterprise, Shine Media, which successfully placed over 3000 people from diverse backgrounds into work within creative industries.

Her latest professional adventure is founding Blue Moon, a flagship inclusive executive search business and DEI consultancy practice. Before Blue Moon, Joanna founded Hyden, part of FTSE 250 Global Recruiter SThree, an executive search and consultancy business as well.

21. Jo Ogunleye

Expertise
PR and Communications

Current position & company
LB2B Communications Lead, UK at Google

LinkedIn profile
Jo Ogunleye

Key DEI contributions

First ever Black guest editor of industry publication PRWeek – where she spotlighted over 50 professionals from racially diverse backgrounds.
Spearheaded the first of its kind networking series for racially diverse communications professionals – in France, a country where government policy does not recognise diverse communities.
Launched networks in communications and financial services industries specifically for the Black professional community. Successfully drove forward the first ever Black History Month event that brought together all of the [at the time] 11 partners of Black heritage across the Big Four consulting firms; Deloitte, KPMG, PwC and EY.

Jo Ogunleye is a multi-award-winning PR & communications strategist and career coach. She is a sought-after keynote speaker, panellist, podcast guest, and industry awards judge. Jo has been recognised for her crisis management expertise in PRWeek’s 30 under 30 in 2018.

In 2020, she made history as the first Black guest editor of PRWeek, amplifying diverse voices. Jo’s innovative work earned her a top 25 innovator in PR across Europe, Middle East, and Africa award in 2022, and she’s consistently recognised as one of Britain’s influential PR professionals.

22. Heather Melville, OBE CCMI

Expertise
Leadership & Strategic Partnerships

Current position & company
Senior Managing Director, Teneo and Chancellor, University of York

LinkedIn profile
Heather Melville

Key DEI contributions

Leading the DEI work at Teneo. Under Dr. Melville’s leadership, Teneo has become a leader in DEI consulting providing clients with a comprehensive range of services, including strategy development, training, and auditing.
Serving as Chancellor of the University of York. In her role as Chancellor, Dr. Melville is working to help the University create a more inclusive and equitable environment for students, staff, and visitors. She is also working to promote DEI in the wider community through the University’s outreach and engagement activities.
Being awarded an OBE for her services to female entrepreneurs, diversity in business and gender equality.

Dr. Heather Melville OBE has spent over 40 years building inclusive cultures within challenging and often traditional corporate, international banking, technology, and professional services settings.

She currently serves as Senior Managing Director at Teneo, a global CEO advisory firm, where she assists businesses in developing more sustainable, diverse, and inclusive practices. Additionally, she leads the UK arm of its DEI practice.

Dr. Melville received an OBE in 2017 for her contributions to female entrepreneurs, diversity in business, and gender equality. In 2019, she was honoured with a place on The Financial Times’ prestigious ‘EMpower Top 100 Minority Leaders’ list.

23. Funke Abimbola, MBE

Expertise
Strategy

Current position & company
Partner, Organisational Strategy, EMEA at Korn Ferry

LinkedIn profile
Professor Dr. Funke (Akindolie) Abimbola MBE

Key DEI contributions

Advising corporate clients across the EMEA region on how to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces in her role at Korn Ferry
Spearheading the Work Experience for All campaign which aims to make work experience more accessible to young people from underrepresented backgrounds.
Serving as a non-executive board director of a fully listed company beverages leader, East Imperial where uses her DEI expertise to help the company create a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Funke Abimbola is a multi-award winning C-suite Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leader, Healthcare executive, BBC media commentator, Non Executive Director, Corporate Lawyer, Public Speaker, and Podcast host.

She is an Associate Client Partner in Korn Ferry’s DEI advisory practice, based in the firm’s London office. There, she helps clients across the EMEA region to integrate DEI into all aspects of their operations whilst unleashing the potential of inclusive leadership.

Her professional experience spans over 20 years with a first career as a corporate lawyer in the UK and subsequent careers in C-suite leadership roles within large, global pharmaceutical companies alongside providing DEI expertise.

24. Georgia Wilson

Expertise
Finance

Current position & company
Chief Financial Officer at Together Group

LinkedIn profile
Georgia Wilson

Key DEI contributions

Institutionalised the intergenerational transfer of wealth for black families by establishing a community savings scheme which is now in its fourth successful cycle.
Launched a pilot for a finance internship scheme at Together Group in the summer of 2022 with a special focus on underrepresented groups.
Coaches black and ethnically diverse parents on securing entry into elite independent, grammar, and other top performing comprehensive schools that appropriately meet the social, emotional, and health needs of their children with special education requirements.

Georgia Wilson is the Group CFO of Together Group since October 2021.

Together Group is a fast-growth industry-leading global business that owns and operates a portfolio of agencies providing strategy, consultancy, branding, content creation and production as well as marketing and communication services for exceptional talent and brands in the fashion, beauty, luxury and lifestyle sectors.

While at Deloitte London audit practice, she qualified as a chartered accountant and went on to industry roles including at Shell and Global Switch prior to Together Group. She was recently listed in the Power In The City 2023 as one of the senior executive level influencers in Finance, Law and Tech.

25. Omolaso Adegboyega

Expertise
Change Management and DEI Advocacy

Current position & company
Director – UK Head Diversity Equity and Inclusion at UBS

LinkedIn profile
Omolaso (or-more-la-shaw) Adegboyega

Key DEI contributions

Elevated UBS’s DE&I efforts, securing awards such as the 2023 FT Adviser Diversity in Finance recognition for Championing Race Equality and Cultural Awareness.
Advanced UBS to Top 10 Advanced Employers in the 2023 Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix, a significant leap from the Top 25 in 2022, showcasing commitment to ethnic diversity and inclusion.
Rapidly promoted to Director at UBS within a year, exemplifying impactful expansion of DE&I initiatives and notable contributions to industry-wide progress.

Omolaso Adegboyega began her career as an Intern and Graduate Associate in the United States, and she is currently the UK Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) at UBS.

Omolaso advises UBS’s UK Executive Committee, aligns with its global DE&I strategy, manages its UK DE&I financial resources, and empowers its nine DE&I-aligned networks as business resource groups.

Under Omolaso’s leadership, UBS received several awards, including:

Highly Commended for Championing Race Equality and Cultural Awareness Activity of the Year at the 2023 FT Adviser Diversity in Finance Awards.
Top 10 Advanced Employers in the 2023 Investing in Ethnicity Maturity Matrix, up from the Top 25 in 2022.
Top 30 Employers for Working Families.