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We believe in the power of learning from one another to share stories, swap challenges, ideas, and harness the power of diversity of thought.
The past year has been tough on DEI leaders –– working with lean resources but bigger remits than ever before, helping people navigate new dimensions of DEI, and having to work even harder to prove the impact and importance of their work. In a tough economic climate where businesses are looking for ways to make savings, DEI has to be a priority.
Which is why, now more than ever, we should be looking to the leaders in our industry for inspiration. And why we’re pleased to announce Hive Learning’s list of the Most Influential DEI Leaders in EMEA for 2022.
Every year we compile a list of those people we see as influential leaders in DEI –– the trailblazers within their industry who are making a long-lasting impact. We use research, conversations, and external progress reports to inform our thinking.
These are leaders we believe are ones to watch –– follow them on LinkedIn, look out for their thought leadership content, and do what you can to soak up every nugget of wisdom you can from as we navigate the year ahead.
None of us have a perfect solution to navigating what the next year has in store for us, but we’ll most certainly be able to navigate it better together than on our own.
Check out the full list below to learn more about our Influential Leaders and how to follow them.
Global Head of DEI,
YSC Consulting
Dr. Aarti Shyamsunder is the Global Head of DEI at YSC Consulting, now part of Accenture, is a leadership strategy consultancy. Aarti currently sits in a global role driving YSC’s thought leadership and maximising the impact of their client solutions in the DEI space.
Why them?
In 2008, Aarti obtained a PhD in Industrial-Organisational Psychology providing her with an incredible foundation of people management and behaviour change management. Alongside her work at YSC, Aarti is also co-founder of Metamorphosis Connect, a DEI consulting, founder-advisor for Cymorg – a platform for virtual gamified leadership simulations and is the founder and President of “COSI” (the Community of Organizational Sciences in India). Aarti is an influential and well-established DEI leader with a large focus on evidence-based practices, it’s an incredible opportunity to get to work alongside Aarti at Hive Learning and the YSC team.
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Global Head of DEI,
Swiss Re
Aidan McCormack is the Global Head of DEI at Swiss Re, is a reinsurance company based in Zurich.
Why them?
Aidan boasts extensive experience in organisational development and Human Resources, with a strong focus on cultural transformation. Aidan has always possessed the common goal of helping people to flourish and access the power of relationships to achieve the best, focusing on investing in relationships, inclusive cultures and learning, making him an influential DEI leader.
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Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
BNP Paribas
Ama Ocansey is the Head of Diversity and Inclusion at BNP Paribas, the worldwide investment and retail bank. Alongside heading up BNP’s DEI agenda, Ocansey also sits on the Senior Legal counsel at BNP, working on Eurobond financing and debt restructuring transactions with a focus on advising sovereigns, corporates and banks in emerging markets. As well as being a non-executive Director for the Financial Inclusion Forum UK, a network focused on raising awareness of financial inclusion and sharing best practice.
Why them?
Ama Ocansey is a driven and motivated leader, holding many senior positions in and out of BNP Paribas. Ocansey reports into the CEO at BNP Paribas, to implement and execute the company’s DEI strategy, whilst also being a regular public speaker on the topic of Diversity and Inclusion within the workplace. In 2019, as a result of her hard work, Ocansey was a finalist for three industry awards and also listed as one of Brumell’s list of 30 inspirational women. Her many accolades and lengthy experience make her a serious DEI leader and influencer to follow and listen to for best practices and inspiration.
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Executive Board Member, Global Human Resources, People and Culture,
Adidas
Amanda Rajkumar is the Executive Board Member, Global Human Resources, People and Culture at Adidas, the multinational and largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe. Rajkumar has lengthy HR experience having previously worked in Global HR for BNP Paribas along with various senior HR leadership and managerial positions at JPMorgan. Through her passion for music, Rajkumar has set up many employee choirs throughout her time, with a focus on inclusivity, in 2020 becoming a board member for the prestigious ‘Musica Sacra New York’, aiming to build a more diverse choir and audience.
Why them?
Amanda Rajkumar works tirelessly to drive Diversity and Inclusion within global brands such as adidas, with a prominent focus on gender equality and diversity amongst leadership. In an article for Mindset, Rajkumar emphasises the continuous importance for awareness dates such as International Women’s Day, stating that “as long as women still experience oppression and injustice because of their gender or the gender they identify with, and as long as women are faced with stereotypes and prejudices and are less represented in sports and many other fields, we need a formal way to collectively stand up and demand what we want society and our company to be.”
She continues to emphasise that inclusion goes beyond gender, recognising adidas’ Global Day of Inclusion initiative, a day to reflect, learn and acknowledge the many variations of individual uniqueness. Her commitment to bringing inclusion to the forefront of a global brand is inspiring and one to watch in the Diversity and Inclusion space.
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VP Equality Strategy,
Salesforce
Amir Kabel is the VP of Equality Strategy at Salesforce, the American cloud-based software company. Specialising in internal and external consultancy and advocacy, executing global diversity programs, and more.
Why them?
Amir is an award-winning global leader and influencer in diversity and inclusion and has been listed in the global Top 50 Diversity Professionals List, 2020’s Top 50 Most Influential Diversity Stars, and won the prestigious Head of Diversity Award at the 2017 European Diversity Awards for their commitment and service in the diversity and inclusion field. Listen to their views on DEI in The Prince’s Trust diversity and inclusion webinar.
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International Head of Equity and Inclusion,
Warner Bros. Discovery
Asif Sadiq is the International Head of Equity and Inclusion at Warner Bros. Discovery, American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate. Asif is a multi-award-winning diversity and inclusion expert with over 20 years of experience, previously serving as the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at adidas.
Why them?
Asif has received many accolades for their work that include the Mosaic (Prince’s Trust) Award for mentoring, Police Officer of the Year Award, the Civil Servant of the Year Award, the prestigious Asian Professional Award, and the highly commended Head of Diversity Award at the European Diversity Awards. Asif was honored in 2017 in the Queen’s birthday honors list with an MBE for their services to Policing and the Communities and is a member of the HR Guild, The Worshipful Company of Security Professionals, and is a Freeman of the City.
Listen to Asif’s interview with Inclusion Works where they talk about the importance of “belonging” in your workplace diversity and inclusion program to ensure that you’re not isolating particular groups. Listen to the full podcast here.
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Global Head of Inclusion,
HSBC
Carolanne Minashi is the Global Head of Inclusion at HSBC, the British multinational banking and financial services organisation. A Global HR Executive with over 25 years’ experience within the Financial Services industry, Minashi is experienced in heading up strategic change initiatives on a large global scale focusing on leadership development and diversity and inclusion.
Why them?
Carolanne is a driven and forward-thinking DEI expert, working to create long-lasting impact through inclusive leaders, covering Disability, Mental Health, Gender Diversity, LGBTQ+, Race and Ethnicity. Alongside being a member of the European Advisory Board for Catalyst, an organisation focused on female progression in the workplace. Minashi is also currently researching for a book on the impact of menopause on women in senior leadership positions, providing resource and insight on how women can prepare and tackle this alongside a demanding role. It’s safe to say Minashi’s fervent endeavour to tackle Diversity and Inclusion from an array of perspectives makes her an influential DEI leader.
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Global Head of Inclusion,
Reckitt
Carrie Adams is the Global Head of Inclusion of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc, the FTSE 100 multinational consumer goods company specialising in health and nutrition products. She has gained years of experience in creating long-term behaviour change in areas such as DEIB and corporate responsibility in a range of industries and organisations including EY and The Sunday Times.
Why them?
Carrie is heading up Reckitt’s ambitious inclusion agenda. With a large focus on gender inclusion and gender balance at all management levels by 2030. She also emphasises the internal and external focus when it comes to their inclusion strategy; “Internally, we’re looking at our culture and what we stand for. Externally, we’re looking at the part we play in wider society in terms of supply chains and the communities we work in and in which our products are used.”
Alongside her previous work leading an international D&I team at the global law firm, DLA Piper, her innovative DEI leadership led the firm to winning Law Firm of the Year in 2020, making Carrie a DEI influencer to watch for the coming year which has continued throughout the years, and into the years to come .
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Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
Munich Re
Catalina Hernandez is the Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Munich Re, Munich Reinsurance Company, the German multinational insurance company.
Why them?
Catalina is an inspiring DEI leader and boasts experience from leading Financial services organisations including EY and Fidelity Investments before moving to lead the DEI team at Munich Re. Catalina says that a lot of her approach to being a DEI practitioner comes from her experience growing up in Colombia, immigrating to the US, studying in different countries and now immigrating to the UK. Catalina has an innate understanding of the varying nuances of DEI across different geographies which impacts global DEI strategies.
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Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
Natixis Investment Managers
Charlene Sagoe is the Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Natixis Investment Managers, the American French-based global asset management company. Responsible for driving DEI goals and agendas throughout the organisation, being central to the company’s CSR strategy.
Why them?
Charlene recognises the need for a greater push for DEI within the financial industry, being a driving force behind Natixis’ first UK scholarship programme launched last year, as part of a global initiative to provide more opportunities for students from underrepresented and lower socio-economic groups, to access the financial services industry. Working with local communities and schools from underprivileged areas within the city to raise awareness for the opportunities available in finance has been a particularly tremendous initiative at Natixis, and promising for the future DEI agenda, which is what makes Charlene such an inspiring DEI leader.
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Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion & People,
Japan Tobacco International (JTI)
Christiane Bisanzio is the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion & People and Culture at Japan Tobacco International (JTI), the international tobacco division of Japan Tobacco, a leading international tobacco product manufacturer. Christine has designed and implemented the company’s first global diversity and inclusion strategy and family leave policy. She also created a diversity and inclusion advisory council, employee resource groups, and developed strategic diversity and inclusion pillars, including gender equality, new ways of working, LGBT+ inclusion, wellbeing, and race and cultural diversity.
Why them?
Christine was nominated for the Global Diversity List of Top 50 leaders by The Economist for their work in diversity and inclusion for three consecutive years. Christine is a thought leader and public speaker on topics relating to people and culture and diversity and inclusion.
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Global D&I Project Manager,
ByteDance/Tiktok
Christina Abiri is the Global D&I Project Manager at ByteDance, the Chinese internet technology giant and parent company of renowned brands such as TikTok, Douyin and Lark.
Why them?
Christina is crucial to TikTok and Bytedance’s impressive and innovative DEI strategy and agenda In 2018, they were named one of the top eight BAME Workplace Heroes at the Investing in Ethnicity Awards.
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Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer,
Hitachi Vantara
Claire Thomas is the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Hitachi Vantara, the IT services and consulting company which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Hitachi. Claire is responsible for developing and being the driving force behind the DEI strategy across Hitachi Vantara.
Why them?
Claire took on this newly created role at the beginning of the year after a career change from technology sales for the past 15 years. Claire has always been passionate about making her mark on society and striving for diversity, equity and inclusion, now being a part of the committee for the Women of Hitachi ERG and the Global Diversity Council, as well as leading Corporate Social Responsibility efforts. Claire’s innovative work has been recognised with numerous awards including Role Model of the Year in the Women in Tech Excellence Award whilst working at Microsoft.
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Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion,
Britvic
Claire Parker is the Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Britvic, the British producer of soft drinks. Claire drives Britvic’s DEI agenda as well as promoting wellbeing throughout the organisation.
Why them?
With over 20 years of experience in Diversity and Inclusion and Corporate Social Responsibility, Claire understands what it takes to build and lead top-performing teams with a strong focus on cultures of inclusion and belonging.
In 2018, Claire received a highly commended award for Equality & Inclusion by the ENEi (Employers Network of Equality & Inclusion) for her success in promoting employee engagement. Currently, Claire is very proud of The implementation of Dynamic Working at Britvic, which is hugely centred around Diversity & Inclusion; encouraging people to work dynamically but also inclusively.
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Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
HSBC UK
Coral Taylor is the Head of Diversity and Inclusion at HSBC UK, the British multinational banking and financial services organisation.
Why them?
Coral uses her extensive skills in culture change, public speaking, and strategy development to lead HSBC UK’s Diversity and Inclusion agenda and strategy, as well as being a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), the professional body for HR and people development. Coral has recently been involved in HSBC UK’s movement to address domestic abuse and raise awareness of “Safe Spaces” across the country with the support of the charity Hestia.
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International VP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
MasterCard
Daniel South is the International VP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at MasterCard, the second-largest payment-processing corporation worldwide.
Why them?
Daniel has a career spanning over 15 years in the financial services and technology industry, in a range of global and regional roles, focusing on Diversity and Inclusion, Learning and Development and HR. Daniel has been a driver for DEI and Learning initiatives across his career to create equity for diverse groups, with a large focus on gender diversity, disability awareness, LGBTQIA+ inclusion and racial and ethnic equality. Daniel is passionate about driving inclusion and being a voice for underrepresented groups, also being a proud supporter of GiveOut.org, an incredible community foundation supporting LGBTQIA+ human rights activism worldwide.
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Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing,
Sky
David Carrigan is the Group Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Wellbeing at Sky, Europe’s leading media and entertainment company. Carrigan boasts 20 years of experience driving crucial culture change within various organisations such as Live Nation Entertainment to the Homes and Communities Agency. David leads Sky Group’s Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing strategy across 32,000 employees in 7 markets.
Why them?
David’s extensive experience within different organisations and industries have given him a well-rounded understanding of social mobility, inclusion and organisational development. Carrigan stresses in an interview with Raconteur that we should “seek culture add, not a culture fit”, because otherwise we lose the diversity of thought. It’s undeniable that David has a deep understanding of how to drive successful DEI cultures and make them stick, being an influential and experienced Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing leader.
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Head of DEI,
Centrica
Devi Virdi is the Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Centrica Plc, the British multinational energy and services. Virdi drives a culture of inclusion and sustainable change within the organisation, but equally more broadly amongst customers enabling more sustainable lifestyles and promoting DEI amongst larger communities.
Why them?
Devi Virdi was named and awarded as a Top 50 Women in Travel by WiNiT, Global Business Travel Association in 2021 for her achievements in driving Diversity and Inclusion within the industry. Virdi is a senior level advocate for DEI, seeing first-hand the impact inclusive cultures can have on people and business, creating more connected teams and greater success. With over 20 years experience across DEI and HR throughout global markets, Virdi is an experienced DEI lead with reputable awards, sitting on a number of UK and Global Diversity and Inclusion Business councils, she’s an undeniably inspiring DEI influencer.
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Head of Inclusion, Belonging and Wellbeing,
Santander UK
Drew Gibson is the Head of Inclusion and Wellbeing at Santander, the leading financial services provider and subsidiary of the Spanish Santander Banking Group. Gibson heads up the Inclusion, Belonging and Wellbeing team in the UK, driving a culture of inclusion and belonging in which all employees feel well-supported to succeed.
Why them?
Throughout his time at Santander, Gibson has helped to launch and co-chair Santander’s Mental Wellbeing Network, along with taking part in Santander’s Mental Wellbeing Podcast; he has been a real driving force for tackling the more uncomfortable conversations and becoming comfortable having them. Drew is also a proud trustee board member for his local Mind, providing wellbeing support for the local community. A true ally within his organisation and beyond.
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Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director,
Signify
Elif Tutum Tuncer is the Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director at Signify, the world leader in lighting for professionals and consumers. With more than 15 years as an HR professional working in a range of teams from management to sales and marketing, Tuncer has well-rounded background of driving change.
Why them?
Tuncer is experienced in successfully embedding HR programs into business with the predominant focus on how can this keep up with the diverse needs of people and customers. Keeping people front of mind being key to Elif’s mission. Alongside her work at Signify, she is also a member of the supervisory board for the non-profit organisation SheSupplies, which focuses on gender-responsive procurement to foster a sustainable selection of services and goods that considers the impact on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
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Head of Group Inclusion and Diversity,
Lloyds Banking Group
Emily Csizmazia is the Head of Group Inclusion and Diversity at Lloyds Banking Group, one of the UK’s largest financial services organisations, with 30 million customers and 70,000 employees. Emily leads the DEI agenda across the entire group.
Why them?
Emily has a diverse and well-rounded career behind her, starting in HR and moving into the DEI space in 2019. Throughout her career, Emily has been recognised for her incredible work within the finance industry and contribution to long-lasting culture change,in 2019 being included on Kindness and Leaderships 50 Leading Lights list, showcasing the top 50 kind leaders in the UK (also published in the Financial Times), for building a strong culture of inclusion and belonging at Lloyd’s.
Emily is an inspiring DEI leader and individual who has a passion for responsible business and wellbeing which extends into her local community, outside of her work running the charity ‘Violet’s Gift’ which works to combat loneliness during the festive period.
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Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
Ericsson
Emma Birchall is the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Ericsson, the multinational networking and telecommunications company. Leading the company’s DEI strategy across more than 100,000 employees in over 180 countries, Birchall drives a global inclusion message whilst remaining locally relevant. Whilst working as a consultancy firm as a co-Managing Director, Emma gained experience advising CEOs and senior leadership on Diversity and Inclusion strategies.
Why them?
Emma’s extensive experience working with senior leadership to drive Inclusion and Diversity strategies is invaluable and is what makes her such a great DEI leader to deliver a global inclusive culture at Ericsson. Alongside her work within the company, Emma also Chairs the London Neurodiversity SEND Employers Network as well as a member of the Barclays LifeSkills Advisory Board, both of which are focused on enabling young people from underserved communities to reach their full potential.
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Global Director of Inclusion, Belonging and Connection
The Coca-Cola Company
Gareth Whalley is the Global Director of Inclusion, Belonging and Connection at The Coca-Cola Company, the American multinational beverage corporation. Gareth focuses on inspiring a sense of inclusion, belonging, and connection among The Coca-Cola Company’s employees, stakeholders, and global communities.
Why them?
Gareth is an influential DEI leader who has been crucial to developing the global DEI measurement model whilst at Coca-Cola, redesigning the employee resource strategy and structure, and establishing the company’s first-ever frameworks for LGBTQ+ and ability and wellness inclusion.
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Head of Global Diversity and Inclusion Office,
Siemens
Gerhard Gleitsmann is the Head of Global Diversity & Inclusion Office at Siemens, the multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe. Gleitsmann has been a core driver of behaviour and culture change across Siemens’ 300,000 people globally.
Why them?
Achieving culture change on a global scale whilst being locally relevant to varying DEI priorities is an incredible feat which, which Glietsmann is passionate about. Accountability and authenticity are central to what Gerhard does, whilst maintaining a ‘fun’ attitude as we learn and broaden our horizons of new cultures and backgrounds. A progressive mindset that’s carried him through his career and makes him an inspiring DEI leader.
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EMEA Director of Diversity and Inclusion,
Deutsche Bank
Gernot Sendowski is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion EMEA at Deutsche Bank, the German multinational investment bank and financial services company and dual-listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. Since 2014, Sendowski has been in charge of driving Deutsche Bank’s DEI agenda for Germany and now for the entire EMEA region.
Why them?
Gernot Sendowski is a particular spokesperson for LGBTQI+ equality. Deutsche Bank joined the ‘Open for Business’ network that is committed to driving Diversity and Inclusion in their workplaces and tackling anti-LGBTQI+ policies around the world. Sendowski says in an interview for DW, “Our Values and beliefs apply globally, everywhere we operate, not just in Germany… It is crucial we prove that we take LGBTQI+ equality seriously, it will pay off in the end.” Sendowski’s fervent endeavour and promise to prioritising DEI in all parts of the organisation is inspiring and makes him one to watch for the future of DEI within the financial industry.
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Inclusion & Diversity Director,
Visa
Hasreen Chadha is the Inclusion & Diversity Director at Visa, the American multinational financial services corporation. Previously holding the same title at Hiscox and various DEI roles at American Express for over six years.
Why them?
Hasreen is an established HR professional known for driving results with authenticity, adaptability, and resilience. Hasreen is a reputable DEI professional who boasts a wealth of knowledge and accolades, in 2018 being short-listed for Head of Diversity of the Year in the 2018 European Diversity Awards
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Head of Employer Brand and Inclusion,
Legal & General
Henry Jones is the Head of Employer Brand and Inclusion at Legal & General, one of the UK’s leading financial services groups and a major global investor. Throughout his career, Jones has gained invaluable consulting experience making him a real driver for change.
Why them?
As soon as Henry joined the L&G team in 2020, he made an immediate impact; setting up the influential “listening project”. This involves lengthy conversations with team members about their lived experiences as the firm, hearing personal stories and connecting with individuals harnessing the power of storytelling. Henry continues to drive the DEI strategy throughout L&G,connecting with employee networks and leadership teams to make Diversity and Inclusion central to the conversation and overall business strategy of the organisation. Hive Learning and L&G have been working together since 2020 to build a peer learning culture and connect leaders within a digital platform, to collectively drive this DEI mission.
Read more about the story here
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Head of People Commercials & Performance,
Zurich
Iain Brumpton is the Head of People Commercials & Performance at Zurich, the leading multi-line Swiss Insurance company. Iain has over 20 years experience within HR and the Financial Services Sector, with other large financial organisations such as HSBC and Lloyds.
Why them?
We recently interviewed Iain for our upcoming State of DEI pulse report, coming out early next year. During the interview he gave us great insight into his passion for DEI and the innovative work Zurich is doing to achieve an inclusive culture. Highlighting the large focus on intersectionality and bringing ERG groups together more frequently, to remind us of the many dimensions of diversity, with a big push from senior leaders. Brumpton displays an undeniable drive to make DEI top of mind within the financial services industry and we look forward to sharing more of his thoughts in our upcoming pulse report.
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Global Head of Culture & Engagement,
BBVA
Imma Catalá Ortuño is the Global Head of Culture & Engagement at BBVA, the Spanish multinational financial services company. Imma is in charge of reinforcing Culture, Purpose and Values across BBVA worldwide.
Why them?
Imma is an innovative strategic thinker and passionate about applying new concepts and methodologies to achieve the best and most engaged team possible, having led strategy & solutions development for three years. Imma has extensive experience in people management and strives to maximise everyone’s potential, creating an environment of inclusion, belonging and equity, making her an incredible people leader.
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Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
Babcock International
Jane McDonald is the Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Babcock International, the British aerospace, defence and nuclear engineering services group currently shortlisted for “Most Improved Charter Signatory” at the upcoming Women in Defence awards.
Why them?
Jane is an expert in Inclusion, Culture, Diversity and People Change. Alongside being a chartered CIPD member, she heads up Babcock’s DEI agenda, McDonald is a well-qualified and experienced change leader. Babcock has been working with Hive Learning since 2020, to embed their purpose and principles across key audience within their over 30,000-strong globally dispersed workforce.
Read more about the story here.
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Head of Inclusion and Interim Director of Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Wellbeing & Volunteerism,
Booking.com
Jason Bricker is the Head of Inclusion and interim Director of Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Wellbeing and Volunteerism at Booking.com, the Dutch online travel agency.
Why them?
Jason boasts 18+ years of experience of DEI and people development, to further Booking’s mission of “make it easier for everyone to experience the world.” Prior to this role, whilst at the Human Rights Campaign as the Director of Corporate Relations, Jason was in charge of the country’s largest LGBTQ+ non-profit financial future and corporate relations. Jason has extensive experience working with DEI executives to drive inclusive cultures across organisations and workforces, making him an inspiring DEI leader to follow.
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Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity,
Willis Towers Watson
Jennifer Denby is the Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Willis Towers Watson, the British-American multinational insurance advisor company. Jennifer started her career working within HR at BBC Worldwide before moving into the HR team at WTW, and eventually making her way into the Diversity & Inclusion team.
Why them?
Jennifer is responsible for driving WTW’s global Diversity and Inclusion strategy across 45,000+ employees, in order to achieve a successful inclusive culture. Jennifer has been a driving force at WTW, successfully leading WTW’s focus on Respect at Work including designing senior manager workshops, respect at work conversation guide and launching UK Respect at Work Guardians programme. As well as guiding the global organisation throughout the pandemic with resources regarding mental health and wellbeing, flexible working and parenthood in the workplace; Denby has always kept DEI top of mind on a global scale making her an incredible DEI leader.
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Global Diversity and Inclusion Team Lead EMEA,
ByteDance/Tiktok
Joanne Eze is the Global Diversity and Inclusion Team Lead EMEA at ByteDance, the Chinese internet technology giant and parent company of renowned brands such as TikTok, Douyin and Lark. Joanne boasts a wealth of knowledge within the technology sector, previously heading up Organisational Culture at TikTok, and prior to that working within HR at Facebook.
Why them?
Joanne is a founding member of the Global Diversity and Inclusion team at ByteDance, reporting into the Global Head of D&I for the organisation, Priscilla Baffour. Eze works to drive the Diversity and Inclusion strategy globally and contributing to the vast inclusive culture of a fast-growing empire. Joanne is passionate about the “why?” when it comes to strategy, problem-solving and company culture – asking why is it important to have a diverse and inclusive workforce? Gaining different perspectives and approaches to build smart teams and joyous workplaces is core to Joanne’s mission – making her an invaluable DEI leader at ByteDance and one to watch for the future.
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Group Head of Talent Acquisition and Diversity & Inclusion,
Aviva
Jonathan Briggs is the Group Head, Talent Acquisition and Diversity & Inclusion at Aviva, the British multinational insurance company. Briggs has been with the organisation since 2016 working in Talent Acquisition alongside leading the global inclusion function in 2018. Aviva committed to creating a strong inclusive culture throughout its organisation, and taking real action on D&I initiatives.
Why them?
Briggs is a prominent advocate for flexible working for carers, stating “ I feel businesses should be talking about more.” According to Carers UK 1 in 8 adults are carers, therefore the need for more flexible working approaches resonates with a large portion of the population. Jonathan recognises the endless demands and pressures of everyday life alongside juggling a job and aims to recognise that and make this challenge a part of DEI conversations, making him an influential leader for the large spectrum of Diversity and Inclusion.
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Global Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & People Engagement,
SThree
Karima Green is the Global Head of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & People Engagement at SThree, the international specialist staffing organisation. Karima is a strategic leader, thought partner and implementer who connects the dots between diversity, equity, inclusion and engagement across organisations. Partnered with Senior Leadership teams, Karima develops comprehensive organisation-wide strategic DEI and Engagement plans that builds an inclusive culture and ensures DEI is central to every part of the organisation.
Why them?
SThree’s progress is being noticed outside of their own industry and awarded Company of the Year at the European Diversity Awards in 2021. In 2022, Karima was shortlisted at the British Diversity Awards for Head of Diversity. Karima is recognised as a thought leader and specialist in her field, with her own DE&I professionals network, The BRAVE Network, a community focused on defining best practice around organisational diversity.
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Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging UK&I,
ISS
Kat Parsons is the Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging UK & I at ISS, the leading workplace experience and facility management company. In April this year, Kat became the first Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging for ISS UK&I.
Why them?
Kat has been transformational to ISS in bringing to light the need for more menopause awareness in the workplace, her passion on this subject led to the ISS Menopause Awareness project. In 2022, this innovative project won awards from RoSPA for the initiative of the year award, ISS Apple Award and was shortlisted for the Inspiring Women in H&S award. Kat is an inspiration for pushing the pin forward on a range of topics under the DEIB umbrella which can be forgotten about, making an incredible impact at ISS from the get go.
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Head of Inclusion,
Aon
Katherine Conway is the Head of Inclusion at Aon, the British-American multinational financial service.Katherine has had a fruitful career at Aon, joining the organisation in 2010 in PR and moving into the DEI space in DEI.
Why them?
Katherine is a key advocate for DEI being central to all areas of business; setting clear goals and objectives to achieve this on a global scale with leadership and talent teams. Katherine is also an external ambassador for the firm, being a public speaker and panellist to spread awareness and guidance across geographies to champion inclusion and belonging.
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Senior Director DEIB & Culture,
Novo Nordisk
Keith Middleton is the Senior Director DEIB & Culture at Novo Nordisk, the Danish multinational pharmaceutical company. After 8 years at Novo Nordisk, Middleton moved into the DEIB team in 2021, being responsible for ensuring that DEIB is incorporated into the organisation’s overall business strategies, people and culture initiatives.
Why them?
Keith drives a global DEIB strategy over the whole Novo Nordisk organisation, with the goal of localising DEIB learning for different regions. Middleton consults with the organisation’s Executives to properly deliver and decipher DEIB goals for Novo Nordisk, within respective business units. Keith’s leadership allows an inclusive culture to flourish globally throughout Novo Nordisk making him an influential DEIB leader.
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Global Head of Culture, Inclusion and Diversity,
AXA
Kirsty Leivers is the Global Head of Culture, Inclusion and Diversity at AXA, French multinational insurance company.
Why them?
With over 20 years of experience in program management at AXA, with various global roles, Kirsty is an experienced and skillful leader with a strong understanding of Global Diversity and Inclusion. Kirsty drives AXA’s global DEI agenda with a focus on investing in relationships within the workplace, in order to support AXA’s goal to be an inspiring place to work.
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Chief Diversity Officer,
The LEGO Group
Lauren Von Stackleberg is the Chief Diversity Officer at The LEGO Group, the Danish multinational toy production company. Lauren Von Stackleberg is the organisation’s first Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, bringing her vast experience in building equity and inclusion at scale including Tate & Lyle’s first EDI strategy, Expedia’s first I&D strategy, as well as J.P. Morgan’s first client diversity strategy and first global gender diversity program, and a Micro-Fund in Ghana.
Why them?
Lauren boasts an incredible career within the DEI space and a wealth of knowledge and drive for social change, receiving multiple industry awards for her groundbreaking work. Over her career, Lauren has been recognized as Chief ED&I Officer of the Year, Highly Commended Head of Diversity, Most Influential D&I Leader, Forbes 30 under 30, Forbes All Star Alumni, Future Leaders Top 100, and Management Today’s 35 under 35. A real influencer within the DEI space, Lauren also regularly shares DEI best practices, giving talks at London Business School.
Lauren recently joined us on our Inclusion Works podcast as part of our Glocalization in DEI series, to share her experience leading DEI initiatives across six continents, check it out here.
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Head of Inclusion & Belonging,
John Lewis Partnership
Liz Mihell is the Head of Inclusion & Belonging at John Lewis Partnership, the British organisation which operates John Lewis department stores, Waitrose supermarkets as well as banking and financial services. Liz is driving authenticity and the power of conversations throughout John Lewis partnership to create successful culture change.
Why them?
Liz is an ambitious and driven leader, in an interview for the Grocer magazine stating that John Lewis is en route to becoming “the most inclusive in the [grocery] industry.” Since taking on the role last year, Liz has introduced equal parental leave, blended working opportunities, and flexible contracts. Alongside diversifying the supply chain, partnering with NGOs such as Better Cotton and the Fairtrade foundation to ensure equal rights for farm workers.
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Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Project Specialist
JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS (JDE)
Loris Vivien is the Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Project Specialist at JACOBS DOUWE EGBERTS (JDE), a subsidiary of JDE Peet’s, the world’s leading pure-play coffee and tea company. Loris is driven by creating spaces to make everyone feel like they can be their full authentic selves and be their best.
Why them?
Loris is leading an innovative DEI agenda across JDE which makes him an inspiring thought leader within this field, he’s passionate about the power of inclusion and diverse teams, currently building out global DEI strategies with support from senior leadership. Leading the DEI Change Makers Circles, a key DEI initiative at JDE involving local management team sponsors and champions from each of the organisation’s global markets.
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Global Diversity & Inclusion Manager,
Atlas Copco Group & Vacuum Technique Business Area
Louisa Woods is the Global Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Atlas Copco Group & Vacuum Technique Business Area, the Swedish multinational industrial company.
Why them?
Louisa emphasises the necessity and importance of DEI throughout the Group across global and regional teams, to achieve better talent, better decision making, better retention and more imaginative problem solving. Atlas Copco believes that the secret to sparking innovation lies in creating the conditions for diverse teams to thrive.
That’s why Atlas Copco partnered with Hive Learning – taking a fresh, new approach to building an inclusive, connected culture across their global workforce. It’s been a pleasure getting to work alongside Louisa to roll out this innovative inclusion programme and to glean inspiration from Louisa’s influential DEI leadership experience.
Learn more about the story here.
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VP Talent and DEI – Performance, Talent & Diversity,
Societe Generale
Louise Karunwi is the Vice-President of Talent and DEI at Societe Generale, the French-based multinational financial services organisation. A strategic leader specialising in DEI, Learning and Organisational Development, Karunwi is also an accredited coach and business psychologist with specific focus on change management.
Why them?
Karunwi is an inspiring leader who is driven to create change by developing thriving organisations through learning and development and psychology-based solutions, driving inclusive cultures. Her endeavour to drive successful teams within Societe Generale and beyond make her an ambitious thought-leader, alongside her leading podcast ‘The Comeback Nation’ in which she shares industry best practices and insights. Louise is constantly connecting with a large professional audience to drive effective behaviour change and make DEI a top priority.
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Head of Diversity and Inclusion EMEA,
Bloomberg
Manisha Mehrotra is the Head of Diversity & Inclusion for EMEA at Bloomberg L.P., the world’s primary distributor of financial data and a top news provider of the 21st century. Mehrotra is responsible for driving and developing Bloomberg’s DEI strategy throughout EMEA and translating enterprise-wide goals into regional action plans.
Why them?
With over 15 years of experience as a Global Diversity and Inclusion leader across the financial services industry, Manisha understands what it takes to develop a strong people strategy. Working to spread a global DEI message across various regions is no easy task, which she has triumphed in; creating department-specific D&I strategies and tactics that result in actionable culture change. Her strong belief that Diversity and Inclusion is crucial to driving business and ability to drive this inclusive culture across multiple regions over many years makes her an influential DEI leader to watch out for.
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Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for Europe, Russia and Israel,
Boeing
Maren Rawlinson is the Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for Europe, Russia and Israel at Boeing,the American multinational Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing corporation.
Maren serves as a strategic advisor to embed diversity and inclusion into people, processes, and practices, focusing on empowering under-represented groups and creating a culture where all talent can thrive.
Why them?
Maren has an Associate Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) Membership and extensive experience across Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 250 companies; including the retail, gaming, insurance, and publishing sectors. You can read about the lessons Maren has learned in the diversity and inclusion space on their website, Inclusion Now, including topics like “Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Workplace”, ”Allyship: A Key Lever in Creating Inclusion”, and “Understanding Privilege and How to Use it for Good”.
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Global Head of DEI,
ISS
Margot Slattery is the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at ISS, the leading workplace experience and facility management company. Margot joined ISS in 2021, after 30 successful years at Sodexo, moving throughout different areas of business and most recently as the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion.
Why them?
Margot Slattery is an inspiring DEI leader and individual; last year, Margot was named the Global Ambassador for Diversity & Inclusion for the All Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF), for her fervent commitment to furthering Diversity & Inclusion agendas within business and greater society. In October 2012, she was one of 11 founding partners and signatories of Ireland’s first Diversity Charter. Margot has received numerous accolades for her inspiring work which is also recognised on an international scale; in 2017 she received the honour of being named Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by the French Ambassador to Ireland.
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Head of Culture,
Lloyd’s of London
Mark Lomas is the Head of Culture at Lloyd’s of London, an insurance and reinsurance market located in London. Mark leads all aspects of DEI, Wellbeing, Culture and Engagement strategies throughout the organisation.
Why them?
Throughout his career, Mark has led many Diversity and Inclusion projects for a variety of sectors and organisations including; The BBC, The Financial Reporting Council and most recently HS2. During his time at HS2, the organisation won many EDI awards, including four REACH society awards for its work inspiring young BAME individuals. On top of his incredible success leading DEI strategies, in 2019 Mark won Inclusive Companies Head of Diversity of the year Award and in 2020, Mark was named in the People Magazine Top 20 D&I Powerlist. It’s safe to say, Mark is a reputable DEI leader with incredible recognition for his contribution to numerous industries and organisations.
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Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity,
Kantar
Megan Cross is the Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Kantar, the world’s leading marketing data and analytics company. Megan heads up the DEI strategy at Kantar, which strives to create a strongly diverse and inclusive workplace, through talent acquisition, training and company culture.
Why them?
Through her work, Megan emphasises the importance of Diversity and Inclusion in every part of the working day and beyond. Kantar strives to create company culture which represents “the world we work in”. Cross is passionate about creating culture change and cultures in which everyone can thrive, making her an influential leader core to Kantar’s DEI mission.
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Global Director Diversity & Inclusion,
Beiersdorf
Misel Ahom is the Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Beiersdorf, the global personal-care manufacturer and leader in skincare products. Misel has always been driven to fight for Inclusion and Diversity, and influenced through her mutli-cultural background, she is constantly being taught to be open and accepting of different practices and cultures which she now translates into the working world.
Why them?
Over her time at Beiersdorf, Misel has ignited a new era of DEI at Beiersdorf. She kicked off its first Global Diversity Week in 2021 to further the organisation’s DEI agenda and strategy for the future, making her a real innovator within the DEI industry. Misel states in an interview with Beiersdorf for Global Diversity Week that “I wholeheartedly believe that a diverse society makes life so much more interesting and an inclusive society makes life so much fairer and that is society I want to be part of and that I want my kids to grow up in.”
She continues to further enrich Beiersdorf’s DEI strategy with regular DEI focused events, including global diversity week, to achieve an all-encompassing understanding of the need for an inclusive culture and to fulfil Beiersdorf’s motto that “We care for your uniqueness – You will be heard. You will be seen. You will be inspired.”
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Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,
Imperial Brands
Natalie Sigona the Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Director at Imperial Brands, the British multinational tobacco company.
Why them?
Natalie is an acclaimed Global Diversity and Inclusion leader with over 20 years of experience delivering effective and successful behaviour change at scale across leading FTSE 100s including Rolls Royce and BAE systems. Natalie is a passionate public speaker particularly on the subject of DEI driven to really make it at the forefront of everyone’s working life and mindsets.
Natalie has spoken more about her career and her personal experiences that made her aware of the importance of inclusion, check out the full episode here.
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VP of Human Resources,
Leonardo
Nerys Thomas is the VP of Human Resources at Leonardo, the global technology company focused on aerospace, defence and security.
Why them?
Nerys has been a core driver in achieving a 50:50 gender-balanced early careers intake within their helicopters division. As well as hosting influential company events that focus on creating a better ethnicity and disability balance within the workplace, Nerys is an inspiring DEI innovator to watch out for.
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Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
TikTok Europe
Priscilla is the Head of Diversity and Inclusion at TikTok Europe, the international short-form video hosting service owned by Chinese company ByteDance. Her experience focuses on increasing diversity in media and is responsible for driving TikTok Europe’s diversity and inclusion strategy. Their work has pioneered the gender and ethnicity pay gap. She is also a member of ITV’s Cultural Advisory Council.
Why them?
Before joining TikTok Europe, Priscilla spent five years at Channel 4 where she won the Deputy Prime Minister’s Excellence Award for playing an integral role in tackling social mobility. Priscilla has led several diversity initiatives with media companies including BBC, ITV, Media Trust, and News International. In 2018, she was named one of the top eight BAME Workplace Heroes at the Investing in Ethnicity Awards.
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SVP Global DEI and Sustainability,
Criteo
Rachel Scheel is the SVP Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Sustainability at Criteo, a global tech giant that provides impactful advertising to leading marketers and media corporations. Rachel leads the inclusion strategy; driving inclusive culture at Criteo, as well as advocating for sustainable change across the media and advertising industry.
Why them?
Rachel is fervently striving for gender equality within the workplace. At this year’s WomenTech Global conference she is quotedstating “there is so much more we can do in the workplace to support women and help them feel valued and equal to their male counterparts”. With over twenty years of experience in HR, Organisational Development, Culture Change and DEI roles, spanning across several leading industries from finance to healthcare, Rachel has gained key insights behind the demand for more gender diversity and inclusion. She is an especially prominent advocate for women’s advancement in the workplace, and is an important DEI innovator to watch.
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Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
Direct Line Group
Raj Morjaria is the Head of Diversity and Inclusion at the Direct Line Group, one of the UK’s leading motor, home and small business insurers, Raj helps inspire change in the workplace.
Why them?
Working at the company for over ten years, Raj’s focuses on building an environment that is representative of society; where employees can be themselves and succeed in their careers and build partnerships that make an impact in the community. They teach how fun can be a key ingredient to good engagement.
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Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
BAE Systems
Richard Blackmore is the Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, BAE Systems, the British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company. Richard joined BAE Systems earlier this year leading the DEI and Wellbeing strategies, after a successful 5 years at Babcock International driving inclusive cultures.
Why them?
Richard has a proven track record of successfully leading culture change programs at a global scale, a strategic DEI thinker and influencer in his field. Blackmore has already made an incredible impact at BAE, the organisation recently being one of the 3 finalists for the Women in Defence UK award, driving gender equity and diversity.
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Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion,
Syngenta Group
Rubén Alejandro is the Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Syngenta Group, global provider of agricultural science and technology. Rubén drives the Group’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy; setting out goals, KPIs and outcomes.
Why them?
After a successful career as a global marketing professional, Ruben made the move into Diversity and Inclusion in the search for improving workplace environments. Whilst working at Syngenta, Ruben has been transformational for driving engagement and learning, such as leading the group to join the UN Women Empowerment principles and successfully using data to identify areas to improve gender diversity and equality. Ruben is a passionate DEI leader, encouraging all 50,000 international employees to embrace cultures of inclusion and belonging and seeing its value for success.
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Group Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
UniCredit
Sara Gay is the Group Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) at UniCredit, the international banking group headquartered in Milan. With over 20 years of experience in the European financial services industry, starting in investment banking and capital markets, moving to Human Capital, Learning and Executive Development and most recently into the DE&I space, Sara has extensive experience in empowering people to succeed also being an Executive Coach and Mentor. She has attended the most prestigious international business schools in her training courses, including LSE, HEC, Insead and IMD.
Why them?
Under Sara’s influencial leadership, UniCredit is making progress in breaking down barriers and building an equitable and inclusive workplace that values diversity of thoughts and drives creativity to best meet customers’ needs and deliver for all stakeholders. She is excited by the steps UniCredit is taking to support gender parity, advance pay equity, and increase diverse representation. As a clear sign of progress on that front, UniCredit recently received impressive external recognitions, that show the willingness to creating a better workplace for its people and enriched DE&I practices: UniCredit is included for the 4th time in Bloomberg’s 2023 Gender-Equality Index, continuing improving its score vs previous years and obtained EDGE certifications for gender and intersectional equity in Austria, Germany and Italy, being recognized as the only EDGE certified organisations in the banking industry in Europe. Sara is committed to diversifying the financial sector industry, whilst acting as a prominent advocate for DE&I being at the core of every conversation.
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Group Head of Inclusion and Diversity,
Inchcape plc
Sarah Charlesworth is the Group Head of Inclusion and Diversity at Inchcape plc, the British multinational automotive distribution, retail and services company. Since joining Inchcape in 2021, Charlesworth has been a driving force for the company’s I&D strategy which is core to the company’s business strategy ‘Accelerate.’ Charlesworth talks about the need to have the very best people and the diversity of thought for future success.
Why them?
Sarah emphasises the importance of I&D for overarching success of a business and is fervently working to demystify the automotive industry and demonstrating that they are a company that everyone can thrive in. Hive Learning has been working with Inchcape over many years now, scaling effective behaviour change amongst teams and furthering its innovative DEI strategy and framework alongside working with Sarah, who projects an inspiring Inclusion mindset throughout the company making her an influential DEI thought leader. We’re currently rolling out a Global Inclusive Leadership blended programme to Inchcape’s senior leaders, increasing their awareness of the importance of Inclusion, and driving more inclusive leadership behaviours.
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Head of Talent,
NatWest
Sarah North is the Head of Talent of the major retail and commercial bank NatWest. A core member of the services, functions and talent leadership team within people and transformation, Sara leads the bank’s talent and succession framework, establishing diverse internal talent pipelines.
Why them?
Sarah leads the Talent Academy and Executive Talent Development opportunities, alongside being involved with Board and ExCo talent profiling and succession reviews, managing senior talent pipeline for Natwest. Specialising in Diversity and Inclusion, Change leadership and people development, Sarah is an influential leader at NatWest driving particular focus on opportunities for women to develop into senior leaders.
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Head of Talent, Insights & Inclusion,
TSB Bank
Sarah McPake is the Head of Talent, Insights & Inclusion at TSB Bank, the UK-based retail and commercial bank and subsidiary of the Sabadell Banking group. Sarah leads TSB’s employee engagement strategy, looking into what is required from our relationship with work and colleagues.
Why them?
Sarah is driven to create transformational change; her top tip being getting into the habit of listening. Having an authentic conversation and connection with someone; allowing individuals to voice their opinion can have a huge impact on culture and employee engagement. Sarah is bringing about real and effective change at TSB and possesses an avid interest in driving inclusive cultures and behaviour change, making her a top DEI leader.
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Head of DEI,
Virgin Media O2
Sarah Fox is the Head of DEI at Virgin Media O2, the British mass media and telecommunications company. Sarah joined Virgin earlier this year, working with the DEI team and CPO, Philipp Wohland, to drive inclusive and equitable company.
Why them?
With Sarah’s arrival into the company, a month later, the All In strategy was launched; focusing on removing bias and systemic barriers to promote DEI amongst employees and providing greater support and allyship towards underrepresented groups. Sarah has been core to these ambitious DEI goals and targets at Virgin Media, making an influential impact from the get go.
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Chief Inclusion, Community & Wellbeing Officer,
PwC UK
Sarah Churchman is the Chief Inclusion, Community & Wellbeing Officer at PwC UK, the second-largest professional services network in the world and one of the big four accounting firms. Sarah is the driving force behind PwC UK’s inclusion and wellbeing strategies within the workplace and across communities in which PwC operates.
Why them?
Sarah boasts a wealth of experience as a senior Human Resources professional and years of experience in the specialist area of Diversity & Inclusion. She is an innovative thought leader with many accolades; having featured in Personnel Today’s Most Influential People in HR list (ranked 28th), being awarded Diversity Leader of the Year in the 2015 Excellence in Diversity Awards and, for the second consecutive year, featured in the Accountancy Age Financial Power List 2019. Her work on gender equality at PwC has been widely recognised externally, with Sarah being awarded an OBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List for services to women in business, equality, diversity and inclusion.
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Global Head of DEI,
ING
Shaheen Akram is the Global Head of DEI at ING, the Dutch multinational banking and financial services corporation. With over 20 years of experience in DEI across various industries and leading enterprise organisations such as The Co-op, Astrazeneca and American Express, Akram is an influential thought leader with a proven track record of driving inclusive learning and measurable results.
Why them?
Shaheen’s incredible repertoire of DEI work across leading organisations and ability to implement strong change in various working environments has made Shaheen an internationally-recognised DEI thought leader, who has an unwavering passion to coach and guide senior leaders.
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Global Head of Inclusion, Global Function HR,
HSBC
Shauna Roper is the Global Head of Inclusion and Global Functions HR at HSBC, the British multinational banking and financial services organisation.
Why them?
Roper’s commitment to leading and role modelling a high performing, inclusive business with diverse representation at all levels makes her a strong DEI influencer to watch for innovative practices and thoughts on driving inclusion. Shauna boasts broad recognition from her peers within the financial sector, for building psychological safety and environments in which we learn from each other, a crucial part of driving a culture of inclusion.
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Director of People and Culture Technology & Innovation,
Standard Chartered Bank
Shereen Williams is the Director of People and Culture Technology & Innovation at Standard Chartered Bank, leading international banking group and author of the book “Currency of Kindness”, which explores the essentials and the strategies one must learn to deal and cope with all aspects of life. With 15 years of experience in consulting and coaching, Williams is an affluent People leader experienced in embedding long-lasting change, strong leadership and positive mindsets.
Why them?
A provoking thought leader and experienced consultant, Williams is a People leader to keep an eye on. Her tireless endeavour to drive inclusion and effective engagement within the workplace, namely encouraging women in business to be courageous and stand out for what they believe in has shaped her fruitful career. Along with also being a Certified Life Coach, and Certified Change Management Practitioner, with countless other esteemed qualifications.
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Lead for Wellbeing and Inclusion,
Specsavers
Steven Evans is the Lead for Wellbeing and Inclusion at Specsavers Optical Group, the British multinational optical retail chain, which operates mainly in the UK, Ireland, Australasia and the Nordic countries. Evans delivers learning and training to over 25,000 customer advisors, managers, optometrists and in-store trainers in the retail and optical sector, driving a learning culture across the group.
Why them?
Evans works to shape a culture of inclusion and belonging throughout Specsavers, driving accountability and behaviour change in the day-to-day working life. Steven has a strong understanding of the power of learning and development, winning the eLearning Age Award for internal eLearning Project Team of the Year, making him an influential leader within DEI and L&D.
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Inclusion, Equity & Diversity Director EMEA,
Wunderman Thompson
Sufia Hussaine is the Inclusion Equity and Diversity Director at Wunderman Thompson, a New York-based global marketing communications agency. After years of experience in learning and development and DEI space, Sufia is committed to creating a culture of belonging and psychological safety, allowing people to flourish and further drive the success of a business. Suffia is in charge of embedding long term behaviour change and positive action throughout Wunderman Thomspon.
Why them?
Sufia was the winner of the prestigious IPA iList inaugural award; celebrating the trailblazers who are making a positive impact within industry. She has an extensive list of accolades, including being a finalist at the Asian Women Awards 2022, and herlife-long commitment to building inclusive cultures within the workplace. Sufia is a key DEI innovator to watch for best practices, influence and inspiration.
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Group Head of Talent, Development and Inclusion,
Phoenix Group
Tamar Hughes is the Group Head of Talent, Development and Inclusion at Phoenix Group, the UK’s largest long term savings and retirement business, including customer brands; SunLife, Standard Life, Phoenix Life, and ReAssure. An experienced Talent, Learning and Development Manager within the financial services industry, Hughes is an expert in driving culture change at scale.
Why them?
Tamar Hughes scales crucial culture change at Phoenix Group; embedding an enhanced people strategy to align with the company’s vision of being the best place people have ever worked, driving a more diverse and inclusive culture and providing more access to mental health and wellbeing tools and resources. In 2021, Phoenix Group ranked 41st on the Social Mobility index and voted UK top employer for the 10th consecutive year. Hughes’ consistent guidance and drive within talent and development has played a large role in this great success, making Tamar a significant Inclusion and People leader to follow.
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Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
LVMH
Vanessa Moungar is the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at LVMH, the French holding multinational corporation and conglomerate specialising in luxury goods. Vanessa joined the group last year to drive diversity and inclusion as a “core priority of its human resources policies”, FashionNetwork reported.
Why them?
Vanessa is well-known for her commitment to social justice, previously working as the Director for Gender, Women and Civil Society for the African Development Banking Group. In the same year, being asked to become a member of France’s Presidential Council for Africa, set up by President Emmanuel Macron. An innovative and internationally recognised thought-leader, continuously working to shape a more diverse and inclusive society and culture at LVMH.
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Director of Diversity and Inclusion,
Zalando SE
Vikki Leach is the Diversity and Inclusion Director at Zalando SE, Europe’s leading online platform for fashion and lifestyle. Vikki is a Senior DEI expert with over 15 years experience in global enterprise organisations such as Telefonica, Avanade and Kantar.
Why them?
Vikki Leach has an extensive understanding and experience of driving culture change, being a certified professional coach with a MSc in Behavioural Change, alongside her experience in fast-paced global organisations working with a variety of teams in varying regions. Author of the FT Guide to Inclusion & Diversity and Trustee on the Board of the Learn and Thrive charity, Leach has a deep understanding of the importance and need for DEI within business and more broadly, making her an impressive DEI leader with an influential global perspective.
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Global Head of Talent and Development ,
Deutsche Bank
Dr. Virginia Bastian is the Global Head of Talent & Development at Deutsche Bank, the German multinational investment bank and financial services company and dual-listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange. Bastian has a PhD in Psychology and has spent 16 years of her career heading up DEI and Talent management at Nestle.
Why them?
Bastian was brought into the organisation to “better attract, assess and develop diverse talents” being a key supporter of the ADAN network (Afro-German Academics Network), reaching diverse talent and furthering the Deutsche Bank’s DEI agenda. With years of experience in areas of DEI, Talent management and HR, Bastian is an innovative thought leader, diversifying the financial services industry and finding new ways to promote DEI on a large scale through a variety of networks.
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Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion,
Haleon
Dr Zaheer Ahmed MBE is the Global Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Haleon, the British multinational consumer healthcare company. With over two decades of experience, they advise public and private sector organisations on topics like belonging, social mobility, culture, and employee relations. They are a sought-after public speaker and are widely considered a leading voice on race and ethnicity.
Why them?
Zaheer is the recipient of numerous national and international awards and honours, including the Global Equality and Diversity Award, is a two-time Global Diversity’s List Top 20 Diversity and Inclusion Professional, and European Diversity’s Hero of the Year Award. They have also contributed to high-profile reports and projects such as the government-backed Parker Review, FTSE 500 McKenzie-Delis Packer Review, and Chartered Management Institute’s guidance “Moving the Dial On Race”.
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Director, Head of Diversity and Inclusion UK & EMEA,
Credit Suisse
Zarina Mahmud is the Director, Head of Diversity & Inclusion UK & EMEA at Credit Suisse, the global investment bank and financial services firm. Zarina leads the I&D strategy for part of the group transformation division of 18,000 colleagues.
Why them?
Zarina leads a robust DEI strategy within the group; engaging C-suite stakeholders and leadership to make DEI core to all business areas and decision making processes. Zarina has been transformational to increasing representation of minority groups throughout the group, for example a B in BAME movement in 2019 that recognise the specific challenges for Black colleagues reaching senior levels. Zarina has been named as Top Ethnicity Role model for the last 4 years within the group, for her continuous work to make DEI central to all areas of the company and conversations.
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Inclusion and Diversity Associate Director,
Accenture
Zoë Kibbey is the Inclusion and Diversity Associate Director at Accenture, a Fortune Global 500 company specialising in information technology services and consulting. Zoe first joined Accenture as a graduate, quickly establishing herself within the DEI team and finding her purpose in building one of the most inclusive and diverse companies in the world.
Why them?
Zoe is a driven DEI leader who strives for a strong focus on keeping Inclusion and Diversity at the forefront of everyone’s minds at Accenture, in order to establish stronger teams and relationships. She also strives to create the same culture of inclusion and belonging amongst Accenture’s customers.
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Inclusion Works by Hive Learning
Inclusion Works from Hive Learning is a group-based peer learning program designed to create large ripples of change across your organization. We give people the tools to make small changes to their daily behaviors and help them rapidly learn, relearn, and respond to the changing world around them.
