2021 Shortlist           

An accountancy professional who has consistently met or exceeded challenging objectives to ensure the highest quality of provision of accountancy and related services. The award is based on achievements made in the last 18 months. 

Anika Lakhani, Charles Stanley

Kate Bolshaw, KPMG UK

Kim Percy, Blackstone

Lisa Stroud, LV=

Natalie Pieri, Accounting Connections Ltd.

A woman working within financial services who is a role model and has gone out of her way to support the cause of getting more women into finance in the last 18 months. As well as examining the initiatives the candidates has pioneered to inspire women to succeed in the industry, judges will also assess their leadership and the initiative’s impact on, and integration with, the business.

Ann Hickey, East Sussex Credit Union

Debbie Phillips, NatWest Group

Jacqueline Taiwo, TowerBrook Capital Partners

Jess Jackson, GC Angels

Lama Kanazeh, Blackstone

Lin Yue, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Marion Bentata, State Street

Milly Dent, NatWest Group

Sabina Kravcak, AXA

Shail Deep, TransUnion

Tracy Toledo, Deloitte

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The most influential and inspirational female private and/or personal banker who has overseen strong financial performance and successfully guided the bank in best practices, expansion into new markets, or innovation in terms of new products or services. The award is based on achievements made in the last 18 months. 

Elaine Reid, NatWest, Drummonds & Childs

Emma Armstrong, NatWest Intermediary Solutions

Erin Platts, Silicon Valley Bank

Helen Bierton, Starling Bank

Katarzyna Kowalska, NatWest

A chief financial officer that has delivered real value – with tangible business results – to a company. Judges will look at projects and achievements, along with examples of best practice, leadership, ROI generated and alignment to business goals. The award is based on achievements made in the past 18 months.  

Afua Kyei, Bank of England

Dawn Allen, Mars, Inc.

Preete Janda, Zodia Custody

Valentina White, Tax Spot Ltd.

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This award category is open to organisations that have undertaken a specific initiative that has been established to promote diversity, equity and inclusion within their organisation or the wider community. These could involve gender pay gap, paternal leave, greater support for BAME and LGBT+ professionals, greater opportunities for people with disabilities, etc. Judges will assess commitment to the cause, awareness raised, impact on the organisation and/or industry, and ultimate results of the initiative. Submissions should include the name of the initiative. 

DiverCity Podcast

EMEA Discovery Programme, Blackstone

Ethnic Diversity and Inclusion, The Bank of England

IT’s Her Future (IHF), KPMG UK

Reinvigorate Inspire Support and Equip (RISE), BNP Paribas

Same Difference, Synechron

The NatWest Gender Network, NatWest Group

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This award category is open to financial services companies which have demonstrated great efforts to recruit and retain more women, and achieve equal gender representation at all levels. Judges will look at efforts the employer has made to create a more diverse and inclusive working environment. Submissions should include examples of professional training and advancement, ways to boost morale and implemented programmes to increase the well-being of employees.

Access2Funding

Financial Services Compensation Scheme

Form3 Financial Cloud

HDI Global SE

Hope Capital

Mortgage Advice Bureau Crawley

Pointers Financial

The Verve Group

Zodia Custody

This award category is open to financial services companies which have demonstrated great efforts to recruit and retain more women, and achieve equal gender representation at all levels. Judges will look at efforts the employer has made to create a more diverse and inclusive working environment. Submissions should include examples of professional training and advancement, ways to boost morale and implemented programmes to increase the well-being of employees.

Blackstone

Deutsche Bank

Nuveen

Pantheon

A finance team, led by a woman, that has delivered real value – with tangible business results – to a company. Judges will look at projects and achievements, along with examples of best practice, leadership, ROI generated and alignment to business goals. The award is based on achievements made in the past 18 months.  

FutureBricks, Team led by Arya Taware

GP Bullhound, Team led by Ashleigh Macdonald

Behind The Scenes VA Ltd, Team led by Emma Mulraine

VIBE Finance, Team led by Kim McGinley

CapitalRise, Team led by Uma Rajah

JBR Capital, Team led by Zahida Zeb

This award recognises a female professional in a senior role who has demonstrated outstanding innovation, within a financial service or fintech business which is focused on creating solutions to other businesses, over the last 18 months. Judges will look at products/services, client testimonials, examples of ROI achieved, success in challenging implementations, post-sales support and services, and tailored customisations in specific enterprise environments.

Beverley Wakefield, Vibrant Accountancy

Diana Paredes, Suade Labs

Elise Weber, Skytra

Emma Steeley, AccountScore, an Equifax Company

Francesca Hodgson, GoodBox

Gail Izat, Standard Life, part of Phoenix Group 

Georgia Stewart, Tumelo

Heather O’Gorman, Thistle Initiatives

Rachael Smith, Dimensional Fund Advisors

Seema Khinda Johnson, Nuggets

This award is open to the strongest senior-level contender in the insurance sector, who has an outstanding track record in attracting and managing clients and bringing in successful deals. Judges will be looking for nominees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership.

Georgina Farrell, Liverpool Victoria

Janthana Kaenprakhamroy, Tapoly

Maxine Goddard, Sompo International

Silvia Diogo, KPMG UK

The corporate lawyer or in-house legal counsel that has broken down barriers to advancement in the firm and wider legal sector, as well as paved the way for diversity in leadership. The award is based on achievements made in the past 18 months.  

Emma Cleveland, Cleveland & Co

Lauren Cannon, In-House Legal Solutions

Natasha Harrison, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

Navpreet Atwal, Boodle Hatfield

Sophie McGrath, Goodwin Procter LLP

A senior male figure who has gone out of his way to improve the diversity levels of women in finance, within the organisation and/or in the wider community. Successful nominations must provide case studies or examples of how the candidate has gone out of his way, or strategically prioritised, getting more women into finance and/or supporting them in their careers.

Abe Tilling, NatWest

Paul Kilpatrick, Brewin Dolphin

Vivek-Anand Dattani, Trepp

Will German, Homes England

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A woman under the age of 35, or who turns 35 in 2021, who has progressed rapidly though their career within financial services and demonstrated business value and innovation throughout.

Judges will examine the last 18 months in each candidate’s career, looking at standout achievements and demonstrable contributions to successful projects. 

Alexandra Sentuc, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Elena Koycheva, BlueBay Asset Management

Eliska Mallickova, Fidelity International Strategic Ventures

Elizabeth Martine, Close Brothers Asset Management

Eunice Zhu, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets

Farrah Ekeroth, EY

Natacha Jamar, Blackstone

Surabhi Sundarka, Growthpoint Technology Partners

Zoe Atkins, Barclays Private Bank

A woman with business experience that has returned to the industry after a significant time away (minimum of 2 years) and has shown great promise upon their return. Judges will examine the last 12 months in each candidate’s career, looking at standout achievements and demonstrable contributions to successful projects.

Adriana Ennab, Credit Suisse

Esther Field, Mortgage Marketplace

Marion Laboure, Deutsche Bank

This award is open to a woman who is an investor or analyst at a private equity, venture capital, business angel or alternative investment groups. The winner of this award will be a role model for women in a wide range of disciplines. The award is based on achievements made in the past 18 months.  

Anya Navidski, Voulez Capital

Elaine Salvador, Low Carbon

Eliska Mallickova, Fidelity International Strategic Ventures

Helen Steers, Pantheon

Sumedha Goenka, Blackstone

Susannah McClintock, Sustainable Ventures

This award is for an individual that is responsible for sustainable investing within an asset management firm, investment company or pension scheme. Judges will assess projects and achievements, along with examples of best practice, leadership, ROI generated and alignment to business goals. The award is based on achievements made in the past 18 months.  

Eva Cairns, abrdn / ASI

Karen Hill, abrdn / ASI

Paris Jordan, Waverton Investment Management Ltd

Venetia Bell, GIB Asset Management

This award recognises a female wealth manager or financial planner who has made an outstanding contribution to their clients financial well-being and in particular female clients, as well as initiatives to improve financial literacy and inclusion with the wider public. The judges will look for real evidence of achievement.

Anne McClean, Smith & Williamson Financial Services Ltd

Carla Brown, Oakmere Wealth Management

Emma Stevens, Corinthian Wealth Management

Janet Mui, Brewin Dolphin

Lena Patel, ISJ Independent Financial Planning

Rebecca Fournier D’Albe, Hawksmoor Investment Management

Rebecca Robertson, Evolution Financial Planning

Rosie Franca, NatWest

Vanessa Eve, Quilter Cheviot

Veronique Morel, Raymond James

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A woman who has demonstrated the highest degree of excellence, innovation and leadership in their role in the last year, and shone a light on the great things women in financial services can achieve. This inspiring leader will have challenged, influenced or revolutionised the culture of the financial services sector.  In their submission, nominees should not only have demonstrated outstanding business achievements, but should also give examples of how they have actively sought to bring more diversity to the financial services industry. 

Anne Richards, Fidelity International

Anya Navidski, Voulez Capital

Claire McDonald, HDI Global

Ijeoma Okoli, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Julia Streets, Streets Consulting

Monique Brown, BlueBay Asset Management

Noreen Biddle Shah, Numis Securities Ltd

Ranu Sharma, MasterCard

Sarah Carroll, MUFG

Vivienne Artz OBE, London Stock Exchange Group

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