shortlist

Expand each category below to view the 2020 shortlist

ACCOUNTANT OF THE YEAR

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 period 1 January 2019 – 1 January 2020.

Becky Johnson – Refinitiv

Clare Weston – Blackstone

Lucy Boyne-Williams – St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Urvashi Shah – 3ES Accountants

Valentina White – Tax Spot Group

Veronica Poole – Deloitte

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

The woman that has gone out of her way to support the cause of getting more female representation in senior levels and stamping out barriers to growth for women in financial services.

Amy Mitchell – Leathwaite

Carla Morris – 1762 from Brewin Dolphin

Emily Nichols – Willis Towers Watson

Jill Zucker – American Express

Khayala Eylazova – PwC

Laura Garry – Chase de Vere

Lydia Guett – Cambridge Associates

Maisha Sumah – SheWalksInValue

Oluchi Ikechi – Accenture

AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR

This category celebrates the individual who has achieved a long-term impact on the way people and organisations think about and practice gender diversity. The Ambassador of the Year will be a prominent person in business and/or financial services who publicly champions gender parity in the sector. The Ambassador of the Year is ambitious, bold, daring, charismatic, and unabashedly dedicated towards encouraging women in the sector to grow.

Amrita Aurora, former American Express

Christine Chow – Federated Hermes

Elena Koycheva – BlueBay Asset Management

Eugenia Campbell – RSM UK

Guinevere Taylor – RBC Global Asset Management

Lindsay Law – NatWest Group

Marion Bentata – State Street

Tali Shlomo – former Chartered Insurance Institute

Tamara Gillan – The WealthiHer Network

DISRUPTOR OF THE YEAR

An individual who has reinvigorated gender diversity in the financial services industry by providing new and innovative ways to improve the gender balance in the sector across levels.

Claire Limon – Openwork Limited

Jennie Koo – Capital One

Louise Fletcher – Charles Stanley

Mary Waring – Wealth for Women

Rosie Guest – Apex Group

Ruth McMaster – Deutsche Bank

Zoe Mills – NHBC

DIVERSITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

This award category is open to organisations that have undertaken a specific initiative that has been established to promote diversity within their organisation or the wider community. These could involve gender pay gap, paternal leave, gender parity in the industry, 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.

Allianz Insurance

Rise – Bank of Ireland UK

Blend Network

Women and Money Campaign – Fidelity International

Balance Network Steering Group – Financial Conduct Authority

The Diversity Project’s Neurodiversity Workstream – HSBC Global Asset Management

Careers and Talent Outreach Campaign – Investment20/20

LSEG Proud LGBT+ Network  – London Stock Exchange Group

RBS Women – NatWest Group

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

The company that has proactively cultivated an inclusive and diverse workforce, aiming to achieve equal gender representation at all levels. The judges will be looking for examples of professional training and advancement, ways to boosted morale and implemented programmes to increase well-being of employees. 

Deutsche Bank

Fitch Group

INDOS Financial Limited

J.P.Morgan Asset Management

MUFG Investor Services

Northern Trust

PwC

RBS Group / NatWest Group

Satago

ESG FUND MANAGER OF THE YEAR

This award recognises a woman who has actively looked to promote gender diversity in the asset management industry, while at the same time demonstrating skill as active investor in ESG themselves. Submission to include 3y performance statistics from independent verifiable source.

Alina Donets – Allianz Global Investors

Audrey Ryan – Kames Capital / Aegon Asset Management

Dorothee Goerz – Aremus Partners

Hannah Johnson – BlackRock

Harriet Parker – Liontrust

Helen Steers – Pantheon

Joanna Crompton – JP Morgan Asset Management

Laetitia Girolami-Boyer – BNP Paribas

Sarah Norris – Aberdeen Standard Investments

Tatjana Greil-Castro – Muzinich & Co.

FINANCE TEAM OF THE YEAR (LED BY A WOMAN)

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 24 months.

CapitalRise – Team led by Uma Rajah

Close Brothers Motor Finance – Team led by Rebecca McNeil

Fidelity International – Team led by Cara Hewitt

Fitch Group – Team led by Clara Hughes

GSK – Team led by Roselyne Cornut

International Private Finance – Team led by Fiona Watts

Microsoft – Team led by Jane Hesmondhalgh

Refinitiv – Team led by Hayley Bobrige

Suse Linux Software – Team led by Maria Enrica Angelone

Starling Bank – Team led by Helen Bierton

FINTECH CHAMPION OF THE YEAR

The most innovative fintech project. Please outline what problem your project is trying to solve and what steps/progress  have you achieved in solving thus far. Outline the project’s potential and how it can reach critical mass. Highlight any particularly innovative features.

Arya Taware – FutureBricks

Basak Azaz – Money Pot

Emma Steeley – AccountScore

Francesca Carlesi – Molo

Geilan Malet-Bates – Plenitude

Georgia Stewart – Tumelo

Heather O’Gorman – Thistle Initiatives

Ipshita Saha – Digilytics AI

Lucy Mullins – Stepladder

INSURANCE LEADER OF THE YEAR

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. It is also open to women in senior diversity-specific roles. Judges will be looking for nominees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership.

Anna Rogers – LV= (Life and Pensions)

Becky Downing – buzzvault

Emily Fraser – RSA

Emma McWilliam – Hymans Robertson

Emma Watkins – Scottish Widows

Julie-anne Headington – Channel Islands Adjusters

Lorna Croft – Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Maxine Goddard – Zurich Insurance

INVESTMENT CONSULTANT OF THE YEAR

A female independent or in-house investment consultant that has broken down barriers to advancement in the company and/or wider financial sector, as well as paving the way for diversity in leadership. The award is based on achievements made in the past 24 months.

Alexandra Daly – AA Advisors

Alice Bordini – GLC Advisors

Fiona Lehane – PwC

Helen Hope – Mercer

Samia Bayou – Artoc Group

Tracy Toledo – Deloitte

Zoe Cousens – Castellet Consulting

LEGAL ADVISER OF THE YEAR

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 paving the way for diversity in leadership. The award is based on achievements made in the past 24 months.

Clare Belcher – Travelex

Helena Thernstrom – NatWest Group

Lesley Gregory – Memery Crystal LLP

Lisa Simmons – LV= (Life and Pensions)

Mikhaelle Schiappacasse – Dechert LLP

Roya Motalleb-Zadeh – Credit Suisse International

Sheena Singla – Logicor

Sue McLean – Baker McKenzie

MALE ALLY OF THE YEAR

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 career.

Andrew Kail – PwC

Andrew Ninian – Investment Association

David Littlechild – London Stock Exchange Group

Didier Lambert – JP Morgan Asset Management

Jonathan Bell – Stanhope Capital

Mark Freed – E2W

Michael Cole-Fontayn – AFME

Michael Leithead – EFG Asset Management (UK)

Paul Richards – International Capital Markets Group

SPECIALIST INVESTOR OF THE YEAR

This award is open to a woman who is an investor 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 24 months.

Amelie Petit – Macquarie Group

Ana Plecas – Green Investment Group, Macquarie

Anya Navidski – Voulez Capital

Jo Waldron – M&G

Keeran Kang – Partners Group

Kirsty Grant – Seedrs

Magda Posluszny – Speedinvest

Roxana Mohammadian-Molina – Blend Network

Susannah Mcclintock – Sustainable Ventures

WEALTH MANAGER OF THE YEAR

This award recognises the standout wealth manager who has achieved outstanding returns while championing financial inclusivity. The award is based on achievements made in the last 18 months.

Claudia Quiroz – Quilter Cheviot

Fiona Frick – Unigestion

Gemma Cottis – FLM Wealth Management

Jane Sydenham – Rathbones 

Olivia Maguire – JP Morgan Asset Management

Olivia Shipstone – OCS Wealth Management

Rosie Hooper – Quilter Private Client Advisers

Shakhista Mukhamedova – Brewin Dolphin

Tracey Reddings – Reddings Wealth Management

WOMAN OF THE YEAR

The inspiring leader who has challenged, influenced or revolutionised the culture of the financial services sector. A woman who has demonstrated the highest degree of finance excellence, innovation and leadership in the last year, and shone a light on the great things women in finance can achieve. Candidates should not only have demonstrated outstanding business achievements, but also acted as a positive role model and actively sought to bring more diversity to the financial services industry.

Carolyn Porretta – Macquarie Bank

Erica Ingham – Mediacom North

Erin Platts – Silicon Valley Bank

Hanneke Smits – Newton Investment Management

Kshamta Kaushik – Scotiabank

Latifa Gaillard – Goldman Sachs International

Marisa Hall – Thinking Ahead Institute, Willis Towers Watson

Sarah Soar – Hawksmoor Investment Management

Tiina Lee – Deutsche Bank

YOUNG LEADER OF THE YEAR

The best and brightest woman in the first five years of working within the financial services industry. Judges will be looking for nominees who have an inspiring story to tell.

Antonella Mule – Citigroup

Bijal Majithia – EY

Hannah Ellis – KPMG LLP

Kate Surala – The Analyst Research LLP

Magdalena Krön – Barclays

Natalia Kasyanova – MUFG Bank

Natalia Zurowski – Synechron

Roisin Levine – Flux

Yulia Manyutina – Coutts

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