shortlist
Expand each category below to view the 2020 shortlistACCOUNTANT 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