Sponsored by Citi
Sponsored by Citi

The 20th Women in Banking and Finance Awards for Achievement Luncheon was the biggest and best celebration of the women of our industry yet.

More guests than ever before gathered at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Friday 9th June to celebrate the individual achievements of the shortlisted candidates alongside the sector’s achievements in recognising the value of women and diversity in our industry.

We were delighted that Citi supported WIBF as headline sponsor for the 2017 Awards for Achievement Luncheon.

Every year the nominees surpass expectations with their innovation and creativity and every year we leave the Luncheon inspired by the talented women working in our sector. 2017 was no different.

The winners of the 2017 WIBF Awards for Achievement are (below)

Video highlights

The Categories

Award for Achievement

Celebrating a woman who has achieved success within a senior role and who displays qualities of dynamism and daring. Candidates have excelled in their professional life and have also shown an ability to use their skills outside of their own career by either serving on boards of other organisation or by being involved in furthering the interests of women in the workplace.

Young Professional Award

Celebrating a woman aged 35 or younger who is making a significant impact in an organisation. The panel look for women whose contribution to date makes her 'one to watch'. Young professionals are shaping their organisation, not just in terms of financial success but also as being an example to others.

Champion for Women Award

Celebrating a seasoned professional, man or woman, who through personal commitment, application and dedication, continuously promotes and inspires women in the workplace to reach their full potential.

Team Award for Diversity

Celebrating team success in promoting diversity in the workplace. The team may be a business line team that has driven and embedded the diversity agenda or a specalist function (such as HR or Diversity & Inclusion) that partners the business to provide vision and framework.

The Shortlist

Young Professional Award

Team Diversity Award

  • Finance Diversity Team, Sky
  • Breakthrough Women’s Network, Lloyds
  • Business Insights Inclusion Team, BP
  • Coutts/Adam & Company Diversity & Inclusion Council, Coutts
  • Inclusion & Diversity Steering Committee, MUFG

Champion for Women

  • Tracy Jordan, Credit Suisse
  • Andy Clarke, Lloyds
  • Caroline Graham, Barclays
  • Emma Badman, ING
  • Hayley Sudbury, Werkin
  • Robert McKillop, Standard Life
  • Sharon Blackman, Citi
  • Tiina Lee, Deutsche Bank

Award for Achievement

  • Arlene Isaacs-Lowe, Moody’s
  • Annabelle Panesar, Citi
  • Elizabeth Raffle, Lloyds
  • Jackie Moran, Standard Life
  • Lenka Setkova, Coutts
  • Lucy Thomas, Sky
  • Natalia Nicolaidis, Credit Suisse
  • Stacey English, Thomson Reuters

The winners

Francesca Lynch, RBC

Young Professional Award

Fran was identified as top Director talent within Fixed Incomes and Currencies globally. She was promoted immediately upon eligibility and was the top ranked Director Promotion candidate in the global FIC 2016 process.

Currently Director and Co-Head of Europe Corporate Credit Trading for RBC Capital Markets RBC is reviewing fast-tracking Francesca to Managing Director over the next two years so she can take on a greater leadership role. Her profit performance and transformation of RBC client rankings with European clients have been a key factor for increasing RBC’s client footprint in Europe and have been key in transforming the Credit business from a niche player to a top tier counterparty. Fran is an RBC thought leader on graduate and intern recruitment. Fran’s passion for community and charity fundraising is giving young people greater opportunities and making a difference to lives affected by illness.

Read more

Finance Diversity Team, Sky

Team Diversity Award

Sky’s Finance Diversity Team (FDT) is a self-organised group of 10 people who have successfully embedded a culture of inclusivity across Sky Finance. The team used internal and external evidence to build the business case for diversity, which was signed off by the Group CFO, now the Executive sponsor.

The team organises Diversity Events, with external and internal keynote speakers; the last event attracted more than 200 attendees. FDT introduced online unconscious bias training, achieving a 90% completion rate, and lead a three-month flexible working trial resulting in 90% of participants citing improvement in work/life balance and 100% of managers supporting full roll out. Following this, flexible working was implemented across Sky Finance. The team reviews for gender balance in recruitment and promotion shortlists as well as for interview panels. FDT is developing an internal Women in Finance network and is executing an external strategy to ensure the brand reflects its inclusive working culture.

Tracy Jordan, Credit Suisse

Champion for Women

Under Tracy’s leadership as Programme Director, Credit Suisse’s Modern Muse has engaged the next generation of female business leaders by showcasing diverse women and their roles within banks.

The programme has directly reached 1,850 girls and inspired more than 200,000 young women and girls in the UK, partnering with approximately 25 schools and three universities. Tracy has served as a Muse herself and is a highly valued role model – she is the mother of three children who returned from a six-year career break and achieved promotion to Director, while still dedicating time to voluntary initiatives. Tracy has encouraged other companies to support Modern Muse, actively reigniting interest in the financial services sector among girls and young women and addressing gender diversity. With her professional impact as a board Director, Trustee and business leader, alongside her philanthropic efforts, mentoring and dedication to young people playing sport, Tracy is a true inspiration to others.

Arlene Isaacs-Lowe, Moody’s

Award for Achievement

Arlene Isaacs-Lowe is Managing Director, Head of Relationship Management for EMEA at Moody’s. She has multi-faceted experience in driving revenues, developing and successfully executing strategic plans, investment and financial management strategies, and investor relations initiatives for financial services industries.

She is a skilled leader with cross-cultural fluency, adept at collaborating with stakeholders; and building and motivating multi-disciplinary teams. She is respected as a proven strategic thinker with global perspective and entrepreneurial drive. Arlene seamlessly melds business and financial acumen with a commitment to philanthropic and social causes, demonstrated by active and long-term board service across a range of non-profit organisations. She is a passionate leader who actively promotes the business case for diversity and inclusion both internally and externally. She is a passionate and inspirational senior role model who actively supports other women in the industry and raises the aspirations of women at Moody’s.