Women in Banking & Finance’s Recognition of Achievement event is our opportunity to recognise and celebrate individuals, across the UK’s financial services sector, who are progressing gender equality.
Taking a break from our annual awards, which started in 1998 – that’s 23 years ago – our virtual celebration aims to help you understand the steps WIBF and its corporate members are taking to ensure women can achieve success, and understand there are role models for them to look to – after all, you can’t be what you can’t see!
On 14th October, we hosted a packed 90 minutes of panel discussions, key note speakers and details of WIBF’s exciting plans for 2022. Hosted by Kate Thornton, journalist and television broadcaster, and Anna Lane, President of WIBF, we were joined live by Alison Rose, CEO of NatWest Group and the first female to run a UK financial conglomerate and high street bank. And we heard from Dame Inga Beale on her experiences as in the City of London before and during her time as the CEO of Lloyd’s of London.
We also celebrated individuals, from each of our institutional members and the wider WIBF network, who are recognised as having gone above and beyond to make a difference in gender equality in our sector over past 18 months.
The Recognition of Achievement virtual event was made possible by Citi, HSBC, Cynergy Bank, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, LSEG and TEN Group.
- Kate Smith, Aegon
- Shilpy Kumar, Capco
- Andrew Pitt, Citi
- Audrey Bampoe & Lisa London, Credit Suisse
- Bernadette Smith, Cynergy Bank
- Katelyn Brown, Deloitte
- Shalini Shan, EY
- Lisa Fernihough, KPMG
- Kate James, Lloyds Banking Group
- Anita Huynh, Macquarie
- Nikki Wells, NatWest
- Desirée Clarke-Noble, RBC
- Beatriz Rufo Arriero, Santander
- Fola Osuntokun, TD Securities
- Debbie Walker, Tesco Bank
- Lana Vannerem & Stefanie Hansveitt, Wells Fargo
Read all about the achievements of WIBF’s 2021 Role Models by clicking on the ‘Read More’ button below.
Role Models

Kate Smith
Aegon
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Shilpy Kumar
Capco
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Andrew Pitt
Citi
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Audrey Bampoe & Lisa London
Credit Suisse
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Bernadette Smith
Cynergy Bank
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Katelyn Brown
Deloitte
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Shalini Shan
EY
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Lisa Fernihough
KPMG
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Kate James
Lloyds Banking Group
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Anita Huynh
Macquarie
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Nikki Wells
NatWest
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Desirée Clarke-Noble
RBC
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Beatriz Rufo Arriero
Santander
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Fola Osuntokun
TD Securities
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Debbie Walker
Tesco Bank
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Lana Vannerem & Stefanie Hanstveit
Wells Fargo
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Hosts

Kate Thornton
Journalist and Presenter
Kate currently hosts the hit podcast White Wine Question Time, which sees her asking well-known guests three thought provoking questions,over three glasses of wine.
At 21, Kate became the youngest ever and first female editor of pop magazine Smash Hits, before working as a Contributing Editor at the Sunday Times and Marie Claire magazine. In 1997, Kate began her second career in television on the ITV current affairs’ programme Straight Up, and has also hosted talk shows and documentaries on Radio 2.
Kate is conscious of the need for women to take control of their financial futures and is also involved in The Wisdom Council’s Yes She Can programme.

Anna Lane
WIBF President
Anna recently sat on the Money and Pensions Service – Gender and Financial Wellbeing Challenge, bringing a gender lens to the UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing. In 2019, Anna launched the cross-industry Yes She Can initiative, focusing on closing the gender gap in pensions and investments. Prior to launching TWC, Anna ran a specialist consultancy and worked in the City for over 20 years in senior roles at JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley.
Speakers

Alison Rose
Chief Executive Officer, NatWest Group plc
Alison sits on the Board of Directors for the Institute of International Finance and is a member of the International Business Council for the World Economic Forum. She is also a Trustee of Business in the Community (BITC) and Chairs the Scottish BITC Advisory Board. Alison is a Non-Executive Director of Great Portland Estates plc and sits on the board of the Coutts Charitable Foundation.

Inga Beale
Inga is a Patron of Insuring Women’s Futures, an alliance of insurance and personal finance professionals helping to improve women’s long-term financial resilience.
She served as a member of Stonewall’s Development Council, and was awarded a Damehood for her influential work in driving the inclusion agenda for women and the LGBT community. She has served as President of the UK Chartered Insurance Institute, a member of the Geneva Association Board, and a member of the UK Government’s Financial Services Trade and Investment Board. She serves as Chair of the healthcare group Mediclinic International, and also sits on boards of the claims handlers Crawford & Company and the business group London First, and is a member of the London Mayor’s Business Advisory Board.