Building Safer Financial Futures

About this event

We are delighted to invite you to an intimate WIBF breakfast event, kindly hosted by Mills Selig, featuring keynote speaker Sharon Coyle, followed by an expert-led panel discussion.

Sharon Coyle, Training and Partnerships Manager at Surviving Economic Abuse, will showcase the vital work SEA is doing to end economic abuse. Sharon will explore how financial institutions can better identify and respond safely to economic abuse and share her passion for driving legislative change in Northern Ireland to ensure economic abuse is explicitly recognised within domestic abuse legislation.

Sharon will then be joined by Nichola Coghlan, Legal Director, and Hannah Roleston, Solicitor, both of Mills Selig, for a panel discussion focused on the critical role financial institutions and legal professionals play in preventing economic abuse and supporting financial independence.

This interactive event is ideal for professionals at all stages of their careers across banking, finance, legal and professional services who want to deepen their understanding, ask questions, and connect with others committed to driving meaningful change. Attendees will gain practical insight, fresh perspective, and the opportunity to network in a relaxed and welcoming setting.

Agenda:

8.30am guests arrive
9:00: 9:10: Siobhan & Cathy welcome
9:10-10:00: Sharon session
10:00-10:30: Panel discussion
10:30: Event close

Why attend?

Understand economic abuse in practice – Gain insight into how economic abuse shows up, its real-world impact, and how financial institutions can identify and respond safely and effectively
Learn from award-winning and sector-leading experts – Hear directly from experts on legislative change, financial inclusion, and innovation tackling systemic barriers for women
Explore the intersection of finance, law and housing – A rare chance to see how banking, legal and mortgage professionals can work together to prevent abuse and support long-term financial independence
Take away practical, actionable insight – This isn’t just theory: expect concrete examples, legal considerations and ideas you can apply in your own organisation or role
Connect with purpose-driven peers – Network with professionals across banking, finance, legal and professional services in an intimate, relaxed breakfast setting.

Our Panel

Sharon Coyle - Training and Partnerships Manager, Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA)

Sharon Coyle has over 15 years’ experience working across the violence against women and girls sector. She is passionate about systems change improving how institutions respond to abuse, rather than placing the burden on victim-survivors.

Sharon is currently Training and Partnerships Manager at Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), the only UK charity dedicated solely to ending economic abuse. Her work focuses on raising awareness, influencing policy and legislation, and equipping professionals across the coordinated community response to domestic abuse including financial services, police, local authorities, and family support and healthcare sevices with the tools to identify and respond safely to economic abuse. She is particularly committed to driving legislative change in Northern Ireland to ensure economic abuse is explicitly recognised in domestic abuse legislation.

Nichola Coghlan, Legal Director, Mills Selig’s Banking & Finance team

Nichola is a Legal Director with Mills Selig’s Banking & Finance team – she specialises in real estate (investment and development) finance, corporate finance, and corporate and business banking.

Nichola is regularly instructed by commercial and investment banks, alternative funding providers, developers and business owners.

Nichola has acted on both borrower and lender sides throughout her career. This well-rounded practice has given Nichola a solid understanding of all parties’ perspectives on a finance transaction and allows her to pre-empt legal issues before they arise.

Having previously specialised in Indian banking work, Nichola also has extensive international experience, allowing her to manage large numbers of stakeholders whilst bringing multi-jurisdictional transactions to swift and efficient conclusions.

Hannah Roleston, Solicitor, Mills Selig

Hannah recently joined Mills Selig’s Banking & Finance team as a solicitor, having qualified in September 2025 after completing her training contract with another Belfast-based firm. She supports financial institutions and businesses on a wide range of funding transactions, helping structure deals and progress projects and investments efficiently and securely.

Siobhan Moran - WIBF host

Siobhan is currently a Corporate Account Manager with HSBC and has been working in financial services for 19 years. Siobhan was awarded with the Leader Business Development Manager of the Year at the 2021 British Mortgage Awards and most recently featured on the 2025 Best Women Mortgage Leaders in the UK Elite Women List. She is the Co-Chair of Women in Banking & Finance (WIBF) in Northern Ireland and has also been leading WIBF’s UK Personal Excellence Programme for the last 3 years.

Cathy Hawthorne - WIBF host

Cathy serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Arkk. Arkk, has established itself as a leader in delivering a distinctively fresh approach to tax automation, regulatory reporting, and digital tagging.

In addition to her role as Co-Chair for WIBF NI, Cathy is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She actively supports these values as an Ambassador for Women in Business Northern Ireland, and is a Mentor for both networks.