Celebrating WIBF Volunteers Featured in Brummell Magazine’s “Ones to Watch in the City 2024”

This recognition is a testament to their incredible achievements and their commitment to making a positive impact in the financial services industry. Four standout women from the WIBF community are featured on this list—Lucy Ellis Keeler, Lauren Cassells, Lauren Fuller, and Liyana Shirin.

The list shine a spotlight on the extraordinary achievements of rising stars in London’s financial services, law and allied fields. These 30 individuals under 40 years of age have been selected for their outstanding accomplishments in their day jobs, as well as their passion for making the world a better place for others by undertaking inspirational endeavours off the side of their desks. We are thrilled to have four of our number featuring on this list.

Lucy Ellis Keeler

In her role as a global compliance officer, Lucy supports business growth in Digital Assets in adherence with global laws and regulations. She is co-chair of the Future Leaders Shadow Board for Women in Banking & Finance UK. She won the WeAreTheCity Rising Star Award in the Banking & Capital Markets category, and mentors students through Career Ready and the University of Bristol. She spearheads volunteering and donation initiatives in aid of Smart Works, a charity that helps women secure employment through interview coaching and professional dressing. She was selected as a UN Women UK delegate for CSW68 and is a One Young World ambassador.

Lauren Cassells

Lauren began her career as a degree apprentice at EY in Newcastle, where she spearheaded the EY Regional Women’s Network, receiving numerous award nominations for her efforts to promote diversity and inclusion. She received an honourable mention in the Future Leader category at the WIBF Awards for Achievement in 2023 and was awarded Highly Commended in the EY UK Financial Services Future Rising Star annual awards. Currently, she leads the FCA hackathon programme and serves as the co-chair of the Future Leaders Shadow Board (FLSB). Her commitment to gender equality and empowerment has been highlighted through her selection as a UNCSW68 delegate.

Lauren Fuller

Lauren Fuller’s dedication to continuous development, both personally and within the wider community, sets her apart. Her volunteer work with WIBF as Co-Chair for our Norwich and East Anglia branch is rooted in her belief that everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and succeed, regardless of background. A qualified mortgage advisor, Fuller in her current role continually looks for opportunities to digitise and improve the customer journey. This includes recent projects working in the new green mortgage product development and digital transformation of digital mortgage applications. She was a finalist in the Chartered Banker Young Banker of the Year 2019 when she developed a solution to support customers to use their EPC to improve the energy performance rating, which has been taken forward by NatWest, and she recently completed her Masters in Innovation and Business Management. She leads the NatWest Group Gender Network Initiatives & Partnerships Committee and won FT Adviser’s Diversity in Finance Award 2024.

Liyana Shirin

Liyana leads communications initiatives to support company strategies and drives communications for global programmes. She was among the first 40 women selected for the CFA Institute’s “Young Women in Investment” programme, to promote D&I in investment management and one of the youngest guest bloggers on Tata Consultancy Services’ largest engagement platform. She has contributed to launch campaigns with Lean In networks and led initiatives with IEEE. Through these efforts, she has empowered female students to break into STEM fields and her contributions have received accolades, including the Outstanding Woman in Engineering Volunteer award. She currently serves on the Future Leaders Shadow Board of Women in Banking & Finance UK working on the Individual memberships team.

The recognition of Lucy, Lauren C, Lauren F and Liyana in Brummell’s “Ones to Watch in the City 2024” list is well-deserved. Their contributions to WIBF, alongside their impressive professional achievements, showcase the power of leadership, mentorship, and a commitment to driving positive change in financial services. These rising stars are not only shaping the future of the industry but also actively supporting the next generation of women to succeed through their volunteer efforts.

We look forward to seeing all they continue to accomplish, both in their careers and through their work with WIBF. Congratulations to these outstanding women for this well-earned recognition!