Launch of the GOOD FINANCE “How To” Manual

Dr Grace Lordan is the Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative and an Associate Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Grace is an economist and a labour market skills expert.

Grace’s research focuses on inclusive leadership, women’s progress in the workplace, the future of work, productivity through diversity and individual success.

Grace served as an expert advisor to the UK government sitting on their skills and productivity board, is currently a member of the UK government’s BEIS social mobility taskforce and is on the Women in Finance Charter’s advisory board. Grace currently leads the £2 million ESRC funded Diversity and Productivity from Education to Work (DAPEW) project.

Her academic writings have been published in top international journals and she has written for the Financial Times, Fortune, Fast Company, MIT Sloan Management Review , Reuters and Harvard Business Review. Grace is a regular speaker and advisor to blue chip finance and technology firms.

Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future you Want, is her first book.

Monica Meade is a seasoned financial services professional with over 20 years of experience. She currently serves as the Global Head of Audit for Technology, Real Time Payments and Transfer Solutions at Mastercard. Prior to joining Mastercard, Monica held various roles at JP Morgan, Credit Suisse and Deloitte. In addition to her professional career, she is a passionate advocate for social causes, serving as a trustee of the Afro Caribbean Leukemia Trust, a leading blood cancer/disorder charity dedicated to raising awareness of the severe shortage of donors on the U.K. stem cell, blood, and organ donor registers. Monica is also a volunteer with the U.K. Cyber Security Council as an Assessor for Professional Registration titles, offering her expertise in assessing candidates. As a past President and board member for the award-winning ISACA London Chapter, she has demonstrated her commitment to advancing the field of technology audit and information security.

Chris Woolard is a partner at EY and chair of their Global Regulatory Network. Chris works with governments, regulators and commercial clients around the world on their challenges related to financial services regulation and fintech. Prior to EY, Chris worked in policy and regulation for 25 years including serving as interim CEO of the Financial Conduct Authority and a member of the FCA Board. Chris also served on the Financial Policy Committee at the Bank of England, the Board of IOSCO and at the Financial Stability Board. He has also held senior roles at Ofcom, the BBC and was a Senior Civil Servant. He is a trustee of Which?, the UK Consumer Charity. He was awarded a CBE  for services to financial regulation and fintech in 2021 and is a Freeman of the City of London.

Sophie Hulm is CEO at Progress Together.

As Head of Skills Policy at the City of London, Sophie was the founder and architect of a Government commissioned Socio-Economic Diversity Taskforce. Sophie sees a clear link between the skills and labour challenges which exist in UK financial services and the need for greater socio-economic diversity at senior levels. Sophie joined Progress Together as Chief Executive in September 2022.

Sophie currently sits on the SteerCo for the 30% Club and has led a number of high-profile initiatives including the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards. Throughout her working life Sophie has focused on the power of business to bring about change, including working for a welfare-to-work organisation, a Corporate Responsibility membership body, and as a trustee for Governors for Schools.

Her dad is a working-class East Londoner and her mum a retired academic with immigrant parents. She lives with her partner and two mixed-race children who are big fans of Pokemon and Octonauts.

Diana Brightmore-Armour is Chief Executive Office at C. Hoare & Co. She joined the Board as Non-Executive Director in 2020 and was appointed CEO of the bank in 2021.

With over 30 years’ international experience in banking, corporate finance, financial management, treasury, and audit, Diana was previously CEO for UK and Europe of the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (2013 - 2019) and CEO, Corporate Banking, at Lloyds Banking Group (2004-2012).  Her early career was spent at The Coca-Cola Company.

Diana is passionate about developing talent. She has taken leading roles in the 30% Club, International Women’s Forum, C200 and the City Women’s Network, and looks to support diversity in its broadest sense.

A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Accountants and the Association of Corporate Treasurers, Diana currently serves as Senior Independent Director of The Berkley Group; Independent Non-Executive Director and Audit Chair of Mercer, UK (a Marsh & McLennan Company); and Independent Non-Executive Director and Audit Chair of Vocalink (a Mastercard Company).

With a son in London and a daughter in New York, Diana enjoys family time on both sides of the Atlantic. A keen walker, she enjoys going to Central Park with her daughter’s dog, Samson.