2022 Winner: Margot Waddup, Mentor of the Year Award

Margot has worked in banking for more than 30 years. Her leadership experience, influence and profile reaches far beyond her immediate team and organisation. Margot is not just focused on providing guidance to one mentee over a specific timeframe as part of a formal programme. Her influence on junior and diverse talent, both externally and internally, is widespread. She is authentic and approachable with a genuine desire to help others grow and learn from listening to them and sharing her experiences from her career. Her perspectives are varied – from being the first person in her family to go to university to raising a family whilst holding down a full-time career in a male-dominated industry. She works with individual mentees via formal internal and external programmes, as well as with Wells Fargo team member networks and junior cohort. She gives her time generously and is armed with a suite of very practical hands-on advice and assistance to help others grow in their careers.

Margot is the longest serving member of the EMEA Women’s Connection Advisory Committee. She has advised the last eight co-chairs for Wells Fargo’s women’s network and has been instrumental to numerous DE&I initiatives within the bank. Wells Fargo is a diverse, equitable and inclusive employer thanks to Margot’s work and the work of those she has mentored.

The scope, longevity and inclusivity of Margot’s commitment is incredibly impressive. Passionate about supporting junior and diverse talent, she sees this equally as important as the revenue generation aspect of her job. Over the years she has spent time with graduates (Early Talent Programme), promoting women’s development (as an advisor to Women’s Connections) and more recently helping Black and Asian colleagues as they set up their own team member networks (advisor and ally roles). She was also instrumental in bringing together the Banking and Capital Markets Cohort for Analysts and Associates during the pandemic. This is a new group formed to help analysts and associates come together for development opportunities, including learning about their respective businesses, peer networking and gaining valuable senior leadership exposure. An ambassador for wellbeing, embracing all initiatives to help connect colleagues and leading by example to foster an environment of inclusivity and understanding, Margot is also involved in the EMEA Mental Health Consortium, a group of team members working to make sure mental health is a business priority.

A role model leader to many both internally – Margot was key in establishing Wells’ first cross line of business D,E&I Council for EMEA; she is an advisor and ally to networks including Womens, Black, Pride and Asian Connections and mentor to groups and individuals in Wells – and externally as a member and mentor for Real Estate Balance and Women in Banking and Finance.

“If there is an example of a woman empowering other women in our business then for me that is Margot. Despite being super busy, she always makes time and is extremely approachable. I am amazed at her enthusiasm and zeal on making a change to positively impact younger talent.”

Neha Jhanji, Senior Relationship Manager, Corporate Banking and Co-Chair Asian Connections

“Margot is a crucial ally in the fight for equality. She’s an ally ambassador and sits on the counsel for the black team member network that I co-chair. Her insight and continued engagement has allowed our team member network to flourish in the span of only two years. Furthermore, the encouragement that I receive from her to push forward, even when I face challenges at work, is invaluable. Without Margot’s guidance I feel like I and we (the black team member network) would not be where we are today.”

Christopher Patterson, Compliance Officer and CoChair Black Connections, Wells Fargo