Mentor of the Year Award Shortlist

Anthony Simpson, Head of Liquidity & Markets (South), Tesco Bank

Women in Banking & Finance’s April 2024 Mentor of the Month, Anthony Simpson, has a deep commitment to helping young talent unlock their potential. Alongside his role as Head of Liquidity and Markets (South) at Tesco Bank, where he has worked for over 15 years, Anthony has mentored numerous summer interns and secondments. He has also been an active sponsor for several individuals across the Bank, continuing to support their development to this day.

In WIBF’s words, “With extensive experience and a passion for empowering others, Anthony exemplifies the spirit of mentorship.” His dedication to guiding and uplifting others makes him a deserving candidate for the Mentor of the Year Award, having made a significant impact on the mentoring community. Anthony’s commitment to fostering growth and supporting diverse talent highlights his invaluable contribution to the next generation of leaders in banking and finance.

Gillian Lyng, Managing Director – Investment Banking AFC Technology, Deutsche Bank UK

Gill has over a decade of extensive experience mentoring individuals and groups, both inside and outside Deutsche Bank. She is deeply committed to developing talent at all levels, helping staff navigate career challenges, achieve promotions, and find motivation and fulfillment in their professional lives.

Currently, Gill mentors three internal colleagues and two external individuals, one through the WIBF Mentoring Program. She co-leads a MentoRing group of 10 female colleagues and matches around 50 junior staff members annually with mentors for the Technology Data & Innovation Early Careers Programme in the UK. Additionally, she runs quarterly group mentoring sessions, “Power Breakfasts,” as part of Deutsche Bank’s gender network, dbGo.

Her recent mentoring achievements include supporting several colleagues through successful promotions, with three promotions in the past year, helping five colleagues secure internal job moves, and guiding two external mentees into new roles. Her mentorship has also played a key role in improving retention among TDI’s Early Careers Program participants, demonstrating her ongoing impact in fostering career growth and development.

Jacqueline Quinn, Scotland Consulting Partner, EY 

Jacqui’s approach to mentorship is deeply personal and committed, characterised by her patience and ability to communicate complex topics in an accessible and engaging manner. This approach has significantly shaped the careers of those around her. Beyond one-on-one mentoring, Jacqui’s leadership is visible in her active participation in industry events and networks, where she advocates for a more empowering working environment not only at EY but across the financial services industry.

Her dedication to supporting women was evident at the Northern Power Women Awards, where she delivered motivational insights. As a key member of the EY Female Partners Network, Jacqui helps shape the strategic direction and support system for women in leadership roles. She also shared her thought leadership at the Feedzai Brilliant Breakfast, focusing on women in financial services, where her insights inspired many.

Jacqui’s involvement in the EY Tech Future Leaders Programme further demonstrates her belief in the power of people to drive technological advancement and industry growth. Her tireless efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable environment make her a true role model, reflected in her nomination for this award. Jacqui continues to mentor others with the same respect and courage she embodies every day.

Lisa Ardley-Price, Legal Counsel – Commercial & Institutional Banking, NatWest Group

Lisa Ardley-Price is a lawyer, coach, mentor, charity trustee, and a passionate advocate for diversity and wellbeing. She actively promotes inclusion and supports individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly in gender, helping them build the skills, confidence, and allyship needed to succeed.

With over 15 years’ experience in the legal and financial services industries, Lisa is currently a Managing Legal Counsel at NatWest, where she is recognised both internally and externally as a specialist in Trade and Supply Chain Finance, and as an inclusive leader. A certified coach, she mentors colleagues, private clients, and individuals through programmes with corporates, educational institutions, and social enterprises, including NatWest, Women in Banking & Finance, University of Law, Dechomai, Hatch, and Digital Boost, focusing on social mobility and underrepresented groups.

As Co-Chair of NatWest’s Gender Network, the largest employee-led network with 9,000 members and around 400 volunteers, Lisa co-leads a global team, working with other diversity networks to foster an inclusive environment. She drives initiatives that raise awareness, educate, and empower, promoting allyship and sponsorship.

In addition, as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Be Kind Movement, Lisa is dedicated to nurturing the leaders of the future.

Mala Panchasara, Commercial Real Estate Relationship Management Director, Wells Fargo Bank

Mala is a leader within Wells Fargo’s Commercial Real Estate team in EMEA, directly managing a team of six, predominantly women, while indirectly developing and mentoring many others. Her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) has grown over recent years, making her a vocal advocate for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Mala formally mentors five individuals, while informally supporting many more, all while managing a significant commercial real estate loan portfolio in the region.

She is actively involved in three DEI committees and councils—two internally and one externally—and is a dedicated member of Wells Fargo’s Asian, Women, and Black team member networks. Mala is a strong believer in allyship, inclusivity, and understanding, and has played a key role in driving cultural change within her team by initiating open conversations around diversity and encouraging others to engage.

A few years ago, she pioneered the concept of Discussion Sessions, where team members debate and share views on important topics such as racism, bystander intervention, and culture. This initiative has helped foster a more inclusive environment within her team, inspiring others to take part in the DEI conversation and contribute to positive change.

Michael Levene, Senior Lead Technology Business Services Consultant, Wells Fargo

Since joining Wells Fargo, Mike has played a key role in leading several initiatives with the EMEA Women’s Connection Network and Women in Technology (WIT) to support mentorship for women across the region. He was invited to join a panel session hosted by the EMEA Women’s Connection Network Book Club to discuss Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine, providing his insights on the book and the chapter he was assigned.

Over the past few years, Mike has organised three successful leadership sessions for the EMEA Women in Technology cohort, facilitating meetings with senior women technology leaders visiting from the US. These sessions received highly positive feedback from the WIT team. Additionally, he arranged a leadership session for the EMEA Women’s Connection Network leadership team to connect with women technology leaders and the Head of Enterprise Technology, a male ally in the US WIT programme.

In 2023, Mike led the establishment of the EMEA Group Mentoring Programme under the EMEA Women’s Connection Network, creating the first mentoring programme outside of the US. He successfully set up 11 mentoring groups that year and expanded the programme to APAC in 2024, establishing 67 groups. The programme was so popular that some mentors were waitlisted for the 2025 intake, reflecting Mike’s dedication to growing this initiative.

Shama Hamid, Senior Software Engineering Manager, Capital One

Shama Hamid is a remarkable mentor who embodies leadership and empowerment. Driven by her passion for uplifting others, she works tirelessly to leave every place better than she found it. Shama invests significant time and effort in her mentees, helping them achieve their ambitions and unlock their full potential.

Her support extends beyond career goals, focusing on each mentee as an individual, recognising that personal and professional development are closely intertwined—particularly for women, and especially for women from ethnic minority backgrounds. In addition to mentoring nine mentees directly, Shama co-leads the Women in Tech BRG and actively supports other company initiatives, including the People Leader Ambassador Network.

A testament to her commitment, Shama designed a new career-focused mentoring programme for women in tech, aimed at equipping them with the skills, networks, and confidence to aspire to leadership roles.

Beyond her role at Capital One, Shama is a role model to her two children and volunteers as a part-time magistrate. She leads with passion, trusts her instinctive decision-making, and is breaking down barriers for women, blazing a trail for those around her.