On the shortlist: Imogen Gammidge

Imogen Gammidge has been shortlisted for Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her outstanding leadership of WIBF’s Future Me Mentoring Programme. As Mentoring Lead for the Future Leaders Shadow Board, Imogen transformed a small pilot into a structured, high-impact initiative connecting students with near-peer mentors from the Future Leaders Network. Her vision was to create a model that was sustainable, scalable, and genuinely valuable for both mentors and mentees, built around three pillars: community, connection and credibility.

Since launching the 2025 cohort, she has exceeded expectations, forming 19 mentoring pairs, hosting cohort events, and building a thriving community that continues to grow. For Imogen, the programme’s power lies in its relatability—students gain confidence and clarity from mentors just a few steps ahead, while mentors develop leadership skills and reflect on their own journeys. Passionate about access and opportunity, she sees this nomination as recognition not only of her work, but of the programme’s impact on the next generation of women in finance.

Read on to discover more…

You’ve been shortlisted for Volunteer of the Year in recognition of your leadership of WIBF’s Future Me Mentoring Programme. How does it feel to see your work celebrated in this way?

It is incredibly rewarding. I did not take on the programme with recognition in mind, I did it because I believe so strongly in creating access and opportunity for young women starting their careers. To see that work acknowledged through this nomination feels very special, but more importantly, it shines a light on the Future Me student mentoring programme itself and the impact it is having on the next generation.

Mentoring has the power to transform confidence, accelerate development, and open doors that people may not have known existed. For students at the very start of their journeys, having someone just a few steps ahead who believes in them can be life changing. For WIBF, celebrating Future Me shows that we are serious about investing in and supporting future talent and that is what makes me proud.

You completely redesigned WIBF’s student mentoring offer, turning a pilot into a structured programme with real impact. What was your vision when you took on this challenge, and what are you most proud of achieving?

My vision was to take a brilliant pilot concept and give it the structure and scale it needed to thrive. I wanted to create a mentoring model that was sustainable, repeatable, and genuinely valuable for both mentors and mentees. At the heart of this was a clear value proposition: a ‘near-peer’ mentoring model, where students could gain practical, relatable guidance from future leaders just a few steps ahead of them.

To bring this to life, I built a six-month programme with clear timelines, structured communications, and defined milestones. I designed the model around three pillars: Community (building a cohort that supports one another), Connection (ensuring every student was matched with a suitable mentor), and Credibility (launching a ‘Future Me Feature’ spotlight series to showcase mentoring stories and raise visibility).

One of the moments I am most proud of was hosting our first in person Cohort Connect event, where mentors and mentees came together as a community. Seeing those relationships take shape in real time and hearing the impact they were already having was proof that the structure worked and that the programme had become something truly meaningful.

Alongside volunteering, you’re building your own career in financial services. Could you tell us a little about your career journey so far and what excites you most about your role?

I started my career in consulting, where I had the opportunity to deliver change, transformation, and strategy for clients across financial services. While at EY, I led the Women in Insurance Network (WIN), which brought together women from across the insurance sector to share experiences, build skills, and support one another. That was my first experience of creating a community, and it showed me the power of networks in opening doors and building confidence.

I now work at Citi as a Transformation Programme Manager, where I lead initiatives to deliver change and enable continuous improvement. What excites me most about this work is bringing structure and clarity to complexity, aligning diverse teams around a shared goal and seeing real results come to life.

The common thread in both my professional and voluntary work is transformation: whether it is reshaping a business process or redesigning a mentoring programme, I am at my best when I am helping people move from vision to impact.

The Future Me programme connects students with near-peer mentors from the Future Leaders Network. Why do you think this model works so well, and what impact have you seen it have on both mentees and mentors?

The near-peer mentoring model works because it is relatable. Students are mentored by someone just a few steps ahead of them who remembers what it feels like to apply for internships, to enter a corporate workplace for the first time, or to navigate those early moments of self-doubt. The advice they give is practical, real, and immediately applicable.

For student mentees, the impact has been clear: they have gained confidence, clarity, and a community that make the transition into financial services feel more achievable. I have seen students who started the programme unsure of themselves come out the other side with greater belief in their potential and a clearer idea of the path ahead.

For future leader mentors, the impact is equally powerful. They gain leadership experience, learn how to guide and support others, and reflect on their own journeys. It is truly a two-way exchange of value, which is why it works so well.

What have you personally gained from leading this programme, and how has it shaped your own development?

Leading the programme has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far. I inherited a strong pilot concept and was given the opportunity to shape it into a structured programme with real impact. Having the autonomy to build on those foundations, including designing the framework, setting the vision, and delivering it in partnership with two of WIBF’s brilliant communities, the Student Engagement Strategy and the Future Leaders Network, has been hugely fulfilling. That blend of creative freedom, collaboration, and visible impact has made the experience incredibly meaningful.

Personally, I have strengthened my leadership skills in a volunteer-led context, where motivation comes from purpose rather than authority. I have learned how to balance empathy with accountability, create safe spaces for collaboration, and provide the structure needed to deliver results.

Most importantly, it has reinforced for me why I care so deeply about this work. Seeing the impact first-hand, whether it is a student finding their confidence, or a mentor discovering their leadership voice, reminds me that small interventions can create big ripples. That is something I will carry forward into everything I do.

Finally, what would you say to someone considering getting involved as a volunteer with WIBF – particularly if they want to make a difference for the next generation of women in finance?

I would say go for it! Volunteering with WIBF is one of the most rewarding ways you can give back. You will be part of a community that is shaping the future of financial services by creating opportunities, opening doors, and challenging barriers.

If you want to make a difference for the next generation, WIBF gives you the platform to do exactly that, whether by mentoring, leading initiatives, or simply sharing your story. And the best part is, you do not just give, you gain. You will develop new skills, meet incredible people, and grow in ways you may not expect.

For me, volunteering has been a constant reminder that progress happens when we come together with purpose and determination. So, if you are considering it, I would say take the leap, the impact you will help create is worth every moment you give.