Siona Lamble – Mentor of the Year

Joint winner of the WIBF Mentor of the Year Award 2025, Siona Lamble leads the Deposits Pricing Team for the Commercial & Institutional franchise at NatWest Group, combining analytical expertise with a deep commitment to people development. A passionate mentor, she has supported colleagues through formal and informal programmes, including multiple Women in Banking & Finance (WIBF) mentoring relationships, while consistently championing growth within her own team.

Her leadership extends well beyond mentoring. As former Co-Chair of the NatWest Gender Network, Siona oversaw 9,000 members and 250 volunteers, leading initiatives that transformed inclusion across the bank — from relaunching the male allies programme to advocating for equal parental leave and opening workplace conversations on period dignity.

Praised for her empathy, structure, and proactive guidance, Siona embodies the power of mentorship as both a personal connection and a catalyst for cultural change across financial services.

We asked Siona a few questions…

How does it feel to have won this year’s WIBF Award, and what does this recognition mean to you personally and professionally?

Hearing my name called was a complete surprise! I’ve only been mentoring with WIBF for about a year, and I still feel like I’m on a learning journey myself. That’s why this award means so much. It’s deeply personal because my success here depends entirely on others growing and learning.

Mentoring has never been about me. It’s about creating space for others to thrive. To have that recognised is incredibly humbling. Personally, it’s a proud moment that reminds me why I care so much about supporting others. Professionally, it reinforces the importance of building an inclusive culture where people feel empowered to reach their potential.

There’s also a lovely full-circle element to this. At the start of my career, I remember someone pointing out a colleague who had won an award, I think from WIBF when it was starting out. As a young professional, I was completely awestruck. It seemed amazing. Now, 17 years later, I’m that person, and maybe, just maybe, I’m the inspiration to someone else.

And on a lighter note, my mum and dad are absolutely delighted, and I have to admit I’m loving having the trophy in my office! It’s a great reminder of what can happen when you invest in others.

What was it like attending the awards ceremony, and were there any moments from the evening that particularly stood out for you?

 The ceremony was brilliant, a real celebration of talent and impact across the industry. I was surprised by just how many people were there from all the different regions, and the energy in the room was fantastic. I also loved how seriously everyone took the colour code, it showed such commitment to the cause. Hearing about the wide variety of initiatives was inspiring. It really highlighted the breadth of work happening to drive change across the industry.

A personal highlight was attending alongside our award-winning Allied Men team, who won for Best DEI Innovation. I’ve been passionate about supporting their work in the past, so sharing in their success was joyful. Just before our categories were announced, I turned to them and said, “I never win anything and I’ve never even been at an awards with anyone who has!”. To walk away with two awards as a group was a complete surprise and an unforgettable moment.

You’ve mentored across many different settings – from WIBF and formal workplace programmes to informal support within your own team. What keeps you motivated to keep giving your time in this way?

I’ve always enjoyed volunteering in one way or another, from helping younger children when I was at school, to being a Brownie leader, to co-chairing the employee led Gender Network at NatWest, and now as a governor at my local school. Giving my time to support others has always felt like a natural part of who I am.

For me, mentoring is just another form of volunteering. I’ve done it informally for years, but as I’ve taken on more leadership responsibility, I’ve wanted to be more intentional about it and really build my skills as a mentor.

What keeps me motivated is seeing the difference it makes. I’ve seen mentees grow in confidence, feel more secure in their roles, apply for new opportunities, and even earn promotions. One recently overcame their biggest fear: speaking to a senior stakeholder, leading to them gaining a new sponsor. Moments like that are what make mentoring so rewarding.

And clearly that investment has paid off. Not only am I shortlisted here, but I was recognised as NatWest Gender Network Mentor of the Year earlier this year too!

Mentees describe you as proactive, often creating opportunities rather than waiting to be asked. Why is that proactive approach important to you as a mentor?

I’ve learned that being proactive in mentoring is as much about me as it is about my mentees. I spent a long time thinking I wasn’t “special enough” to be a mentor, wondering what I could possibly offer someone else. Building that confidence took time, and part of my proactive approach now comes from wanting to give the very best of myself to others.

Between conversations, I often spend time reflecting on what’s been discussed, including researching topics, exploring ideas, or thinking about the root causes behind what someone has shared with me. Sometimes I’ll send resources or suggestions that might resonate. It’s my way of showing that I’ve heard them and I’m truly invested in their growth.

Being proactive also helps build trust. It shows that mentoring isn’t just a scheduled chat. It’s an ongoing relationship where I’m genuinely committed to helping someone move forward.

During your time as co-chair of the NatWest Gender Network, you led initiatives such as MentorHER, Lean-In Circles, and equal parental leave advocacy. How did those experiences shape your view of mentoring as a driver of systemic change?

I stepped into the co-chair role shortly after returning from maternity leave. Having mentors who offered guidance and reassurance through that period was invaluable. They gave me the confidence to use my voice and lead on issues I cared deeply about, and they showed me how mentoring can help people step into moments of growth and challenge.

As co-chair, my role wasn’t always to lead every initiative myself; it was often about creating the conditions for others to lead — giving people the space, encouragement, and confidence to bring their ideas to life.

Two of the programmes I’m most proud of from the network are MentorHER and Lean In Circles. MentorHER pairs junior women with senior men in reciprocal mentoring relationships, helping those men better understand the experience of being a woman in the workplace. It’s been transformative, for both the women and the leaders involved, and it’s lovely that MentorHER is up for an award this year too.

Lean In Circles offers a different but equally powerful model: small-group mentoring sessions where people meet monthly to discuss goals, challenges, and achievements. The openness and connection those groups created have had a lasting impact on confidence and belonging.

That experience has really shaped how I see mentoring, not just as something that supports individuals, but as something that can shift culture and mindsets across an organisation.

Mentoring can often feel as rewarding for the mentor as it is for the mentee. What have you learned or gained yourself from these relationships over the years?

So much! Every mentoring relationship teaches me something new, about people, about leadership, and often about myself. I’ve learned to listen more deeply and to hold back from immediately trying to “fix” things, no matter how tempting that is.

I’ve also realised just how important people are to me. There are many leaders who are technically brilliant, but the ones who have resonated with me most, the managers and mentors who truly helped shape who I am today, were the ones who invested in me as a person, not just in what I delivered. They showed me the power of genuine connection, and I’ve tried to carry that forward in everything I do.

My own team has been a huge part of that journey too. They’re all brilliant, and in many ways they’ve let me use our working relationships as a testing ground for my mentoring approach. They give me feedback, they challenge me, and they help me grow through every interaction. It’s such a joy to see each of them grow in confidence and take on new challenges and I feel incredibly proud watching them succeed.

In truth, my mentees and my team inspire me constantly. Their courage, honesty, and drive remind me every day why I love team management, supporting others and of course mentoring, and why genuine care for people is at the heart of great leadership.

You’ve helped mentees tackle everything from building confidence to securing promotions and navigating restructures. What’s the common thread you see in helping people unlock their potential?

For me, the common thread is belief, helping people see the potential in themselves before they fully believe it. Often, people already have what they need; they just can’t see it clearly. My role is to hold up a mirror and help them recognise their strengths. I undertook some strengths coaching a few years ago and it really opened my eyes. Personal Development Plans are historically focused on ‘fixing’ weaknesses, but I now like to take the approach of focusing in on strengths and what makes you special and this I’ve found really builds confidence and self-belief.

Confidence also tends to grow when someone feels truly listened to and understood. Whether it’s navigating change, preparing for a promotion, or building their voice in a room, once they start to see themselves differently, everything else starts to shift too.

Mentoring is about listening, creating space, offering encouragement, and asking the right questions. It is definitely not about giving all the answers, also sometimes reflecting on own learnings or experiences really helps others to feel understood and less alone with their fears and worries. I love seeing the journey of when people realise they’re far more capable than they imagined and start to test that belief.

Finally, what would you say to someone who’s never mentored before but is thinking about putting their hand up — either through WIBF or within their organisation?

I’d say absolutely do it. You don’t have to be perfect or have all the answers, you just have to care.

I know many people hold back because they don’t feel “special enough” or worry they don’t have much to offer. I used to feel exactly the same. But mentoring isn’t about being an expert; it’s about being curious, open, and genuinely willing to support someone else’s journey. One of my own team applied a year ago to be a member of a lean-in circle, and I said why participate when you could lead it. She had never even considered it, but now leads her own circle, starting her own mentoring journey to really great feedback and has grown in the process too. There is nobody I’ve ever met who doesn’t have something to offer somebody else.

So throw yourself in, be yourself, and listen. You’ll be surprised how much impact you can have, and how much you’ll grow in the process.