Diversity & Inclusivity Finance Forum Podcast

Intersectionality is a hurdle but not necessarily a brick wall. In this trailblazer podcast, Bharat Sagar speaks candidly with Andy Dean from Nationwide and Sonya Matharu, The Mortgage Mum, about how Sonya overcame gender, ethnicity and dyslexia to become an award-winning adviser in an award-winning brokerage.

George Higginson of Bank of Ireland for Intermediaries and Adrian Moloney from OSB Group join Bharat Sagar to reflect on the significant evolution in attitudes towards the Irish. From the era marked by the infamous sign 'No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish', to witnessing Ireland become a beloved contender across various global sports, this interesting conversation is not one to be missed.

In this episode, David Adjei-Barwuah is joined by Taylor Osunsedo from Alternative Bridging Corporation and Sabrine Ouladihil of Bluestone Mortgages to discuss working in the mortgage industry from the viewpoint of someone under 30. They examine how the perception of youth can both serve and hinder people on their professional paths, whilst discussing what can be done to attract and retain younger talent within the industry. An interesting discussion not to be missed.

In this month’s #DIFF podcast, Bharat Sagar is joined by Lesley Capellaro from Barclays and Aleka Gutzmore of Moneysprite, representing both the lender and broker sides of the market, to share their personal stories. They talk openly about their challenges, victories, and hopes for a better future. It is a compelling listen, perfect to lift the spirits at the start of the New Year!

In this episode Bharat Sagar, from Mortgage Solutions, discusses the challenges facing Muslim women in the job market. Joining the conversation is Sameera Khaliq from Skipton Building Society and Clare Beardmore from Legal & General Mortgage Club.

In conversation with AMI chief executive Robert Sinclair, Bharat discusses Robert’s journey through the industry and how diversity and inclusivity (D&I) has grown to be the necessity it is today. Touching on Robert’s early career, they openly talk about past behaviours and key steps taken to ensure the industry remains a trailblazer for D&I. We have come a long way but still have much further to go.

On this month’s #DIFF podcast, Danielle Moore speaks with Esther Dijkstra from Lloyds Banking Group and Andrew Montlake from Coreco about balancing their careers with the demands of school-age children. They explore why this difficulty persists and what the industry can do to address it. You will hear them discuss whether there should be more workplace cultures that positively encourage men to take on childcare duties, if we can challenge the idea that caregiving is a woman's role and the benefits of enhancing gender equality at work.

On this month’s #DIFF podcast, Bharat Sagar speaks with Lee Albino from Shawbrook Bank and Lee Brewer from Connells Group about their personal journey with disability. They discuss the challenges that come with being born with a disability and becoming disabled. These are two very real stories from our world.

In this episode, Shekina Tuahene speaks with IMLA’s Kate Davies and L&G’s Ali Crossley about the position of white women in the mortgage sector who face their own barriers but are also uniquely placed to be either allies or gatekeepers to those from other minority groups. In this candid conversation, the two speak about their advantages over others and what can be done to create a more even playing field.

Luke Beisiegel is joined by William Lloyd-Hayward, group chief operating officer of The Brightstar Group, and Hannah Oades, key accounts manager at United Trust Bank, to discuss pinkwashing and the effect it has on brand engagement. They cover the history of Pride and further policies that can be implemented within businesses to improve inclusivity for all LGBTQ+ people.