Diversity & Inclusivity Finance Forum Podcast

In this episode, we speak to successful B2L events consultant Richard Thomas from Legal & General and CEO of Bluestone Mortgages, Steve Seal. They discuss their past experiences of being gay men in the mortgage industry and discuss changes in attitudes and the shift in the language used in relation to gay men.

In this episode, we speak to Sidney Wager, intermediary markets director at Barclays, and Martin Reynolds, CEO at SimplyBiz Mortgages. The conversation focuses on unconscious bias, what businesses need to do to change their recruitment processes in order to increase diversity, thinking long-term rather than short-term and increasing curiosity both within the industry and outside the industry to expand the recruitment pool.

In this episode, we speak to marketing and diversity and inclusion consultant and co-founder of Become, Aimée Gaudin and Sarah Green, head of customer acquisition at Virgin Money. The conversation focuses on intersectionality - or the overlapping of a number of different disadvantages - to explore the importance of recognising some very unique experiences of discrimination. We probe the extra pressure some may face through further prejudice and oppression because aspects of their identity intersect with each other

In this episode, we speak to successful mortgage broker Dina Bhudia from P2M Asset Management and managing director of Santander for Intermediaries Brad Fordham. They discuss their shared past experiences including working at Abbey National together, exploring the paths and hurdles they faced in developing the successful careers they enjoy today. The conversation discusses topics of social mobility, intersectionality, cultural expectations of gender roles and the challenge of being a woman in a historically male-dominated industry.

In episode 6 we speak to Huy Le from Dynamo and Richard Rowntree from Paragon, who discuss identity foreclosure and how education and representation can be useful tools in raising awareness of the different opportunities available to ensure everyone within society can reach their full potential. The discussion also touches upon improving equality of progression as currently, within the financial services industry, 89% of the most senior roles are held by those from higher socio-economic backgrounds compared to 52% of UK CEOs economy wide. This illustrates the importance of not just attracting diverse talent from new pools and non-traditional routes, but of developing and encouraging that talent equally.

In this episode we speak to Chloe Hylton from Legal & General Surveying Services & Ben Thompson from Mortgage Advice Bureau who discuss imposter syndrome in the workplace and delve into the traditionally male dominated surveying industry, the perceptions and the changes being made to encourage a more diverse range of candidates to see surveying as a career for them.

In this episode, we discuss how must we change the way we recruit in order to attract and retain a more diverse and inclusive workforce in the UK mortgage market.

In this episode, trailblazers Saj Latif & Ali Crossley discuss their careers and the advice they would give their younger selves with examples of how diversity & inclusion within workforces benefits both customers and businesses alike. They also touch on the initiatives they are involved in pushing diversity & inclusion forward within the industry.

In this episode, Bharat is joined by Frank Starling from Variety Pack where they discuss the rise of micro aggressions and delve into their experiences to explain what micro aggressions are, how they manifest and in turn how we can be more mindful of the language we use.

In this episode we speak to trailblazers Richard Goppy & Esther Dijkstra who discuss their careers, the challenges they have faced and their views on how we can move our industry forward in terms of diversity and inclusivity.