Mentoring (panel)

Speakers:

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  Benjamin Firth

  Communications and Engagement Leader, LGBT+ Network Co-Chair
  EY

  Ben is Communications and Engagement Leader at EY in the UK. He’s also Co-Chair of Unity, EY’s LGBT+ employee network and a trustee of the charity, MindOut. Ben has over 15 years of corporate communications experience, gained through a variety of sectors in the UK and Australia. He’s passionate about working with leaders to drive positive change, business outcomes and inclusive cultures – all through compelling communication. Prior to EY, Ben spent eight years at the Financial Services Authority and Financial Conduct Authority working in internal and change communications throughout the financial crisis and shake-up of financial services regulation. Before then, he worked in corporate PR at Sydney Opera House and the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Born and raised in Gloucestershire, Ben regularly gets back to the Cotswolds to enjoy the countryside and see his family. He met his Partner while living in Australia. They moved to the UK in 2008 and have been living in North London since. When Ben’s not at a spin class with Psycle London or more recently doing a HIIT at home, he’s usually at the theatre or socialising with friends.

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  Lucy-Anne Bryans

  Procurement Enablement - Global Corporate Card Programme Manager
  EY

  Alongside my day job of managing our global commercial card programme I lead the Networking & Development workstream of EY’s LGBT+ network - Unity. I have been working in ERGs since the first day I discovered one more than 10 years ago and believe passionately that the opportunity to create an additional network of like minded people is a really important tool and can open doors and build confidence. At work I manage our global commercial card contract for EY. We look to drive new and innovative card solutions that enables the business to be agile in their purchasing processes, alongside a large corporate card programme that supports our employees as they travel.

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  Jason ‘Jae’ Sloan

  Consultant and Coach
  Apis Consultancy Group

  I help individuals, teams and organisations perform at their best. I am a purpose-driven organisational development consultant and business coach and mentor with expertise in business strategy, performance, engagement, leadership and change. I have 20 years’ experience working in a multinational pharma organisation as well as more than 5 years of professional experience working in education/non-profit community organisations. I am an out queer (non-binary, gay) person with years of leadership in LGBTQ+ inclusion, and I have been recognised as an Involve Top 50 OUTstanding LGBT+ Future Leader. I am a Co-Founder and current Co-Chair of the Proud Science Alliance, a collective of healthcare and life sciences sector LGBTQ+ networks and partners who work together to raise the bar on LGBTQ+ inclusion within their organisations and the sector as a whole. I'm a creative type who understands the necessity and value of research and detail. I prefer diverse, open-minded, relatively informal environments that support doing great, meaningful work. What does diversity and inclusion mean to me? To be our best selves, our best teams and our best organisations, we must recognise and honour the value we and others bring. This means not simply getting the numbers equal, putting up quotes on websites or simply complying with laws. We must invite everyone to participate, to contribute and to co-create in order to realise our ambition to be creative, innovate and perform at the highest level—to be our best we all must show up completely, open hearted, and we have to invite others to do the same. SPECIALTIES: Organisational Development, Business Coaching, Change Management, Inclusion and Diversity, Business Strategy Development/Execution, Business/Employee Engagement, Leadership, Project Management, Internal Communication, Corporate Social Responsibility, Global Health, Writing, Researching I am from the United States and emigrated to the UK in 2005 to be with my now husband, Greg, who is British. I love exercise, reading, spending time with friends, collecting urban/street art and making things with my hands.

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  Chloë Davies

  Head of Social Impact
  Lucky Generals

  Chloe Davies is a proud bisexual woman, mother of two, a creative, global inclusion & belonging consultant, chef and entrepreneur. Her work sees her campaigning for inclusion and equality in social spaces, corporate organisations and the wider community. She spent over 15 years working in retail, artist management and PR before starting her own catering company in 2015. In September 2021 she took on the role of Head of Social Impact for Lucky Generals – the creative company for people on a mission. Where she will be responsible, in conjunction with management, for setting the company’s social impact goals and ensuring that they are met in the most effective and creative ways possible. The role will be focused on building a sustainable, diverse and inclusive company culture and output. Before this Chloe spent over two years working for Mygwork - The global recruitment and networking hub for LGBT+ students, graduates, professionals and organisations who believe in true workplace equality. As Head of Training & Engagement (Public & Community) she oversaw necessary internal and external conversations surrounding LGBT+ inclusion, training and external consultation. Chloe volunteers with UK Black Pride (UKBP) as the Head of Finance & Governance, working closely with the Executive Director and the Board of Trustees to help shape the future of UK Black Pride. She is the Head of Relations for the London Queer Fashion Show - An annual showcase of fashion, identity, and expression, a Trustee for the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre and an Ambassador for Mental Health First Aid England. She describes herself as a mental health survivor, openly discussing her own journey with depression and mental health and advocates on usualising these conversations both in and outside of the workplace and starred alongside Denise Welch in ‘Depression & Me’ – a short film produced by Mental Health First England which shines a light on lived experience of depression and recovery. In all of her work, which takes Chloe around the globe, she aims to further connect those within the community while educating allies to continue disrupting and push for increased visibility, understanding and appreciation of the communities she works to serve. In July 2021, Chloe was shortlisted out of 52,000 nominees as a finalist for The National Diversity Awards – Positive Role Model of the Year – LGBT..

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  Marcus Frysol

  Managing Director
  Macquarie Group Limited

  Marcus' financial services career spans over 15 years with expertise founded in capital markets, and heads Macquarie's Market Operations in EMEA. Shortly after joining Macquarie in 2015, Marcus signed up as a Pride ally and a member of the Pride Steering Committee. As an active and visible champion of diversity, Marcus designed and implemented Macquarie's reverse mentoring programme to educate leaders and people managers on LGBT diversity issues and subsequently extended the programme to Macquarie's Senior Executives.

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  Kirsten Dagless

  Assistant Head of Professional Development
  The British Army

  Colonel Kirsten Dagless was commissioned into the British Army in 1999. Her early service saw tours in Northern Ireland, Germany and Iraq. She holds a Master of Arts in Defence Studies, a joint honours degree in French and German, a Post Graduate Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership, a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher and Professional Education and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. An experienced military officer, she has a demonstrated history of working in talent development, workforce planning, personnel employment policy and logistics. She is currently employed as the Assistant Head of Professional Development for the British Army, responsible for the development and delivery of military training and education.

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  Lindsay Nuon

  Founder & CEO
  EmpirEqual

  Lindsay began her career in the US military 17 years ago and has since worked in the US Intelligence Community, with government agencies including NCIS, the FBI, and HHS, Akamai, Google, as an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law, and several startups including her own, EmpirEqual. She is also the Founder of a nonprofit devoted to serving Women of Color in Blockchain (WCB) and an ISACA Blockchain SME. Her commitment to transforming communities, organizations, and industries through Social Justice and technology initiatives have been covered in Al Jazeera, NBC, and quoted in various media outlets in and adjacent to the technology industry.

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