This event celebrates the launch of our new research grant and website which focuses on exploring the link between diversity and productivity. 

This is your chance to get involved in this innovative project, and also have your feedback heard and actioned by the project team. You can expect a fantastic discussion with a panel of senior leaders from the City of London, to learn something new.

Meet our speakers and chair

Tina Fordham (@TinaFordham1) is a geopolitical strategist and advisor working at the intersection of geopolitics, financial markets and the drivers of social change. The first Chief Global Political Analyst on Wall Street and previously, head of global political risk at Eurasia Group, Tina has over 20 years’ experience advising senior leaders. In 2022 Tina founded Fordham Global Foresight, an independent consultancy. Her holistic, data-driven approach focuses on breaking down the complexity of geopolitics and providing actionable, forward-looking guidance. Tina is a member of the international advisory boards of the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs in New York City, her alma mater, and the Cambridge University Centre for Geopolitics. She advises the U.K. Ministry of Defence, and is a member of the advisory committees on Diversity & Inclusion and Economic and Commercial Diplomacy with the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange. She is a member of the board of Roots for Peace, a California charity dedicated to removing land mines from conflict zones and planting grapevines in their place.

Dawid Konotey-Ahulu (@Dawid1) is Founder of Pensions Advisory Redington. Dawid started his career as a barrister of Lincoln’s Inn, subsequently spending sixteen years as an investment banker. In 2006, he left Merrill Lynch and co-founded Redington, a City firm advising large institutional pension funds and insurance companies. He is also Founder and Board Director of mallowstreet.com, the social media platform connecting the pensions and insurance industry. Mallowstreet's subscribers include pension plans with over US$2.4 trillion in assets. The platform drives innovative collaboration between investors (principally pension plans), banks, law firms, asset managers and specialist funds. Most recently, Konotey-Ahulu co-founded 10,000 Black Interns which is placing 10,000 young, talented Black graduates in firms across 24 sectors in the United Kingdom over the next five years.

Arlene McDermott is Head of Business Management Group Legal and Compliance and is also co-chair of London Stock Exchange Group’s LGBTQ+ network LSEG Pride. The network has had a huge impact on LSEG, enjoying support from the most senior levels of the organisation. Arlene has participated in numerous panels, including for myGwork and for Lesbian Visibility Week. She has also been listed on the Pride Power List 2020 and 2021, Global Diversity List 2020, Visible Lesbian 100 list 2020 and 2021 and the OUTstanding 100 LGBT+ Executives List 2020. LSEG’s LGBTQ+ network has been shortlisted for the DIVA network of the year award 2020 and 2021 and was also shortlisted for the Women in Finance Diversity Initiative of the Year award. It has also raised funds for charities including akt and supported the launch of Pride in the City’s 2020 programme with a Market Close ceremony at London Stock Exchange. 

Stephen van Rooyen is Executive Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, UK & Europe and  leads Sky’s business in the UK and in our Established Markets in Europe. He took on the role in early 2020, expanding his remit to EVP and Chief Executive Officer, UK and Europe, with responsibility for Sky Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Stephen joined Sky in 2006 as Director of Product Management & Product Marketing. In 2011 he became Managing Director, Sales and Marketing before progressing to Chief Marketing, Sales and Digital Officer in 2014 and then in 2016 Chief Executive Officer, UK and Ireland. During his time at Sky, Stephen has delivered the product diversification strategy that has defined our business over the last decade. He has led teams which have launched key Sky products such as: Sky’s Mobile, Broadband, Talk and Fibre offerings; Sky On Demand and NOW TV; Sky Sports Mix and F1; and Sky’s latest evolution of the set top box, Sky Q.

Grace Lordan (@GraceLordan_) is the Founding Director of The Inclusion Initiative (TII) and an Associate Professor in Behavioural Science at LSE. Grace is an expert advisor to the UK government sitting on their skills and productivity board. Her academic writings have been published in top international journals in economics and the broader social sciences. Think Big, Take Small Steps and Build the Future you Want is her first book