It took place on 12 May at the Barclays headquarters in Canary Wharf, London, centred on the theme ‘Build. Become. Belong’.
Founded by Atlyn Forde, head of engagement and inclusion at Pepper Money, Aleka Gutzmore, financial wellbeing, mortgage and protection adviser at MoneySprite, and Jeffrey Krampah-Williams, national key account manager for Santander, the event aimed to create a safe space for black professionals and allies to share their experiences and make connections.
Lesley Cappellaro, regional manager at Barclays, opened with a welcome, followed by a fireside discussion on building a mortgage business with panellists Rob Gill, managing director of Altura Mortgage Finance, and Joel Bailey-Wilson, founder of Meta Mortgages, chaired by Forde.
There was then another panel discussion, hosted by Krampah-Williams, with guests Sidney Wager, managing director of London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, Nina Brown, protection adviser at Pam Brown Mortgages, Edwin Elder, independent consultant, and Abi Muazu, business development manager (BDM) at Barclays.
Brown said: “We showed up last night. We have to make sure there isn’t a glass ceiling because of the colour of your skin. We won’t make progress standing on the sidelines.”
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The event was supported by Afropop Socks, which sponsored the attendee giveaways, and the professionals in attendance included people from Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Nationwide, Santander, Legal & General (L&G), Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), Pepper Money, Skipton Building Society, and L&C Mortgages.
Making progress and building together
Gutzmore said: “It’s not just about being in the room – it’s about building something together. We want black professionals and allies to connect, grow and belong. That’s what this space is for.”
Dom Scott, managing director of Lifetime Connect and attendee, said: “The atmosphere was electric – open, honest, and full of purpose. I left the event both energised and reflective. We need more of this across the industry.”
Changing the narrative
Forde added: “We launched this event to change the narrative.
“There is a visible lack of representation, equity, and support for Black professionals in our industry. This space is about making change happen through community, visibility and shared growth.”
This was the third event held by Gutzmore, Forde and Krampah-Williams, with the first taking place last year on 28 October to coincide with Black History Month, and the second on 10 February.
The organisers have invited companies in the mortgage and financial services sector to Nationwide and the second by HSBC.
The next event will be sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group and take place in October.
These events set out to offer a way to invest in inclusion, while supporting diverse talent and cultural change.
Learn more: www.bmpan.online
