Opening remarks were made by Rose St Louis, protection director at Scottish Widows and CEO of Cavendish Online, who reflected on the importance of allyship and industry-wide collaboration to accelerate inclusion. 

There were also conversations around overcoming and pushing through failure, and balancing professional obligations with personal, social work and leading with cultural pride. 

A poll was carried out during the evening, revealing that 63% of attendees had worked in the industry for over 10 years and 70% had been promoted during their financial services career. 

Krampah-Williams said: “The results highlight what we’ve known all along – there is no shortage of Black excellence in this sector.

“It’s time the industry truly recognised and invested in that.” 

BMPAN’s mission and vision 

The BMPAN’s mission is to build a thriving and supportive community for Black professionals in mortgages and financial services and their allies. The network provides a safe space for networking, learning, career progression, and leadership development. 

The BMPAN is working toward an ambitious yet achievable vision: “To see 4% of leadership roles in the mortgage and financial services sector held by Black professionals – a reflection of the UK population. This would mean a sector that truly reflects the communities it serves and where all talent can thrive without barriers.”

Call to action 

The BMPAN is inviting organisations, allies, and supporters who want to make a difference to get involved with the initiative, either through sponsorship, speaking at future events, offering shadowing, or sharing job opportunities with the BMPAN. 

For more information or to get involved, visit: www.bmpan.online or bmpanonline@gmail.com 

Gutzmore added: “We’ve built this network with love, grit, and commitment. But we can’t do this alone. The next chapter of our impact will be written by everyone who chooses to act.”