About Me

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Entrepreneur, investor, technologist, banker, mother

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An international speaker and digital evangelist, I have had a long and fruitful career in financial services and technology working in the City of London. Coming from a family without many means, I made it a life goal to increase social mobility, diversity and inclusion in these sectors. 

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Supporting Small Businesses

I have run, grown and mentored many small businesses and understand the issues facing them today. Through my work on the Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, I worked with the UK government to make the UK the best country in the world for women to start and scale their businesses, which could contribute £250bn to the UK economy.

 

After the pandemic, I know it has been a struggle to be profitable in a world where there are less people in the City and costs for goods and materials continue to rise. I want to represent the interests of all those businesses in the community to support positive change.

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Supporting a Safer Community

As the city has opened back, crime has increased in the ward. I will work hard on stronger measures, both physical like policing visibility, to using tech to ensure the streets are safe for all and at all times of day and night. 

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Supporting Working Families

As a mother, I work hard to ensure the next generation and the future is brighter so that those from my background do not have to struggle as hard to succeed and grow in the City of London. Ensuring there are more options for working parents and carers to balance family commitments and a successful career are important to me. 

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Supporting Technology Education

Closing the UK digital skills gap could add £413bn to the UK economy by 2030. Understanding the need for more to access this education, I co-founded the Tech She Can charity with 18 others which offers free technology careers lessons to teachers and schools. Today we represent the interests of over 250 companies who agree that we need to dial up tech education in all communities. I currently run NatWest's Digital X Workforce Technical Capability team looking to increase tech and data skills for the bank and the community to break down barriers and transform the shape and diversity of the tech and data workforce.  

 

Awards and commendations

In 2023, I was awarded Woman of the Year at the Women in IT Awards, highlighted on the Standout 45 on the 2023 Innovate Finance Women in Fintech Powerlist and was named one of the Top 100 Most Influential BAME Leaders in UK Tech by Inclusive Boards & the Financial Times in 2019.

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A serial entrepreneur, I have been featured in Season 2 of BBC’s My Million Pound Menu with host Fred Siriex for my business running Burmese supper clubs – now available on Netflix globally.