We are delighted to announce our four Young Banker of the Year 2023 Finalists
From an array of highly impressive applications, and 2 exceptional virtual semi-finals, the judges have chosen 4 candidates to proceed to the Final. The Final will see these 4 candidates present their ideas to a live audience and answer questions from our esteemed panel of judges.
We are excited to announce the details of our four Finalists for the Young Banker of the Year Competition.
Meet our 4 Finalists:
Adebola is the Head of Custody at Ecobank in Nigeria and Managing Director of Ecobank Nominees Limited (A Member of the Ecobank Transnational Incorporated). Her experience within the financial services industry cuts across the areas of business start-up, strategy, institutional custody & securities services, operations, and treasury asset & liability management. She began her banking career in 2008 with Guaranty Trust Bank Plc Nigeria, and has also worked with NatWest Bank UK, Citibank UK, First City Monument Bank Nigeria and FSDH Merchant Bank Nigeria.
Adebola is a pioneer, having set up the custody businesses of 2 Banks in Nigeria. She has successfully spearheaded projects some of which are the automation of revenue generation process and development of a custody management software in conjunction with a local software developer in Nigeria.
Adebola holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Physiology from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and an MSc. in Management from the University of Southampton, UK. As part of her contribution to the society, she volunteers as the Director of Strategy & Partnerships with CrimsonBow Sickle Cell Initiative, an NGO focused on caring for sickle call warriors, based in Lagos State, Nigeria. She is a firm believer in mentoring, using a one-on-one approach at influencing her generation and generations after. She is adept at organizing people and activities, and loves to read, dance, and listen to music.
John is a Product Owner for Lloyds Banking Group. During his time within the group John has lead large teams across the country, including launching the Halifax Flagship Branch, the largest retail bank branch in Europe. John has completed two apprenticeships with the group and is currently studying his third, a level 7 in Senior Leadership.
My name is Craig, I am 25 and live in Cumbernauld, Glasgow. I started my career in Banking at the age of 17, joining the Tesco Bank modern apprenticeship after leaving school following my higher qualifications. I worked in Credit Cards as a CSR for my two-year apprenticeship before moving into my first analyst role in Business support in 2017. I then had the opportunity to work in several different analyst roles within Tesco Bank, in areas such as Financial Crime and Digital before joining Sainsbury’s Bank in January 2023 as a Product Analyst in Credit Cards, looking specifically at SB’s Persistent Debt programme.
Uzma is a Performance & Business Management Manager in Corporates & institutions (C&I) department of NatWest Bank, managing financial deals/projects, collaborating with internal & external stakeholders, and working with German & Poland KYC Teams to perform end to end process. Her banking career started with RBSG in 2012 as a front desk cashier and since then she worked her way up to C&I after working in Business banking & Commercial banking sectors.
She has been inspired by her father who worked in Banking industry all his life and she also would like to develop her career in Banking.
Uzma is honoured to have reached the semi-finals which gives her a platform to present her idea that helps her customers & colleagues to tackle their personal Inflation in an innovative and digital way.
Uzma is also a member of Principals for Responsible Banking Academy (PRA Academy) and recently also had completed NWG Climate Change Transformation Programme and achieved the Certificate from University of Edinburgh Business School.
In her spare time, Uzma is volunteering as a Magistrate and currently awaiting on Lord Chancellor’s Recruitment Advisory Committee for official appointment.
We will return to the prestigious Mansion House on the 7th of December 2023 to host yet another inspiring evening, celebrating rising talent in the banking industry.
Important Notice:
In light of potential travel disruption due to upcoming train strikes, we recommend planning your travel accordingly to ensure a smooth and timely arrival at the event. Please consider alternative transportation options or adjust your schedule to accommodate any potential delays.
For any concerns or assistance regarding your travel plans, please reach out to us at [email protected].
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
For more information and to register to attend the Grand Final, click below.
The challenge set this year is designed to test entrants’ ability to generate new ideas, drive innovation and deliver sustainable growth by developing a short proposal in response to the following question:
Competition Timeline:
About the competition
In the first round of the competition, candidates are asked to submit their idea to be considered by a panel of judges drawn from the Chartered Banker Institute.
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Applicants must be employed in a deposit-taking or lending institution, and have approximately less than 15 years’ experience in banking to apply
- Candidates have to outline their idea in a proposal of no more than 800 words
Judges from the Institute will review all proposals; the best candidates will then be invited to discuss their idea via Zoom with an Institute judge.
Following this process, eight entrants will be selected to present their idea at the internal semi-finals. Semi-finalists will be invited to present their proposals to a panel of judges. Each semi-finalist will have 8 minutes to present, followed by questions from the judges. Four finalists will then be selected from the two internal semi-finals to present their proposals at the live final in London at the end of the year.
Finalists will receive feedback on their semi-final presentation from our judges, and have the chance to develop their proposals further. The finalists will present their idea before an invited audience of senior bankers, regulators and others, towards the end of the year at Mansion House in London, with the winner chosen by an illustrious panel of judges.
The Benefits
There are many benefits to taking part in Young Banker of the Year. Candidates can improve on and learn new skills throughout the competition process, including:
- The opportunity to develop new and ground-breaking ideas in the banking industry
- Get valuable feedback from industry experts
- Raise their profile in their organisations and in the wider industry
- Hone their presentation skills
- Develop networking skills
Young Banker and the Chartered Banker Institute
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