"If you are passionate about something, do it”

"We still need to do more to embrace different backgrounds"

Mackey, Maloof and Kwaw-Swanzy all add to what the book calls "a rich register of diverse personal histories, interests, challenges and goals".

Kirstie Mackey is the colleague behind Barclays LifeSkills - a project that has helped 14.6 million people since its inception in 2013.

The original aim of the programme was to "help young people build confidence, give them an aspiration to succeed and equip them with the skills to move from education into work", explains Mackey, who is now the bank's Managing Director and Head of Citizenship and Consumer Affairs in the UK.

"I pitched the idea to Barclays internally, and then worked with charities and stakeholders to get their thoughts and feedback so that I could tailor the plan," she remembers in her interview with The Female Lead.

Since then the programme has expanded to support people of all ages across the UK, through online hubs that cover topics such as starting a business, wellbeing and digital skills: "We help people see that there are different careers, offer work experience, talk about mental health issues, embrace inclusivity and diversity and help them manage their finances better."

Reflecting on the experiences of women in financial services, Mackey believes "there is still improvement to be made and I would like to see a more inclusive and diverse workforce - it has improved a lot since I have been at Barclays, but we still need to do more to embrace different backgrounds."

"We need diversity at all levels of our business"

Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy, the second Barclays colleague to be featured in the book, also addresses the need for an intersectional approach to inclusion in her interview.

"I have seen a drive to get more women into the financial services industry and into senior positions, and progress is happening," she says. "We need to keep up the momentum but we also need to think about intersectionality. I still don't see that many women of colour in senior positions. Better female representation within leadership will provide young women with relatable role models and show them that they can aspire to get to that stage."

Kwaw-Swanzy, a Senior Digital Product Manager at Barclays UK and Co-Chair of the Barclays Black Professionals Forum, has achieved a huge amount since joining the bank in 2016 - from winning the Financial Services Rising Star of the Year category at the Black British Business Awards to writing a book.

"I have so many things that I am passionate about," she explains. "Don't feel you have to put yourself into a box - if you are passionate about something, do it."

She hopes her efforts will inspire others in the industry - emphasising that diversity is crucial for business success. "I wasn't aware of many Black women in this industry when I first started my career, so it is important that as I progress, I am visible to generations after me.

"We serve millions of customers - we need to cater to the needs of all of them. We need diversity at all levels of our business so that we have the right people in the right rooms to serve customers from all different backgrounds."

We need diversity at all levels of our business so that we have the right people in the right rooms to serve customers from all different backgrounds

Zainab Kwaw-Swanzy

Senior Digital Product Manager at Barclays UK and Co-Chair of the Barclays Black Professionals Forum

Mason says that when it comes to important issues, Barclays leaders are "comfortable being challenged".