Inclusion in Finance launches Elevate: a leadership programme to accelerate ethnically diverse leadership in financial services
New executive-readiness programme aims to tackle persistent underrepresentation at the senior leadership level.
Inclusion in Finance (formerly the Diversity Project) has launched Elevate: Emerging Executives, a new leadership programme designed to support ethnically diverse senior professionals in progressing to Executive Committee level roles across the UK finance industry.
The 10-month programme launches in June 2026 and will run through to April 2027. The inaugural cohort includes 18 senior ethnically diverse professionals nominated by Inclusion in Finance member firms.
The programme is designed to address a persistent problem in the UK finance industry: the underrepresentation of ethnically diverse professionals within UK business leadership. Recent findings from the Parker Review in March 2026 underline both the progress made and the scale of the challenge that remains. While 98% of FTSE 100 companies now have at least one ethnic minority director on their board, ethnically diverse representation in UK-based senior management in the average FTSE 100 company remains at 11%. The Review also highlighted slower progress for Black professionals, who represent just 1.3% of UK-based senior managers in the FTSE 100.
Elevate has been developed in partnership with leadership development specialist Roots Inspire and is fully funded for Inclusion in Finance member firms during its pilot year.
The programme is designed to address a well-recognised barrier within financial services: ethnically diverse talent often stalls below executive level not through lack of capability, but because of unequal access to sponsorship, visibility, networks and the unwritten knowledge that accelerates progression into the most senior roles.
The programme combines five integrated elements designed to build executive readiness and create organisational accountability for change:
• Workshops and peer learning featuring candid conversations with leadership mentors and practical strategies for navigating barriers to executive progression.
• 1:1 leadership mentoring from senior ethnic minority leaders who have successfully progressed to executive roles.
• Internal sponsorship, pairing each participant with a sitting executive sponsor within their own organisation to advocate for their advancement and connect them to high-impact opportunities.
• In-person touchpoints throughout the year, including a launch event, collaboratory sessions and a closing event.
• Executive coaching focused on board readiness and long-term leadership progression.
A distinctive feature of the programme is its emphasis on sponsorship alongside mentoring. Participating firms are required to nominate both a candidate and an Executive Committee sponsor, embedding accountability for progression within organisations themselves. Elevate is one of seven Programmes – including the Pathway Programme – all aimed at talent access for diverse, high-potential and development.
Baroness Helena Morrissey, UK Chair, Inclusion in Finance, says: “One of the lessons from years of work on inclusion is that progress does not happen by accident. Talented people need access to opportunity, advocacy and the confidence that they belong in the room.
“Elevate recognises that executive readiness is about far more than technical capability alone. Sponsorship, networks and exposure matter enormously, particularly in financial services where leadership pathways can often feel opaque.
“I am delighted that Inclusion in Finance is launching this programme in partnership with Roots Inspire and continuing to invest in building a stronger, more inclusive pipeline of future leaders for our industry.”
Sergio Panday, Co-Founder & CEO, Roots Inspire
“If we want to break the cycle of underrepresentation at ExCo level, we need to be deliberate about how access, sponsorship and readiness are built. Combining Roots Inspire’s platform and programme expertise with Inclusion in Finance’s industry reach creates a model that can drive real change.”
Nkechi Abili Stella, Head of Compliance, J O Hambro Capital Management
“Creating broader representation at senior levels and demonstrating that different perspectives and leadership styles can strengthen decision-making is hugely important for our industry. “
Amendeep Pannu-Purewal, Head of Regional Strategy, Global Real Estate and Resilience, Man Group
“Being part of the first cohort feels like an opportunity not just to benefit from the programme, but to help shape what senior leadership development for ethnically diverse professionals looks like in finance.”
Ruchira Roy, Head of Compliance UK & Americas, Schroders
“Technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient — the next frontier requires me to lead across boundaries, influence without authority at the most senior levels, and shape culture and strategy across a complex, global organisation.”
Miriam Kimber, Director of Legal, Pension Protection Fund
“What I hope this programme will unlock for me is belonging — with the benefit of access to a cohort with shared lived experience — bravery in exploring which aspects of me I have not yet uncovered, and clarity of next steps.”
Saira Farooq, Senior Director Compliance, Barings – also Co-Lead of Inclusion in Finance’s Race to Equality Community
“I have built the technical expertise. What Elevate offers is something different: structured access to the right people, the right conversations, and the right rooms, all in one package.”
The launch of Elevate builds on Inclusion in Finance’s existing portfolio of six industry programmes focused on improving inclusion and representation across financial services.
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