2023 Semi-Finalists

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. 

Brad is a level 4 business analyst apprentice working at Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) within the economic crime prevention platform. After achieving highly in national exams, he decided he wanted to apply his knowledge straight away by embarking on an exciting new journey into banking, where he can make an impact under LBG’s purpose driven agendas. In just under a year of joining the group, Brad has already contributed to multi-million-pound cost savings initiatives and was even selected to work with the CEO for a proposal he made. His experience to date has included modelling ‘as-is’ and to-be business processes, conducting data analysis, elicitation requirements and more. However, Brad is particularly interested in ways to evoke innovation and takes a customer centric approach in several design thinking meetings which he leads. It was there that he was able to discover his passion for financial services acting as a force for good.

Brad is thrilled to have reached this stage of the competition and is excited to utilise this platform to share his ideas of how LBG can improve the financial illiteracy of young people. He acknowledges the challenges faced with navigating the financial world and the lack of financial education in schools. He looks forward to employing his knowledge of economics and creativity to design a product which aims to better young people’s financial decisions and improve their financial health in the future.

Outside of work, Brad enjoys seeing friends and travelling to different countries. Brad acts as an apprentice ambassador to break down barriers in the application process and encourage people from all backgrounds to consider an apprenticeship as an equal value alternative to university.

I'm John Drake, 24, from Northern Ireland.
I'm currently a BI Specialist for AIB covering our UK Mortgage book, and have a passion for business and all forms of entrepreneurship.
I have created many startups in the past from cleaning services all the way to crypto, e-commerce, and online counseling.
Outside of work I enjoy writing, fitness, and reading on a wide range of topics.

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.

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.

Craig started his career in banking at the age 17 through Tesco Bank’s modern apprenticeship scheme. Craig worked a number of analyst roles at Tesco Bank within customer operations, finacial crime and digital before joining Sainsbury’s Bank in January 2023 as a Product Analyst in Credit Cards Commercial. Craig recently won the 2023 Chartered Banker Institute Young Banker of the Year competition with his proposal to support customers living with dementia. Craig is also a committee member of Scottish Financial Enterprise's Young Professionals network, working in the Changing Customer Needs workstream which looks to empower Scotlands financial services sector to support customers evolving needs.

I’m Lewis, a Business Analyst working for Lloyds Banking Group in the Home Insurance platform. I’ve worked for Lloyds for just short of seven years, going through a number of roles before becoming as Business Analyst as part of the apprenticeship programme. As part of my apprenticeship I’m studying towards a Diploma in Business Analysis with a view to continue my studies and complete a ‘Data & Digital solutions’ degree to round myself more as a business analyst. Outside of work I play football for my local team as well as golfing in my spare time.

Successfully completed the Natwest (formerly RBS) Technology graduate programme (2017) and CIMA professional qualification (2022). Currently working as a Treasury Finance Manager in Natwest Group Treasury looking after financial reporting, management reporting and Treasury investor relations reporting for Treasury across all Group and all associated Legal Entities.

Prior to this, worked as Strategic Finance Advisor in Natwest Group Technology Finance looking after the Technology cost base of organisation and partnering with the Technology business to deliver annual cost and efficiency targets. I have also worked in a variety of roles across Technology, Business Management and Supply Chain Services within Natwest group over the last 8 years.