We’ll be sharing regular insights and advice from Bristol’s leaders to inspire you to get Board ready
PROFESSOR CHRISTINE BAMFORD
“Life without diverse views is not life. Diverse thinking and diverse culture is what brings richness and beauty to our lives”
Passionate about diversity, Christine walks the walk and talks the talk. She has been voted one of the Top 10 Female Global Fintech leaders and recognised by The Times as one of the Top 4 women in the UK driving crypto-currencies. She is Founder and CEO of Women’s Coin Community, the first global digital currency of value supporting gender equality.
Christine describes herself as a social entrepreneur. Inspired by Mohammed Yunus, ‘Banker to the Poor’, and her own experiences working in the Middle East, she has brought the concept of micro-finance up to date by embracing block-chain and tokenisation (digital currency) and deploying them as innovative tools for driving social change.
In Kenya, Women’s Coin is supporting orphaned girls to develop small businesses to provide income, identity and self-sufficiency while here in the UK it will support homeless women and ex-offenders to rebuild their lives.
What do you need to succeed as a social entrepreneur?
“Have passion for your vision. Stay focused. Communicate, communicate, communicate!”
Christine is the architect and Director of the Stepping Up programme which established the first citywide pan-sector talent pipeline (BAME, Disabled and Gender balance) with an aim to change diversity at senior levels and make the city an inclusive place to work and live.
The programme delivered impressive results with participants achieving 60% career movement and a 93% boost in confidence, making Stepping Up a three-time award winner. As a part of the Stepping Up Community, Horumar (‘Forward’ in Somali) Women’s Development Programme supports Somali women to step out from low-level work into more meaningful employment.
What advice would you give to someone starting out on a new venture?
“Set yourself a goal and write it down, envision what success looks like, and get a mentor.”
AMEETA VIRK
“Being part of a Board requires time and energy so you may as well wait until you find something you feel passionate about”
Please tell us about what you do:
“I’m a market specialist for the Department for International Trade with a focus on India and the US. My work involves consulting South West companies on market entry and expansion so they can secure sales in these regions.”
What are your top 3 tips for running a successful business?
• “Understand your competitors but don’t be obsessed by them. Focus on your market opportunity and what risks and barriers need to be overcome, and then move quickly.
• Pivot – If what you have built doesn’t address the market, change, innovate, and brainstorm until it does. Don’t resist what the market is telling you.
• Get cash early on – It’s important to pay the bills and keep the day job but be aware of the tipping point when your business needs you 100% of the time. Then seek investment so you can give it your all.”
What is the importance of diversity in leadership for cities like Bristol?
“I am not sure how any leadership team can thrive without diversity. Without a variety of backgrounds in a leadership team, perspectives tend to be narrow and strategy isn’t sufficiently challenged.”
What advice would you give someone looking for their first Board position?
“Be true to yourself when considering opportunities. It’s easy to get caught up in the allure of joining a Board. At first, you may feel like you should apply to every opportunity that comes your way but being part of a Board requires time and energy so you may as well wait until you find something you feel passionate about.”
Please give us a fact about yourself that most people don’t know:
“I used to run an interior design business and although I’ve taken a different career path it remains my true love, not to mention a skill my friends and family appreciate when I help them design their homes!”
What’s the most valuable piece of advice someone has given you?
My father was a great entrepreneur, moving from being an engineer to owning pizza chains to developing commercial real estate. He told me to always take chances and to continuously reinvent myself.
OLOLADE ADESANYA
Please tell us about what you do:
“I am a chartered accountant and auditor. I work for EY as Wealth & Asset Management sector lead for the Internal Audit Practice. I provide assurance around the governance, risk and control environment in organisations.”
What are your top three tips for running a successful business?
“These can vary depending on the nature of the business but my top three are: 1) understand your target market; 2) leverage on the internet and social media for promotion and to widen your distribution network, and 3) resilience.”
What is the importance of diversity in leadership for cities like Bristol?
“Lots of studies have shown that diversity is good for business because it brings a variety of ideas to the table. However, for me, inclusion is more important.
“There is a saying that “diversity is when you invite people to a party but inclusion is when you ask them to dance”. Some organisations promote diversity to tick the box but not necessarily to be inclusive.
“You get the best out of individuals when you allow them to feel included, to be themselves and to be authentic. For a diverse city such as Bristol, organisations should aim to mirror the demographics of the city to effectively have a diverse workforce.”
What advice would you give someone looking for their first board position?
“Don’t just rush into any Board position, look for opportunities to utilise your skills and experience so that you can truly make a difference and contribute to the Board, and join an organisation like BeOnBoard who can provide you with training and match you with a Board role that’s aligned to your skills and experience.”
Please give us a fact about yourself that most people don’t know:
“There aren’t many exciting things to say but I am passionate about FinTech and I have a blockchain verified Executive Certificate from Oxford University on the subject.”
What’s the most valuable piece of advice someone has given you?
“Be authentic, you will not always be everyone’s cup of tea, but you are your best when you are true to yourself… and it’s too much of an effort not to be. That would also be my advice to every individual looking to progress to a leadership position or take on a Board role.”
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