Shifting hearts and mindsets: Winning over influential male allies in the workplace by taking a very different approach - C-Level Discussion
About
Lori Meakin, author of No More Menemies hosted this panel discussion, bringing some leading male allies together on the same platform. Male advocacy was high up the agenda, with speakers Varun Chandra from Hakluyt, Paul Pester from Tandem Bank, and Ryan Mendy from Zilch.
We heard how supporting women in the workplace is not just morally good, but economically essential, as the panel explored their male C-suite perspectives. They shared some very candid assessments and personal experiences, as well as clear advice on how to cultivate workforces that truly support all genders.
Speakers
Lori Meakin
Ms
Lori, a former teacher, worked in brand & management consultancy, advertising and at the BBC before co-founding the agency Joint in 2012, where she worked with clients including Amazon, Vue, Google and Reach.
Alongside the day job she’s worked with various organisations that support minoritised people, including Terence Higgins Trust, Just Like Us, My Image My Choice, Women in Journalism, and serving in an Honorary role on the Exec of Women in Advertising & Communications Leadership (WACL).
Lori left Joint in 2022 and has spent time talking with all kinds of men, from undergrads to grandads, to understand how we might get past the gender wars and ‘menemies’ mindset and build a future that works better for all. Her book 'No More Menemies' was published in July 2023; and her new consultancy The Others & Me helps businesses unlock growth opportunities that are often overlooked, by using gender as a tool for innovation, rather than a problem to solve or a box to tick.
Paul Pester
Mr
Paul has over 20 years’ experience in building and leading some of the most disruptive and established consumer financial services businesses in the UK and overseas. He currently fills a range of roles as either Chair, Non-Executive Director, Board Adviser and/or investor in a range of disruptive financial services businesses.
Amongst his executive roles Paul was the first Group Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Money, launching the business in the UK and Australia, before becoming the Managing Director of Consumer Banking & Payments at Lloyds Banking Group. Paul was the CEO of TSB Banking Group for seven years.
Having previously been an adviser to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer and HM Treasury on competition issues in banking, Paul is a passionate advocate for consumers’ interests and, amongst other current roles, Chairs Fairer Finance’s Consumer Advisory Board.
Ryan Mendy
Mr
Since the beginning of Zilch, Ryan has been working with the founders, initially responsible for fund raising with global investors for the company's equity & debt capital. From Strategic Advisor to the CEO and Board in 2019, as a shareholder, he transitioned to the company’s executive management full time as the CCO. With an extensive investment and corporate advisory background from various big banks, today Ryan works daily directly with the CEO and exco, primarily focused on corporate strategy, investor/media relations and government policy.
Varun Chandra
Mr
Varun Chandra is the Global Managing Partner of Hakluyt, which advises leaders of the world’s largest companies and investment firms on the opportunities and risks facing their businesses.
Prior to joining Hakluyt, Varun worked in investment and merchant banking, advising on M&A, private equity investments, and business development. Initially trained at Lehman Brothers, he went on to help build a regulated advisory firm for former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
He sits on various charitable and commercial boards, including Sesame Workshop, the world’s leading early learning media platform, IP Group, Inc (an early-stage technology investment firm based in the US), the British Asian Trust, the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, and the Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation.
