More than one hundred professionals gathered at Lloyds Banking Group’s London headquarters on 23 October to mark the first anniversary of the Black Mortgage Professionals & Allies Network (BMPAN) — a community-led initiative promoting equity, representation and inclusion across the mortgage and financial services industries.
Founded in 2024 by Jeffrey Krampah-Williams, Aleka Gutzmore and Atlyn Forde, the network grew out of a single Black History Month event that drew a strong response from attendees.
Since then, it has hosted four major gatherings, built a growing community of members and allies, and sought to strengthen opportunities for Black professionals to lead within the sector.
“We created BMPAN because we recognised the need for a safe, empowering space where Black professionals could connect, grow, and be visible,” said Forde, co-founder and head of engagement and inclusion at Pepper Money.
“This anniversary event was a celebration of our progress and a powerful reminder of how much more we can achieve together.”
A NIGHT OF POWER, PRIDE AND PURPOSE
The sold-out evening followed the theme “Power, Pride & Purpose”. It opened with remarks from Rose St Louis, protection director at Scottish Widows and chief executive of Cavendish Online, who spoke about the importance of allyship and collaboration in accelerating change.
Hosted by co-founder and Moneysprite financial adviser Gutzmore, the event featured a fireside chat and a panel discussion focused on leadership, identity and community impact.
LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY IMPACT
The fireside conversation, chaired by Forde, included Isaac Kikabi of BM Solutions, Hazvi Chimbete of John Charcol, and Khalia Ismain, social sustainability director at Lloyds Banking Group. Each discussed how purpose guided their careers and the importance of giving back to their communities.
A later panel, moderated by Krampah-Williams, national key account manager at Santander, brought together senior figures including Teddy Nyahasha of Lloyds Banking Group, Zanele Sibanda of Towergate Health & Protection, Dom Scott of Lifetime Connect, Rebecca Grant of Countrywide and Marcus Dussard of KSEYE. The discussion explored cultural pride, authentic leadership and the challenge of dismantling systemic barriers.
TALENT AND EXPERIENCE
An audience poll conducted during the event highlighted the experience and advancement already present within BMPAN’s community: 63% of attendees have worked in financial services for more than a decade, and 70% have been promoted during their careers.
“The results highlight what we’ve known all along — there is no shortage of Black excellence in this sector,” said Krampah-Williams. “It’s time the industry truly recognised and invested in that.”
Despite the evident depth of expertise, Black professionals remain under-represented in senior positions across the industry.
A VISION FOR REPRESENTATION
BMPAN’s mission is to foster a supportive and visible community for Black professionals and their allies through networking, education and leadership development. The network’s long-term goal is for 4% of leadership roles in the mortgage and financial services sector to be held by Black professionals — a level that mirrors the UK population.
LOOKING AHEAD
Co-founder Gutzmore said: “We’ve built this network with love, grit and commitment. But we can’t do this alone. The next chapter of our impact will be written by everyone who chooses to act.”
