As a result of this career journey, Richards stated that she is “always volunteering and giving back to young people, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds” to be “a visible role model to others”.
Welcoming industry
Richards described her initial entry into the financial industry as “welcoming on the one hand” as she was on an internship programme that was open to people “who had not considered this type of career paths”.
She had completed a summer internship as part of a management leadership program with the Bank of England.
However, she did add that she felt like a “fish out of water” due to the “prestigious” nature of the BoE.
“You arrive at Threadneedle Street and you’re greeted by the doorman in their wonderful pink jackets and their walking sticks and you go into this grandiose building and, having grown up in Ilford, that was very alien to me.”
Issues
Speaking on what the biggest issues in the industry at the moment are, Richards identified the knowledge that, while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.
“The earnings of people’s parents, the environment in which they’ve been brought up and many other factors can make the career journey more difficult for some,” she explained.
“Not to mention that many don’t even know that those opportunities are out there, I experienced that myself, with no understanding whatsoever of the raft of career options which were basically on my doorstep.”
She added providing that access to opportunity is something that any firm that wants to remain competitive, innovative, and with a strong work culture needs to be able to “get a handle on”.
tom.dunstan@ft.com
If you would like to be featured in our New Voices series, or you know someone who would be a good fit please get in touch with Tom Dunstan at tom.dunstan@ft.com
