We are pleased to announce that six new trustees will join our board. The new trustees will replace long-standing trustees retiring after their three terms and enhances the board skill set as Shaw Trust continues to grow. In September 2020we published our ten-year strategy, Strategic Directive: Vision 2030, setting out the Child-to-Career approach taken to employability, supported through the provision of children and family services, education and skills training, and health and wellbeing.
The first six trustees – Diane Cote, Stephen Pegge and Lara Oyesanya – joined last month, with James Stewart, Audrey Coutinho, and Kalm Paul Christian joining on a staggered basis through to the end of 2021. A seventh trustee specialising in HR is now being sought. The new trustees bring further diversity of thought, experience and background to the board.
Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE CStJ FRSA FBCS, Chair of The Shaw Trust, commented: “Shaw Trust continues to help hundreds of thousands of people improve their lives despite challenging circumstances. In meeting and growing our mission, I am honoured to be joined by our new trustees who, as volunteers, will give their time and considerable talents to ensure that Shaw Trust delivers its strategy.”
Lara Oyesanya
Lara joined Shaw Trust in April 2021. Lara is a trustee of Plan International UK and a co-opted Member, Committee on Benefactions, External and Legal Affairs, the University of Cambridge advising the Vice-Chancellor.
The vision of Shaw Trust of a future where good employment is accessible to all in society irrespective of life circumstances resonates with Lara. Growing up in Nigeria, Lara was raised with strong values that included a great sense of social justice, responsibility, accountability, respect, and care for everyone in the community. Shaw Trust’s outlined outcomes for education and skills, children and young people’s services, and health and well-being are areas that Lara believes are essential for a fair and equitable society. This vision is a big draw for Lara as a Shaw Trust trustee and she hopes that the work of Shaw Trust will continue to promote social justice and mobility to address the causes and consequences of poverty in society.
Lara is a solicitor and general counsel in the financial services – digital payments sector, currently General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer at Contis, a contributing editor, LexisNexis Encyclopaedia of Banking Law, and a Consulting Editorial board member LexisPSL©. She is a Fellow of The RSA and ‘Business Woman of the Year’, 2018 FL National Awards. Ranked in The Lawyer Hot 100 2021 and the 50 Must-Follow Black Female Leaders 2020. Formerly, legal director at Klarna, senior legal counsel at Barclays and BAE Systems, a divisional counsel at RAC, a legal director at HBOS, and Group Head of Legal at Lex Autolease. She is a law graduate (LL.B Hons) from the University of Lagos with an LL.M in Comparative Company Law.
Diane Cote
Diane holds a number of board roles including at Societe Generale SA and X-Forces Enterprise. She supports other charitable organisations and is a member of several associations and forums that promote Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace including the Women Network Forum.
Diane had a successful executive career in the UK and in Canada in the financial industry. She has featured in the ‘100 Most Influential Women in European Finance’ for the last six years.
In her last executive role as CRO at London Stock Exchange Group, she chaired the LSEG Foundation was an Executive Committee member and she also launched and championed the gender diversity agenda through the Women Inspired Network and lately the Inclusion Network.
Diane has a passion for helping young people from all backgrounds to be given equal opportunities to build their future, fulfil their potential and to support gender equality and minority representation at senior level in the workplace. Having been part of a minority group at senior level throughout her entire career, she understands the importance of embracing an all-inclusive culture.
Speaking about joining Shaw Trust, Diane said: “I am very proud and honoured to be joining Shaw Trust, the Trust has helped transform the lives of so many young people. The delivery of its 2030 vision will allow ever more people to aspire to a better future.”
Stephen Pegge
Stephen believes “Shaw Trust makes a vital contribution and has an even bigger potential role to play in employability, education and support for people to realise their potential whatever their backgrounds over the next few years.”
As a career banker who has also been a board director of several institutions with a public interest Stephen is looking forward to playing his part in supporting Shaw Trust and participants. Stephen hopes his experience and connections can be useful to colleagues and the wider network involved in this vital work. Stephens’s previous experience includes the National Centre for Work Experience, the Institute of Small Business Affairs and he is a former chair of a charity founded by HRH the Prince of Wales supporting older people into economic activity.
Stephen is part of the senior executive team of UK Finance, the leading financial trade association and leads on commercial finance, sustainability, dispute resolution and international trade. He chairs an advisory group for the UK government on creative industries and is part of a minister led boards on business finance and promoting female and black and ethnic minority entrepreneurship.
Stephen is a director of the UK Business Angels Association, the trade association dedicated to promoting angel investing and supporting early stage investment in the UK. He is also a director of the Business Banking Resolution Service, a voluntary ombudsman scheme for larger small to medium enterprises.