Elevate – About the Programme
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The Case for Elevate: Emerging Executives
Ethnically diverse professionals in the finance industry often plateau below ExCo level despite their capability. The barriers are systemic: lack of visibility in succession planning, lack of access to unwritten rules, lack of active advocacy from senior leaders. High-potential diverse professionals leave firms because they don’t see a path. Those who stay often stall.
Elevate addresses this by embedding sponsorship, career coaching, and peer learning in a 10-month programme designed specifically for ethnically diverse professionals ready for ExCo roles.
Sponsorship that drives progression
Elevate offers advocacy. Participants receive active sponsorship from an ExCo member within their own firm who champions their progression, opens doors, and creates visibility. Evidence consistently shows that sponsorship is a critical accelerator of progression to senior leadership.
Ethnic leadership expertise meets sector depth
Roots Inspire brings a proven model, tested across global companies, backed by 100+ ethnic corporate leaders. Inclusion in Finance brings sector-specific knowledge, the member firm network, and the sponsorship infrastructure that embeds this programme within the industry.
Peer cohort and cross-firm network.
The relationships participants build with fellow senior professionals across member firms are long-term assets.
Our Partnership
Roots Inspire was founded five years ago by two ethnically diverse leaders from banking and supply chain industries. Over the past five years, the organisation has built a consistent track record in developing high-potential leaders and supporting career progression across sectors. Backed by a network of over 100 ethnic corporate leaders, Roots Inspire delivers tailored career coaching, executive learning experiences, and career strategy support. Its clients include Unilever, Google, CBRE, ABN AMRO, Freshfields, and Rabobank.
In Roots Inspire’s broader programmes across sectors, around 70% of participants have made a career step within one year of completion.
The partnership brings together ethnic leadership expertise with finance industry knowledge. Roots Inspire provides the curriculum, career coaching aspect, and track record. Inclusion in Finance provides the sector knowledge, sponsorship, and member firm infrastructure. Together, we deliver a programme that is tailored to the industry.
Programme Content
Group Intervention
Participate in tailored workshops and unfiltered convos with leadership mentors and peers, uncovering strategies to overcome barriers and gain new perspectives for career advancement.
In-Person Events
Build meaningful connections with fellow participants as well as senior leaders through curated touchpoints throughout the year: the Kick-off, Collaboratory sessions, a Dinner, and a Closing Event.
1:1 Career Mentoring
Receive personal guidance from Ethnic Senior Leaders that have been in your shoes and bring a wealth of experience on navigating challenges and seizing career-defining opportunities.
Sponsorship Track
Secure visible advocacy within your organisation through quarterly meetings with your internal ExCo sponsor. These strategic touchpoints ensure you gain access to high-impact opportunities, receive championing for your advancement, and build the internal relationships critical for breaking through to executive leadership.
Executive Coaching
Access 1:1 sessions with an executive coach following your career coaching phase. These targeted sessions provide a holistic approach to your ExCo readiness.
“The program has made it so clear that there are many multi-ethnic leaders excelling in the corporate sphere. Having that strong network is what will empower us and become the reminder of our value and worth when we need that extra wind beneath our wings.”
2026 is the First Year of Elevate
This is the first year Inclusion in Finance runs Elevate: Emerging Executives. We are building the evidence base for what drives ExCo progression for ethnically diverse talent in our industry.
The programme is delivered in partnership with Roots Inspire, integrating a proven leadership development framework and progression methodology into the finance industry context. We are starting with a small cohort to ensure we deliver at the highest quality. As this is the first year of Elevate within the Investment & Savings industry, there is no cost for member firms to participate.