Annual Banking Conference Day Two

Joanne Murphy began her career in the early 1990s in London, working in television before transitioning into finance. She spent a decade at General Electric, becoming qualified in training and Six Sigma, and a further 10 years at RBS (now known as NatWest) in various roles. 

Joining the Chartered Banker Institute post-financial crisis, Joanne developed and led the implementation of the CB:PSB Foundation Standard, helping over 340,000 individuals globally achieve a common standard of knowledge and behaviours. She also collaborated with Nottingham University to create a professionalism index for banking resilience and with YouGov to produce detailed research on perceptions of UK banking. 

 In 2014, Joanne became the Institute’s first Operations Director and the first female member of the Leadership team. She introduced the Core Values—Collaboration, Integrity, Innovation, and Excellence—and established the Member One Forum, leading to ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) recognition for the Institute. Joanne also heads their global membership forum, aligning member views with the Institute’s strategy. 

After earning her MBA in Banking and Finance in 2016, Joanne pursued studies in Artificial Intelligence impact on Business Strategy with MIT Sloan School of Management. Her leadership and inclusive personality were pivotal during her tenure as COO and as Deputy CEO, especially during the global pandemic in 2020. 

Joanne recently won the Accomplished Leader, Women in Leadership Award at the CCA Global Excellence Awards. This prestigious honour recognises her exceptional leadership skills, visionary impact on business and people, and unwavering dedication during her tenure as COO. 

Joanne was appointed as Interim CEO of the Institute in May 2024. 

Heather’s career spans over 40 years across financial, professional & technology services, with a specific focus on international trade, entrepreneurship and corporate banking. Heather is a business thought leader and an innovator with a notable track record of building high performing diverse teams.

Heather has acted in an advisory capacity to FTSE CEOs across a multitude of industries and sectors. She is a highly respected and sought after public speaker, having addressed C-Suite leaders, senates, royalty, and global business audiences worldwide.

Heather has won many accolades, including being listed on the Black Powerlist, as one of the 100 most influential black people in the UK. She is a member of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), whose purpose is to open channels of opportunity for black executives to positively impact business and communities, and the CFO's Diversity Forum for Business in the Community (FTSE100).

Heather has worked in partnership with HRH the Duchess of Edinburgh as part of her role as the Chair CMI Women. Heather also provided special advisory assistance to Queen Maximus of the Netherlands for her women in entrepreneurship programme.

Heather received her OBE for services to business in 2017 and has recently been appointed as the Chancellor of the University of York. Heather is also the Patron of Women in Banking and Finance.

Heather is a Senior Advisor to Teneo, a Global CEO Advisory Firm, as well as a Trustee on the Board of Enfield Enterprise and until recently (following a 7-year tenure) was a Trustee on the Board for the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). She now sits on the committee for Companions and has recently been elected to join the Everyone Economy Committee.

Anja Hannerz is Group Head of Sustainability at Nordea with responsibility for managing the pan-Nordic team of experts driving Nordea’s strategic sustainability work including governance, disclosures, thematic analysis and regulatory implementation. She also holds the Nordic chair of the UNEP FI banking board and is a member of the Net-zero Banking Alliance steering group.

Anja has extensive knowledge and experience from the Nordic financial industry, after leading a variety of Group overarching business development initiatives and transformation projects within climate strategy implementation, risk infrastructure and financial steering. 

Before joining Nordea, Anja held several different senior leadership roles within the Swedish commercial bank Handelsbanken Group, most recently as CFO Sweden and CRO of the mortgage institute Stadshypotek. She holds a Masters degree in Finance from Gothenburg school of Economics and Law and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.

Paul Riseborough is a Partner and Head of Banking at CAPCO, a global management consulting operating across 36 offices worldwide. His work focuses on helping banks become more customer focused and efficient through the smart adoption of new technologies. He was formerly MD for Everyday Banking and ExCo member at Nationwide Building Society and Chief Commercial Officer at Metro Bank. Paul is a Chartered Banker, Finance Fellow at the Aspen Institute in the US, Advisory Board member of Nottingham University’s Business School and a member of the Finance Committee at the Design Museum.

Karen is currently the Chief Data and Analytics Officer for NatWest, one of the largest banking and financial services groups in the UK. In this role, she leads the bank’s Data Strategy, Data Science, and Data Engineering teams.  Delivering the development and execution of the group's data and analytics strategy, enabling data-driven decision making, AI, and data governance across all business areas to provide simpler and personalised journeys helping customers engage in a digital world, driving business value. ​

Karen joined the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1997. Karen holds an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot Watt University, is a graduate of Aberdeen University with a Masters in English and French and is passionate about improving financial wellbeing for over 17m retail banking customers.

Joy Macknight is a freelance journalist and former editor of The Banker, part of the Financial Times group. She joined The Banker in August 2015 as transaction banking and technology editor, was promoted to deputy editor in September 2016 and then to managing editor in April 2019, before becoming the first female editor in the publication’s history in March 2021. Previously, she was features editor at Profit & Loss, editorial director at Treasury Today and editor at gtnews. She also worked as staff writer on Banking Technology and IBM Computer Today, as well as a freelancer on Computer Weekly. 

Giles leads the Institute’s thought-leadership on ethical banking, particularly around the area of digital ethics. He has around 20 years' experience in the arena of professional education and professional standards. He has led a very wide range of education and professionalism projects to significantly diversify the work of the Chartered Banker Institute, developing major strategic programmes to diverse areas of the banking industry around the globe. In particular, he has specialised in developing a wide range of bespoke professionalisation programmes for banks, coupled with highly innovative accreditation services. These projects have reached many tens of thousands of banking professionals.

Giles holds a doctorate in AI and Professional Ethics, a degree in law, a Masters in education, and a Masters in applied professional ethics.

Hussam Sultan, an international sustainable banking and finance professional, with over two decades of expertise navigating the financial landscapes of Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Hussam emerged as a sustainable banking and finance pioneer, spearheading groundbreaking initiatives in the banking sector in Brunei and Malaysia.

Hussam currently works as Heads, ESG Solutions at Santander UK Corporate and Commercial Banking business, prior to that he worked as the Head of ESG Solutions for Middle East, Africa, and India at S&P Global in Dubai, UAE.

A graduate of civil and structural engineering from University College London (UCL) with an MSc in Environmental Management for Business from Cranfield University, Hussam's academic skills complements his real-world accomplishments. His research, focused on sustainable banking in international markets, underscores his commitment to shaping the future of responsible finance.

Certified in banking, finance, trade, marketing, and project management, Hussam Sultan stands as a dynamic influence at the intersection of global finance and sustainable practices

Nokuthula Ndala is an accomplished leader in digital solutions with a proven track record in the financial services industry. As the Head of Digital Solutions at Standard Bank, she leverages her deep expertise in software engineering and artificial intelligence to spearhead digital transformation and innovation initiatives. Nokuthula has held senior leadership roles from an early stage in her career, managing large-scale digital projects and delivering advanced technological solutions that drive business growth. Currently pursuing a PhD at Stellenbosch University, she builds on a strong academic foundation from leading South African institutions. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Nokuthula is dedicated to nurturing a culture of innovation and continuous learning within the tech sector. She also actively mentors aspiring technology leaders, helping shape the next generation of industry talent.