A De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) alumna who has dedicated her personal and social time and efforts throughout her career to promoting Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) has once again been recognised for her work with a place on the EMpower Ethnic Minority Executives Role Model List 2021. This list is made up of the top 100 men and women from across the globe who are involved in advocating for the D&I agenda.
Dr. Bijna Kotak Dasani MBE, FRSA, was previously honoured with an MBE from Her Majesty, The Queen for ‘Services to Diversity and Inclusion in Financial Services’, having spent the last 20 years championing the D&I agenda, particularly during her career in the Global Banking sector. Dr. Dasani was also featured on a previous iteration of the EMpower list as one of seven awards she received in 2019.
An Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, Dr. Dasani has spent almost two decades as a passionate advocate of promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She has a strong track record of championing gender-equality and is an active proponent of creating a culture within companies whereby employees can bring their ‘authentic selves’ to work. At Morgan Stanley, Bijna champions change through her commitment to the Diversity and Inclusion Council, the Women’s Business Alliance, the Network of Women in Operations (NOW) and the Black Employee Network.
Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Dr. Dasani has served some the world’s largest and most prestigious corporations in the financial services sector, including Lloyds Banking Group, Deutsche Bank, State Street Global Advisors, Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse. She has spent a number of years between Wall Street in New York, USA and London, UK as well as in Asia.
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She graduated from De Montfort University in 2005 with a degree in Business Administration and later went on to study at the University of Oxford, where her postgraduate thesis examined gender parity in the C-suite within the UK financial services sector.
“DMU holds a very special place in my heart,” said Dr. Dasani. “If had not originated from Leicester, I may not have attended DMU and my journey would have been very different.
“Obtaining my undergraduate degree provided pathways into the corporate world and all subsequent opportunities that have come after my education. The university has always been supportive and helped me achieve my goals.”
Throughout her career Dr. Dasani has kept in close contact with DMU and often returns to offer inspirational guest lectures and speeches to current students. In 2018, she was appointed an Honorary Doctor in Business Administration by DMU.
“I have sought advice and counsel from DMU on many occasions,” she said. “That’s what makes it unique. Beyond my alma mater, it’s my second home. It's somewhere I know I can always seek guidance, learn and there are many members of staff and faculty I maintain contact with.”
Discussing her work on the D&I agenda throughout her career, she said:
"The most important factor is awareness,” she continued. "Over time, I have witnessed areas where this has lacked – be it about race, ethnicity or social mobility.
“My mother as a single parent raised three children whilst working full-time in financial services and the working world was very different then. We have (relatively new) layers of awareness, protocols and policies in the corporate world today to accommodate and support flexible working arrangements and equal opportunities.
“I am keen to better understand assumptions about gender, social mobility and ethnicity stereotypes. There is significant evidence to suggest inclusion of diverse backgrounds leads to better outcomes in organisations. Businesses therefore do better when they truly reflect the communities, and the segments they aim to serve.”
You can read the full EMpower Ethnic Minority Role Model List 2021 here.
Posted on Thursday 13 May 2021