About Us - The Diversity Project Charity

What We Do

The Diversity Project Charity is a grant giving organisation. Our initial aim is to raise £2 million to help the charities who have been affected by the President’s Club disbandment, as well as some regional charities focussing on inclusivity. From 2020, we will support charities with social mobility, diversity and inclusivity aims.

VALUES AND Principles

The Charity’s grant-giving is guided by a set of values and principles that underpin the work that we do. We have a range of policies we aim to adhere to, such as grant giving, safeguarding and volunteer recruitment policies, which are available on request. Do contact us if you would like more information.

Diversity and Inclusion

We believe in empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different, in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, thought and national origin.

Transparency

We ensure we work in an open and honest manner; providing full information required for collaboration and cooperation.

Respect

We seek to act with integrity. Value privacy and confidentiality.

Collaboration

We believe in the value of working together and sharing ideas to produce the best results

Purpose

We want to support and advance charitable causes within the UK and make a positive sustainable impact

Our Partners

We aim to include a diverse range of partners within the Financial and Professional sector to champion causes relating to the fulfilment of our mission. This may be through a variety of ways, including financial sponsorship or through creating a forum in which both institutions and individuals who wish to provide support may do so for the charities supported by TDPC.

Trustees

Our Trustees come from diverse backgrounds, with a wide range of experience and expertise in the Corporate and Charity sectors.

CHRIS GRAY

Chris has been working in financial services for 5 years and for St. James’s Place Wealth Management for the last 4. Through his 10 year career in recruitment, he has helped people move roles and change careers all over the world. Most recently, he has been helping individuals transition into financial services and wealth management. Chris is passionate about helping promote diversity throughout Financial Services.

DAVID HARRIS

Originally from Warwickshire, I went to state school then to King’s College London where I graduated with a BA (Hons) Degree in History and an MA in Intelligence & International Security. I then commissioned into the British Army, serving with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. In 2009, I deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan as a Platoon Commander on a 6-month operational tour working as part of a multi-national force which included Danes, Estonians and Americans.

Following the Army, I worked at Morgan Stanley in the Institutional Sales and Trading Senior Relationship Management (SRM) team covering institutional clients, before moving to Alternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM) Frostrow Capital in 2013 as part of the Fund Distribution Team. I continue to manage Fund Distribution for a range of FTSE 250 investment companies.

Outside of work, I enjoy travel, keeping fit and reading. I am also a Trustee of the Mark Evison Foundation (MEF). The MEF’s objective is to promote the personal development of young people through the undertaking of challenges and was founded in memory of Lieutenant Mark Evison, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2009.

DEEPA KRISHNAMACHARI

I join as a Trustee in May 2021, after working with the Charity as a volunteer for over two years. I am currently the Chief of Staff (for Chief Auditor) and Head of Audit at M&G Plc. I am a trained Mental Health First Aider. I look forward to bringing my risk and controls experience to support the Charity in achieving its goals.

I was born and brought up in a small city in south India. I left India soon after the completion of my studies and have been working in a multi-cultural environment since then. I believe that Diversity with its many facets (be it cultural, gender, neuro etc.) is very important for the progress of the industry and the society. The work we have been doing when I was volunteering has motivated me to contribute more by being a Trustee and support the charity to promote various initiatives.

JENNIFER OCKWELL

Jennifer joined Triple Point in 2019 as Head of Institutional and is responsible for managing client relationships and developing institutional business in the UK and Ireland. Jennifer began her career as a graduate trainee at Morgan Grenfell Asset Management in 1999 and has held roles at Threadneedle Asset Management, Janus Henderson Investments and most recently at Franklin Templeton Investments.

Jennifer has acted as a trustee director for both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes as well as for charity organizations.

Jennifer is an active member of the Diversity Project’s Neuroinclusion Committee.

Outside of the office, she is mummy to 2 wonderful autistic boys and spends as much time as possible in Ibiza, dancing for both therapy and fun.

LEE MARSHALL

Lee is the Chief of Staff at the Church of England Pensions Board during the day and an experienced trustee out of the office. He has recently stepped down as Chair of the Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation after eight years on the Board, and has served on several other boards including Ditch the Label and Children with Aids Charity. He was a co-founder of Stonewall and their first treasurer. He has also advised charitable boards on ways of working together both in the UK and the States.

Lee has regularly been named on the lists of inspirational LGBT senior executives working globally in the public and third sectors, has been a shortlisted nominee for Campaigner of the Year three times by the European Diversity Awards, and was shortlisted for a British LGBT Award as Inspirational Role Model.

MARTINA JERSAKOVA

I am originally from Prague in the Czech Republic. From a young age, I have lived an international life which saw me attend a different school approximately every two years, in Prague, Birmingham and Hamburg, before I finished my studies at the University of Edinburgh. This experience has taught me first-hand about the benefits of a diverse and inclusive environment.

I have worked in wealth and asset management for over a decade, initially as an investment analyst and more recently in client relationship roles. I currently work in a client and business development role at Genesis Investment Management, a leading Emerging Markets investment boutique, with responsibility for developing the firm’s marketing strategy.

I am delighted to be able to contribute to the Diversity Project Charity as a Trustee. I am excited about helping the Charity raise funds so that it can support a growing number of diversity & inclusion initiatives. I believe the Diversity Project Charity can become the main organisation through which the investment industry supports charities with social mobility, diversity and inclusivity aims.