In response to continued demand, think tank and advocacy group City Hive is relaunching its popular cross-company mentoring scheme in partnership with EnCircle Mentoring Circles to support the diverse talent pipeline for the investment industry.

Mentors, mentees and sponsors from across the investment management industry are invited to apply for the nine-month mentoring programme supporting the advancement of diverse talent.

The scheme matches senior members of the investment industry with mid-level talent who identify as being a woman and/or professionals from an ethnic minority background. In 2025, we are extending access to include mentees from socio-economic backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in our industry. This inclusion aims to support the objectives of the City of London Socio-economic Diversity Taskforce, on which our co-CEO Mandy Kirby sits, in boosting diversity at senior levels across financial and professional services.

With Federated Hermes and WHEB Asset Management already confirmed as sponsors of the scheme, additional sponsors are able to offer places to employees wishing to be mentees, whilst also funding spaces for those unable to access mentoring through their own individual firms.

By investing and engaging with this scheme, investment firms are demonstrating their commitment to developing the talent pipeline for the good of the wider industry.

In 2025, the partnership with EnCircle Mentoring will allow the scheme to offer spaces to a selection of eligible EnCircle members looking to take the next step in their career.

The cross-company format of the mentoring programme allows for a greater choice of senior mentors, bringing a range of industry-specific perspectives, experience and skills to guide mentees.

Mentors and mentees additionally benefit from a programme of support, with access to regular check-ins, training, workshops, and a resource library.

Bev Shah, co-CEO of City Hive said: “When it comes to future-proofing the investment industry, we cannot continue to think in silos. Talent is the lifeblood of our industry, and if we are to retain our existing diverse talent and continue to attract the best and brightest new recruits, we must collaborate as an industry rather than trying to go it alone.

“Our cross-company mentoring scheme allows firms to work together and demonstrate their commitment to tackling our representation challenge head on and developing the diverse talent pipeline for the benefit of the whole industry.”

Since its inception in 2020, the scheme has supported over 300 mentors and mentees from across 95 financial services firms. 

The relaunch of the scheme comes just months after a study by the New Economic Foundation[1] found that the amount that employers are spending on training their workers has dropped by almost a fifth in 10 years. The study raised concerns that a lack of training opportunities could impact productivity, as figures from The Office for National Statistics also indicated that UK output per hour and output per worker fell by 0.3% and 0.6% respectively over the year to Q4 2023. 

Justin Onuekwusi, founder of EnCircle and Chief Investment Officer at St. James’s Place, said: “True leadership in the investment industry is about more than managing assets; it's about cultivating the human capital that will drive our future success. Through this mentoring initiative, we are creating a pipeline of diverse talent equipped to navigate the complexities of tomorrow's financial world with fresh perspectives and enduring values. 

“By investing in the next generation through cross-company mentoring, we are not just shaping careers—we are laying the groundwork for a more resilient, innovative, and inclusive investment landscape.”

Esther Muschamp, HR Manager at WHEB, said: “WHEB is delighted to be sponsoring the City Hive cross company mentoring programme again in 2025. We believe it is incredibly important to champion diverse talent in the investment management industry and the City Hive mentoring programme does just that. It is an incredibly valuable experience for both mentees and mentors and we can’t wait to be a part of it again!”

Meanwhile, Federated Hermes has been a longtime supporter of City Hive. As well as sponsoring previous mentoring schemes, Federated Hermes is also the lead sponsor of the City Hive Academy, which supports professionals of all levels and across all job functions to develop their career through an innovative schedule of masterclasses, webinars and events delivered by expert guests, facilitators and industry leaders.

While mentors and mentees can be from any financial services firm, only City Hive member firms are eligible to participate as sponsors in order to continue to align with a shared commitment to democratise access to investing and investments.

Full information of the mentoring scheme can be found here.

ENDS

Notes:

For more information, please contact: Nneka Opara nnekaopara@cityhive.co.uk or Natalie Kenway nataliekenway@cityhive.co.uk

For more information on City Hive and to check out our new look website: https://www.cityhive.co.uk/

For photos please visit the City Hive Press Centre.

[1] New Economic Foundation Study 2024 https://neweconomics.org/2024/03/employers-spending-a-fifth-less-on-employee-training-than-a-decade-ago#:~:text=The%20amount%20employers%20are%20spending,Foundation%20(NEF)%20published%20today