The Ekta Network: Inspiration for Careers in Financial Services

Join us at King’s College London’s beautiful Bush House building as the Professional Law Institute welcomes The Ekta Network for an evening of inspiration and information, designed to demystify the financial services sector for aspiring law and business students from KCL and beyond.

The Ekta Network aims to drive greater inclusivity within the financial services sector by bringing together visible role models for South Asian Women and their allies in financial services, and promoting authenticity and allyship. This event brings together a panel of the founding members of the Network who are committed to empowering the next generation of financial services professionals by providing thought leadership and education. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to hear firsthand about the panellists’ own career journeys, gain insights into the industry, and engage directly by asking questions. Following the Q&A, there will be opportunities for attendees to network and chat with The Ekta Network and KCL Law Faculty members.

This event is open to all. Whilst The Ekta Network was established for South Asian Women and their allies working in the financial services industry, the stories of the founding members, and the lessons they have learned in their careers to date, are relevant to all aspirant financial services professionals.

Refreshments will be provided.

Key Speakers to include:

Payal Anand, Senior Lawyer, Investment Banking (Barclays); Co-Founder of The Ekta Network

Payal is an alumnus of the Dickson Poon School of Law, King’s College London (English Law and French Law LLB). She is a Senior Lawyer at Barclays, advising the Cash Equities Trading, Investment Research and Data desks within the Investment Banking division. Her role involves advising the business on legal and regulatory risk in a timely and commercial manner; negotiating commercial contracts, including terms and conditions relating to trading shares in the financial markets; and devising innovative solutions for legal problems of different shapes and sizes. Payal’s private practice experience, gained at various US law firms in Paris, New York and London, was in the formation of private equity (PE) funds and hedge funds, and the acquisition by PE funds of companies and other PE fund portfolios. Payal is an Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace and a Mentor to law students.

Bhavisha Gorecha, Global Chief of Staff and Market Operations Director (Citi), Co-Founderof The Ekta Network

Bhavisha is a financial services leader and Board Trustee and was recognised in Management Today's 35 Women under 35 list for 2022. She currently serves as a senior Chief of Staff for Global Markets Operations at Citi, having previously held roles spanning Compliance, Operations, and an early career as a UK regulator at the Financial Conduct Authority. She has worked at a number of financial services institutions, including Goldman Sachs, Rothschilds, UBS and Credit Suisse.

Her work has included contingency planning around major geopolitical events and delivering resilient responses to COVID-19 disruptions, whilst championing psychological safety and wellbeing across large teams. She was Chief of Staff for Operations at Credit Suisse during the merger with UBS in 2024 - the biggest banking deal since 2008 - supporting a complex re-organisation and transformation. She has also held accountability for organisational strategy, internal and external communication and people strategy.

Beyond the day job, she is a trustee of Maa Shanti, supporting South Asian mothers fleeing domestic abuse, and co-founded The Ekta Network, fostering collaboration and representation across the City of London's financial community.

Bhavisha holds a degree in Mathematics with Financial Mathematics from the University of Manchester.

Darshana Ramji – Managing Director, UBS HOLT

Darshana Ramji is a Managing Director within the UBS Research team, based in London, and leads the HOLT Custom Solutions group. She works closely with investment professionals across the globe, delivering tailored insights and data solutions designed to embed HOLT’s proprietary framework into their investment processes.

HOLT, originally part of Credit Suisse and now under UBS, provides a systematic, data-driven approach to evaluating over 20,000 listed companies globally— helping clients make smarter decisions with greater efficiency.

Darshana joined the HOLT team in 2006 as an associate in London, following her time in the New York office. Prior to that, she served as a Business Manager at the Pearson Group and began her career at Ernst & Young in Zimbabwe, where she trained for five years.

She also served as Chair of Women Connect in Europe, a network of around 300 women at Credit Suisse. Under her leadership, the group fostered open dialogue with senior management and championed initiatives to support retention and career development, in an inclusive and collaborative environment.

With over two decades of experience in finance, Darshana is a member of both the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).

She lives in London with her husband, two sons, and their beloved cockapoo, Koko.

Chair: Lloyd Gash, Senior Lecturer in Law, Professional Law Institute, King’s College London