Event Overview

Roots Inspire’s mission is to increase ethnocultural diversity in corporate leadership. Our Emerging Executives in Financial Services programme is designed to identify, develop and support ethnocultural talent in becoming the next executives in the financial services industry. During this Pre-Launch event, you will learn more about our approach and find out if this programme is for you.

The Programme

10:30 – 11:00 | Doors Open
11:05 – 11:15 | Welcome by Maarten Edixhoven (CEO, Van Lanschot Kempen)
11:15 – 11:40 | Opening Keynote by Sergio Panday (CEO & Co-founder, Roots Inspire)
11:40 – 12:00 | Live Q&A with Roots Inspire Programme Alumni
12:10 – 12:55 | Leadership Panel with:
– Ference Lamp (Country Executive Benelux, Bank of America)
– Damla Hendriks (CRO, Van Lanschot Kempen)
– Antuan Bikhan (Head First Line Risk & Privacy, ABN AMRO)
– Baharak Sabourian (Head Legal Retail, Rabobank)
13:00-14:00 | Networking Lunch

What Attendees Will Gain

Building a leadership career in financial services requires more than expertise; it demands strategic positioning, the right networks, and access to senior insights that are rarely shared openly. This event offers a unique opportunity to engage directly with leaders who have navigated their own journeys, broken barriers, and shaped the industry. Through candid discussions and first-hand experiences, you’ll gain deeper insights into what it truly takes to step into senior leadership with confidence and impact.

By attending, you will:

• Gain unfiltered insights from industry leaders like Ference Lamp (Managing Director, Bank of America) and Damla Hendriks (CRO, Van Lanschot Kempen) on the defining moments that shaped their careers.
• Engage with next-generation leaders from our 2024 cohort (Diverse Leaders in Financial Services) who are actively breaking barriers and shaping the future of the industry.
• Access high-level leadership thinking as Maarten Edixhoven shares his vision on the evolving financial services landscape – and the skills that will define future executives.
• Connect with the right people: senior industry professionals, decision-makers, and peers who understand the unwritten rules of leadership progression.
• Participate in a candid, unscripted discussion where leaders reveal real career-defining decisions, unexpected setbacks, and the leadership strategies that set them apart.