Black Talent in Banking - resource hub

Bright Network Black Talent in Banking 2025 is taking place on Wednesday, 5th March. We're really looking forward to it and hope you are too! The leading employers joining us (including Deutsche Bank, Houlihan Lokey, Rothschild & Co and more) are excited to connect with our brilliant members and share their insights with you.

We know attending an event like this can be a bit nerve-wracking for some people, so we want to make sure we provide as much reassurance and guidance as possible to ensure the event is an enjoyable and safe place for everyone. To prepare for the event, we suggest taking a look at the resources below.

• Accessibility and inclusion for in-person attendees - if you're attending in-person, look at this section to see what support is available (from reserved seating to speaking to a certified Mental Health First Aider).
• Accessibility and inclusion on Zoom (virtual event platform) - if you're attending virtually, look at this section to learn how to use Zoom and utilise the accessibility and inclusivity features.
• Networking top tips and etiquette - find out what networking looks like at a Bright Network event and the key Dos and Don'ts for networking, plus access extra resources to feel confident in your abilities before the event.
• LinkedIn Groups - we have created an online community where you can meet other attendees before the event. Join the Black Talent in Banking 2025 group via the links in the emails we've sent to you since you got a place at the event (try searching for "Your Application to Bright Network Black Talent in Banking 2025" in your inbox).

This year’s Black Talent in Banking is taking place at The View in the Royal College of Surgeons. The nearest tube station is Holborn - get directions.

The venue is fully accessible from all entrances. The front entrance has a ramp and there is a wheelchair lift at the Portugal Street entrance.

Find out more about accessibility at the venue.

If you require any other accessibility support at the venue, please let us know.

If you require a prayer room during the event, please speak to the Bright Network team at reception and they can direct you to the dedicated space. Signage will also be up around the venue, and they will be marked on the venue map in the event programme, so please feel free to use the space as required.

Additionally, as this event is taking place during Ramadan, there will be quiet spaces available during lunch time if this would be preferable.

If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed at the event - either because of anxiety, autism, or anything else - we have lots of support available, please don’t suffer in silence.

In the main room - where the keynote, panel, skill sessions will take place - we have some reserved seating. We reserve a few seats by the aisle and at the back of the room for any members who have a mental or physical health condition and would prefer having an easy way to exit the room. If a reserved seat at the front/aisle/back of the room would help you feel more comfortable at the event, please let us know on your application form and/or by emailing us at events@brightnetwork.co.uk.

If you need a quiet space to take a few minutes and calm down, speak to someone from Bright Network (you can always find someone at reception, but we’re also around the venue all day) and they can take you to a dedicated space. The rooms should also have a sign and be labelled on the map in the event programme, so please feel free to use the rooms as required. A mental health first aider from the Bright Network team will be onsite too, so they can also help you if needed.

A mental health first aider from the Bright Network team will be onsite too, so they can also help you if required - meet Katie, our certified Mental Health First Aider.

All speakers during the event will be speaking through a microphone, but if you’re hard of hearing we will also be showing closed captioning on at least one of the presentation screens. Please just bear in mind that it is live captioning so may not be 100% accurate.

If you require an auditory loop, please let us know by emailing events@brightnetwork.co.uk.

The hosts', speakers' and panellists' introductions will include an audio description for any attendees with visual impairments. For example, "My name is Hester and my pronouns are she/her. I'm the Senior Events Marketing Executive at Bright Network. I'm a white female in her early twenties with curly ginger hair. I'm wearing a green t-shirt and behind me is a busy office."

We would really like all our students to be able to have the opportunity to attend our events and we want to support where possible. Anyone attending Black Talent in Banking in-person is eligible for a reimbursement of up to £30. To request a reimbursement, complete and submit this form with any supporting documentation to events@brightnetwork.co.uk.

You need to attend the event in full to receive the reimbursement. Reimbursements will be sent out after the event you are attending. You need to have submitted the form by 04/03/25, 11:59pm in order to be eligible.

The Bright Network events team will be present around the venue all day. If you have a question or require support at any point during the event, we can always be found at reception at the entrance of the events space.

If you need first aid assistance at any point during the event, a mental health first aider and a physical first aider will be available to help.

If you need support with anything prior to or during the event, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email us at events@brightnetwork.co.uk and we'd be more than happy to help. Additionally, if you have any requirements that would help your attendance at the event be more accessible, please let us know and we can make suitable arrangements.

The event will be streamed over Zoom. You can access the sessions via a web browser or the Zoom app. You will need to have a Zoom account to access the experience.

Signing into your account

Your joining link will be sent to you before the event. Please ensure that you log into Zoom using the same email address you used to apply to Black Talent in Banking. Click on Register.

An example of the type of email you'd receive is below.

The hosts', speakers' and panellists' introductions will include an audio description for any attendees with visual impairments. For example, "My name is Hester and my pronouns are she/her. I'm the Senior Events Marketing Executive at Bright Network. I'm a white female in her early twenties with curly ginger hair. I'm wearing a green t-shirt and behind me is a busy office."

Closed captioning can be added on Zoom Events by clicking the "CC" icon in the lower toolbar on Zoom. 

If you click on your icon in the top right corner, you can update your personal profile. You can also select whether you’re ‘Feeling Social’ and are happy for people to connect with you, are ‘Simply Exploring’, or would prefer to be hidden. If you select ‘Hide Me’ people will not be able to DM you, but we will still be able to see your icon and name if you post in the Lobby chat.

We suggest adding your First Name, Last Name, your Degree and University. Add your Degree in the designated space for ‘Position.’ Add your University in the designated space for ‘Company'. If you have joined via the Zoom desktop app/client, you will have the option to Create a full profile.

You can also add your pronouns next to your last name.

If you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed at the event - either because of anxiety, autism, or anything else - we have lots of support available, please don’t suffer in silence.

A mental health first aider from the Bright Network team will be available throughout the event for anyone who feels like they need to speak to someone. Please find them on the Zoom Events platform or email events@brightnetwork.co.uk. To learn more about our mental health support - meet Katie, our certified Mental Health First Aider.

As you might've noticed in the agenda, there are breaks incorporated across the event. These have been added to ensure there is time to digest the content and step away to stretch, get a drink, etc.

If you need support with anything prior to or during the event, or have any questions, please don't hesitate to email us at events@brightnetwork.co.uk and we'd be more than happy to help. Additionally, if you have any requirements that would help you access our event better, please let us know and we can make suitable arrangements.