Kamel Hothi – Asian Markets Director, Lloyds TSB Group

Being born into a traditional family with restrictions to further education meant she had to disregard her professional ambitions.

She started her career as a cashier but worked exceptionally hard to break many “glass ceilings” in relation to her gender and race.

She rose to become the first Asian Bank manager at TSB and then climbed the corporate ladder to Director position in Lloyds TSB.  

She founded Lloyds TSB’s Asian Strategy to: –  

• Understand any barriers to banking for diverse communities–    
• Develop products and services to make banking easier for individuals from Ethnic minority groups–         
•  Improve the bank’s cultural understanding of Ethnic minorities so that they could empathise with their needs–         
• Explore and to deepen the bank’s relations with diverse communities–          Identify preferred methods of communication mediums within the Asian Strategy Division,

Kamel developed her own cultural and networking course to help build bridges and trained over 300 senior managers in the past 18 months.

Kamel developed her own staff engagement process that was soon adopted across the 70,000 strong workforce at Lloyds TSB, &  is the Chair of the Government National Employment Panel for Procurement.

The working group have just submitted their official report to Jim Murphy, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform.

Meanwhile, the report is already proving to be valuable within Department Works Pension, which has begun to consider how the recommendations might be implemented in relation to multiple equality strands. 

She is also the committee member for the Government Minority Ethnic Group and successes included assisting Job Centre Plus in improving their processes for finding jobs for EM clients. 

For the past 5 years, Kamel has been a role model within the bank pushing the case for diversity to senior executives.

Kamel was one of the founding members for Lloyds TSB Steering Group, the Ethnic Minority Network which helps with staff development, identifying glass ceilings and releasing potential.

Since 1998 the network has helped improve Ethnic minority employee numbers by 87% and people moving into management positions by 242%. She was recently nominated for recognition in the “Sikh Women in the Community” category at the Vaisakhi festival by Mayor of London 2007.    

Other Career Achievements:·         First Asian Bank Manager in TSB·        

Kamel’s passion and drive to demonstrate the value that Asians are contributing to the bottom line for UK has resulted in the bank renewing its sponsorship for a range of Asian events – she is now responsible for all Asian sponsorships.  

Other Social Improvements:

• Kamel is a great supporter of mentoring and has assisted over a dozen people herself who have gone on to promotion, speaking regularly at events to raise awareness and pushing boundaries for integration.
• Kamel’s contribution in improvements on Race Equality formed part of the banks submission in the survey for the Race of Opportunity which tracks the top FT companies resulting in LTSB being voted number one in 2005 and 2006.  She was invited to tell her personal story in front of 500 top companies at their gala dinner and received a standing ovation.  

Other Personal Achievements:·        

• Kamel is proud of the Hothi family who for generations have committed time and energy to the local community via the temples including organising “Eye Camps” in Punjab for the past few years which have assisted thousands of local people. 
• Following an arranged marriage at the age of 19, Kamel has supported the traditional cultural values and balanced the western and eastern lifestyles by caring for her In-laws, who have lived with her for the past 25 years.
•   Kamel balances her own career whilst supporting her husband who is a property entrepreneur.
•  Mother of two – eldest son aged 20 studying in Property Planning and Development and also part time in the Army.
• Youngest son studying GCSE’s and plays for Slough Town Football Club.  

Other Recognitions:   

• Received a “LTSB Stars” award from the company which recognises exceptional contribution to business 2006
• Received a “Special Recognition award” at the Southern Asian Jewel Awards 2006