Butterfield backs three future female leaders

Monday 10 July 2023

Butterfield has sponsorsed three students to attend a Leadership and Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (LEAP), which takes place over ten days from this week in Jersey, with participants from 30 countries.

Lucy Gwatidzo from Blanchelande College in Guernsey (pictured centre) is one of the sponsored students, alongside Lina Misiunaite from Jersey College for Girls and Sandra Adeniyi from Chislehurst School for Girls in Greater London.

Now in its fourth year, the LEAP programme develops business, entrepreneurial and leadership skills. International teams of students aged between 14-18 years old formulate their ideas into a business pitch with £4000 of prizes funding available. 

Sarah Barthram, Butterfield’s Vice President of Transformational Change in Guernsey will lead one of the training and development sessions.  She will also be on hand as one of the global professionals who support the programme as coaches, mentors and guides. 

Richard Saunders, Butterfield’s Managing Director in the Channel Islands and UK, will be one of the event’s ‘Dragons’ in the final pitch.

“This programme brings together students from all over the globe and all walks of life to develop business and entrepreneurial skills, make connections with potential employers and prepare for the future," he said. "It’s a fantastic initiative and one that is aligned with our own values of promoting diversity and inclusion. We are proud to be supporting not only in terms of presentations and mentorship, but giving students from the communities we call home an opportunity to attend, especially as we celebrate our 50th anniversary in the Channel Islands.”