Episode 93: Bonus Episode - Jennifer Ockwell - Creating Impact and Paving the Way for Neurodiversity in the Workplace

Jennifer Ockwell is a Partner at Triple Point Investment Management, based in London, and previously held a series of senior institutional business development roles at large asset management firms.  She is an ambassador for the Diversity Project with a specific focus on the neurodiversity work stream and is a passionate advocate for neurodivergent individuals and their improved integration into the workforce.   She was named “Investment Woman of the Year” and has been recognized for the impact that she has created in the workplace.

Our discussion is a refreshingly honest and personal one that starts with Jennifer's initial path in law, and how she found her fit in nurturing corporate environments on the investment management side, where she ultimately headed up UK client businesses. We learn what triggered her interest in ensuring that neurodivergent individuals are welcomed into and allowed to flourish in the workforce, and we speak in particular about some of the extraordinary talents that are being overlooked due to a preference for conventional hiring practices. This ties back to an earlier discussion we held with Oli Shakir-Khalil about the need for better mental health advocacy and awareness in our workplaces and in general for the need to be more flexible around how different approaches to work are welcomed.

Neurodiversity is a topic close to my own heart as well as Jennifer's and this is a conversation that is probably overdue and often forgotten as the lens firmly focuses on diversity, equity and inclusion issues. I hope you enjoy our efforts to remove some of the taboos and start talking openly about these issues.