The Social Mobility Podcast

Marco Amitrano: Social mobility “is critical to our ability to be even greater than we are today.”

Marco Amitrano, PwC’s Senior Partner for the UK and Middle East, shares his journey from a modest background to leading a major firm, emphasising that social mobility is about expanding access to opportunity and unlocking talent for the benefit of both individuals and business.  He highlights PwC’s own journey, noting that organisations must adapt systems to support diverse talent, while individuals must actively seize opportunities.  Marco stresses the importance of education, workplace exposure, and access to AI skills, and calls for collaboration and investment in skills and infrastructure to drive social mobility and economic growth.” Your host is Tunde Banjoko OBE [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/our-people/tunde-banjoko-obe/], founder of Making The Leap [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/].

Rob Hornby: “Business can act as a levelling force and advance people based on merit.”

Rob Hornby is Co-CEO of financial advisory and global consulting firm, AlixPartners, and has held senior leadership positions in a number of top companies.  In this episode, Rob reflects on the pivotal role his father’s belief in him and a grant-funded university place played in shaping his career. He discusses education as a powerful gateway to social mobility and explores the responsibility businesses have to create meaningful opportunities for those seeking to progress. Rob also shares his perspective on how artificial intelligence could reshape the landscape of opportunity and what that might mean for the future of social mobility. Your host is Tunde Banjoko OBE [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/our-people/tunde-banjoko-obe/], founder of Making The Leap [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/].

Segun Osuntokun: “Having people with different viewpoints and backgrounds makes for a much more interesting place”

Segun Osuntokun is the Global Senior Partner at international law firm, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP). He is also the head of the firm's civil fraud litigation practice. In this episode, Segun takes us right back to his childhood growing up in the second biggest city in Nigeria, home to the country’s first university. And he explains what first gripped him about the idea of going into the legal profession. Reflecting on what social mobility means to him, Segun explores the psychology of the human condition - why we continue to create structures that disadvantage certain people, and how to break them down. Segun also imagines an education system that brings out the best in people, rather than widening divides. And he discusses what BCLP is doing to disrupt the lack of social mobility in the legal sector.  Your host is Tunde Banjoko OBE [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/our-people/tunde-banjoko-obe/], founder of Making The Leap [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/].

Malcolm Gomersall: “Social mobility is one of the fundamental issues in society”

Malcolm Gomersall is Chief Executive Officer at Grant Thornton UK, where he has held a number of senior leadership positions - including Head of London Audit and Tax, and Head of People and Client Experience. He became Chief Operating Officer in 2019 before being elected CEO by the firm’s partners in 2024. In this episode, Malcolm reflects on how his own upbringing shaped his career, sharing candid stories - from changing his accent to being told to iron his shirts - and how these experiences fuelled his passion for social mobility. We hear about the work he and his team are leading at Grant Thornton to build a more diverse and equitable workforce, and why he believes big companies must look beyond academic achievement when seeking talent. Malcolm explains why a degree is no longer a prerequisite for success, and how he sees early intervention as the key to tackling barriers to social mobility.  Your host is Tunde Banjoko OBE [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/our-people/tunde-banjoko-obe/], founder of Making The Leap [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/].

Kerry Dryburgh: “Building skills for today and tomorrow”

Kerry Dryburgh is bp’s EVP for People, Culture & Communications and the company’s chief human resources and communications officer.  In this episode, Kerry shares her personal social mobility journey. From leaving school at sixteen, to becoming an architect of the employee experience at bp – influencing strategy, performance, culture, and transformation.  Hear how her decision to take on an apprenticeship sparked a career that today influences people, programmes and policies in over 60 countries. And gain insights on how companies can help close the gap between potential and opportunity, while supporting the current and future workforce as they build skills for a lifetime.  Your host is Tunde Banjoko OBE [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/our-people/tunde-banjoko-obe/], founder of Making The Leap [https://makingtheleap.org.uk/].