About us
Who We Are
The LTL Collective is a network for women from Black, Asian and underrepresented ethnic backgrounds. It was formed in June 2019 when we were a group of just 6 women who had a shared experience and a recognised need for a community. This gradually blossomed and today we have grown into a network of over 300 women who have access to our space.
At the core of who we are is our safe space, this is considered and woven into all of our efforts for the members. Our members are a variety of ages, levels, disciplines and professional backgrounds, who come together to build community, share ideas, offer support and grow together, typically over lunch (virtually and in person) as the acronym suggests.
Why is our theme Orange?
Well, it’s fiery like our steely determination and the power that we have in order to ignite the good in one another. The warmth is what our community feel like. It is not overtly effeminate, but it is beautiful to us.
The Collectives’ roots are within the insurance industry, and as years have passed we have attracted professionals from other industries too, including Automotive, Law, Consulting, Publishing and more.
Through a range of collaborative efforts, our goal is to continue to be a mechanism for accessing support, sharing knowledge and building community.
What we do
We have a hybrid offering; We hold calls once a month via Zoom – this is our safe space. During our calls, we give our ladies the opportunity to share their knowledge and express their thoughts and feelings. In addition to the monthly calls, we also host in person networking lunches in the city, to allow our ladies to connect more personally.
We table the experiences of the collective on our social media platforms, through people posts, celebrations, and stories. Here at The LTL Collective, we aim to build an empowered network, so celebrating each other’s achievements is very important.
We aim to improve the corporate experience for our members, through Mentoring and Coaching, Training and Development, and Conferences and Events. Every year, we make an IMPACT – that is Inform, Manoeuvre, Progress, Achieve, Challenge and Triumph – which is celebrated through The LTL Collective’s anniversary in a unique way that benefits all.
Meet the team
Teniola Tijani
Founder
My name is Teniola Tijani, I am an Energy Underwriter at IQUW and Founder of The LTL Collective.
My role within the leadership team predominantly involves listening to the experiences of our members – offering support, advice or pointing people in the right direction. It involves being ready to speak out and table the collectives experiences on a variety of platforms; promoting community and connection amongst members; looking for meaningful collaborations that are true to who we are and leading the team that makes it all possible.
The reasons why I started the collective can be found on our homepage, but I have found such joy being a part of our member’s journeys in big and little ways. I’m passionate about us living full lives and getting the most out of our careers. It’s amazing to see our women grow, develop and be there for one another too. When we started in 2019, I felt there weren’t many women that looked like me and I soon realised that this was true of many industries beyond insurance too – but now we have each other and long may that continue.
Chika Austin
I am a Cyber Underwriter in the Insurance industry.
As a member of the LTL leadership committee, I contribute across various areas, ensuring smooth event operations and content creation. However, my passion lies in networking and building meaningful connections that strengthen our community and amplify our mission.
I initially joined The LTL Collective because of my deep passion for contributing to, and creating, community. Recognising the need for a space where women from underrepresented backgrounds in the insurance industry can find security, I was inspired by LTL’s mission to empower women professionally and sisterhood. The incredible women I’ve met and their inspiring stories continue to fuel my commitment.
Jada Wallace
I am a Cyber & Tech Underwriter in the Insurance Industry.
On the leadership committee, I find myself doing a bit of everything. My responsibilities include event coordination and social media marketing. I am passionate about early career development and helping those who are just starting out.
I initially joined The LTL Collective as a member, shortly after starting my first job in insurance. I immediately felt a strong desire to find a community where I could feel safe. I was in a world that I didn’t yet know how to navigate, and so joining was the best way for me to learn from others and get the advice I needed. I built long term relationships, received valuable career advice and unlocked a high level of confidence whilst being a member. And with this, I knew I wanted to join the committee and contribute to the Collectives growth and help others reap the benefits.
Iveren Yongo
I am a Cyber Underwriter in the Insurance Industry.
As part of the committee, I support across all the work we do, but I am particularly passionate about sharing learning and development opportunities internal and external to the industry, with members of the Collective.
I joined the LTL Collective when it first started in 2019. For me, it was an important to way to build my network with people from similar backgrounds, encountering similar experiences as me. It’s been such a pleasure to see the way in which the Collective has grown, but also stayed true to impacting the lives of its members.