Movers and Shakers | Akua Opong | Senior Associate, Technology Team | LSEG
Akua is a Chartered IT Professional within the EMEA Onsite Support Team at London Stock Exchange (LSEG)
In addition to her primary role, she actively advocates for diversity and inclusion. She is involved with the LSEG WIN Engagement Community Team, leads WIN Tech Events, co-leads UK Accessibility initiatives, champions mental health, and leads UK Community Action for outreach programs.
Akua is passionate about raising the profile of Women in STEM, as a STEM ambassador. She was a UN Women UK Delegate for CSW68 during IWD 2024.
Akua is a Neurodiversity advocate (self-identifies as Dyslexic and has ADHD), NED, Trustee, charity ambassador, fundraiser and a keen sports volunteer for England Netball, UEFA Community and British Athletics.
Tell us about your role at LSEG
I am part of the team within Infrastructure and Cloud that acts as a point of escalation for the 1st line support team. My role is client-facing, this allows me to meet new people across the business, collaborate and resolve their technical issues.
At the moment, my role involves IT inductions for interns/graduates, onboarding, migrations, rollouts of new software, leading on some of the tech sustainability, creating technical documentation, corporate responsibility and accessibility projects.
Each day is different, I like to plan my day using the Pomodoro technique where I focus on the hard tasks first and then work on the simple tasks.
What inspired you to pursue your current career path?
During my teenage years, I developed an interest in STEM with the aspiration of becoming a paediatrician. I am passionate about using technology to create social impact, assist others, and make a meaningful difference. I believe that through technology, I can achieve all three and help others.
. As a child, I was always fixing things around the house, fascinated by science, and expressed a creative and nurturing side. It seemed inevitable that I would pursue a STEM-related career. Interestingly, I began fundraising at 15 and continue to support charities and fundraise outside of my primary role, even 20 years later. Community and helping others remain central to everything I do.
What do you enjoy most about what you do?
I continuously educate myself on new technology and its most effective applications. With constant advancements in the tech field, my role involves staying updated by reading about these developments, attending webinars, networking, and exploring relevant articles.
My problem-solving approach is methodical and analytical. I am passionate about using technology to help others, which is why I am dedicated to Tech Sustainability, such as repurposing equipment and promoting STEM careers at coding clubs, schools, and career fairs. I aspire to be a role model, coach, and mentor to others.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work? What strategies have you developed for tackling that challenge?
Some days are tough, I can be my own worst critic and strive for perfection, so when things go wrong, I can be self-critical. I have sometimes felt that I am not good enough or deserve to be in certain rooms. I am sometimes invited to meetings with senior members of the company to provide input on different topics and imposter syndrome kicks in.
However, I write down my highlights in my daily journal and celebrate wins small or big. I also do daily affirmations and read quotes for inspiration.
There’s a L’Oreal advert that features Viola Davis and I use it to remind myself that I am more than enough and deserve a seat at the time. We all need to believe that we bring something unique and brilliant to every conversation or discussion. Always stand in your power!
What has been the most defining moment in your career to date?
I would say there have been a few defining moments in my career but probably the most impactful was in 2021. I made a difference in communities and never thought I could bring that level of change.
As a Community Action Lead, I decided to put forward a business case to my company to implement the donation of IT equipment. LSEG has recently transitioned to a new hybrid way of working and I wanted LSEG as an organisation to ensure to provide IT equipment to underrepresented, charities and non-profit organisations.
It has been so exciting and rewarding to work on an idea and turn it into an initiative that will raise money to help schools and children in times of real difficulties.
Currently, LSEG has donated IT equipment valued at £350-400K as well as over £50,000 to charity. Some of the IT equipment has been used to create technology libraries, buses, coding clubs, and school exhibitions to places in Ghana, Tanzania, Peru, South Africa and all over the UK.
In addition, I added books, t-shirts, stationery, notepads and other items. I want to ensure children all over the world get the resources to learn and become future leaders.
In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Best piece of career advice you have ever received? And who was it from?
Find your why/purpose. ‘Iki’ in Japanese means life. ‘Gai’ means the reason. Ikigai is all about finding one’s reason to live.
Ikigai combines the joy of doing something and a sense of purpose, meaning and well-being. It’s the feeling that your life is valuable, that you have an impact. Ikigai is the union point of four fundamental components of life: passion, vocation, profession and mission. If what you love doing is something you’re good at doing, and something the world needs and you can be paid for, you’ve found ikigai – your true life’s purpose and meaning, and a balance between what you can (and want to) do that’s of value to the world.
Away from your work role what are your passions?
If you speak to my family and friends, they would say, “She doesn’t rest!”
My key hobbies and interests are sports and charity volunteering through Crohn’s, British Athletics, and England Netball.
I also love arts and culture, so I regularly visit the South Bank Centre for great exhibitions. I highly recommend You Belong Here series and the work of Tavares Strachan. I am a Shonda Rhimes fan and have watched all of her shows for the last 15+ years.
I enjoy travelling, walks in nature, the spa (self-care is important), listening to music, the theatre and concerts. I am a massive Boyz II Men, Toni Braxton, Destiny’s Child and especially Motown or old skool R‘N’B.
Future Me
I working towards becoming a BCS Fellow and another Chartered Professional. I have a big focus on Mental Health, being a STEM ambassador plus Diversity and Inclusion. I want to be a humanitarian as a Global goodwill ambassador where I use Technology to drive sustainability development goals and social impact in NGOs.
Also, raise awareness of Neurodiversity and help young girls achieve their goals in STEM through mentorship. My main aim is to use Tech for Good to make a social impact and help others. I enjoy variety as you learn more about the wider world. Just remember your Well-being and use your words for kindness #BeKind There is more on the horizon but this is it for the moment.
What are the 3 (professional or personal) books/websites/ or resources that you would recommend to others?
I have a catalogue of inspirational quotes; this helps me set out my yearly goals and challenges me to do better. The quotes are from Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Michelle Obama, Amanda Gorman, and Mother Theresa.
“For me, becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end,” Michelle Obama wrote in her memoir Becoming.
I chose this quote as I attended the Becoming book tour at the O2 in London. Michelle Obama is a massive advocate for young girls to be given a chance to succeed regardless of their background. Each person should be given opportunities, in a world that is fair and equal. It is about uplifting, empowering and not about competing with each other, but working for each other. For the young girl or woman’s voice to be heard.
Books – Becoming by Michelle Obama
Untamed by Glenn Doyle,
She Speaks: The Power of Women’s Voices by Yvette Cooper.
I use this daily: Journal – https://www.intelligentchange.com/products/the-five-minute-journal
Other – Anything by Dr Maya Angelou
What do you know now that you wish you had known as you started your career?
My key reflection is to believe in my abilities, be prosperous in my work to fulfil a passion that brings me joy and have a confident mind-set every day where I strive for my best, not perfection.
Each day I ensure that I have a good work/life balance this is helped by having a great community and support network. Also, ensure that you look after your health as stress leads to other health conditions. So show grace and kindness to yourself as you would others.
Do you have any advice for women entering your industry?
Top things I learnt:
- Network: Sponsors, Coaches, Mentors, Community, colleagues and friends have helped me to enhance my career development.
- Build a network – colleagues, friends, mentors, sponsors, coaches, community and family – surround yourself with many people who you trust who can be a sounding board for your ideas, who can challenge you, who will help you see and seize new opportunities when they present themselves. Meet with other Black women in the industry to help drive change. So important! Many people have helped me to grow both personally and professionally.
- Continuous learning: learning a new skill even if it is 15-30 minutes a day learning a programming language. Growth Mindset to improve and this is essential in the tech industry.
- Embrace the fear of the unknown: There are many challenges and new situations that you will face such a hosting, facilitating or being a guest on a panel (public speaking). Some of these opportunities are rare, they are there to challenge you, embrace these opportunities to take you out of your comfort zone, it demonstrates growth and the ability to build/enhance your skill set.
- Finance: Saving for your future and retirement, as things change all the time
If you were not in this role what would be your alternative career?
I would be a First Responder, as I love watching Angela Bassett play Athena Grant in 9-1-1 and how she acts as a ‘mother figure’ wanting to protect people.
Who in your industry do you admire and why?
I admire a lot of people, from Ekua Cant, Flavilla Fongang, to Jenny Garrett and many others.
I believe that we should lift each other as we climb and this is what I have learnt from the communities that I am part of.
