Sandie Okoro

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Sandie Okoro
Born1964 (age 59–60)
London, England, United Kingdom[1]
NationalityBritish
OccupationLawyer

Sandie Okoro OBE (born 1964)[1] is a British lawyer who serves as general counsel of Standard Chartered Bank.[citation needed] She previously served as senior vice-president and general counsel at the World Bank Group.[2] She has previously been general counsel at Barings Asset Management, and head of legal at Schroders Investment Management International.[3][4]

Early life[edit]

Okoro was born in Fulham, London, in 1964, and grew up in nearby Balham. Her father was a teacher from Nigeria, and her mother a nurse from Trinidad. At the age of nine she decided she wanted to become a judge, influenced by the television programme Crown Court, and undeterred by a school teacher, asking the class their chosen careers, who said "Sandie, little black girls from Balham don't become judges."[5]

She attended Putney High School and then studied law and politics at the University of Birmingham.[5] After university she studied at the Inns of Court School of Law, now part of City, University of London, and joined Lincoln's Inn, qualifying as a barrister in 1988.[1] In a change of course she re-qualified as a solicitor and in 1990 joined Schroders as head of its trusts team.[5]

Career[edit]

Okoro worked at Schroders from 1990 to April 2007, rising to be head of legal for corporate services and then joined Barings as its global general counsel. After seven years at Barings she moved to become global general counsel at HSBC Global Asset Management.[1]

In November 2016 she was appointed senior vice-president and general counsel for the World Bank Group.[2]

Okoro has been involved with organisations including the Black British Business Awards,[6] the Law Society's Diversity Access Scheme,[7] and International Lawyers for Africa (ILFA), of which she was president in 2014.[6][8]

Recognition[edit]

Okoro has been listed several times in the Powerlist, a listing of the most influential black people in the United Kingdom most recently being listed in the 2020 edition. In the 2015 list she was at fourth place (or fifth, as third place was shared).[9]

In 2014 City, University of London awarded Okoro an honorary doctorate for her "outstanding achievements in the legal profession and financial services", noting that in her then role of general counsel at HSBC Asset Management "She is the only female lawyer from an ethnic minority holding such a position in the City".[1]

In 2014 The Guardian listed Okoro as one of "10 women who are changing the face of the City".[10]

At the 2016 UK Diversity Legal Awards, Okoro was given a BSN Lifetime Achievement Award.[11]

In July 2019, Okoro featured in a biography film[12] as part of the First 100 Years of Women (2014–2019): Women in Law campaign, created to mark 100 years since British women were legally allowed to join the professions, including law.[13]

Okoro was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours, "For services to Diversity in International Finance".[14]

Personal life[edit]

Okoro has a son and a daughter,[15] and in 2010 was on the board of governors of her daughter's school.[5]

In 1997 and 1999 Okoro completed the London Marathon.[16]

She has said that the two people she most admires are Nelson Mandela and a family member.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "Distinguished law alumna receives honorary degree". City, University of London. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b "World Bank Group Appoints Sandie Okoro Senior Vice President and General Counsel". World Bank. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  3. ^ Tsang, Linda (11 July 2011). "In-House Interview: Sandie Okoro". The Times. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Interview: Sandie Okoro, General Counsel, HSBC Global Asset Management". Diversity and Inclusion. GC Magazine. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Dean, James (14 January 2010). "Barings' global general counsel on dispelling myths and rising to the top". The Law Society Gazette. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Dr Sandie Okoro". Staff. Black British Business Awards. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  7. ^ "Diversity champion Sandie Okoro appointed general counsel at the World Bank". The Law Society. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  8. ^ "Who we are". International Lawyers for Africa. 2014. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Power List 2015: Britain's Most Influential People of African And African Caribbean Heritage". MAD News UK. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  10. ^ Minter, Harriet (10 March 2014). "10 women who are changing the face of the City". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  11. ^ "About the 2016 winners". UK Diversity Legal Awards. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  12. ^ "Videos". First 100 Years. 11 September 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  13. ^ "First 100 Years". First 100 Years. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  14. ^ "No. 64296". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2023. p. n15.
  15. ^ a b "Sandie Okoro". Lawyer of the Month. Black Lawyers Directory. c. 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Sandie Okoro". Celebrating Ndi-Igbo. 14 April 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
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