Careers in Alternatives: Nathalie Richards

The next generations have so much to offer. So many of them often don’t recognize that they are future leaders and have huge amounts of potential.

Nathalie Richards
CEO, SEO London

Connecting talent with opportunity lies at the heart of Nathalie Richards’ mission as CEO of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO London). Nathalie recently shared her insights into this mission, as well as her own inspiring journey, in an interview with Leon Sinclair, EVP, Head of GP at Preqin. SEO London is dedicated to empowering individuals in the UK from under-served and under-represented backgrounds to thrive in fiercely competitive industries such as private equity, real estate, and financial technology. Since 2001, the non-profit has equipped over 10,000 individuals with essential soft skills, motivation, training, and valuable internship opportunities, providing a pathway to successful careers.


60-years strong: A glance at SEO's legacy

SEO was born in the heart of the US civil rights movement and committed to providing opportunities for individuals from African-American backgrounds to help them achieve their full potential. Beginning with after-school programs, it expanded its reach to offer career-focused initiatives for university students in the 1980s. By the year 2000, SEO alumni recognized the same need for workplace diversity in the UK and founded SEO London using the New York model. Now, it uplifts both students and graduates with its thriving Schools and Alumni programs.

A strong support network

SEO London maintains a dedicated support network through partnerships in the alternatives space, including top firms such as Goldman Sachs Asset Management, KKR, Advent International, and Apax Partners. The launch of SEO London’s Alternatives Investment Program (AIP), which assists students and recent graduates looking to break into private equity, has been pivotal in strengthening the partnership with Preqin. Given Preqin’s expertise in alternative investments, SEO & Preqin collaborate often to educate students on the industry and to share the latest data-driven trends.

Additional collaborations and sponsorships with industry partners, primarily from the technology and financial services sectors, reflect a commitment by the partners to building a future talent pipeline. One remarkable example is an SEO London alum, Nishi Somaiya, who was part of the inaugural 2001 cohort and is now a senior partner at Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Today, she proudly serves as an SEO London trustee and a passionate ambassador for their impactful work.

Nathalie’s philanthropic journey

Growing up in Ilford, Essex, Nathalie had no exposure to the diverse career opportunities within finance and business, like many other students from minority or low socioeconomic backgrounds. Her dream of becoming a lawyer was inspired by the television show L.A. Law, as she lacked real-life role models.

“When I was growing up, I hadn't heard of many of the wonderful career paths that I'm now fortunate enough to support young people in being able to get into”.

Nathalie’s university offered a similar program to SEO, which became her stepping stone into finance. During an internship at the Bank of England, Nathalie realized the true impact she could have on the financial industry.

“I had two summer internships at the Bank of England, and the ability to go into a building like that, walking through the prestigious doors of the UK’s central bank in Threadneedle Street, was life-changing. It really opened my eyes and, importantly, made me feel that I had something valuable to offer to these types of organizations”.

After transitioning through roles in management consulting, earning an MBA from INSEAD, and interning at Lehman Brothers, Nathalie chose to take on a new challenge and step away from the corporate world. She launched EduKit UK, an initiative that helps schools to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of both staff and students through technology.

“Launching EduKit was my dream come true, using my corporate background and experience to help change the lives of young people".

Now, at SEO London, Nathalie continues to combine her corporate expertise and expansive network with her passion to transform young lives.

Navigating race, gender, and leadership

Early in her career, Nathalie faced the double challenge of race and gender, almost always being the only black person, and often even the only woman in the room. As a senior leader, she encountered unique difficulties, feeling the need to work harder to establish credibility compared with her male peers.

"As a female leader, often people hear you in a different way to the way they hear your male counterparts. It can be more difficult to establish credibility and awareness of what you bring to the table”.

With 20 years of experience, she's seen progress, but believes there’s still work to be done - especially in achieving greater gender equality at senior levels.

Recommendations for companies seeking to improve DEI Initiatives

    “The worst thing an organization can do is do nothing.”

Nathalie stresses the need for comprehensive data collection, covering, as a minimum, socioeconomic status, race, and gender, as individuals advance through an organization. While diversity is often higher at junior levels, the goal is to elevate representation in senior positions.

       “Meaningful data around DEI is often difficult to come by, but if you don't have the data, you can't accurately describe some of the challenges that might be occurring and, importantly, you won’t know if your strategies are working”.

Nathalie also advocates for investing time in understanding the experiences of young professionals, as an increased awareness of diverse perspectives correlates with greater innovation and efficiency.

Empowering the next generation 

In her role as CEO, Nathalie addresses the primary concern for young individuals from under-served backgrounds, which is the lack of access to career information and opportunities. SEO London further provides tailored support for mental health and finances, areas of particular importance considering recent economic challenges. She also invites everyone to look out for SEO's upcoming Alternative Investments Conference in February.

Nathalie's parting advice emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself, building soft skills, and giving back to the community.

       “The next generations have so much to offer. So many of them often don’t recognize that they are future leaders and have huge amounts of potential. Self-belief is very important and underpins a lot of our work.”

Recognizing the advancements in the DEI space over recent decades, she encourages us to bear in mind that, despite this progress, there remains ample room for growth through sustained collective efforts.

Explore our previous blog post to learn more about SEO London's services and their educational initiatives.