After camping outside Birmingham City Council as a young migrant to gain access to university, Elham Fardad spent 23 years as a finance director in GE, News Corp, and EY. As founder and CEO of Migrant Leaders, Elham provides mentoring and career access for ethnic minority and low-income youth. Today, her program includes 4,000 mentees and 2,000 mentors from 95 FTSE100 and leading firms such as BP, Salesforce, and KPMG. Elham works with ERGs and social mobility teams to co-design opportunities that unlock pathways to leadership for underrepresented talent. Elham speaks regularly at universities, schools, and industry panels, amplifying the voices of young people often excluded from the conversation. In recognition of her ongoing advocacy for social equity, she was honoured in 2023 as a Coronation Champion and recipient of a Social Mobility Award. Elham was awarded the Freedom of the City of London by the Lord Mayor of London.