Designing inclusion from the inside out

For Jing Chang, inclusion is at the heart of the most powerful type of change. Now a Senior Manager in Financial Risk at Lloyds Banking Group and an MSc Financial Mathematics alum, Jing has spent more than 14 years applying rigorous, logical thinking not only to financial risk and capital management, but also to the systems and behaviours that shape who gets the opportunity to progress.

Jing came to Warwick Business School as an international student, having already developed a strong interest in problem-solving through engineering and mathematics. Her time at WBS sharpened that instinct, but it also exposed something more fundamental: opportunity is not shaped by talent alone. Access and inclusion matter, often in ways that are easy to miss until you experience the barriers yourself. 

“At the time, Lloyds was one of the few providers offering international student accounts, and that experience stayed with me. When the WBS Careers Team shared an opportunity at Lloyds Banking Group, I applied and secured the role. It showed me how practical barriers can shape opportunity, and it helped set the direction for my career: using quantitative skills to solve real-world problems at scale.”

That early lesson shaped how Jing thinks about change. Small points of friction can have disproportionate consequences, and when those barriers are left unchallenged, they quietly determine who gets supported and who is left to work around the system. A defining moment came when she returned from maternity leave.

“Returning from maternity leave, I needed a private, appropriate room to express milk to support my daughter’s medical need, yet the facilities described in policy didn’t work in practice. That gap taught me something fundamental: leaders are always willing to support colleagues, but outcomes fail when people with lived needs are not involved in the design. Since then, I’ve actively identified friction points, partnered with the right stakeholders to fix root causes, and encouraged others, especially those with needs that may be invisible, to speak up early and shape solutions.”

That experience became a turning point. Jing went on to initiate Lloyds’ first purpose-designed maternity returner room and contribute to improving maternity pay policy. More broadly, she has built a record of turning inclusion from principle into practical action. She founded the East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) Network at Lloyds, supported colleagues as an Ethnicity Mental Health Advocate, and helped advance inclusion across social mobility, neurodiversity, mental health, disability and carers communities. Her colleagues recognised that impact through her inclusion in the EMpower Top 30 Future Leaders Role Model 2025, and she has also been recognised for four consecutive years as an LBG REACH Ethnicity Role Model.

Curiosity helps me prioritise doing the right thing, not just doing things correctly.

The WBS mindset, Jing says, goes beyond technical knowledge. “WBS taught me to stay curious and to keep testing assumptions, even when the environment encourages ‘this is how it’s always done.’ In large regulated organisations, it’s easy to optimise for compliance and process; curiosity helps me prioritise doing the right thing, not just doing things correctly. That mindset has sharpened my critical thinking, strengthened how I influence stakeholders, and helped me design solutions that work in practice, not only on paper.”

That same mindset also shapes her view of leadership. In an industry where authority is still often associated with being assertive, direct and command-driven, Jing wants to expand the model.

“In banking, leadership is still often associated with being ‘assertive,’ ‘direct,’ and ‘command-driven.’ I want to challenge that narrow template. My aspiration is to lead as a soft-but-firm woman with a strong cultural anchor, driving outcomes with empathy, clarity and high standards. I also want to keep building systems that enable others, especially underrepresented talent, to progress without having to change who they are to be seen as leadership material.”

Alongside her senior role and family life, Jing is now in the final stage of completing her Executive MBA. She describes that journey as about far more than adding another qualification. “I’m proud of the resilience and discipline it has built in me, and of how it has strengthened my ability to lead through ambiguity. Most importantly, it reinforced my belief that sustainable impact comes from combining technical excellence, personal credibility and long-term commitment.”

Progress doesn’t require a perfect plan, it requires momentum. 

For Jing, change rarely begins with certainty. It begins with paying attention to what is not working, and being willing to act. “Many of the obstacles in front of us are assumptions: about whether we’re allowed to challenge something, whether anyone will listen, or whether it’s worth the effort. I’ve learned not to walk past friction points. When you engage constructively, you often find that barriers move faster than expected.”

Her advice to current students is grounded in the same principle. “If you see a need for change, you are rarely the only one. There are usually many others who feel it but don’t know where to start. Take the first step, ask for allies, and turn your idea into a practical proposal people can act on. WBS gives you the tools. Use them to create impact with evidence, clarity and confidence. Progress doesn’t require a perfect plan; it requires momentum.”

For Jing, being a Change Maker means choosing action over hesitation, so the world becomes better not only for you, but for the people who come next.