Mitesh Sheth, the outgoing CEO of Redington, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen's New Year Honours list for services to diversity and inclusion within the UK's financial services sector.
Sheth is an advisory board member for the Diversity Project, an active member of the CEO sponsor group for the gender workstream and an LGBT Great #50for50 ally.
Sheth, who has been at Redington for eight years and held the role of CEO for five years, announced in November that he would step down at the end of 2021.
Under his leadership, the firm's employee numbers grew from fewer than 80 to more than 200 and its gender pay gap reduced significantly. Redington now has a mean gender pay gap of 4.9%, and a bonus pay gap of 3.5%, below the industry average pay gap of 30%, according to PWC.
Mitesh Sheth steps down as Redington CEO
Outside of his professional life, Sheth has volunteered for more than 20 years for the Divine Youth Association (DYA UK), a charity inspired by the late Templeton Prize winner Pandurang Shastri Athavale.
Sheth said: "I feel blessed to have been recognised for this important work we have been doing over the past few years. It has been a big collaborative effort and it needs to be, as there is still a very long way to go."
He added: "The pandemic has further increased the inequalities in our society - we need less talk and more action. If we keep doing what we've always done, we'll continue to get the results that we have always got. As leaders we have a responsibility and opportunity to change ourselves, our teams, our organisations and, over time, the world.
"We must begin with empathy and compassion for our fellow human beings, create a safe space to talk and learn openly, be agile in failing fast and sharing lessons to build bridges for all those that are being left behind. I am inspired every day by the many incredible people, past and present, who are creating a more sustainable and equitable industry and world for our children."
The New Year Honours List 2022 is the most ethnically diverse honours list to date, with 15.1% of recipients coming from an ethnic minority background.
