SIMONE PERKINS

For Simone Perkins, two truths can coexist: you don’t need to know your destination to succeed, and you don’t need to fully understand someone’s background to work with them. What matters is showing up, doing your best, and being open to the growth that comes from difference.

Seventeen years ago, Simone didn’t plan to build a career in data privacy. Fresh out of university in Cardiff, she simply wanted to stay in the city she loved. A temp role in data entry at Legal & General turned into a permanent job, and over time, a career unfolded, one shaped by curiosity, resilience and the willingness to embrace challenge. “For me, it was never about having all the answers,” she reflects. “It was about taking each opportunity and building from there.”

That mindset has carried Simone through every stage of her career, from operational assurance to her current role as Data Protection Oversight Manager. It has also given her a unique perspective on power in her field. “With the explosion of data, AI and technology, people now realise just how valuable data is. But to do amazing things with it, you have to get the foundations right. That’s where our power lies, making sure the building blocks are strong, fair and ethical.”

Simone knows what it means to be “the only one.” As a young Black woman stepping into senior meetings, and for years as the only L&G data privacy professional based in Wales, she sometimes felt isolated. But instead of retreating, she expanded her network, connecting with Black data privacy professionals across the industry and finding her community through LinkedIn, employee networks and grassroots groups like the Black Girl Magic Network in Cardiff. “Belonging isn’t always given,” she says. “Sometimes you have to create it.”

Her leadership has extended far beyond her day job. From reverse mentoring the CFO to organising L&G’s sponsorship of the Cardiff Mela festival, Simone has used her platform to educate, inspire and widen access to opportunities. “If you want to know what it’s like to be a Black employee at L&G, ask someone who’s lived it,” she explains.

When asked what Standing Firm in Power and Pride means to her, Simone doesn’t hesitate: “It’s about resilience. There’s been so much backlash against diversity and inclusion in recent years, but we’re not backing down. We’re not going to get quieter. We’re standing firm.”

For her, power also means setting boundaries and teaching others to do the same, whether that’s asking for the pay rise you deserve, seeking support from managers and unions, or simply knowing when to rest. “Rest is also required. You don’t have to earn it. When we rest, we recharge and then we keep going.” In the words of the Nap Ministry: Rest is Resistance.

Simone’s story is rooted in heritage as well as perseverance. The granddaughter of the Windrush generation, she carries the strength of her grandparents’ sacrifices with her every day. “They left their families behind to build a life here. We are their legacy.”

Today, Simone lives in the Welsh countryside with her husband, their border collie Megan Barkle, and a campervan ready for weekend adventures. It’s a life she never predicted at 21, starting what she thought was just a summer job. But it’s proof of the power of being open to difference, of taking challenges as opportunities, and of always choosing to positively challenge.