Travers Smith Partner Daniel Gerring makes the 2017 OUTstanding Leading LGBT Executives List presented by the Financial Times

The prestigious list profiles 100 high performing LGBT individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to promoting LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace and society. Those on the list were nominated by peers and colleagues and selected by a judging panel who scored the nominees’ achievements in promoting LGBT+ inclusion, the seniority and influence of their role as well as their business achievements.

As Head of Pensions at Travers Smith, Daniel leads one of the largest teams of pension fund lawyers in the country - advising on funds with in excess of £90 billion of assets, providing pensions to hundreds of thousands of people. The team has recently advised the trustee of the British Steel Pension Scheme on the separation of the scheme from Tata Steel - one of the most high profile transactions in the pensions sector this year.

Daniel is also Travers Smith's most senior LGBT+ role model, Chair of the firm's LGBT+ network and sits on its Diversity and Inclusion Board. Throughout his career he has worked on a wide range of initiatives to promote greater inclusion for LGBT+ people, and their allies, both in the workplace and in the wider community.

A notable achievement this year is Daniel's work with Just Like Us, an LGBT+ charity for young people, on the launch of an innovative new mentoring programme aimed at supporting LGBT+ students and recent graduates. As well as developing programme content, Travers Smith also put together a diverse group of senior mentors, who have been providing mentees from across the country with skills and advice to guide them through a period of significant change to ensure they start their first job confident in being themselves. The programme was launched in June 2017 by Lord Mandelson and the mentors include Amy Lamé, The Mayor of London's "Night Tsar"; Brian Bickell, CEO Shaftesbury; Chief Inspector Lou Provart, Chair of the National Police LGBT Network; and former RAF pilot and trans leader Ayla Holdom.

In 2017 Daniel also worked on a number of other LGBT-related activities including:

• leading a team of lawyers who give significant pro bono legal advice to LGBT organisations (including Stonewall, SeriesQ, Just Like Us and the RVT) - this provided Travers Smith lawyers with greater exposure to LGBT issues and a deeper understanding of what more can be done to promote LGBT related inclusion
• championing the development of more LGBT+ inclusive workplace policies - most recently, leading a review of the firm's trans-inclusivity - and driving positive change for trans/non binary people (including a revised dress code)
• implementing a corporate partnership with Emerald Life, a provider of LGBT inclusive insurance products, to help ensure our LGBT+ staff are able to access more inclusive services
• delivering initiatives aimed at supporting LGBT solicitors nationwide as a founding member of the Law Society's National LGBT Committee
• securing significant financial support for many LGBT organisations, including Stonewall, Just Like Us and the National LGBT Police Network

Daniel Gerring said: "It is a great honour to again be included in the OUTstanding Leading LGBT+ Executives List, presented by the FT. There is still much to do and we should never be complacent, but the collective achievements of the LGBT leaders listed this year are a real testament to how far we have progressed in championing the diversity and inclusion agenda in the business environment and beyond. The list also demonstrates the importance of individual contributions and I am very pleased to be able to play my part."

Suki Sandhu, Founder & CEO, OUTstanding commented: “There is no doubt that 2017 has been a difficult year for the LGBT+ cause. Yet the increased diversity within the lists and abundance of new faces shows the impact and power of role models across the globe.

I’m so proud to be celebrating more role models than ever before, and to be expanding our reach beyond the corporate world and into the public sector. When asked where I see the future of OUTstanding, I always say a world where we’re no longer needed. While we’re not quite there yet, the work of our incredible leaders is taking us in the right direction.”