Akua Opong
Non-Executive Director
As, a Non-Executive Director, Akua is focused on making a contribution to Genius Within CIC, objectives and providing a wider overview of external factors. The key aim is to focus on the overall strategy, and values and provide entrepreneur leadership. Akua brings in knowledge of Corporate Social Responsibility, Employee Resource Groups, Technology, Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Akua has enjoyed being part of a wonderful, diverse and strong community that all have a shared common purpose. As, a relatively new member, she has enjoyed sharing ideas, and different perspectives and being part of this team has brought up a creative spark in her thought process. All the Non-Executive Directors offer something special and unique. The team demonstrates the value of strength in numbers and the beauty of when people with the same passions combine, something magical is the outcome.
Outside of Genius Within, Akua works at LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group). She learned about the term Neurodiversity and since then has been focused on helping Neurodiverse colleagues at LSEG, as a UK Co-Lead for the Accessibility Network.
She has helped set up a well-structured Accessibility Network, where they hosted awareness days, discussed Mental Health, and accessibility training from Microsoft, participated in Neurodiversity Celebration Week alongside schools and other organisations across the UK and much more. They have devised a structure to ensure we provide technology, review HR policies and make all employees feel like they belong. They have rolled out sunflower lanyards that will help employees feel comfortable disclosing their self-identity as having a disability and celebrate International Day of Persons with Disability (IDPD) every year to highlight both invisible and visible disabilities.
Akua only got diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD through an assessment with Genius Within in May 2021, a week before she started her Microsoft and Change Management exams. When she first got her diagnosis, she didn’t fully process the next steps, as she was focused on her exams. It is interesting as she joined the Accessibility Network (previously Ability) at LSEG and six months into helping to raise awareness on Neurodiversity, a colleague asked her “Are you Neurodiverse?” back in 2019 and this is what made her think about it but she has always been passionate about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. Fast forward to 2024, Akua finds that she is gradually coping better but finds textbooks challenging to comprehend when studying, as she is a visual learner and reading a lot of text can be difficult.
What 3 words would Akua use to describe Genius Within?
Collaboration, engagement and hope.
What is Akua’s favourite way to relax and unwind after a day’s work?
Akua enjoys listening to podcasts like Simon Sinek or Brené Brown and a long walk. Every day she journals, to reflect on the day and express her thoughts.
What is Akua’s Inner Genius?
Small acts of kindness
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” – Edith Wharton
