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Oakley Mentoring Programme
Supporting and developing our talent
Feedback from previous employee engagement surveys highlighted a strong demand for more structured learning and development opportunities. In the survey, employees across the business expressed an interest in growing their careers, developing new skills and gaining greater clarity around career progression. In response, Oakley committed to taking meaningful action to support employee development at all levels of seniority.
To deliver on this, the Employee Engagement Committee worked in collaboration with the HR Team to design a mentoring programme in line with the Company’s broader people strategy. The goal was to create a framework that offered practical, relevant support tailored to the needs of different groups within the organisation. Launched in early 2024, the mentoring programme began with three pilot schemes:
External 1:1
A mentoring scheme for Associates, Senior Associates and Managers in Investment, IR and Specialist teams. This provided access to experienced professionals from across the industry, offering external perspective, networking opportunities and career insight.
Internal 1:1
A mentoring scheme for Analysts, Associates and Managers in the Operations teams. Employees were paired with senior leaders within Oakley, giving them access to organisational knowledge, strategic guidance and support with personal development planning.
Peer-to-peer mentoring
An internal scheme for Executive Assistants, aimed at creating a space for shared learning, practical advice and mutual support within their roles.
The mentoring experience was widely viewed as a valuable space for participants to reflect on their goals, gain clarity around their career direction, and develop new approaches to day-to-day challenges.
One year on, feedback from participants has been highly positive. Employees reported that the programme was very well managed, matching them with mentors who were relevant to their goals and supportive of their individual needs, offering trusted advice. The mentoring experience was widely viewed as a valuable space for participants to reflect on their goals, gain clarity around their career direction, and develop new approaches to day-to-day challenges. Many participants felt the programme was a meaningful investment in their development, with the relationships formed through mentoring helping build confidence in their role.
Following the success of the pilot schemes, during 2025, Oakley will focus on how best to scale the programme and embed it as a key part of the employee experience. The mentoring initiative has become a strong example of how employee feedback can lead to impactful, people-focused action – reinforcing Oakley’s commitment to growth, inclusion and long-term development.