Graeme Whippy, Senior Manager, Lloyds TSB IT Accessibility Group

Graeme Whippy has worked in IT since 1984, starting as an undergraduate teaching in the Computing Centre for People with Disabilities at the University of Westminster. Since then Graeme has performed a variety of technical roles in client-facing and end-user companies, gaining experience of software/web development throughout the project delivery lifecycle.

In 2001 he joined Lloyds TSB as a project manager, but gradually his passion and enthusiasm for accessibility took hold and in 2005 he succeeded in persuading the bank's directors to set up the IT Accessibility Centre of Excellence which he leads. Graeme's team is now responsible for defining accessibility standards (both for customer and staff facing IT solutions) and supporting adherence across the Lloyds TSB Group via governance and education.

Outside Lloyds TSB Graeme is a strong advocate for mainstreaming IT accessibility and works with organisations such as the Employers' Forum on Disability on creating change in the IT industry. His achievements were recognised in the 2009 Financial Sector Technology Awards where he won 'Outstanding contribution by an individual to the industry'.