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Nicola Barke is a professional boxer with an undefeated record.
She has earned World Titles in Burmese Boxing, and Taekwondo, and is also a dynamic, engaging public speaker with extensive experience in event hosting, motivational speaking, and sports commentary.
She is also a Global Transformation Manager for HSBC, and an on-screen combat actor, working with or without weapons for film and commercial.
With a degree in Biomedical Sciences, it should come as no shock that Nicola Barke’s first step on the career ladder was in the medical, teaching, and coaching industries.
She began working as a medical science lecturer, and then moved into peer-assisted learning at the University of the West of England. Following this, she became a mentor and sports coach for Sports 1st Ltd, and then an on-call coordinator for Dean Healthcare.
A career in finance soon followed, with a year at Robert Half Finance and Accounting, and four years at a variety of private equity firms, including GMT Communications, Permira, Clayton Dubilier & Rice, and Warburg Pincus.
She has been working for HSBC in a range of roles since 2015, including Sales and Service Manager, Savings Product Manager, Regional Support Manager, Transformation Manager, Digital Messaging Specialist, Market Activation Specialist, and Global Project Manager. Since 2021, she has worked as their Global Transformation Manager, involved in managing investment funds of over £30 million, and overseeing a team of 170.
Alongside her work at HSBC, Nicola has been a model for companies including Balenciaga, and Sports Direct, and made the leap into professional boxing also in 2021.
Whilst her boxing career may be short, she has achieved so much, including an undefeated record. Other highlights include:
– Being ranked UK number 2 super lightweight division
– Being ranked in the top 25 worldwide super lightweight division
– Signed to the UK’s largest boxing promoter – Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions
– ITF Taekwondo welterweight world champion
– ITF Taekwondo welterweight European champion
– ITF Taekwondo welterweight British champion
– WLC Lethwei super lightweight world champion
– WBA British lightweight kickboxing champion
– WBO British lightweight kickboxing champion
Nicola is known for her ability to captivate and inspire audiences by sharing powerful and honest stories of resilience. Her life has not always been easy – she survived a life-threatening car crash, she’s battled PTSD, she was born with narcolepsy, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and has endured a range of boxing-related and unrelated injuries, including broken ribs and a torn knee that saw her confined to a wheelchair.
Nicola has endured years of being told that boxing isn’t for women, and she has made it her mission to succeed in the sport and show women that they can do anything they put their mind to. Not only that, but with almost a decade working in the banking world, she’s frequently the only woman in a man’s world. She uses these experiences to inspire and motivate audiences of all sizes.
Previous corporate experience includes:
– Commentating on the Queensbury Boxing Live Stream
– Engaged HSBC Employees on International Women’s Day on Empowerment and Resilience
– Conducted Interviews With Athletes on BBC 3 Counties Radio
– Been a Guest Speaker on a Number of Podcasts on Sport, Success, and Health
– Spoke at the Tennis and Football Awards Evenings on Hard Work and Sportsmanship
– Delivered a Talk on “Growing Up With Narcolepsy” at Sheffield Children’s Hospital
– Delivered Empowering Speeches for Various Schools and Colleges
– Resilience
– Performing At Your Best
– Female Empowerment
– Sports
– Motivation
– Mental Health
– Physical Health