Diverse & Inclusive Leaders

Alice ChoiLeila is joined by Alice Choi – Chief Operating Officer/Executive Director – Scientific Council at McCann Health, member of Northern Power Women’s Top 50 Power List and one of the Top 25 Women Leaders in UK Healthcare 2019 Pharmaceutical Market Europe (PME).IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT·         Alice’s career story so far, from academic beginnings in pharmacology and public health before entering the world of medical communications·         Her extracurricular projects outside of work such as her current involvement with Cancer Research UK’s ‘Women in Influence’ programme as a mentor and her work as a governor for the NHS Christie Foundation Trust·         How Alice is fortunate to be part of a female-dominated workforce (over 70% of McCann Health’s employees are female)·         Alice’s thoughts on how best to maintain a healthy work-life balance as a woman operating at C-suite level·         Alice’s belief that the most important aspect of inclusion is to make sure that everyone has a seat

Ewan PearsonLeila is joined by Ewan Pearson – Managing Director at Grant Pearson Brown Consulting Ltd and Executive Chairman at Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC).IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· Ewan’s extremely diverse career story to date, having had numerous professions as a medical doctor, school teacher, investment banker, stockbroker and latterly a professional adviser in communications (both spoken and written)· How Ewan’s longest career path so far has been in communications despite English not being one of his strongest areas academically· The impact that nerves can have on anyone – as Ewan learned from a difficult experience during his wedding speech!· Ewan’s belief that the infamous comment “You’re not ready yet” is used much more regularly regarding women applying for promotions, and in a much more negative sense· “It’s absolutely important that you are yourself”: the importance of authenticity in communication coaching (particularly with females as they feel more pressure to pretend to b

Janice LaoLeila is joined by Janice Lao – Group Director Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at the Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, 2009 Sustainability Leader of the Year award winner.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· How Janice’s upbringing differed from the traditionally conservative and withdrawn nature of Chinese culture· How Janice’s upbringing prepared her for British culture when she was studying here· Janice’s efforts to educate her children on ‘unconscious bias’· “As long as you have a brain, you have a bias”: how unspoken agreements are often key to you and your colleagues, friends, etc. keeping each other in check· The importance of Inclusion in the hotel industry· How being bullied as a 13-year-old helped lead Janice to accept who she was· Thoughts on how best to overcome imposter syndrome: “Don’t ever give your life for anyone”RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDwww.janicelao.com Twitter/Instagram: @janiceillaoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiceillao/Continue the conversation

Frauke BehrensLeila is joined by Frauke Behrens – Yoga Instructor.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· How Frauke left her former career behind in order to become a professional yoga teacher in order to do something for herself· Frauke’s recovery from severe illness, which led her to change her approach life completely· Frauke’s use of “servant leadership” to help both her yoga students and her former employees· The importance of chakras, which are the body’s equivalent to “power points”· Frauke being a particularly strong example of how it is never too late to try something newRESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDhttps://fraukeyogafuerteventura.com/homeInstagram @fraukefuerteventurahttps://www.facebook.com/frauke.behrens.79Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Dianne GreysonLeila is joined by Dianne Greyson - Managing Partner at Synergised Solutions, Director at Equilibrium Mediation Consulting and author.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· A ‘transformation bias’ product that Dianne has recently co-created, which is designed to tackle inherent bias· The recent release of Dianne’s book, Business Culture Review, where she analyses how companies treat employees, etc.· The importance of engaging with employees as fellow human beings and not just “resources” in order to understand their issues properly RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDwww.equilibriummediation.com dgreyson@synergisedsolutions.comwww.linkedin.com/in/dgreyson Twitter: @EMClimited and @synergisedsolutionsContinue the conversation on LinkedIn

Susan RobsonLeila is joined by Susan Robson - Principal Consultant at National Grid, Chair of Women in National Grid (WING), Financial Times & HERoes #1 Future Leader for Champions of Women in Business 2018.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· Sue’s work as part of Women in National Grid (WING), ranging from face to face training and mentoring for women in the business to supporting the development of an intersectional and more inclusive culture· How “saying yes to things” and being open to opportunities has led to her progressing to new roles in her career· How Susan is finding herself more drawn to innovation in purpose-driven activities such as carbon neutrality and wider goals in sustainabilityRESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-robson-09/Twitter @SusanRobson9Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Caroline Pugh – CEO/Founder at Oya Partners and Advisor to Chairman of Africa Rising Leila is joined by Caroline Pugh – CEO/Founder at Oya Partners and Advisor to Chairman of Africa Rising.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· Caroline’s career journey so far, from working with Barack Obama to working with the Mandela family to combat the HIV virus in Africa· Growing up as an only child in rural Virginia, and how this shaped her curiosity and desire to set out on her own unique journey/path through life· The challenges behind starting your own business and living as an entrepreneur· Caroline’s belief in the importance of networking to the cause of D&I: “women need to support more women” RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDcaroline@mandela.cohttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinepughv/Instagram @caroline_pughContinue the conversation on LinkedIn

Kris Macchiarola - President at KMACC Solutions Leila is joined by Kris Macchiarola: President at KMACC Solutions, Author of No Approval Needed, Consultant at Versea Holdings Inc. and Tribe Leader at S.H.E. Tampa.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT·         Kris’ exciting recent book project, for which she interviewed nearly 60 women in their 40s on a confidential basis from all over the world·         Kris’ book covers humanist topics, relevant to both men and women, with a number of powerful stories such as marriage, affairs, libido, etc.·         The importance of using your failures to drive future successes RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-macchiarola/Facebook #NoApprovalNeededBook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1072450256268730www.krismacc-author.comwww.kmaccsolutions.comContinue the conversation on LinkedIn

Paul Sesay - Founder of Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers (Inclusive Companies), the National Diversity Awards and National MentorsLeila is joined by Paul Sesay: Founder of Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers (Inclusive Companies), the National Diversity Awards and National Mentors.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· How being taken under his role model’s wing led him to relocate to Liverpool when he was younger, and the resulting impact on his career· How Paul’s frustration at a lack of conviction in the diversity and inclusion practices space led him to start his own business· The important role that community organisations used to play in supporting those from diverse backgrounds· How role models can influence our development, often without their realisation of how inspirational they have been RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-sesay-93260013/https://nationaldiversityawards.co.uk/https://inclusivetop50.co.uk/Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Jennifer Brown - Founder, President & CEO at Jennifer Brown Consulting, award-winning entrepreneur, Diversity & Inclusion Speaker, Consultant & Author.Leila is joined by Jennifer Brown: Founder, President & CEO at Jennifer Brown Consulting, award-winning entrepreneur, Diversity & Inclusion Speaker, Consultant & Author.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· How Jennifer helps people move from understanding the ‘why’ (reason for taking action in D&I within an organisation) to taking action with the ‘what’ (what exactly should an organisation do along these lines?)· Jennifer’s own personal journey, from damaging her voice as an opera singer in training to reinventing herself as a corporate trainer· Jennifer’s passion for using her voice and putting aside any “momentary discomfort” she might feel in order to lead/inspire others· The need for all executive business leaders (including white males) to embrace their backgrounds and personal stories in order to further the diversity causeRES

Chris Gray – Managing Director at AccentureLeila is joined by Chris Gray: Managing Director at Accenture, Director of the North West Business Leadership Team, HRH Prince of Wales Ambassador for Responsible Business and Chair of Business in the Community in the North West.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· How Chris focuses on spending time with his own team, both abroad in India and at home in Manchester· Chris’ belief that everyone is diverse in their own way· How much Chris values the internal LGBTQ+ network at Accenture and views it as his way of giving back after benefitting from the same support as a gay individual earlier in his career· Chris’ work on leveraging the “network effect” of his position in the North West Business Leadership team to support female leaders in the north west· The workforce changes that are happening as a result of the ‘post-digital’ world RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cjgray1/Twitter @cjgrayukContinue the conversation on LinkedIn

Sara Neff - Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty CorporationLeila is joined by Sara Neff: Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· The environmental focus of Sara’s current role – Kilroy have committed to becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2020· How a strong sustainability strategy can help attract strong, diverse talent: 90% of the job applicants who reach interview stage at Kilroy mention sustainability in their interviews· Sara’s argument that it is perfectly acceptable to use a less formal and more direct form of speech and still be an authentic leaderRESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDwww.saraneff.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-neff-4490b214/Twitter @NeffSaraContinue the conversation on LinkedIn

Alexandra Watson - Editor In Chief at SHINE UK Magazine, Founder of TRUE Leadership for Women, Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling AuthorLeila is joined by Alexandra Watson, Editor In Chief at SHINE UK Magazine, Founder of TRUE Leadership for Women, Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· Alex’s exciting new role with DIAL Global· Alex’s view on how best to resolve the challenges preventing women from moving into business leadership roles via her own 2020 initiative· More details on the leadership training modules at the heart of 2020, which are available to individuals at all levels (from graduate to C-suite) within all industries· The intersection between emotional intelligence and a more intellectual approach in 2020’s leadership training· The extremely low representation of women in senior level roles in the business world, and further thoughts on what exactly has held women back from filling these roles RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDhttp://alexandrawatson.com/ ht

Catherine Berardi: Founder & CEO at Prime Chief of StaffLeila is joined by Catherine Berardi, Founder & CEO at Prime Chief of Staff.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT·  How Catherine transitioned from her original dream career of becoming a saxophone player to deciding to pursue a career in business instead· The beginning of her career as a receptionist at Ariel Investments and how she later returned there as Chief of Staff to the President years later· Catherine’s acceptance that she didn’t fit into any one “box” in terms of verticals or specialised fields at an organisation, which led to her realising the importance of everyone accepting their differences and what makes them stand out· How Catherine’s experience with D&I by working for a line manager of colour has made a huge difference to not just her career but also her own personal experience and beliefs after growing up in a heavily Caucasian environment in Alabama· The importance of talking about D&I in a positive way, without using a

Jules Lund: Founder at TRIBE Leila is joined by Jules Lund, Founder at TRIBE and former TV/radio presenter at Southern Cross Austereo.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT· Jules’ incredible journey as an entrepreneur, from starting out selling used golf balls to founding a successful multi-million pound marketing business· Tribe’s recent highlight in attracting former Unilever Chief Marketing Officer Keith Weed as an investor· Jules’ personal career “lowlights” and how he has bounced back from these, most notably dealing with the stress of finding investors last year and dealing with being considered a micromanager· The importance of both ideas and execution in business: “You can’t have anything without a great idea, but from there it’s all execution” RESOURCES & INFORMATION MENTIONEDhttps://www.tribegroup.co/https://www.linkedin.com/in/juleslund/Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Adriènne Kelbie: Chief Executive at Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) Leila is joined by Adriènne Kelbie - Chief Executive at Office for Nuclear Regulation, Board Trustee of CareTech Charitable Foundation, Ambassador at POWERful Women and Patron – Women in Nuclear at the Nuclear Institute.IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT·         Adriènne’s own learning journey through her career so far, from dropping out of college after a year to working as a trainer for a number of years and becoming a well-formed and rounded generalist CEO.·         Adriènne’s belief in how important it is to learn from your failures and resolve your crises in confidence: “Even the strongest of us have bad days”.·         How important it is to avoid having a bad attitude as a consequence of holding onto fears and feelings about negative incidents in the past.·         Adriènne’s efforts to represent everyone and not just women in terms of her I&D work·         ONR’s I&D/recruitment strategies which now leverages activity su

Saheb Youssef Bakhsh: Sales | Marketing | Business Development StrategistIn this episode of Diverse & Inclusive Leaders: Leila chats to Saheb Youssef Bakhsh, learning about what inspires a lot of people about learning and the importance of understanding different cultures and different international perspectives. Find out more about Tania Group of Companies Singapore http://www.taniagroup.com/Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Matt Burns: BENTOHR Founder and Chief Innovation OfficerIn this episode of Diverse & Inclusive Leaders: Leila chats to Matt Burns, a passionate, innovative Global HR Executive who sits at the intersection of technology & culture.Today, Matt is a founding member of the Global HR Collective, which helps organizations undertake similar transformations.Blending strategy, technology, data & culture, Matt architects & implements solutions that make organizations more profitable, efficient & human-centric. Find out more about BENTOHR - https://bentohr.com/Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Charlotte Speak: Strengths Coach and Talent Consultant Leila chats to Charlotte Speak, showing the world what the Power of the Parent is all about. Charlotte is a strengths practitioner, critical thinker, question asker, lover of reflection time and a parent who is juggling a business, a family and a life! After a 12 year corporate career it was time for her to figure out what was really important and how she could use her strengths and skills to start making a difference to the experience returners (and businesses) face after the significant life change of starting a family. Charlotte helps returners reconnect with what drives them and often redefine what their version of success now looks like. Find out more about Power of the Parent - http://power-of-the-parent.com/Continue the conversation on LinkedIn

Suzie Walker: Founder & Chief Fire Starter at THE PRIMAL PANTRY. Leila chats to Suzie Walker from The Primal Pantry, an award-winning real food energy and protein bar maker. To find out more about Suzie and The Primal Pantry, click https://www.primalpantry.com/ Continue the conversation on LinkedIn