A former banker and mother of four, Dr Kirsty Reynolds (MA Oxon, DProf) brings a unique and distinctly commercial perspective to the challenge of retaining women after maternity leave. Her doctoral research explored the question of how women can return to work sustainably in high-performance industries, surfacing insights for leaders into what career-focused women want and need if they are to thrive in these systems.
As an experienced executive coach (EMCC Senior Practitioner) and researcher, on the leadership team of a thriving global practice of 55 coaches, Kirsty maintains an ever-current perspective of the challenges leaders in the financial, professional and legal industries face in achieving gender balance.
Alongside coaching and consulting, Kirsty regularly shares her expertise through speaking engagements, at industry bodies such as People in Law, Level 20 and Women in Tax, and at diversity events such as Dive In Festival. She also regularly publishes thought-leadership articles and white papers
Glenda Shawley has spent more than 40 years in business, 24 of them running her own small business. Specialising in business start-ups and marketing, she has worked with a wide range of locally based businesses from acupuncture to web design. Her clients include home-based solopreneurs, established companies with several outlets and individuals with only the vaguest idea of the type of business they want to run. An accredited business adviser and qualified teacher of adults, Glenda specialises in practical advice and guidance developed over years of experience and study.
Barbara Salopek, CEO of Vinco Innovation AS and adjunct lecturer at BI Norwegian Business School, is an internationally recognized innovation expert. Over the past five years, she has led 20+ innovation projects and, throughout her career, has helped organizations secure over 100M NOK in funding across multiple industries.
Babatunde (Babs) Jolayemi Omotowa worked for 26 years with Shell in Nigeria and Europe. Starting work in a storeroom, he rose to become CEO of Nigeria LNG Ltd, with Shell shareholding and subsequently Vice-President across 40 countries. A former Global President of the UK Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply, he has spoken at the World Economic Summit, Universities such as Harvard and MIT, and at many global conferences. He now works with multi-national companies and not-for-profit organizations to help them work more effectively in partnership with the developing world, recognizing the bigger issues involved and finding routes to success that are good not just for business but at a global and local level.
Paul McCarthy’s career in management and leadership consulting spans over 25 years and he has worked with almost 100 organizations across the world in over 15 different industries and directly with thousands of leaders to develop their leadership capacity, capability and competency. He has developed leaders in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai and Sri Lanka. During his tenure with Deloitte and KPMG, Paul was positioned as each firm’s subject matter expert across Canada for both Talent Management and Leadership Development, often being brought in to speak with C-suite leaders on current and future trends, challenges and opportunities in the future of work and leadership. He provides advice, guidance and has real experience of supporting leaders and leadership teams through the process to adapt how they see the future of leadership and organizations, bringing a disruptive, yet evidence-based, experiential, and experimental approach that is beginning to shift the narrative within and beyond organizations.
Fabienne Vailes is Language Director at the University of Bristol, specialising in teaching French Language and Intercultural Competence and Communication. A key part of her role is helping students overcome the daily challenges they are faced with and develop the resilience they need to complete their studies and succeed both academically and in the workplace.
With almost 20 years’ experience in the educational sector, Fabienne has taught all age groups from nursery to primary, secondary, FE and HE as well as adult learners.
A trained NLP Practitioner and Master Practitioner and Coach, Mindfulness teacher and qualified clinical hypnotherapist with specialism in stress and anxiety, Fabienne is also a professional member of the ANLP and Mindfulness Association.
Through her company Flourishing Education she regularly runs workshops for both corporate and academic clients.
Peter Comber is the inventor of the Collaborative Creativity methodology and founding partner of Atstrat, a company providing Collaborative Creativity services to the healthcare industry.
An expert in applied creativity, with 35 years of professional experience that also includes a deep understanding of qualitative research, strategic planning and international marketing and management, Peter has unique practical knowledge of the power of group creativity.
Rachel Bonkink is no ordinary yoga teacher. She holds a Masters Degree in Commercial Sciences and a long corporate career as an operational director. She has studied Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been a life coach for over 10 years.
She specializes in organizing and hosting the most amazing yoga retreats, from Costa Rica to Scotland, from France to Morocco, leading groups, teaching yoga and relaxation in stunning locations and inspiring people to embed the principles of yoga into their everyday lives.
From the very start of her own yoga journey, the philosophy of yoga resonated with her more than any individual asana, or posture. She has continued to read, study and train to deepen her knowledge of yoga and meditation.
Between retreats she lives in rural Morocco, where she can be found by the beach writing, studying and enjoying life, doing the things that she loves the most.
Julie Smith is an experienced executive coach and the founder of boutique leadership consultancy Talent Sprout. Julie’s mission is to encourage and enable leaders to stretch themselves, to deepen their awareness and to grow their impact.
Julie has coached hundreds of executives and leadership teams both in the UK and internationally, working with well-known organizations across sectors ranging from packaged consumer goods to technology, insurance to luxury goods and banking to hospitality. Her corporate clients choose to work with her again and again – testament to her skill as a coach and her commitment to partnership.
Described by her clients as insightful, collaborative and ‘one of the best in her field’, Julie has designed development programmes that participants find ‘life changing’ and delivered keynote talks praised as ‘perspective-shifting, thought-provoking and action-inspiring.’
Julie’s first book, Coach Yourself Confident: Ditch the Self-doubt Tax, Unlock Humble Confidence is a multiple award winner, including Best Business Self Development Book of 2025 at the Business Book Awards.
Philippa Hann is an accomplished financial services expert and leader, recognised for her skill in navigating complex legal and regulatory challenges within the financial sector. With over twenty years’ experience as a specialist financial services lawyer, she built a strong reputation for her deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and her work addressing financial wrongdoing.
Now CEO of pioneering financial planning firm, Paradigm Norton Financial Planning, Philippa brings this legal and strategic expertise to bear in guiding the business toward meaningful, values-based growth. Throughout her career, she has championed greater transparency, accountability, and ethical standards across the industry.
