Meet the founders behind Herizen

Laura Robillard

Laura Robillard is the co-founder of Herizen, a menopause and midlife wellbeing platform supporting women through hormonal change with science-backed education, expert guidance and community support. Alongside building Herizen, Laura has an extensive background in customer transformation and leadership within major UK organisations. Following breast cancer treatment and medically induced menopause at 38, she became passionate about improving access to honest, empowering menopause support and helping women feel less alone during midlife transitions.

Cassie Harrison

Cassie Harrison is the co-founder of Herizen, a menopause and midlife wellbeing platform dedicated to supporting women through hormonal change with evidence-based education, specialist insight, and strong sense of community. Alongside her work with Herizen, Cassie has spent more than 15 years in senior leadership roles within the healthcare sector, driving innovation, strategic growth, and patient-focused change. After being diagnosed with breast cancer aged 46 and experiencing the impact of treatment-induced menopause, she became committed to helping women access trusted information, compassionate support, and open conversations around menopause and midlife health.

Tell us about yourselves, your backgrounds and the journey that led you to launching Herizen together.

Herizen was born from two women navigating life-changing diagnoses at the same time and realising just how little support existed for women thrown into menopause, burnout and hormonal chaos while still trying to hold together careers, relationships and everyday life.

Laura came from a senior leadership background in customer experience and transformation, leading large-scale change programmes while balancing motherhood, treatment and recovery. Cassie built her career in people, wellbeing and leadership support, always passionate about helping women feel seen, empowered and less alone.

During breast cancer treatment, both were pushed into medically induced menopause at 38 and 46. Suddenly they were dealing with brain fog, anxiety, exhaustion, sleep disruption and identity shifts, while still expected to function normally. They found themselves overwhelmed by conflicting online advice, endless wellness trends and a healthcare system that often left women feeling dismissed or unsupported.

What started as conversations between friends became something much bigger: a shared belief that women deserved one calm, trusted, science-backed place to understand what was happening to their bodies and minds. That became Herizen – a menopause and midlife wellbeing platform designed to combine expert education, practical tools and deeply supportive community in a way that feels empowering rather than overwhelming.

You both went through life-changing experiences. How did those moments change the way you looked at women’s health, hormones and menopause support?

Both of us were shocked by how unprepared we felt – not just for cancer treatment, but for the hormonal impact that came with it. We realised very quickly that menopause is still something many women are expected to quietly “get through,” despite it affecting sleep, mood, confidence, cognition, relationships and work.

What changed most was understanding how interconnected everything is. Hormones influence far more than periods or hot flushes. They affect nervous system regulation, mental health, energy, metabolism, identity and confidence. Once we experienced that ourselves, we understood why so many women feel like they’re “losing themselves” during this stage of life.

We also became passionate about translating science into language women can actually understand. There’s incredible research and expertise out there, but so much of it feels inaccessible or clinical. Women deserve education that is evidence-based but also compassionate and human.

Friendship became such an important part of your story. What did you both find in each other during treatment and recovery that helped you keep moving forward?

We found honesty. Neither of us had to pretend we were coping perfectly.

There’s something incredibly powerful about having someone say, “me too” during moments that feel isolating or frightening. We could laugh about the absurdity of symptoms one minute and support each other through fear or exhaustion the next.

Our friendship created space for vulnerability without judgment. We weren’t trying to fix each other – we were reminding each other that we weren’t failing. That became one of the foundations of Herizen itself. Women don’t always need more pressure to optimise every part of themselves. Often they need reassurance, clarity, practical support and community.

Starting a menopause and wellbeing platform during such a difficult chapter in your lives couldn’t have been easy. What gave you the confidence to take the leap with Herizen?

In many ways, we built the thing we desperately needed ourselves.

We kept thinking: if we feel this lost, overwhelmed and unsupported – despite being educated, proactive women with access to resources – how many other women are feeling the same way?

That gave us purpose. We weren’t trying to create another wellness brand based on perfection or unrealistic transformation. We wanted Herizen to feel calm, inclusive and genuinely helpful.

The response from women early on also gave us confidence. The moment women started saying, “I finally feel understood,” we knew there was a real need for this kind of space.

At the same time, we were also hearing from women in senior leadership positions who were quietly struggling at work while trying to navigate symptoms, treatment or burnout. That opened another important conversation for us around workplace support and how much more employers could do to support women through midlife in a meaningful way.

There’s often a lot of noise online around menopause, midlife and hormonal health. What kind of space were you hoping to create for women through the app and community?

We wanted Herizen to feel like an exhale.

There’s so much fear-based messaging, conflicting advice and pressure online – especially aimed at midlife women. We wanted to move away from extremes and create something grounded, supportive and science-backed.

The Herizen experience combines education, symptom tracking, nutrition guidance, sleep support, movement tools, expert sessions and community conversations in one place. The tone is intentionally warm and non-judgmental because women are already carrying enough pressure.

Most importantly, we wanted women to feel validated. So many women arrive feeling like they’re “too young,” “too emotional” or “just not coping well enough.” One of the most important things we say inside Herizen is: you’re not imagining it, and you’re not alone.

Herizen also supports organisations and workplaces. Why was that important to you both?

One of the biggest things we’ve realised through building Herizen is that menopause is not just a personal wellbeing issue – it’s a workplace issue too.

Women are often navigating brain fog, anxiety, sleep disruption, confidence shifts and burnout while still leading teams, managing careers and caring for everyone around them. Yet many workplaces still don’t know how to support that in a meaningful way.

We’ve been fortunate to work with some fantastic organisations that genuinely want to support women properly – not just tick a menopause policy box. Many offer Herizen memberships for employees going through menopause or hormonal health challenges, giving women access to expert guidance, tools and community support in one place.

Alongside the app, we also deliver workplace education sessions, leadership workshops, expert talks, coaching support and menopause action plan delivery. For some organisations, we help shape the strategy. For others, we support the implementation and ongoing colleague support.

What’s encouraging is seeing more businesses recognise that supporting women through midlife isn’t just the right thing to do culturally – it impacts retention, wellbeing, confidence and leadership progression too.

Ultimately, we want women to feel supported both at home and at work – because they shouldn’t have to choose between their health and their careers.

Outside of work and building Herizen, what helps each of you relax, reset and feel most like yourselves again?

We’ve both become much more intentional about protecting our nervous systems and energy.

That can look surprisingly simple: walking outdoors, strength training, slow mornings, music, good food, spending time with family or just having honest conversations with friends. We’ve also both learned the importance of rest – real rest, not just collapsing from exhaustion.

One of the biggest lessons midlife has taught us is that wellbeing isn’t about perfection. It’s about rhythm, balance and learning to listen to yourself again.

You’ve both balanced careers, relationships and major personal challenges. Has your definition of success changed over the past few years?

Completely.

Success used to look much more external – achievement, productivity, pushing through, constantly performing. Now success feels far more connected to alignment, health, impact and presence.

We still care deeply about ambition and growth, but not at the expense of ourselves anymore. Herizen itself reflects that shift. We want women to feel empowered and ambitious, but also supported, rested and connected to who they are beyond output.

Inside the Herizen menopause app

For readers discovering Herizen for the first time, can you tell us more about the app, the community and the kind of support women can expect when they join?

Herizen is a menopause and midlife wellbeing app designed to support women through hormonal change with expert guidance, practical tools and community support.

Inside the app, members can access a 12-week guided programme covering hormones, symptoms, sleep, nutrition, movement, mood, nervous system support and confidence. There are trackers, downloadable resources, expert-led sessions, journal prompts and supportive community spaces designed to help women feel informed rather than overwhelmed.

Members also gain access to regular expert webinars and live sessions covering topics such as hormone health, strength training, sleep, nutrition, emotional wellbeing and navigating menopause in everyday life and work.

We’ve designed Herizen to feel supportive whether someone is just starting to notice hormonal changes or is deep into menopause recovery. The goal is always the same: helping women feel calmer, more informed and less alone.

For someone feeling nervous about reaching out for menopause or wellbeing support, what would you want them to know about the Herizen community?

You do not need to have everything figured out before you join.

You don’t need to be “bad enough.” You don’t need the perfect words. And you certainly don’t need to struggle alone first.

The Herizen community is built around compassion, honesty and real conversations. Women arrive feeling anxious, confused or isolated – and quickly realise how many others feel exactly the same.

There’s huge power in being able to say, “this is happening to me too.”

When you think about the future of Herizen, what excites you most about growing the app and supporting more women through menopause and midlife?

What excites us most is helping change the experience of midlife for women at scale.

We want Herizen to become not just an app, but a movement around hormonal literacy, community and modern women’s health support. We’re excited about expanding expert support, workplace wellbeing partnerships, live events, personalised tools and future health integrations – but at the heart of it all is still the same mission: helping women feel less alone, more informed and more empowered in this stage of life.

Because midlife isn’t the end of something. For many women, it’s the beginning of becoming fully themselves again.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Burnout is no longer just a warning sign at the end of a bad week. For many high-achieving professionals, it has become the cost of leading without pause, support or alignment. 

Nikita Thakrar has built her work around that problem. An award-winning author, TEDx speaker, wellbeing mentor and Founder of Journey from Karma to Dharma, she helps leaders move from stress, over-control and reactivity into clarity, steadiness and purpose-led performance. Her work draws on mindfulness, meditation, emotional resilience and lived experience, including her own recovery after a major health diagnosis. 

As a mental resilience speaker, Thakrar focuses on a clear workplace message: resilience is not about carrying more pressure in silence. It is about building the practices that allow leaders to ask for help, regulate their nervous system and make better decisions before burnout takes hold. 

In this exclusive interview with the Female Motivational Speakers Agency, Nikita Thakrar discusses emotional resilience, mindfulness, burnout prevention, asking for support and why aligned leadership can become an organisational advantage. 

Many senior women are expected to stay composed while carrying pressure from every direction. How can emotional resilience help leaders make better decisions without slipping into over-control or reactivity? 

Emotional resilience is very important for leaders, and the tools I share are designed to build that. 

These include mindfulness as a way of unlocking clarity and empathy, and helping leaders make better decisions. I also integrate breath work, journalling and meditation. 

Resilience is the ability to return to our truth without stress or pressure. Pressure can take us back into karma, our patterns, over-control, micromanagement and reactivity. 

Resilience practices such as breath work, mindfulness and journalling bring us back to our true nature, where composure, perspective and wisdom live. 

Aligned leaders do not need to lead from panic. They need steadiness in their state.

Mindfulness is often treated as a personal wellbeing tool, but you position it as something leaders need for clarity and judgement. How does it change the way people lead? 

Mindfulness is the bridge back to our dharma. That is exactly what I deliver in my keynote talks. 

It creates the pause between trigger and choice. In that pause, leaders can access clarity, empathy and discernment. 

Mindfulness is not just wellness. It is decision hygiene that keeps your strategy aligned with your values.

Many high-performing leaders, particularly women in senior roles, feel pressure to hold everything together. Why is asking for support still so difficult? 

In my work, I have noticed that senior leaders struggle to ask for support. They tend to carry the load by themselves. 

Part of my talk is about the importance of being able to receive and ask for help when needed. In the long run, this can reduce burnout. 

High achievers often confuse their role with their nature. Some people believe they have to have all the answers. I teach that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of strength.

Burnout is now one of the biggest issues facing modern workplaces. From your experience with corporate teams, what are leaders missing when they only respond once people are already depleted? 

Burnout is becoming increasingly common. Through working in corporate environments with different teams, I have helped people recognise the signs long before they show up. 

Burnout is misalignment fatigue. It is your body’s way of showing you that there is a chronic gap between what you value and what you are currently doing. 

My personal and professional experience has taught me that productivity without presence is depletion. Prevention is the best practice.

In a working world shaped by uncertainty, technology and constant change, what do you want audiences to take from your talks about leadership and alignment? 

I hope my audiences take away inspiration and empowerment. 

In our changing world, with so much uncertainty and technology dominating so much of life, it is important to know ourselves so that we can bring the best version of ourselves to our teams. 

In my talks, I take people back to their true nature. I help them align with it so that they can lead with clarity, regulate their nervous system, and have the courage to contribute their unique gifts in a way that uplifts others and their organisation. 

When we lead from dharma, we do not need to manufacture confidence. We need to remember it. 

Alignment is not soft. It is scalable. It turns individual strengths into organisational advantages. 

Your work gets easier when your nature does the heavy lifting. I take people on a journey from karma to dharma.

This exclusive interview with Nikita Thakrar was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency. 

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Building a beauty brand is one thing. Turning it into a global retail business is another. 

Thea Green MBE has done both. Founder and Chairwoman of Nails.INC, she launched the brand in 1999 after spotting the nail bar trend in the US and bringing the concept to the UK. Nails.INC went on to become a major name in beauty, winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, while Thea was appointed MBE for Services to the Beauty Industry. 

Now a female business speaker, investor and founder behind brands including Holler & Glow, INC.redible Cosmetics and My Mood, Thea brings rare insight into entrepreneurship, retail, brand building and global growth. Her experience spans product innovation, international sales, customer loyalty, company culture and the pressure of scaling a business without losing its original identity. 

In this exclusive interview with the Female Motivational Speakers Agency, Thea Green discusses the entrepreneurial mindset, why starting is often the hardest step, what founders must learn when scaling, and why failure becomes part of the armour needed to build a business. 

For someone with a business idea but no team, funding or perfect plan, what is the most important first step? 

My message is simple: just get started. 

The biggest challenge is starting. People can procrastinate forever, even when they have brilliant business ideas. Most people have had multiple business ideas in their life because we are all consumers. We see problems and think, “It would be amazing if there was a product that solved this”.

The difference between an entrepreneur and someone who does not start a business is action. You will not have all the answers. You probably will not have the team or the finance, and that is part of it. It is not supposed to be perfect. You learn as you go through the process. 

You also need to know when to change. I do not mean give up. If you want to be an entrepreneur, you should be an entrepreneur. But if your invention is not quite working, you need to adapt it, listen to the consumer, get feedback, remodel it and ask as many people as possible. 

What you start with and what you end up selling to your consumer could be two different things. Sometimes an idea lands exactly as it was on day one, but for most people, you develop a product with the consumer and go on that journey. 

If you are selling into retail, or Amazon is your partner, you also need to understand what they want and where they have blank space. Your idea might be too similar to something else. Sometimes people are ahead of their ideas too. The idea might be right, but the world may not be ready for it yet, so you have to educate and train people into it. That takes longer. 

My message is still: just get started. I genuinely think starting is the hardest thing. Everything after that is another lesson. You will have lessons and failures every day, but starting is the hardest bit. 

What separates an entrepreneurial mindset from the way most people look at risk, failure and opportunity? 

Entrepreneurs see possibilities where other people see risks. That is the biggest thing. 

Where some people see challenges or roadblocks, entrepreneurs see a gap and something they can solve. 

They are also as comfortable in success as they are in failure. Most entrepreneurs I know do not jump up and down when they succeed, and they do not jump up and down when they fail either. They stay quite level because, as an entrepreneur, you can succeed and fail multiple times in the same day. 

You get used to the bumps as you gain experience. 

Entrepreneurs are generally optimistic because even when things are going wrong, they feel they can solve it. It is a solving mindset that makes an entrepreneur. 

They are comfortable with difficult situations and uncertainty.

Scaling a business requires structure, but how do founders avoid losing the agility and customer focus that helped them grow in the first place? 

Scaling a business is different to starting a business. 

It requires much more delegation and structure, but you can get too tied up in structure. You can end up with systems for the sake of systems. 

You have to put systems in place, but you also need to review them. Whether that is yearly or every two or three years, you need to make sure you are not applying more admin on top of more admin. Everything should have a purpose. 

For me, the most important thing is finding key people who can lead each area of the business. You need people who will protect the original DNA of the business, protect the entrepreneur’s vision, stay true to the customer and keep listening to the customer. 

Scaling is a different skill. You can talk a lot about systems and infrastructure, but you need to keep questioning them and asking whether you know why you are using them. 

One mistake I have made over the years is bringing in very smart corporate people to systemise the business. Because they have worked in big corporates, it feels as though they will have the best possible systems. But what you realise is that corporates also have layers you do not need. 

There is a strong hybrid between an entrepreneurial, can-do culture and something more professionalised that can scale and help the business grow. 

It is not either/or. As you scale, there is a sweet spot where you stay agile and cost-focused, but professionalise the systems. If you are telling your customer you are a bigger business, you have to act that way too. 

That hybrid is hard to balance, but that is where you want to be.

When you speak to audiences about entrepreneurship, what do you want them to understand about the reality of building a business? 

I want to give a very real public speech, so people can see the highs and the lows. 

I want it to feel honest and approachable. I want people to know that setting up a business is accessible if they want to do it. 

There are pitfalls and challenges, but I want to inspire people with the positivity of the journey. I would not change anything about mine. I have had awful times in business and terrifying times in business, but I would not change any of it because it makes me calm today when challenges come up. 

There is not much now that surprises me. I have usually seen that problem, or a different version of it, before. 

I am still learning every day, but in terms of challenges and problems, I have seen most of them or some version of them. That becomes your armour in business, and it helps you support other people. 

There is no secret sauce. I love listening to entrepreneurs’ journeys, so I want to share mine, inspire someone and make someone feel positive. 

The aim is for people to understand that they could do it too. It is not just for certain people. Anyone can do it.

This exclusive interview with Thea Green was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency. 

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

This year marks a major milestone as we celebrate 10 years of the TechWomen100 Awards, a decade dedicated to recognising exceptional women in technology and championing the future leaders shaping our industry.

Over the last ten years, TechWomen100 has become more than an awards programme. It has become a growing community and platform for visibility, recognising hundreds of inspiring women and helping shine a spotlight on emerging talent across the technology sector. For a decade, we have celebrated the innovators, engineers, developers, analysts, creatives and changemakers who are driving progress and redefining what leadership in technology looks like.

As we enter our tenth year, we continue our mission to recognise and elevate the next generation of women in tech. TechWomen100 provides a platform for visibility, recognition and impact, helping emerging talent gain the acknowledgement they deserve while inspiring the next generation of women entering the industry.

Focused exclusively on women working below Director level, TechWomen100 highlights the strength of the future talent pipeline, recognising those already making an impact and creating meaningful change within their organisations, industries and communities.

TechWomen100 has always been about more than individual recognition. Alongside celebrating rising female talent, we also recognise the champions, allies, organisations and networks helping to challenge the status quo, create opportunities and build a more inclusive future for the industry.

Nominations are officially open, and it is free to enter.

If you know someone making a real impact, please nominate them via the links below. If you recognise yourself as a nominee, please self-nominate, no one knows your story better than you!

We look forward to welcoming nominations across the following categories:

• Individuals – A female individual who works within the tech industry, whose current position is below director level. The individual demonstrates a high level of competence within their role. The individual demonstrates a clear passion for technology, this may be through extra curricular activities. Individual who pays it forward and helps others, e.g. schools, networks and internal activities. The individual is taking charge of their own career. This award is open to all women, regardless of age, but nominees must be working in the UK.
• Champion – A senior individual of any gender, within the technology industry, who is championing women. The individual must also be able to demonstrate that they have actively supported the female pipeline either through their current work role or external activities. Nominees must be Director level, or equivalent, or above and work in the UK.
• Networks – A network, either internal or external, who supports the careers of women working in tech through access to resources and learning based events.
• Company – An organisation who has successfully designed and implemented initiatives and programmes to develop their female talent pipeline.
• Men for Gender Balance – A senior man within the UK tech industry who is championing women and gender balance either inside or outside their organisation. Nominees must be at least Director level, or equivalent, or above, must demonstrate that they have actively supported the female tech pipeline either through their current work role or external activities and must be working in the UK.

If you are wondering where to start with your nomination, or need more information on the awards, you can join us on our free webinar.

Join Dr Vanessa Vallely’s Tips & Tricks free webinar on 11 June at 12pm to learn exactly what makes a nomination stand out. From common pitfalls to powerful success strategies, this session will give you everything you need to boost your chances and shine a spotlight on incredible talent.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE

Awards Timeline

Nominations open: 27 May 2026

Nominations close: 08 July 2026

Additional information deadline: 15 July 2026

Winners announced: 02 September 2026

Winners’ celebration event: 16 October 2026

START YOUR NOMINATION AND VIEW THE FULL AWARDS HERE

Sponsored By

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

TechWomen100 nominations open on Wednesday 27 May and we’re inviting you to join us for an exclusive webinar designed to help you prepare a stronger nomination with greater confidence and clarity.

Join us on Thursday 11 June at 12pm for practical guidance and insider advice from Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE.

During the session, attendees will be guided through the nomination process and gain valuable insight into creating an entry that communicates impact clearly and effectively.

The TechWomen100 Awards continue to celebrate women making a difference across the technology industry. From leadership and innovation through to advocacy and community impact, the awards recognise individuals helping to move the sector forward.

For many, starting a nomination can feel like the hardest part. Summarising achievements, choosing the right examples and understanding what judges are looking for can sometimes feel overwhelming. This webinar has been created to support applicants through every stage of the process.

What you’ll learn

• Create an impactful nomination. Learn how to craft compelling stories that help your achievements stand out.
• Navigate the awards platform. Master the easy-to-use platform and streamline your submission process.
• Timelines. Get clarity on key dates and important stages throughout the awards process.
• Winner’s secrets. Understand what judges look for and how to strengthen your chances of progressing.
• Celebrate success. From winners’ announcements to the grand ceremony, discover what happens next.

This is your opportunity to raise your profile and gain valuable insight into the TechWomen100 nomination process. Dr Vanessa Vallely OBE will share insider tips and practical guidance to help you approach your submission with confidence.

Register Now. Don’t miss this chance to elevate your profile.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

WeAreTheCity is proud to reveal the winners of the 2026 Rising Star Awards.

These awards celebrate exceptional women below senior leadership level who are making a real impact across their industries, driving change, and inspiring the next generation through their talent, ambition and leadership.

This year’s winners represent an extraordinary breadth of talent across sectors including technology, banking, healthcare, defence, education, energy, law and entrepreneurship. Each winner has demonstrated outstanding achievement, a commitment to inclusion, and a strong commitment to driving progress within their industries.

We are proud to celebrate women and allies making a meaningful impact across industries.

View the full list of 2026 Rising Star winners

Spotlight on 2026 Winners

• Michelle Lamptey (Banking & Capital Markets) – Multi Asset Investment Specialist at Fidelity International, Michelle is recognised for her leadership potential, commercial impact and commitment to supporting greater inclusion within financial services.
• Hazel Biggs (Defence) – Innovation Lead – Defence and National Security at Innovate UK Business Connect, Hazel is celebrated for driving innovation across the defence sector while championing collaboration and future talent.
• Hanieh Bazargan (Champions) – Associate Director – People Operations at BGIS, Hanieh is recognised for her people-centred leadership and commitment to championing women in the workplace.
• Gary Bullen (Men for Gender Balance) – As President of BGIS UK & Europe, Gary has made the empowerment and progression of women a key focus of his leadership, helping to drive meaningful change across the industry.
• Cognizant (Company of the Year) – Recognised for its commitment to inclusion, diversity and belonging, Cognizant continues to support the progression and empowerment of women across its organisation.
• Joeli Brearley MBE (Editor’s Choice) – Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, Joeli is celebrated for her powerful campaigning work to tackle the motherhood penalty and drive workplace equality for women and parents.

Congratulations to all of our 2026 winners and nominees. Your achievements, leadership and commitment to creating a more inclusive world of work continue to inspire us all and we are proud to celebrate your success.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to our incredible panel of judges for their time, expertise and careful consideration throughout the judging process. Their support and commitment help ensure the Rising Star Awards continue to recognise and celebrate exceptional talent across industries.

Celebration Event

Join us on 8 July 2026 at Nomura, 1 Angel Lane, London EC4R 3AB, from 17:45 to 21:30, as we come together to celebrate this year’s Rising Star winners.

We are delighted that our headline sponsor, Nomura, will be kindly hosting this year’s Winners’ Celebration in the heart of London.

The evening will begin with welcome drinks and networking, accompanied by a live DJ set from DJ.EK3, giving winners, sponsors and guests the opportunity to connect and celebrate together.

Throughout the evening, winners will take to the stage to collect their awards in front of fellow Rising Stars, judges, sponsors and supporters from across industries. Guests will also enjoy drinks and canapés as part of the celebration.

The event will conclude with rooftop drinks and networking, offering stunning views across the London skyline and Tower Bridge, creating the perfect setting to celebrate this year’s exceptional talent.

We’ll also be joined by the Collaborative Music in Offices Choir, led by conductor Louisa Petais, helping create a memorable evening celebrating achievement and leadership.

Ticket prices are £100 + VAT for winners and £125 + VAT for guests of winners.

We would also like to thank our sponsors for their continued support in helping us shine a spotlight on emerging talent, advocacy and allyship.

Special thanks to our headline sponsor, Nomura, and to our supporting sponsors: Accenture, Bloomberg, Browne Jacobson, CMI, Dentsu, Macquarie, Maggie’s, Male Allies UK, Northern Trust, Northrop Grumman, PwC, Reed Smith, Warner Bros. Discovery and Warwick Business School.

BOOK YOUR TICKET HERE

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Annick Seys is an organisational behaviour expert, behavioural strategist and award-winning keynote speaker known for helping leaders spot toxic patterns before they damage trust, performance and culture.

Certified as a Functional Analytic Psychotherapy trainer through the University of Washington, she has trained thousands of professionals and works with leaders facing pressure, self-doubt and difficult team dynamics.

Her interview comes as more organisations are being forced to confront behaviour that may deliver short-term results while quietly weakening teams. Annick argues that toxicity often begins with misplaced hope, mixed messages and leaders who focus on outcomes while ignoring the damage behind them.

In this exclusive interview with the Mental Health Speakers Agency, Annick Seys discusses the warning signs leaders ignore, why strong results can hide toxic behaviour, and how organisations can start holding people accountable before unhealthy patterns become part of the culture.

Toxic behaviour in organisations is often visible long before leaders are willing to act on it. What warning signs do business owners tend to miss or ignore?

Even if they know the signs, they’re often ignoring them.

I have so many business leaders who come to me, we talk about toxicity, they see everything I talk about, and they’re still not ready to really see it honestly and act upon it.

The first sign is the relationship usually starts with a strong sense of togetherness, like, you and I, we’re going to change the world. A very strong bond, a very strong understanding, and usually also an amazing start, amazing results. Sales numbers go up, all kinds of challenges are resolved. That’s often the start.

Usually that’s what people want to keep going back to. Why can’t this be amazing again?

What they usually want to ignore are signs of drama happening when they start wanting to hold these people accountable for things that they’ve done. They start talking to them, they start questioning things, and somehow truths become elastic.

They manage to refute arguments, they turn things around, and it makes you very confused. I was there. This is what I came to talk to you about. How has this become a story that I don’t even recognise properly, and somehow you’re blamed for it?

Then it becomes something internal as well. You really take the blame seriously and you’re like, “Maybe this is my fault. Maybe I shouldn’t have come on so strong. Maybe I’ve done something wrong.”

All of that is often entangled in mixed messages. There’s a strong positive message that is mixed into a negative one.

The example is you have parents that tell you all the time, “Please come by. We really miss you. You’re our special girl and we hardly ever see you.” And when you go and they ask how you’re doing and you’re talking about stuff, then the feedback you’re getting back is that you’re not good enough.

Your brain is not able to make that a coherent story. I am your special girl and I have value, or I’m not good enough. But if I’m both, that’s really weird to understand, and to go back to the feeling of togetherness, we tend to go for the I am your special girl.

So in leadership situations, it’s often a situation where you’re called a marvellous leader and inadequate at the same time.

These are signs that you can look for.

Many toxic cultures are allowed to continue because results look strong on the surface. What is the biggest leadership blind spot that allows that to happen?

You could say it’s the togetherness, but it’s actually misplaced hope.

Often people are not looking at behaviour, they’re looking at results. I was at a certain point wondering about it because I had a lot of business owners and managers coming in, and they have really strong values.

They start talking to me about someone being bullied, about themselves suffocating, and they just cannot get back to these values because they’re focused on, yes, but they’re invaluable for the company. We need these people.

And so they slowly get destroyed and disempowered, but they keep going for the results.

When leaders are contributing to the toxic culture themselves, how do you help them recognise that without becoming defensive?

When they’re causing it, I usually go back to their values.

It depends a bit because, of course, there are toxic personality disorders, and when that is happening, there’s not a lot I can do.

But on the other part of the spectrum, I hold people accountable for, are you really living up to your values? Are you walking the talk?

It doesn’t mean that you are toxic. It means that you’re cultivating a toxic culture, and often they are doing it by pleasing a lot of people, by also being very insecure.

Because they get these results, their ego gets boosted and so they leave all of that behind. So I really have quite tough conversations with them. I really confront them with that.

Your talks often explore difficult behaviours and uncomfortable patterns. What do you hope audiences do differently after hearing you speak?

I like to improve the world. That’s really one of my biggest dreams, to help people shift.

If they get out of the room and they’ve laughed a lot, but they also have felt a lot of confrontation with, maybe I need to shift some of my perspectives. Maybe I need to directly change behaviour if I come out of this room.

Maybe, for example, when it’s a toxic person, I need to call them on it. Maybe I need to track their behaviour to really see what’s going on, as if I’m sticking something on them and they can’t really get rid of it.

And they start shifting the way that they look at things and behave immediately after.

This exclusive interview with Annick Seys was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

By Kate Gaskell

It can be hard work building your professional identity and if you’re feeling that, you’re not alone, with one in three young people lacking confidence in the workplace, there’s a real risk that people are entering new jobs with fear and low self-esteem.

This isn’t just damaging for your wellbeing, it’s damaging for your career. Second-guessing decisions, avoiding challenges, and contributing fewer ideas are all ways low confidence shows up in our professional lives.

Advocacy from a manager is important, but for helping you feel seen and appreciated in your role, it’s self-advocacy that needs to come first.

So, how can you start putting your best foot forward?

Build your self-esteem

As a disclaimer: you are not going to be your best self every day at work. No one is. But professional confidence comes from authenticity, not perfection.

Start by understanding what you’re good at, and identifying the areas where you struggle. For a lot of entry-level talent, particularly young people, this could be voicing ideas, and participating in meetings. Having small but achievable goals to strengthen this can be helpful in building your confidence. Maybe you want to go to at least one networking event a month, or you want to bring at least two ideas to every meeting. Identifying a weakness takes away some of the fear around it and reframes the way we view past mistakes.

Sometimes, confidence can come from the way we communicate our work, down to our language choices. If you’ve made a clear, articulate point, you don’t need to end your sentence with ‘…if that makes sense’. Labelling things as ‘no big deal’ also undermines your confidence in a professional setting. You want your contribution to be recognised meaningfully, so use your language carefully and don’t be so quick to dismiss your achievements.

Invest in relationships

We learn and grow through other people, so it’s no surprise personal networks are held at such a high regard in professional settings. But building your network, especially when you’re just starting out, can feel intimidating and hard to navigate.

A lot of this comes from the pressure to build your network upwards, and to increase exposure to those in more senior roles. But why not try networking sideways, and looking at the peers closest to you. Investing in relationships doesn’t just mean securing opportunities, it means building knowledge and sharing experiences.

Networks are also a great way to get more feedback. In some teams, feedback is only given in quarterly, sometimes yearly, reviews. And this is a catalyst for overthinking. When we know we have a review coming up, and our performance is coming under the microscope, we let this nervousness dictate how we receive the feedback. We go in the meeting expecting the worst, which can sometimes make constructive criticism feel a lot harsher than it actually is.

By having people in your network offer feedback more often, we can lessen this worry, and get more comfortable with the idea that there’s always room for improvement.

Acknowledge every win

When a small win comes along, it’s often dismissed. It feels like there’s little time to recognise the efforts, especially when you’re working to deadlines, and there’s always a ‘bigger picture’ in the background. But you can’t acknowledge the big payoffs without appreciating all the small steps that got you there.

Make a note of these achievements. Record it however works best for you, whether that’s a feedback spreadsheet, writing in your journal, or leaving a note in your phone. You’d be surprised how many seemingly small, but positive, interactions we seem to forget at work.

On the days you’re not feeling your best, or you’re hit with a particularly challenging problem, it can be really helpful to go back to your notes. These records remind you of your capability, and shows you how well you’re really doing.

Building professional self-esteem is a skill that carries you beyond the workplace. When you believe in your value as an employee, it becomes much easier to believe in your worth in other scenarios, like as a friend or a partner. Closing the confidence gap helps your work get the visibility and appreciation it deserves.

About the author

Kate Gaskell is the CEO of Flex Legal. With nearly two decades of experience in the legal sector, she has worked across Magic Circle and Silver Circle firms in London and Sydney, before going on to hold a director role at LexisNexis.

Kate joined Flex Legal in April 2022 and brings a deep commitment to people, championing their development, wellbeing, and the opportunity to do work that is genuinely fulfilling.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

The hidden emotional labour of leadership and why sustainable success requires support too.

In high-performing environments, many women are not only delivering results, they are also holding teams together behind the scenes. They are managing emotions in meetings, supporting colleagues through challenges, mentoring others, navigating conflict, carrying the wellbeing of their teams and often becoming the person everyone turns to when things get difficult. Much of this work is invisible, rarely acknowledged in performance conversations, yet it requires significant emotional energy.

Over time, this hidden labour can quietly impact confidence, decision making, energy levels and wellbeing. The expectation to always be available, composed, empathetic and resilient can leave many women operating in a constant state of emotional output, while receiving very little support themselves.

In this honest, practical and highly interactive workshop, Rebecca Daniel and Sarah Bramall, Executive Coaches, Coach Supervisors and Co-Founders of The Coaching Catalysts, will explore the hidden emotional labour many women experience in leadership and professional roles, and why sustainable success requires far more than simply pushing through.

Through facilitated discussion, reflection exercises and practical coaching tools, attendees will be encouraged to identify the invisible responsibilities they may be carrying, recognise the impact this can have on both professional and personal wellbeing, and explore healthier ways of working and leading.

Together, the session will unpack:

• Why emotional labour disproportionately falls on women in many workplace environments.
• The hidden link between emotional labour, burnout, confidence and career sustainability.
• The pressure of always being “the capable one” and how this shapes behaviour over time.
• How boundaries, self advocacy and support systems play a critical role in long-term success.
• Practical techniques to manage emotional load without compromising leadership impact or authenticity.

Attendees will leave with greater self-awareness, practical strategies they can apply immediately, and reassurance that sustainable leadership does not mean carrying everything alone.
This is not a session about doing less or lowering ambition. It is about learning how to succeed without sacrificing yourself in the process.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Olivia Deane is a disability awareness speaker, model and public advocate for visible differences, known for using her experience of retinoblastoma and living with a prosthetic eye to challenge narrow ideas of beauty, confidence and representation.

Her work spans modelling, media advocacy and awareness around early detection, body image and appearance diversity.

Her interview explores why normalising visible difference matters, how media representation can shape confidence, and where brands still fall short when inclusion is treated as a box-ticking exercise. Olivia speaks openly about disability, prosthetic-eye confidence and why accessibility must be considered beyond campaigns and photoshoots.

In this exclusive interview with the London Keynote Speakers Agency, Olivia Deane discusses visible difference, disability inclusion, media representation and how personal struggle can become a source of confidence, purpose and change.

Why does normalising visible difference matter when society still tends to present such a narrow idea of what is “normal”?

I think it’s important to normalise visible disabilities in society because it is so relatable. The stereotypical model or person out there is not the norm for everybody.

This is what we’re living every day. People with disabilities, this is our normal. I know there’s not one person in this world that’s the same. Everybody is different. Whether that’s a disability, whether that’s something small, different haircuts, different clothing or different taste in music. Everybody is just so different.

That’s why it’s important to put that out there because it is so normal.

Representation is often discussed in terms of visibility, but what does meaningful representation in media mean to you personally?

Representation in media means so much to me. I think it’s really important to influence something out there for somebody. Everyone can be influenced and everyone can influence. It’s important how you do it because social media nowadays can be such a good place.

Actually, it’s sometimes my escape. I like to post what I feel out on social media, and my mum will sometimes say, “Oh, I didn’t know you were feeling like that.” I’ll post it out there because that’s my comfort.

However, it can go the opposite way and it can be quite toxic, and you can compare yourself, especially if you compare yourself with other influencers or you’re like, I’m not like that. I can’t relate.

I think it’s so important to influence something relatable to so many people. Not everyone’s going to influence you, but they could influence somebody else.

I definitely think it’s important to influence good things and make a difference. That’s what influencing is, making a change and actually having a good influence on somebody.

I think it’s massively important to me, but it’s just how it’s done. As long as it’s done in a good manner and you’re having the best interest in people, that’s the most important thing.

Brands increasingly talk about inclusion and body image, but where do you think they still fall short in practice?

I think brands can definitely do better with the stigma around body image. It’s definitely getting better and you do see more models with disabilities and differences, and more plus-size girls, which I think is incredible.

Again, it’s going back to being relatable, for everybody to relate, because all of our bodies are so different. However, I do think there’s still a massive gap in the whole brand industry because there’s a difference between wanting to use somebody and to have somebody with a disability or differences to model for you, rather than having to use them because you feel like you just need to have somebody or a model with a disability.

I’ve seen events. I’ll see brands that have models who have disabilities, and I think it’s incredible, and then do an event where they don’t have accessible facilities for those models.

That’s where the gap is, that it’s not being thought out properly and it’s not being thought about at all. I think that is the problem nowadays.

I’d like to see more brands being totally inclusive and just having all types of different models model for them because they want to, not because they have to.

As long as you keep talking out, and I keep posting who I am and my differences, I feel like hopefully that will help. It’s helping the community, helping work together and helping make the change.

When you speak publicly about visible difference, confidence and resilience, what do you want audiences to take from your story?

From my public speeches, I know not everybody has a physical difference, but I would hope that everybody could walk away taking something from my speech that they can relate to and that can drive them to achieving what they want to achieve.

I don’t just talk about losing my eye and living with a prosthetic eye and how I cope with that. It’s about how I’ve used something that made me so insecure and used my trauma and everything that I thought would hold me back to push me forwards.

I believe that every human being has something they’re possibly struggling with, or have struggled with, or will struggle with, when actually instead of not coming out of that zone and just struggling, to use it in a way that can push you forwards and actually come out of that struggle.

I never thought I would ever get used to living with a prosthetic eye and losing my eye. However, I now have realised that’s pushed me to do things I never thought I would do, and I actually don’t think I would have ever done if I still had both my eyes and hadn’t gone through what I’d been through.

I would hope that people could walk away, if they don’t take something massive from my speech, with at least something little that can help them with their everyday living.

This exclusive interview with Olivia Deane was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Dr Sabine Charles is an emotional intelligence expert whose work sits at the intersection of leadership, risk, governance and workplace culture.

Through her Leadership MEQ framework, she helps organisations understand how mindset, emotional intelligence and leadership behaviours shape performance.

Her interview comes as organisations face growing pressure to build teams that are resilient, self-aware and able to adapt without losing trust. Sabine argues that emotional intelligence is not a soft skill, but a practical leadership strength that can be learned, trained and applied across teams. 

In this exclusive interview with the Female Motivational Speakers Agency, Sabine Charles discusses how organisations can build emotionally intelligent teams, why resilience depends on trust and teamwork, and what leaders must understand about combining logic with empathy.

Emotional intelligence is often treated as a soft skill, but you describe it as a strategic organisational strength. What practical steps can organisations take to build emotionally intelligent teams? 

The first thing we need to do is understand the culture of the organisation. 

Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill. It is a strategic, influential power that organisations have, and some places have maximised that, especially the ones that sell products to people. 

We need to start taking that, digesting some of their techniques and implanting it in other areas, like technology or internal audit, or even non-client-facing products, because what works in one organisation may not work in another. 

So really understanding the culture first, and then understanding the values of the organisation, the innovation and that self-reflection is needed. Then they could implement EQ, emotional intelligence, or even the leadership EQ framework into it so that it could create and boost productivity.

There is still a lot of confusion between IQ and EQ. Can emotional intelligence be learned, or is it something people are born with? 

People often co-mingle IQ and EQ. 

With IQ, you’re born with this. This is what you got, whatever you believe in has been given to you. EQ is all learned. Emotional intelligence is not something people are born with. You can build it through daily routine, discipline, noticing your emotions, ramping them up, choosing your responses instead of reacting. 

Some of us may have a head start in all of this, and through reflection, coaching and feedback, emotional intelligence becomes a practical strength. 

Think about this as a gym. It’s a muscle. I like to say emotional intelligence is a muscle, and every time you activate it, you become stronger. And so you build that muscle. 

Yes, it is learned and it can be refined over time. Some people will call that wisdom. That wisdom can be learned, absorbed, observed and translated into how we behave and respond to life. 

Resilience is often reduced to toughness or endurance. From your perspective, what does true resilience look like in leadership and teams? 

Resilience is not about never failing. It’s about how you rise after you’ve been knocked down. True resilience isn’t toughness. It’s elasticity. 

Being able to react and bounce back, and that strength to bend without breaking. Resilience looks like a leader admitting that maybe they don’t know everything, and it’s the courage to step back and not quit. 

Emotional intelligence becomes a collective. When one person stumbles, another person will stand up. In that culture, there’s no competition. There’s really teamwork and growth where self-reliance and empathy meet. 

When you’re fallen or when you’re down, other people can allow you to refuel, reset, and then you have a teammate to help you out. 

So going back to that other question that you had before, how could organisations really implement all of this? It’s really training leaders first, because resilience is teamwork and it’s the tone at the top, and integrating AI and performance systems so that people could begin to collaborate and have that resilience to move forward and understand sometimes we need to retreat to rebuild.

When you speak to audiences about emotional intelligence, resilience and leadership, what do you want them to take away and apply in their own lives? 

What I want people to walk away knowing is that leadership is human. Resilience is not a reaction. It’s a choice, and emotional intelligence is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. 

I want audiences to feel empowered to choose awareness. I really want them to lead with wholeness, really a complete acceptance that logic and heart can work together, and we can make this a better world by doing so. 

That’s the legacy of emotional intelligence leadership. That’s the legacy that I wanted to unleash in the world when I created the leadership ME framework: mindset, emotional intelligence and leadership qualities.

This exclusive interview with Dr Sabine Charles was conducted by Tabish Ali of the Motivational Speakers Agency.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

Across London, The Clink Charity is creating training and employment opportunities for people in prison and those at risk of entering the justice system.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women

“Progress happens when knowledge and opportunity are shared”: Cambridge University Press & Assessment’s Dr Brigita Séguis on leadership and collaboration.

My professional journey has been shaped not only by my work experiences but also by the women who influenced me throughout my life. My grandmother, who played a central role in my upbringing and whose education was interrupted by the war, gave me an early awareness that opportunity is never guaranteed. That perspective shaped my own commitment to education, ultimately leading me to pursue a doctoral degree, and continues to influence how I lead today.

I place strong importance on creating environments where others are trusted and encouraged to grow. Although I lead the team, decisions about how we organise ourselves, who we hire, and which projects we pursue are shaped collaboratively. I believe teams perform best when people feel genuine ownership and have a voice in the direction we take together.

In education, progress happens when knowledge and opportunity are shared, and I believe leadership works the same way.

What does empowerment mean to you in the context of women in the workplace, and how have you seen it transform careers?

Empowerment is not simply giving people a voice; it is creating a culture where people genuinely want to use it, where individuals feel heard, valued, and confident that their contribution matters. A defining example for me came when our team was moved from one department to another. We had built a strong team identity and reputation, and there was a real concern that this would be diluted during the transition. It became a pivotal moment because I felt a strong responsibility to advocate for preserving what we had created together.

What particularly stood out to me during that time was when another colleague chose to speak up and support that effort. That moment became a turning point for her. She became far more invested in the team’s future, took on a more central role, and began actively shaping decisions rather than simply responding to them. This experience reinforced my belief that empowerment helps people rediscover purpose in their work and develop a stronger sense of confidence and ownership. When individuals feel that their voice truly matters, they begin to see themselves differently, and that shift often becomes the catalyst for further growth.

How has the support you’ve received shaped the way you lift others up today?

I feel very fortunate to have benefited from the support of highly knowledgeable and inspirational people throughout my career. Several of those who influenced me most began as my line managers but gradually became mentors, role models and friends. Some had spent twenty or even thirty years within the organisation, and the practical advice and institutional wisdom they shared with me went far beyond anything formal training could provide.

I now see part of my role as continuing that chain of knowledge and support: sharing context, institutional wisdom and informal guidance with members of my team so they feel equipped to grow and navigate their own careers with confidence. In many ways, lifting others up feels less like a leadership task and more like passing forward something that was generously shared with me by previous generations of leaders.

What practical advice would you give to women aiming for leadership roles, and how can organisations create environments where women thrive?

My first piece of advice is to recognise that leadership has no shortcuts. Becoming a leader takes time, consistent hard work, patience, and perseverance. Accepting that journey and focusing on building credibility through actions and meaningful contribution is essential.

Secondly, leadership development is shaped by the people we choose to learn from. I have found it important to surround myself with peers, mentors and role models whose actions reflect integrity and substance. Choosing carefully whose example we follow is an important part of professional growth.

Organisations should focus on creating environments where all employees can thrive, recognising that experiences, particularly around motherhood, are not one-size-fits-all. Some people want and need flexibility around family life, while others find professional engagement essential to their wellbeing and identity.

Personally, being surrounded by colleagues, having opportunities to travel for work, and continuing to grow professionally helped me reconnect with an important part of my identity and maintain my wellbeing while navigating the many emotional ups and downs that can come with motherhood. True inclusion means asking rather than assuming, and creating cultures where people are empowered to define success and levels of engagement on their own terms. When organisations give trust, flexibility and opportunity, they ultimately gain more engaged, confident and high-performing teams.

Looking back, the defining moments of my career have all been shaped by people who chose to share their knowledge, trust, and opportunities with me. Leadership, to me, is about continuing that cycle by creating environments where others feel empowered to contribute, grow and use their voice. Progress happens when each generation leaves the path a little wider for those who follow.

Source: WeAreTheCity - Information, news, networking, careers and events for women