Ageism is the one “ism” we will all face - if we’re lucky. This is a quote from our first-ever episode on The D&Igest, and it applies perfectly to this episode. Michael O’Reilly, Founder of Age Diversity Network, joins us today to share his journey and his insights into ageism. Age Diversity Network was set up to help older people re-enter the workforce or remain within it. Michael set up the organisation for two reasons - out of frustrations that he’s faced as an older worker in getting...

Diverse boards make better business decisions. The data doesn’t lie! And without specific and measurable targets, we’re in for a much bumpier ride in making the progress that is needed.  In this episode, Kristen Anderson, CEO of European Women on Boards joins us for a fascinating chat. European Women on Boards (EWOB) is a non-profit with the sole objective to have more gender diversity in decision-making around Europe. EWOB provides training and networking opportunities, as well as working...

There are 1.2 billion people with disabilities in the world and so many of them are still not given the opportunity to live a full life and succeed in work and education. Dr. Nasser Siabi OBE, CEO at Microlink PC, seeks to change that. Microlink PC was built on the mission of helping people with disabilities live full lives and succeed by leveraging the power of technology.  In this episode, we discover Nasser’s inspiring journey that led him to build the organisation. Nasser suffered from a...

Which comes first, diversity or inclusion? This week we sit down with Diego Lazaro, Madrid-based LGBT+ specialist in the HR space. Diego believes that inclusion should be considered first and foremost, to ensure that an inclusive environment is available to anyone who joins an organisation. Diego launched his own consultancy, BE DIVERSE, which supports businesses on inclusion for the LGBT+ community. We dive into his journey and his motivations to start the organisation. And Diego offers...

If you set up an office in a new region, you'd research the business climate, talent pools, legal frameworks and customise your global strategy for that market. Why would it be any different with DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging)?  In this episode we speak with Tam Hanlon, top 100 DEIB leader by Mogul, currently heading DEIB EMEA at Indeed, about the exciting and challenging role of DEIB and the importance of understanding the lived experience of your communities - through...

If you set up an office in a new region, you'd research the business climate, talent pools, legal frameworks and customise your global strategy for that market. Why would it be any different with DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging)?  In this episode we speak with Tam Hanlon, top 100 DEIB leader by Mogul, currently heading DEIB EMEA at Indeed, about the exciting and challenging role of DEIB and the importance of understanding the lived experience of your communities - through...

Raashi Sikka is changing the game, and we mean in a literal sense! Raashi is the VP of Global Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility at video game creator, Ubisoft. Raashi’s role is a recently created role that she’s taken on. She seeks to ensure accessibility and representation in Ubisoft’s products for every player in the world as well as for the internal experiences of employees. We dive into Raashi’s story, from her background in TV to her move to Uber as the first employee at Uber...

We’ve all heard the adage of ‘thinking outside the box’ - but when it comes to tackling D&I challenges, maybe we should forget the box entirely… In this episode, we speak with Kris Clelland. Kris founded his own advisory and workshop provider last year, offering talent strategy, management and development in the D&I space. Kris brings a wealth of experience within tech and D&I, having previously worked at AWS and having sat on women's groups to advocate for underrepresented...

For International Women’s Day, we speak with Cindy Gallop, the self-proclaimed “Michael Bay of business”. Cindy is a force to be reckoned with and brings with her thought-provoking and divisive opinions on women’s rights and IWD. She shares her inspiring story of 38 years in brand building, marketing and advertising and her journey as a founder since 2005. We learn about her revolutionary businesses, and her transformative coaching offering that empowers women in their careers to expand...

“I’m not in the business of selling pads I’m in the business of women empowerment.” These are the words of Dalia Feldheim the author, founder, coach and speaker who’s on a mission to empower people, especially women to be the best that they can be and bring more purpose and joy into the workplace. In this episode, we uncover Dalia’s journey from her experiences as a competitive gymnast, to her 17-year tenure at Procter & Gamble, to her entrepreneurial journey including authoring her...

Moving from a conscious effort towards an unconscious D&I competency that everyone in an organisation has is where we really need to focus on, explains Magda Shakallis in this episode. Magda is a supply chain, logistics and procurement specialist, having held many roles across a number of multinationals. Throughout her career, Magda has overcome significant challenges and expectations, being a working mother of two in a mostly male industry. She shares with us her insights on how she...

It took over a decade for Suraiya to “come out” as a Muslim in the workplace, however, the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and now she is helping organisations to extend their DE&I work to incorporate religious inclusion, to make people of all backgrounds feel welcome. Suraiya grew up in a unique situation which gave her a unique perspective. We learn about Suraiya’s journey, and how one conversation she had at university put her on the business psychology path. Suraiya knew...

How does adapting teaching to better support those from neurodiverse backgrounds affect learning for everyone? Lizzie Varley sits down with us this week to speak on the importance of diversity within schools. Lizzie is based in Dubai as Education Advisor in Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing for Cognita Schools - a group of diverse schools spanning 16 countries. Lizzie, like her family, has always valued diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities. We learn about her upbringing and how...

Organisations embarking on D&I initiatives must be considering the WHY, not just the WHAT, to avoid falling into the trap of performative D&I in order to see real results. Jennie Child is the Director & Founder of Balance - an inclusive hiring consultancy that helps companies achieve intentionally inclusive and bias-free hiring. Jennie built up 20 years of experience in recruitment prior to starting Balance, and in this episode, she offers her expert insights into the challenges...

After her experiences working for an organisation that was rife with hiring inequalities, Jo Major, Founder of Diversity in Recruitment, embarked on a personal journey to become a catalyst for change. Jo works with recruiters through training, advice and consultancy, to help them confront their ED&I responsibilities within the recruitment process. Jo’s role starts right from the beginning. She introduces ED&I concepts to organisations and helps them to connect their ED&I strategy...

If you have an all-male board in a bank, that bank is on average both riskier and less profitable, according to a recent study. In this episode, we speak with Hedwige Nuyens, CEO of the International Banking Federation and chair of European Women on Boards. Hedwige is also a passionate D&I champion, and in our conversation, we find out how Women on Boards is making the 40% women on company boards targets happen. Hedwige also gives us some fascinating insights into the 2008 financial...

Almost half of dads keep it a secret from their boss that they have a disabled child, according to research from Scope, due to the expectations placed on them. In July 2022, Scott Jackson launched Eddy - a network to support dads who’ve lost a child or have a child with a disability or severe mental health issues. In this episode, Scott opens up to us on the traumatic story of the loss of his child and having a child with a disability. We learn about the difficulties that Scott faced in...

Our coping mechanisms are there for a reason, but we’re not meant to be in survival mode forever. In this episode, we speak with Natalia Rachel - author, speaker, trauma-informed therapist and consultant. We dive into Natalia’s journey and discover how her traumatic childhood led her to help others with trauma. Her career began in fashion and marketing. And after taking some time to be a mother and focus on her own healing journey, she decided to use her lived experiences to support others...

Sometimes, even small changes that an organisation makes can make a huge difference. Elliott Higgins shares their story as both a Senior Innovation Scout and LGBT+ Network Partnerships Lead for NatWest. As Senior Innovation Scout, Elliott looks for new emerging technologies and how they can help NatWest serve its customers better. And as LGBT+ Network Partnerships Lead, Elliott runs partnerships to better support LGBT+ colleagues and customers. In our conversation, we find out how Elliott...

Racial trauma causes daily suffering to people of colour. And experiencing that trauma at a young age is particularly damaging and life-threatening. In this episode, we speak with Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Array Behavioral Care and CEO at Well Minds Consulting Group. Nicole’s extensive experience in consulting in the DEI space and child, adolescent and adult psychiatry, along with her lived experience makes for a fascinating...

When we don’t consider inclusion when designing our workspaces, we’re putting challenges in people’s way before they even get through the door. In this episode of The D&Igest, we spoke with Matteo Zallio, award winning architect, researcher, designer and coach. And to top it off, he’s also a senior research fellow at Cambridge university. Matteo focuses on designing inclusive workplaces for large organisations. He aims to bring inclusion and accessibility to the world through...

We have to start somewhere to make diversity the norm. And that could mean thinking more intentionally when looking for candidates. If you’re not intentional, it’ll take that much longer. This is one of the take away messages from our chat with Cristina Falcone, VP at UPS. Cristina started with UPS in Canada 22 years ago in communications and marketing before progressing to her Belgium-based VP role today. Her parents emigrated to Canada from Italy and faced discrimination, which has...

After spending twenty years in Australasia, Rebecca Ganz returned to the UK to further her career as a Non Executive Director and business coach. She currently holds both public and private Non Exec positions at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust and BlueSkeye AI, and she is an Advisory Board Member of Patchwork Health. She is also the North West Lead for Women on Boards UK which supports women in board careers. In this episode, Rebecca shares her journey with us. We dive into why Rebecca took...

How can people in privileged positions use their power for good? In this episode of The D&Igest, we spoke with Robert Baker, CEO of Potentia Talent Consulting. Robert spent over 40 years of his career at Mercer, before deciding to focus on consultancy within the D&I space. He is a social activist with a passion for justice and fairness and strives to make a difference. Robert shares with us the story of his lived experience. He grew up around strong women and came from a...

Millennial and Gen Z voices are calling for change. There are more people than ever desiring positions with organisations that truly reflect the world that they live in. And it all starts with an inclusive workforce that enables people to bring their whole self to work. In this episode, we spoke with Paula Newby. Paula is the CEO and Founder of Predixa.ai. Predixa provides an AI-based business assessment software that helps organisations realise the social and economic value of their...