Leading in Innovation - 27 November 2019
Designed for women who are innovators in their chosen field, our first event addressed the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs and innovative leaders. From start-up founders to senior leaders who are challenging the norm, we set out to create a fresh and positive discussion focussing on the future, not the struggles of the past.
Podcast
Listen to our recording of the event below:
Event Chair
Deborah Gilshan, FCG, found of the 100% Club
Deborah is the Founder of The 100% Club, a multi-sector alliance for professional women established in October 2011. She is an Ambassador for the 30% Club, the global market initiative to promote diversity in companies, having been instrumental in leading the work of the 30% Club’s UK Investor Group. Deborah has 19 years of experience in investment stewardship and her areas of specialism include corporate governance, executive pay, diversity, corporate culture, shareholder engagement, sustainability and market policy work to protect and improve the rights of shareholders. Previously, she was an Investment Director in the Environmental, Social and Governance team at Aberdeen Standard Investments, the global asset manager, and prior to that, Head of Sustainable Ownership at RPMI Railpen, the pension fund for the UK railway industry. Deborah started her governance career in December 2000 at the UK’s Co-operative Insurance Society, a pioneer of ethical investing. Deborah has been recognised for her work on diversity and championing the female talent pipeline. She is a regular commentator and speaker on investment stewardship and diversity and her work has featured in the Financial Times, the New York Times and other mainstream financial media.
Panellists
Cary Marsh, Entrepreneur, Engineer & CEO of Punchfront Innovation
Cary is an award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Punchfront Innovation. She is the inventor of the Bootclaw which she successfully crowdfunded on kickstarter and is now a bestseller on Amazon and in Sports Direct. Previous to this, Cary was CEO of Mydeo where she won a DTI award for Technical Innovation.
A Manufacturing Engineering graduate from the University of Nottingham, Cary was named Breakthrough Pioneer award winner in Red Magazine’s Hot Women Awards 2011. Cary regularly speaks at events as a STEM ambassador about her passion for getting more girls interested in science and technology, knowing that enthusiastic role models can change lives.
Sophie Goodwin, Stylist & Brand Consultant, Former Fasion Director at Tatler
Sophie Goodwin is a London based stylist and contributing editor. After gaining her degree in Russian History she worked in publishing for 15 years, beginning her career as Fashion Editor at The Evening Standard’s ES Magazine and, most recently, as Tatler’s Fashion Director. Sophie currently contributes to The Daily Telegraph and The Times LUXX, alongside consulting for luxury brands including Louis Vuitton and Matches, and styling a roster of private personal clients.
Nik Govier, CEO & Founder of Blurred, voted PR Week’s #1 to watch for 2019
Nik is well known in the communications world having co-founded PR power-houses Unity and Tin Man, both of which have topped the Holmes Report’s Global Creativity Index. Having sold her stakes in both, in October 2018 she launched Blurred, a communications consultancy that embraces the blurring of the lines between marketing disciplines and audience groups. She has stakes in a number of other businesses including, AllBright, the group behind London’s first private members club for working women.