The SAFE Leader with Mark McBride-Wright

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Paulo Oliveira, Vice President of Process Safety Consulting at DEKRA UK, for a powerful and thought-provoking conversation about the evolving world of safety. From his roots in Portugal to leading international safety initiatives, Paulo shares how his journey was shaped not just by technical expertise, but by a deep phi...

What happens when a seven-year-old sees injustice and decides to change the world? In this powerful episode, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with Ayo Sokale — civil engineer, children's TV presenter, tech founder, and author — about what it means to live life on purpose. From witnessing flooding in Nigeria to protecting thousands of homes through engineering, Ayo shares how personal experience shaped h...

In this episode of The Safe Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Benjamin Ralph, Director at Hollis and a leading voice in building safety and fire engineering. From setting fires in the fields of North Devon as a child (for science!) to influencing national building safety policy, Ben shares his deeply personal and professional journey into fire engineering. Together, they explore h...

In this powerful episode of The Safe Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Mark Wilson, HSE and Operations Director at Offshore Energies UK, for an honest and inspiring conversation on leadership, wellbeing, and the ripple effect of positive change. From giving up alcohol and caffeine to rising through the military ranks, from private soldier to major, Mark shares how personal choices...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with Simon Burwood, Partner at ERM and co-founder of Engineering Safety Consultants. From taking apart his mum’s iron as a curious child to leading cutting-edge safety work across biosafety, renewables, and AI, Simon shares the pivotal moments that shaped his career. He reflects on the transition from traditional industries like oil an...

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Martin Cottam, Chair of ISO Technical Committee 283, for an in-depth conversation on how international standards can drive cultural change in workplace health and safety. With a career spanning over four decades in nuclear, marine, oil and gas, and major hazard industries, Martin shares how he transitioned from a technical safety background into gl...

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright is joined by Séverine Trouillet, CEO of STEM Learning—the UK’s largest provider of STEM education and careers support. With a powerful blend of personal insight and sector expertise, Séverine shares what drives her mission to widen participation in STEM, especially for underrepresented communities. From her reflections on having a “sq...

What happens when a childhood on a dairy farm fuels a career in engineering leadership? In this episode, we dive into an inspiring journey of challenging expectations, making bold career leaps, and driving change in manufacturing. Emma Knowles shares how a background in agriculture shaped her approach to problem-solving, why she took on a £26M factory build at just 26, and how mentorship and visib...

Dame Dawn Childs shares her inspiring engineering journey, from joining the Royal Air Force for sponsored education to leading transformative roles at Gatwick Airport, Merlin Entertainments, and National Grid. She now heads Pure Data Centres Group, building sustainable hyperscale data centres. Dame Dawn Childs discusses the importance of inclusion and diversity in engineering, drawing on her exper...

Dr. I. David Daniels shares his journey from a career in the Fire Rescue Service to becoming a leader in occupational health and safety, with a focus on psychological safety and psychosocial hazard mitigation. He discusses the challenges he faced witnessing the loss of colleagues, the lack of diversity and inclusion in the industry, and the need to address unresolved trauma and conflicts to create...

This podcast features an engaging conversation between Mark McBride-Wright and Kirstie Langan, the Global Business Development Director at PDI. Kirstie shares her impressive career journey, from her early aspirations to work in the energy sector after a work experience at BP, to her transition into offshore roles and eventual leadership positions. She discusses the importance of mentorship, the ev...

David Jamieson, founder of Salus Technical, discusses his journey into process safety engineering, the challenges of starting a business during the pandemic, and the importance of integrating psychological safety and cultural elements into technical safety work. He shares insights on the tools and techniques used at Salus, the role of AI in process safety, and advice for young professionals enteri...

This podcast features an in-depth conversation between Mark McBride-Wright and Sally Walters, a civil and structural engineer with over 22 years of experience in the water industry. They discuss Sally's journey into engineering, the importance of mentorship and community building, the challenges and opportunities in the water sector, the need to address diversity and inclusion issues, and Sally's...

This podcast features a conversation between Mark McBride-Wright and Andy Webster, a Digital Director at KBR and Gallup Certified Strength Coach. They discuss Andy's career journey in the energy sector, including his work developing a successful safety strategy at Shell. The conversation explores the importance of storytelling and emotional connection in leadership, as well as Andy's experience be...

This podcast features a conversation between Mark McBride-Wright and Tom Geraghty, the founder and CEO of Psychological Safety Powered by Iterum. Tom shares his background transitioning from an experimentalist in ecological research to becoming a recognised authority on creating safer, high-performing, and more inclusive workplaces. He discusses his journey of discovering the concept of psychologi...

Emma Henderson shares her inspiring journey from a childhood fascination with flight to becoming one of fewer than 500 female airline captains worldwide. She recounts her path into aviation, flying celebrities and royalty, and founding the global charity Project Wingman to support NHS staff during the pandemic. Now an in-demand speaker and author, Emma advocates for "grounded leadership" - a power...

Embark on a captivating journey with Mark McBride-Wright as he sits down with Phil Clark, the head of health and safety at Care UK, who shares his remarkable career path from the Intelligence Corps to carving a niche in the dynamic world of environmental health and safety, navigating the balance between operational expertise and academic pursuits, including his ongoing PhD research, while delving...

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with Keith Hanlon Smith, the Chief People Officer at the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) in the UK. Keith shares his unexpected career journey into HR, sparked by a retail restructuring experience. He reflects on the lessons he learned about adapting leadership styles and understanding employee motivations. A key focus is Keith's role at RSSB and...

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Liz Bennett, the Director of Safety in Design, to explore the intersection of design, safety, and inclusion. Liz shares her winding career journey and insights into the evolution of construction safety regulations, particularly the pivotal role of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. She discusses her work on high-profile project...

In this episode, Mark McBride-Wright sits down with Trish Kerin, the Director of the IChemE Safety Centre, to explore the critical intersection of process safety and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Trish shares her personal journey into the world of process safety, recounting pivotal moments that shaped her career. They delve into the challenges of fostering a common understanding of safety acro...