The Wellbeing Rebellion

Good intentions matter, but they don’t change much on their own. Joanne Vazquez-Kirby, a global DEI & HR Leader at Skyscanner, joins me to explore what helps organisations move from aspiration to something more tangible. We get into accountability, leadership, and the gap between saying inclusion matters and building it into how a business actually operates. There’s also a useful look at what...

Awareness of neurodiversity has grown, but understanding still has a long way to go. Too many workplaces still rely on narrow ideas of what neurodivergence is supposed to look like, who gets recognised, and who gets support. That leaves a lot of people misunderstood, missed entirely, or expected to fit a picture that was never built with them in mind. Dr Chloe Farahar brings a much more nuanced le...

A lot of organisations still explain the lack of racial diversity in leadership as a pipeline problem. It sounds neat, but it doesn’t hold up. In this episode, I unpack why progress on race equity so often stalls the further up an organisation you move, even when there’s effort, investment, and a genuine desire to improve. I look at what the data actually shows, why the pipeline story keeps sticki...

Learning can’t be treated like an extra anymore. Not when the pace of change is this high. Kerri O’Neill, Chief People Officer at Ipsos UK & Ireland, joins me this week, and we look at what it takes to build capability in an intentional and useful way, especially when strategies, markets, and tools keep shifting. We talk about why organisations need to focus less on big learning programmes and...

Accountability sounds simple, but it gets complicated quickly in fast-paced, global organisations. In this conversation with Aaisha Knights-Ihediwa, we talk about what accountability actually looks like in practice. From hiring the right people to creating space for individuals to speak up when something isn’t working. We also explore how values hold up under pressure, and what happens when there’...

Career progression is often presented as straightforward. Work hard, perform well, and opportunities will follow. For many professionals, especially women and migrants, the path is rarely that simple. In this conversation, I’m joined by Elham Fardad, founder of Migrant Leaders. We explore the hidden barriers that shape career mobility and why talent alone does not always translate into opportunity...

Can business genuinely be a force for good, and if so, what does that actually require in practice? In this conversation, I’m joined by Anwar Ali OBE, CEO and co-founder of Upturn Enterprise. We explore what sustainable impact really looks like when you’re trying to balance commercial discipline with social purpose. Anwar shares how his upbringing shaped his values, from growing up in a family of...

Further education sits under constant pressure, balancing funding constraints, public scrutiny, safeguarding responsibilities, and rising learner need. This conversation explores what leadership really looks like inside that reality, not in theory, but in day-to-day decisions that shape culture. I’m joined by Hayley Ross, Head of HR and Organisational Development at Salford City College Group, to...

This conversation felt deeply personal. Not just because Dr Ngozi Edi-Osagie and I share a name, but because her story touches on identity, leadership, resilience, and what it really means to navigate systems that were never designed with you in mind. We talk about growing up between the UK and Nigeria, the impact of family belief, and the early messages she received about what was and wasn’t poss...

As Christmas approaches, it’s easy to keep pushing even when you’re already exhausted. This episode is about slowing down when your energy is already low, not forcing yourself to power through just because it’s the end of the year. I talk about why rest doesn’t need to be earned, how boundaries can help before the break begins, and what it might actually be helpful to stop doing over the holidays....

Money shapes the way we dream, plan and build our lives, yet it is also one of the hardest topics to approach with honesty.  In this conversation with Clive Black, a Director at Shore Capital, we explore why so many UK entrepreneurs struggle to scale their businesses, and why racially underrepresented founders face even higher barriers when it comes to investment, visibility and confidence. C...

Artificial intelligence promises efficiency, creativity, and innovation, but what happens when the speed of progress outpaces our humanity? In this episode, I’m joined by Professor Andy Miah, Chair in Science Communication and Future Media at the University of Salford. Andy has spent more than two decades exploring where art, science, and technology meet and what that means for how we live and wor...

If you think the legal world is all stiff suits and old traditions, think again.  My guest today, Bridget Tatham, is shaking things up from the inside.  She’s a partner at Browne Jacobson, heads up their Birmingham insurance team, and leads on all things inclusion - but what really stands out is how she’s changing the game for future black lawyers through REACH, the firm’s mentoring prog...

In this special episode, we’re joined by professional basketball player and mental health advocate Kofi Josephs.  Kofi’s story takes us far beyond the game - from the pressure of performing at the highest level, to the loneliness that can come with chasing a dream across continents.  He opens up about loss, identity, and what it really takes to stay when walking away would be easier. Thi...

Men’s mental health is still one of the hardest conversations to have, both at work and at home.  Despite all the progress in recent years, too many men continue to stay silent, with devastating consequences.  In this episode, I’m joined by Tim Wotton, who’s faced more challenges than most, living with cystic fibrosis and type 1 diabetes, and yet has built a life defined by resilience, d...

What does it take to grow a global tech consultancy without losing sight of the humans who make it all happen?  That’s exactly what Sarat Pediredla, co-founder and CEO of hedgehog lab, has managed to do.  From two friends in Newcastle to a business working with Microsoft and Deliveroo, Sarat’s story is impressive.  But what makes it powerful is how he’s put wellbeing at the heart of...

Starting a business can change lives.  It can mean freedom, security, and the chance to shape your own future.  But let’s be honest - if you’re from a racially marginalised community, there are still barriers stacked against you that hard work alone won’t fix.  That’s why I’m so glad to be speaking with Professor Monder Ram OBE, director of the Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority...

Leadership isn’t just about job titles or climbing the corporate ladder - it’s about how we show up for ourselves and the people around us.  In this episode of The Wellbeing Rebellion, we’re joined by Hannah Awonuga, Global Inclusion Strategist and Executive Coach, who brings a refreshingly human perspective to what leadership really means today.  With honesty and warmth, Hannah shares h...

Alright rebels, this one’s a treat.  Today, we’re joined by the incredible Tash Pennant - a woman who’s built a career (and a life) out of bringing people together in the most genuine, human way.  From advising government leaders to hosting radio shows and making sure nobody leaves a room without feeling seen, Tash is known as the Connector for a reason.  We’re talking about how rea...

This week, we’re joined by the brilliant Dr Carlton Brown - author, business leader, and the man bold enough to call me his work wife.  We’re getting stuck into the real stuff: race, leadership, power, and why good intentions just aren’t enough.  If you’ve ever felt like progress on equity is moving at a snail’s pace (or backwards some days), this one’s going to challenge you - in the be...

This week, we're bringing you inside REG Connect 2025 - a game-changing event that shook up the Manchester business scene in all the right ways.  I’m joined by Ngozi Weller and Wayne Bennett, the powerhouses behind it, to talk about how they pulled it off, why it matters, and what needs to happen next if we’re serious about racial equity in business.  It’s honest, energetic and full of t...

Ever wondered what it really feels like to lead inclusion work when the world seems to be pushing back?  In this episode, I’m sharing what came up at our recent executive roundtable in London - no recording, just a closed-door, honest conversation between inclusion and HR leaders who are doing the work and feeling the weight of it.  From burnout and budget cuts to shifting language and p...

This one’s been a long time coming.  I’m joined by the brilliant Sally Pritchett - CEO of Something Big, champion of inclusive communication, and my personal friend - for a proper, honest chat about what it really means to be a good ally.  Not in theory, not in hashtags, but in actual day-to-day action.  We’re talking about using your privilege, showing up when it matters, and makin...

In this episode, we're joined by the brilliant Jason Spencer from ITV to talk about what inclusion really looks like behind the scenes - and why it’s not just good for the world, it’s good for business too.  From authentic representation on screen to real accountability within teams, Jason shares what it takes to create a culture that actually matters.  This one will definitely get you t...

This episode’s a bit of a special one.  Clarke Carlisle - yes, that’s Clarke Carlisle - joins me for an honest, wide-ranging chat that covers everything from race and mental health to faith, football, fatherhood, and the many layers of identity.  It’s raw, reflective and, at times, surprisingly funny.  Clarke’s openness is something else, and I can’t wait for you to hear the kind of...