WB Directors

Women on Boards

Business EN ↓ 73 episodes

Our podcast features inspirational success stories from our members on securing board roles and thriving as a non-executive at any career stage. Discover new pathways for professional and personal growth through the success stories of various non-executive female directors as they share their experiences in achieving their boardroom aspirations. WB Directors is a purpose-led business working to increase diversity in executive and non-executive leadership. As the home of the Women on Boards Community, we're the UK's most impactful NED network. Find out more about all our services at: www.wbdire...

Author

WB Directors

Category

Business

Podcast website

www.wbdirectors.co.uk

Latest episode

Nov 14, 2025

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Episodes

How to navigate sustainability and ESG in 2021 15.12.2020

12 months ago we took a panoramic view of the many landmarks and influencers in changing norms around corporate purpose, human capital and climate change.  Now, faced with very limited time and finite resource, we must decide what really matters, and what doesn't. Listen to Head of DLA Piper's Boardroom Advisory Services Practice, Alex Tamlyn as he reflects on how to best navigate sustainability a...

Sharon Constancon - Success Stories 05.11.2020

Join Rachel Tranter for this month's Success Story podcast when she speaks to finance expert, Sharon Constancon​ about her journey to the boardroom. Rachel finds out out about her experiences when there and gets her top tips on how to succeed in building a range of non-executive roles.  Sharon has had an incredibly successful and varied global career starting in South Africa where she built up an...

Helen Gillett - Success Stories 10.09.2020

Join Helen Gillett and Fiona Hathorn when they discuss how to be an effective new NED on a board. Gain top tips and insights on how to get up to speed quickly and effectively whilst ensuring you have impact and presence in the process.  Helen Gillett joined the board of leading housing provider, Orbit Housing Association 18 months ago and has recently joined the board of tech start-up, Better Spac...

Irana Wasti - Success Stories 05.09.2020

In this episode we are joined by Irana Wasti, President EMEA of GoDaddy and recently appointed member to the Board of FTSE listed business, Sage. Irana talks to Fiona Hathorn about her experiences of juggling a senior executive role with a non-executive position on a FTSE 100 company.  As well as delving into how Irana manages her busy schedule, they discuss international relocation, virtual inter...

Nicolina Andall - Success Stories 19.08.2020

In this episode, we talk to Nicolina Andall about her journey to the boardroom which currently comprises a public sector appointment and various charitable roles. As a successful corporate commercial solicitor, Nicolina talks of her love for the governance and strategic advisory elements of being a board member. Her passion and enthusiasm are sure to inspire and motivate anyone considering taking...

Diana Brightmore-Armour - Success Stories 29.07.2020

FTSE 100 board member, Diana Brightmore-Armour joins Fiona Hathorn to talk about the power of networking and the importance of nurturing your business relationships to help you when you might want to develop a non-executive portfolio career. 

Maxine Taylor - Success Story 05.05.2020

Corporate affairs and marketing expert, Maxine Taylor joins Fiona Hathorn as she reflects on her background operating in central government, at board level in the pharmaceutical industry (Eli Lilly), charitable organisations (Cancer Research UK), Banking (Nationwide), most recently with King's College London, and now also as Non-Executive Director of Women on Boards UK. She talks about the benefit...

Anne Spackman - Success Stories 05.05.2020

Having had an esteemed career as a newspaper editor and then gone on to run a major charity, Anne Spackman talks to Rachel Tranter about how she has started to develop a portfolio of non-executive roles. With a slightly different background to some who are applying for non-executive positions, Anne shares how her extensive experience as a journalist is hugely relevant to the boardroom. This sessio...

Alison McGregor - Success Stories 12.03.2020

Former CEO of HSBC Scotland and now portfolio non-exec director, Alison McGregor shares her many tips for building a successful portfolio career. She looks at how going out of your comfort zone into a different sector can be amazingly rewarding, how important networking has been for her and she advises that you can never start too early.

The Power of Networks 06.03.2020

In this episode Fiona Hathorn talks to Mark Adams from the IoD about the power of building and maintaining networks and what it really means to network effectively.  Episode produced by the IoD. Please see https://www.iod.com/academy/recommended for more.

How have things changed in the boardroom? 24.02.2020

Join Claire Braund (Founder of Women on Boards and CEO of Women on Boards in Australia) and Fiona Hathorn (Founder and CEO of Women on Boards in the UK) when they get together to reflect how things have changed in the world of the boardroom since they first talked about launching in the UK back in 2012. 

CV tips from Women on Boards 24.02.2020

Join Claire Braund, founder of Women on Boards and CEO of Women on Boards in Australia, and Fiona Hathorn, founder and CEO of Women on Boards in the UK when they talk about how to approach writing a Board CV. They also share some of their tips on what to consider when applying for board roles. 

The Benefits of joining an Education Board 15.01.2020

Have you ever thought of joining a schools board? In this episode we talk to non-executive at Educate Together Academy Trust , Yvonne Barker-Layton and Head of Academy Ambassadors, Emma Gregory, about the benefits of joining a schools board and what is entailed when you get there. 

Jacqui Ferguson - Success Stories 20.12.2019

With a strong technology background and having been based in the US for a number of years, join Jacqui Ferguson as she explains how she built her portfolio non-executive career alongside her busy executive one. Note, this podcast was recorded in early 2018. 

Carolyn Porretta - Success Story 12.11.2019

Carolyn Porretta is our guest in our next Success Stories instalment. At possibly a slightly earlier stage of her career than some of our other speakers, Carolyn explains why she has started to add non-executive roles to her activities now and what she is gaining from them. A must listen to anyone who is just starting to think about this topic and would like advice on how to approach the non-execu...

Terri Duhon - Success Story 26.09.2019

Terri Duhon is our guest in this month's Success Stories episode. With an impressive CV and multiple NED roles, plus connections with prestigious universities, Terri explains how her path to success has not been as polished as her CV suggests.  

The Social and Political Trends and Dynamics of the role of Directors 30.07.2019

Jose Luis Alvarez, Senior Affiliate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at Insead and Academic Director of Insead's Corporate Governance Centre looks at the social and political trends and dynamics of being an effective director in conversation with CEO of Women on Boards, Fiona Hathorn. 

Sue O'Brien - Success Story 21.06.2019

Sue O'Brien is our guest for the next Success Stories instalment from Women on Boards. Sue tells us about her journey to the boardroom and the various boards she sits on. Wearing her "other hat" of leading headhunter, she also shares some invaluable advice for anyone looking for a non-executive position on the dos and don'ts of liaising with headhunters. One not to miss!

Celia Pronto - Success Story 17.04.2019

Be motivated by Celia Pronto's story as she talks with Rachel Tranter about her route to the boardroom. With expertise in marketing, consumer and digital within the retail, travel, hospitality and technology sectors, Celia provides us with some great insight into how she has succeeded and as a result how you might go about achieving your boardroom aspirations.     

Vanessa Sharp - Success Story 15.03.2019

Join Vanessa Sharp when she speaks to Rachel Tranter about how she built her portfolio non-executive career having had a busy legal executive career. Vanessa has built a portfolio of charity, education, public sector and private roles but all with a common theme running through them. 

Francesca Ecsery - Success Story 16.01.2019

Join portfolio non-executive director,Francesca Ecsery and Rachel Tranter for this month's Success Story conversation. Having spent many years in the digital/ retail/ FMCG industries, Francesca has built a portfolio NED career with a diverse range of large companies from Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust to Air France. Francesca shares her experiences and gives lots of tips and advice for anyone...

Mandy Calvert - Success Story 21.11.2018

Join Rachel Tranter speaking to Mandy Calvert, non-executive director in the housing sector having had a life-sciences executive career. She talks about what it is to be strategic and how her executive experience in a different sector has helped her in the boardroom.   

Karen Finlayson - Success Story 18.10.2018

Join Rachel Tranter who this month talks to portfolio non-executive director, Karen Finlayson about her journey to the boardroom. Having left school with few qualifications, Karen decided to go back to college and has gone on to become Partner at PWC and has taken on a range of high profile board positions in education and the NHS. Another inspiring story for anyone who might be considering a non-...

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