Women of the Future Podcast

The Women of the Future Podcast: Noreen Mirza

Noreen Mirza is an award-winning British jewellery designer whose creations have adorned celebrities and international royalty; frequently featuring in global press.

Founder of one of the world’s most innovative and empowering fine jewellery brands - the eponymous ‘Noreen London’ - she now acts as the brand’s Creative Director, utilising her expertise and wealth of experience in creating bespoke pieces, high jewellery, and fine jewellery collections.

 

Driven by a need to shape the world into a more beautiful place, Noreen is committed to working with 'Mosaic', a Prince of Wales charity aimed at mentoring young people to fulfil their potential.

 

With a Business degree from Kingston University London, Noreen is also a diamond expert and gemologist certified by the Gemological Institute of America, the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, coloured stones, and pearls. 

 

Noreen was shortlisted in the Asian Women of Achievement Awards, part of the Women of the Future Programme, as a ‘Young Achiever’ in 2007.

 

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Chantal Epp

Chantal Epp is an award-winning entrepreneur and the founder of ClicknClear.

She set up her first company Synergy Sounds, a music production company for cheerleading, whilst at University. Following her time working in sync licensing, Chantal took the opportunity to merge her two passions, cheerleading and music, and founded ClicknClear, providing global music licensing within performance sports. 

Chantal is still an active athlete and advocate for ParaCheer - disability inclusive cheerleading - and has travelled the world helping National Federations start teams, as well as building ClicknClear into a global solution across multiple sports.

Chantal was the recipient of the ‘Women of the Future Award’ in the Entrepreneur category in 2019, she also featured on the ‘Kindness and Leadership: 50 Leading Lights’ list in 2020 as a ‘Rising Star’.

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

 

The Women of the Future Podcast: Layla Yarjani

Layla Yarjani is Chief Operating Officer of Little Bridge, a company focused on allowing millions of children around the world to learn to read, write, listen and speak English through a social, immersive, games-based community.

 

Prior to Little Bridge, Layla spent five and a half years in consulting, during which, as an advisor to UNICEF, she founded the NEXTGen London network of young professionals supporting UNICEF’s work in Europe, also advising on refugee integration and entrepreneurial projects.

 

A graduate of the University of Texas, with vast and diverse international experience having lived in the UK, Iran, Spain and several major US cities; Layla’s philanthropic journey started when she was just 14 in founding ‘Club Hope’ – standing for ‘Helping Out People Everywhere.’

 

Winner of the Women of the Future Award in the Technology and Digital category in 2020, Layla believes education is an enabler to the pursuit of happiness and has a huge passion for improving the lives of children through education and sustainable development.

 

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Kara Owen CMG

Kara Owen CMG has been the British High Commissioner to Singapore since June 2019.

As High Commissioner, Kara acts as the UK government’s representative and is responsible for everything from political work, trade and investment, to press and cultural relations, as well as visa and consular services.

Before taking on the role, Kara was most recently Director for the Americas at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, having also previously held high-profile government positions in Paris and Hanoi and as Private Secretary to the UK’s Foreign Secretary from 2003 to 2005.

For her services to British foreign policy, Kara was awarded the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list in 2020.

A self-confessed ‘proud Cumbrian and mother’ and as her Twitter profile proclaims:  Liverpool FC fan, food obsessive, history junkie, hiker and reader; Kara is also an ardent supporter and ambassador for the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives.

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For more information on the Women of the Future , please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Dr Leor Zmigrod

Dr Leor Zmigrod is a Junior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge. Her research combines methods from experimental psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience to investigate the psychology of ideological adherence and group identity formation. In particular, she is interested in investigating cognitive characteristics that might act as vulnerability factors for radicalisation and ideologically-motivated behaviour.

She holds a BA in Psychological and Behavioural Sciences from the University of Cambridge and has published work on the neuroscience of agency, creativity, and hallucinations. Leor has also conducted research at Stanford University, Harvard University, and University College London.

Leor went on to complete her PhD at Cambridge, with her doctoral research exploring the psychological processes underpinning political, religious, and nationalistic beliefs.

For the academic year 2020-2021, Leor will hold the Gretty Mirdal Junior Chair in ’Brain, Culture and Society’ at the Paris Institute for Advanced Study.

 

With numerous other accolades to her name, Leor was listed on Forbes '30 Under 30' in the Science & Healthcare category, awarded the ESCAN 2020 'Young Investigator' Award by the European Society for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience as well as the 'Glushko Dissertation Prize in Cognitive Science' by the Cognitive Science Society.

Leor is passionate about encouraging young people to pursue STEM and founded the Cambridge Cognitive Science Research Assistantship Scheme to offer research experience and mentoring to young people interested in a scientific approach to the human mind.

 

Her research has been featured in The Guardian, TIME, New Scientist, Financial Times, LSE British Politics and Policy, The Times and many other international outlets.

Leor was the recipient of the Women of the Future Award 2020 in the Science category.

 

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Sukki Singapora

Sukki Singapora is a burlesque performer and activist.

Born to a Singaporean Indian father and an English mother, Sukki has achieved world-wide recognition as the first international burlesque performer from Singapore; founding The Singapore Burlesque Society in 2012, to protect Asian women (and men) wanting to pursue a career in burlesque.

Sukki’s television debut came as one of the cast for Netflix’s unscripted docuseries ‘Singapore Social’; following the lives of young, successful Singaporeans and notable for being the first docuseries with an all-Asian cast based in Asia for global release - it gained Sukki legions of fans around the world.

Sukki has worked to change the stereotypes and misconceptions about Burlesque and to encourage others to try the performance style. Speaking on her activism in this space, Sukki has stated: "This is not just an opportunity to prove that Burlesque can make a difference, it is a responsibility.”

Her outspoken political views on freedom of expression for women in socially restrictive countries saw her recognised on the shortlist for the Asian Women of Achievement Awards in 2013.

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Samantha Cohen CVO

Samantha Cohen is CEO of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, the business network of the Commonwealth.

Prior to this Sam served in the Royal Household for nearly two decades as Assistant and Deputy Private Secretary to Her Majesty The Queen, having held a previous role as Head of Royal Communications for The Queen’s Household.

After working on the delivery of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London in 2018, Sam served as Private Secretary to The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, for 18 months.

Sam previously held positions with the Minister for Mining and Energy and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs in the Australian Government, the country of her birth.

Sam currently also serves as Co-Chair of the climate change charity Cool Earth and is a Trustee of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

In 2016, Samantha was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, which recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch.

She is also a proud judge for the Women of the Future Programme awards.

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For more details on how you can enter or nominate someone for the 'Kindness & Leadership 50 Leading Lights' list, part of the Women of the Future Programme, please visit: https://www.kindnessrules.co.uk

For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Zara Bryson

Zara Bryson is a Strategy and Innovation Director at Publicis Media, one of the four solutions hubs of Publicis Groupe, comprised of Starcom, Zenith, Digitas, Spark Foundry and Performics, powered by digital-first, data-driven global practices to deliver client value and business transformation.

 

Zara’s self-confessed love of maths and a degree in law has made her a collaborative, strategic, problem-solver. She values lifting others up, encouraging curiosity and fostering a compassionate, fun, growth mindset culture.

 

Zara is the current Head of Purpose and Impact at Bloom UK, a volunteer-led network of women in the communications industries, championing their ‘real voices’ and focused on spearheading positive industry change and paying it forward to the next generation.

 

She founded a biweekly podcast - ‘Who's Next with Zara Bryson’ - to shine a light on brilliant women to champion them, and for others to learn from. Each guest pays it forward to someone they personally find an inspiration. 

 

Zara received the WACL - Women in Advertising and Communications, London - Future Leaders Award in 2018, and was recognised as a ‘Kindness and Leadership 50 Leading Lights’, part of the Women of the Future Programme in November last year, recognising the contribution of kind leaders to business, the economy and society.

 

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For more details on how you can enter or nominate someone for the 'Kindness & Leadership 50 Leading Lights' list, part of the Women of the Future Programme, please visit: https://www.kindnessrules.co.uk

For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Katie Lloyd

Katie Lloyd is Development Director for BBC News & Current Affairs, leading the way in a number of areas; from culture change, D&I, talent development and sustainability, to the BBC’s flagship outreach project, BBC Young Reporter.

Since joining, Katie has devised a number of high-impact initiatives that have increased diversity and inclusion within the organisation; including the BBC News Women in Leadership Programme, Women in Tech Programme, Digital Apprenticeship Programme, Extend in News and the News Leadership Programme.

Katie created the BBC Next Generation Panel in order to get younger voices heard at a senior level and break down hierarchies. The panel reverse mentor the News Group Board, a model that has now been replicated across the BBC.

Previously, Katie was Deputy CEO of Media Trust where she oversaw PR, public affairs, youth media projects and the award winning in-house film production unit. Katie launched youth outreach work which benefited more than 20,000 disadvantaged young people across the UK. She also managed Media Trust’s key strategic partnerships with companies including Channel 4, Sky, BBC, ITV, News UK, DMGT and Google. 

In 2018, Katie was one of 50 business leaders recognised in the Women of the Future inaugural 'Kindness and Leadership' Awards and was also shortlisted for the European Diversity Awards in the ‘Diversity Champion of the Year’ category.  

Amongst numerous other accolades, Katie was nominated for ‘Inspiring Fifty UK’ a list of women leaders in tech, has judged the Women of the Future Awards, and was previously featured in PR Week's top '29 under 29' PRs in the UK as well as being listed as one of GQ's '100 Most Connected Women' in the UK. Katie is also a Fellow of the British-American Project and a Patron of LAMDA.

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk

The Women of the Future Podcast: Georgina Roberts

Georgina Roberts has represented Wales and Great Britain at Olympic Trap Shooting since she was just 17-years-old. As an ambassador for The Mintridge Foundation and British Shooting, she has found her passion lies in helping others to achieve their goals. 

Determined to rewrite and change public perceptions, as well as the gender-based stereotypes associated to shooting, Georgina has a steady focus on taking her sport to new levels – with her sights set on shooting at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

Currently running her own British Shooting Talent Hub at Mendip Shooting Ground, Georgina is the development coach for the Talent Academy.

Already gaining nationwide recognition for her achievements with media coverage in the Telegraph, The British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Clay Shooting Magazine; Georgina was also the recipient of the Women of the Future Award in the Sport category in 2019 for her contribution to shooting.

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For more information on the Women of the Future Programme and initiatives, please visit: www.womenofthefuture.co.uk