Past Events

Jane Garvey (Chair) is a highly respected journalist and presenter on BBC Women’s  Hour, BBC Radio 4 and Talk Radio. 

Claire Cohen is an editor and columnist on the Daily Telegraph – heading up  Telegraph Women, a daily online section filled with intelligent, insightful and  irreverent articles, on everything from politics to parenting, business to  relationships. She writes comment, features and interviews across the channel and  is Associate Features Editor on the newspaper. Claire is also a commentator and  newspaper reviewer for the BBC, Sky News and Talk Radio.  

Sarah Gavron is an award-winning film and TV Director. SUFFRAGETTE starring Carey Mulligan and Meryl Streep opened the London Film Festival in 2015. Before SUFFRAGETTE, Sarah’s feature debut was BRICK LANE, which earned her a BAFTA nomination and The Alfred Dunhill Talent Award at the London Film Festival. Sarah has sat on the board of the Tricycle Theatre and Cinema and on the advisory board of the National Film and TV school and she currently sits on the board for the British Independent Film Awards
Sarah has recently directed some American Television, TRANSPARENT and she has developed a film with Fable Pictures for Film Four and the BFI.

Jennifer Nadel is a writer and award winning journalist based in London.

Nadel qualified as a barrister and was called to The Bar (Middle Temple) in 1996 before turning to journalism. After a year at the American network ABC News’ London bureau she moved to the BBC where she reported for national television and radio. Nadel was a lobby correspondent for the BBC’s Parliamentary Unit.

In 1991 Nadel moved to ITV, working first for Channel Four News before becoming ITN’s Home Affairs Correspondent in 1991. In this post her special investigations contributed to a number of miscarriages of justice being re-opened and exposed the use of rape as a weapon of war in Bosnia. In 1994 she became ITN’s Home Affairs editor heading a bureau of specialist reporters and producers, a post she held until 1999.

In 1997, Nadel’s interview with Lord Woolf at the third Woman Lawyer conference led to him conceding consideration of fast track measures for women to address gender imbalances at the bar.^[1]

Alongside her journalism career, Nadel has published both novels and non-fiction. Nadel’s acclaimed non-fiction book about the Sara Thornton case, Sara Thornton: The Story of a Woman Who Killed, was published in 1993.^[2] The book highlighted the ways in which the legal system discriminates against victims of domestic violence and was subsequently adapted into a film, Killing Me Softly, which aired on BBC1 in 1996.^[3]

Nadel’s first novel, Pretty Thing, was published in 2015.^[4][5] Her writing has appeared in many of the UK’s national newspapers.

Her most recent book – WE : A Manifesto For Women Everywhere, written in collaboration with actress Gillian Anderson, was published by HC in the UK^[6] and Atria in the United States, as well as in a number of other countries.

Nadel has contested several elections at local and national level as a candidate for the Green Party. In 2014, she stood in the Bryanston and Dorset Square ward on Westminster City Council, coming seventh (representing the third-placed party after the Conservative and Labour candidates). In the general election of 2015, she stood as a parliamentary candidate for Westminster North, coming fifth. In the 2017 election, she was a candidate in neighbouring Kensington, when she came fourth. In the 2016 London Assembly election, Nadel stood in West Central, finishing in third place.

She is a trustee of the charity Inquest^[7] which supports families whose relatives have died in custody.

Kristiane Backer has been involved in the field of Arts, Culture and Music since she  began her professional life and now works as a Fine Art consultant based in  London. Her focus is on Modern and Impressionist paintings as well as Post War and  some Contemporary Art. Kristiane enjoys discovering talents and help giving them  a platform. She takes a personal interest in Islamic and Eastern art and has curated a major Art exhibition by the Egyptian Calligraphy Artist, Ahmed Moustafa, in  Sarajevo. Kristiane is engaged in several cultural projects, as well as inter- cultural  dialogue. She is active in fund raising for charities and hosts galas, conferences  and corporate events internationally. In 2012 Kristiane published her best- selling  memoir ‘From MTV to Mecca’ in the UK. She gave extensive book talks across the  UK and abroad- from Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia to the US. The original  book was published in German; Dutch, Indonesian, Malaysian, Urdu and Arabic  editions are available as well. Her background is a pan- European career in TV and  public speaking. At the age of 24 Kristiane became one of the leading presenters  on MTV Europe. She created her own youth show in Germany and presented a daily guide to  culture and entertainment, ‘The Ticket NBC’ on NBC Europe. She presented a  monthly travel show for Travel Channel in Germany, and an interfaith show for  Ebru TV. Kristiane was awarded Germany’s most prestigious TV award, the Golden  Camera. 

Stella Creasy is the Labour MP for Walthamstow , a fearless feminist and  campaigner. She led the campaign to regulate the payday loan industry and last  year forced the government into allowing abortions for women in Northern Ireland  on the mainland. She’s currently working with other MPs on tackling sexual  harassment in public life. 

Sophie Walker is Founding Leader of the Women’s Equality Party, Britain’s first  feminist political party formed in 2015 to speed up the glacial pace of change and  put women’s rights at the top of the agenda. In 2016 she ran for London Mayor on a  manifesto to close the city’s 23 percent pay gap and lack of affordable childcare  and won 1 in every 20 votes cast. In 2017 she contested the ‘men’s rights activist’  MP Philip Davies after he filibustered a bill to end violence against women and  girls, and helped to halve his constituency majority. A former Reuters  correspondent of 20 years, Sophie came to politics via disability campaigning and  activism when her daughter was diagnosed with autism. Sophie is also an  ambassador for the National Autistic Society and for Include MEtoo, supporting  disabled children and their families from diverse backgrounds. 

Helen Pankhurst is a women’s rights activist and senior advisor to CARE  International, based in the UK and in Ethiopia, where she grew up and continues to  spend half her time. She has also worked for international development charities  including WaterAid, Womankind Worldwide and ACORD. She is a Trustee of  ActionAid and WSUP. In the UK Helen is also a public speaker and writer. She has  taken part in re-enactment work for current day awareness raising including at the  Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, the 2015 film Suffragette and  leading the annual #March4Women on International Women’s Day in London. In  2018, her book Deeds not Words, the Story of Women’s Rights, Then and Now, is  being published by Sceptre. Helen studied at Sussex University, Vassar College,  New York, and Edinburgh University, has an honorary degree from Edge Hill  University. She is a Visiting Senior Fellow at LSE and Visiting Professor at MMU. Helen is the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of  Sylvia Pankhurst, leaders of the British suffragette movement. She is involved in  commemorations including Manchester’s Our Emmeline statue, the Pankhurst  Centre initiatives, and is a Patron of the Friends of the Sophia Goulden Society and  the Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Committee.

Heather Melville OBE, Director for Strategic Partnerships and Head of Business Inclusion Initiatives for RBS, was recognised in the Financial Times 2016 & 2017 inaugural Upstanding 100 Executive BAME Leaders Power List and was named the winner of WeAreTheCity 2016, Top 5 Rising Star champion for Diversity. Heather was awarded the prestigious Women in Banking & Finance Award for achievement under “Champion for Women” and in 2012 was awarded the World of Difference 100 award (TIAW) recognising Heather as one of the top 100 Women worldwide who have made a difference to the economic empowerment of women. She established the RBS women’s network and in addition sits on the board for Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and leads the CMI women. Outside of the financial industry, having completed an executive coaching programme, Heather is a Career Coach and Mentor advising young people who are striving to be tomorrows Entrepreneurs. She represents RBS as a Non-Executive Director for Enterprise Enfield a business consultancy funded by the Government to help small businesses. Heather graduated from IBM business school, together with a wealth of international experience secured over a 30 plus year career in the world of Banking, Finance & International Sales with her recent years focusing on diversity and Inclusion with regular contributions to Sky news and BBC world.    Heather was recently recognised in the Queens Birthday Honours list and received an OBE for her services on Gender Equality.

Anne-Elisabeth Moutet is a Paris-based journalist and political commentator. She is a columnist for the Telegraph and also writes on French affairs for CapX, UnHerd, The Conservative, and for the Weekly Standard in the US. She is a regular commenter on the 28 Minutes news talk show on ARTE-TV, and also comments on the news for the BBC, BFM-TV, Deutsche Welle, CGTN and France 24. Follow her on Twitter: @moutet.
(One of the signatories to the Deneuve letter). 

Sam Smethers is the Chief Executive of the Fawcett Society and took up her post  in 2015. Prior to that she was the Chief Executive of Grandparents Plus for over  six years. 

Farai Mubaiwa is the Founder of Africa Matters which encourages young Africans to become active citizens, embracing African identity. Currently, it has reached out to over 5000 including those in the diaspora. Student Parliament Speaker, Head of the Women Empowerment Portfolio for the Stellenbosch, to activist roles in #EndRapeCulture and #FeesMustFall. She’s a 2017 Queens Young Leader, and has been selected for several education opportunities including the Leading Change programme at Cambridge University and the Deloitte Consulting Launchpad. She is currently pursuing her Masters in the Political Economy of Emerging Markets at Kings College London.

Phyll Opoku Gyimah is the co-founder and director of UK Black Pride, an out black  African lesbian woman (identifies as queer as well), she is a Diva Magazine  Columnist, a Stonewall Trustee, a trade unionist, co-editor of the Sista Anthology  and an equalities campaigner who focuses on intersectionality. It is safe to say that  Phyll is one of the leading lights behind the amazing celebration of Black LGBTQ  communities. Phyll also know as Lady Phyll has been named in the Independent  Rainbow List as one of the top 100 most influential LGBT people and also in the  World Pride Power List. 2017 and last year she received the Campaigner of the  Year. A Civil Servant by profession, she took a job in the Public and Commercial  Services (PCS) Trade Union where she started off trailblazing as the only Black  female lead negotiator within Law and Justice bargaining area, then was promoted  to Head of Equality, Health & Safety. Thereon to be the Head of Political  Campaigns and Equality. In 2014, Phyll previously served one year on the Pride  London Community Advisory Board (CAB) and sat on the TUC LGBT Committee, TUC  Race Relations Committee and was also a board member of Justice for Gay  Africans which focuses on Human Rights, Equal Rights and supporting LGBTQ  People in countries in Africa. Phyll pride’s herself as an activist who is  passionate about what she believes in and works diligently to make people  aware of the cause, she has worked tirelessly to build UK Black Pride by bringing together LGBT activists, artists, volunteers and supporters from across  the LGBT community. Her efforts are constantly recognised with a nomination and  recognition by way of MBE but she rejected the Queens honor because she said: “I don’t believe in empire. I don’t believe in, and actively resist, colonialism and its  toxic and enduring legacy in the Commonwealth, where – among many other  injustices – LGBTQI people are still being persecuted, tortured and even killed  because of sodomy laws. Phyll cites this quotation from Dr Maya Angelou as her  maxim: prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and  renders the present inaccessible. 

Marchu Girma is a campaigner advocating for the rights of refugee and asylum  seeking women. She works as the grassroots coordinator for Women for Refugee  Women and is passionate about empowering refugees and asylum seeking women  to speak up about their experiences, and enabling them to use their voices for  change.  

Azadeh Akbari is the founder and CEO of Lync Media Group, a core element of  Azadeh’s vision and focus for Lync Media Group’s is to utilise the company’s  position to help the wider community and as such currently, the beneficiary of a  percentage of all Lync Media Group projects is the UNHCR, the UN Refugee  Agency, an organisation close to the team’s heart. 

Ava Etemadzadeh is a Labour Activist and Sexual harassment campaigner. She is MA Student at King’s College London University and Treasurer at the Young Fabians. She has publicly spoken about her experience with a Labour Member of Parliament, Kelvin Hopkins when she was the Chair of Essex Labour Students. She has highlighted the inequity suffered by her complaint of Sexual Harassment not being dealt with in a timely, effective and sensitive manner.  She has accused the party of failing to show “respect, seriousness and transparency” in handling her complaint of inappropriate behaviour. Ms. Etemadzadeh states she was  fobbed off without any action whilst Kelvin Hopkins with the unresolved allegation found himself promoted by Jeremy Corbyn with a shadow cabinet position. Her initial complaint was in 2015 but was only sent has been sent to the Labour Party’s disciplinary body,  National Constitutional Committee (NCC) for a full hearing in January 2018 after she went public with her allegation.  She is quoted as saying that “the only way victims of harassment in politics can see justice is through the establishment of an independent politically neutral body.”

Yasmin Khatun Dewan is News editor at the London bureau of international news channel TRT World and is also currently a doctoral researcher at Goldsmiths University of London. A highly accomplished journalist she’s been on British Bangladeshi power and inspiration 100 consecutively since 2013 and has produced critically acclaimed work on Sexual violence, the conflict in the Central African Republic and ethics in fashion.

Vanessa Johnson-Burgess is a commercial and results driven HR and employment law expert. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, she delivers executive coaching to senior women, individually and as part of CPD for business. She regularly supports senior HR leaders in the development of their HR strategy, workforce planning and talent management.

She is also a Co-founder and Director for Availexe who specialise in placing senior diverse talent into permanent and interim roles at Director and Board levels.

Emma Grace has instigated work in Body and Movement: Artist and researcher for  27 years, performing, studying, teaching and creating for both theatre and film,  winning awards for innovation. She founded Too Too Physical Film and  subsequently Theatre of the Disrupted achieving ground-breaking research in actor  movement training. Whilst she worked on Hollywood films as an actor, motion  capture artist and on the set of three Woody Allen films for example and later as  an actor’s agent herself. Emma studied at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art,  the National Film School and at Central School of Speech and Drama. She has  worked on over 200 productions including her own such as ‘Standing Ground’  (2010), ‘Touched’ (2000), ‘Public Sight Private Site’ (1997), ‘Off Screen’ (1994)  ‘Cover-Up’ (1994), ‘Small Rooms’ (1993) and ‘Dissolution of the Flesh’ (1992) all of  which are currently being archived by the BFI. Emma’s most current work looks at  transferring the experience of being a victim of abuse and crime into the bodies of  actors, using the latest findings in practical and scientific research. The aim of her  work is to attack the possibility of meaningful human expression in contemporary  theatre and on screen. She invokes experimental theatre and film relevant to a  volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous evolution. Moving images that  challenge current understanding of our communication with others. Emma’s  mission is not only in addressing issues of abuse in her work but also as a  campaigner reaching a catalyst in her facebook entry that pre dated the ‘Me Too’  revolution, in which she received a tidal wave response from those within the  industry to her heartfelt comment and personal experience of ‘Weinstein culture’.  Her first company partly spent 13 years contracted to recording court hearings  across inner London’s Crown Courts including the Old Bailey. She attributes this  time as a catalyst for her broadened awareness of the nature of abuse in the  country. Going forward she is in the process of setting up an organisation that is to  look at the main areas of research into why abusers abuse, successful detection  and interception and effective handling of those charged or convicted.  

Simeon Adewole Ademolake: Chairman of Newham Partnership for Supplementary  Schools. His an accomplished Politician, Entrepreneur and a Pastor. He is the first  elected Black Christian Democratic Councillor in British Electoral History. He is  now an active Labour Party member. Simeon is the founder of a 19 year old not for-profit Supplementary School called Arise and Glow Supplementary School in  Upton Park London, which provides educational support for ethnic minority  children with over 3500 ethnic minority children supported already and the project  is still ongoing. Arise and Glow was awarded Bronze followed by Silver Quality  Frame Work Award by the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Schools in  2017. Presently Simeon is the Chairman of the Newham partnership for Supplementary School. He started a successful menswear business with own label  called “Simeon”, which began with just £250 that now flourishes providing extra  income for the most experienced and retired tailors around London. He has  recently expanded this business into a Training School in North and East London. 

Amal Fashanu is a critically acclaimed TV presenter, model, musician and tireless charity campaigner, Amal Fashanu is the daughter of football legend John Fashanu and Spanish model Marisol Acuna. She shot to fame her hard-hitting BBC Three documentary Britain’s Gay Footballers, one of the channel’s highest rating shows of the year, with more than 1.3 million viewers.

The documentary was nominated for a prestigious British Broadcasting Award and followed Amal’s brave and moving journey, interviewing premiership stars including her father to find out why her uncle Justin Fashanu tragically committed suicide after becoming Britain’s first (and only) footballer to come out… and why there are still no openly gay footballers among the 5,000 professional, British players.

Amal has gone on to become the country’s most vocal campaigner against homophobia and racism in sport and has launched her own charity to stamp out prejudice.

The rising star’s warm and intelligent presenting style has seen her snapped up by the BBC, for subsequent documentaries including The Batman Shootings.

Amal was one of the lucky stars invited to the Dark Knight Rises premiere and days later, found herself on a plane to Aurora, Colorado – after 12 people were shot dead by a lone gunman dressed as The Joker while watching the same film – to interview survivors and investigate the attitudes of young Americans towards gun ownership.

And with striking looks inherited from her model mother, Amal – who stands at five-foot-11-inches – has understandably been in demand as a model for campaigns by major brands including eBay’s Spring/ Summer collection and Puma’s recent advertising campaign alongside Professor Green.

Amal’s knowledge, standing and passion for the fashion industry has also inspired her to launch her own, eagerly-awaited fashion line, Black Heart and the first brand from the label will be Fash and U, which has already amassed celebrity fans including her style icon friends Cara Delevingne and Rita Ora.

David Mahoney works within Executive Search and has worked in the industry for 15 years working for some of the largest global and local firms. During this time Mr. Mahoney has focused on the provision of executive talent into the global Energy Markets and more recently working with some UK Industrial businesses.

He is passionate about the development of these industries and has been a regular speaker and, more recently, organiser of the SPE Women in Energy event. Mr. Mahoney is training as a coach and holds a firm interest in how psychology can empower people and organisations.

Outside of work David is has been married to Jade for 6 years and they have two children Aiya (4) and Dylan (3). He also enjoys study, theatre and spending time with the family.

Homayra Sellier is the founder and CEO of Innocence in Danger; a worldwide  movement to protect minors against all forms of abuse & exploitation online and  off-line; including trafficking. Nominated by the United Nations Educational,  Scientific and Cultural Organization/UNESCO on 1999 (following the bust and dismantling of what was then considered as the biggest child exploitation network  online); to carry out the action plan of the global campaign on “Sexual Abuse of  Children, Child Pornography and Pedophilia on the Internet: “An International  Challenge”. Since April 2000; Innocence in Danger is an independent entity  constituted as “non- governmental organizations” in France, Germany, Austria,  Switzerland, Colombia, the UK & the US.  

Jay Kamara Frederick is an award winning marketer, social entrepreneur who  works with individuals with a social mission to create and implement effective  campaigns. In 2014, frustrated with how leading news tabloids portrayed those  who had experienced female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and several   encouraging email exchanges with international activist Waris Dirie and  photographer Chiara Ceolin, she decided to participate in a short documentary  produced by Reuter’s Woman Foundation. In 2017 Jay launched S.K.I.M (Sister’s  Keeping it Moving) from which SKIM TALKS was birthed – a platform to fill a gap  that she felt was needed to talk and debate the issues that matter to survivors who  have experienced sexual violation. “Silence changes nothing and no matter what  people say words and ideas can change the world.” SKIM TAlKS she hopes will provide a platform for victims and survivors to speak out loud and ask the  questions that matter to them. 

Dr Diahanne Rhiney BCAe is a peerless leading- edge Domestic Abuse  interventionist and highly- respected women’s and children’s advocate. Strength  With In Me Foundation (S.W.I.M) is the pioneering Domestic Abuse charity Dr  Rhiney founded after her own horrific experience in which she survived a murder  attempt at the hands of her former partner. S.W.I.M’s purpose is to equip children  with the emotional tools to avoid, combat and leave toxic relationships. Last year,  S.W.I.M launched #CanYouHearUsNow, a global campaign to encourage the victims  and survivors of sexual and domestic abuse to speak out. The campaign went viral,  achieving a social reach of 800,000 in just three hours. Changing the lives of  vulnerable young women and children is Diahanne’s way of life as she tirelessly  volunteers hundreds of hours a year to mentoring young single mothers and  fostering children from abusive backgrounds. Dr Rhiney has been interviewed by  the BBC on issues surrounding sexual abuse; from harassment to revenge porn. As  well as developing groups, presenting accredited workshops and speaking  extensively on abuse, emotional well-being and healthy relationships, her work has  led her to being highly sought-after by countries all over the world; from inspiring  girls on the Mercy ships in Ghana and mentoring the migrant women of Malta to  speaking in Washington D.C about modern pressures for young women to an  audience of 5,000 women and young girls. Recently, she was awarded a British  Citizen Award for her contribution to educating young people about Domestic  Abuse.  

Taha Coburn Kutay is the Chair of UK Asian Business Council (UKABC). In addition,  he is the Managing Director of Monkey Consulting Ltd, where he specialises in  international business development and marketing focusing on the following  sectors: Technology, Media, Healthcare and Charity, Renewable & Green Energy,  Education & Sports, Real estate Taha has recently joined Asia TV UK as the CEO.

His experience of 20 years in business spans across a number of geographical  regions, including the UK, Europe, Asia, Americas and Africa. He has been appointed at the Economic & Business Advisor to the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara in  Uganda. He works very closely with the public sector in India, consulting for  various developments in the Non-Governmental sector. Taha holds several non executive director roles in the private sector and is an advisor to Charities in  Britain. 

Lan Wu is the Chair of the Democrats Abroad UK Women’s Caucus. The caucus  organizes legislative action for women’s rights, provides education on American  politics and intersectional feminism, and provides a community for American  women abroad. It is our home away from home, and a platform from which we  fight for gender equality in the US and all over the world. Lan is also an associate  director at a financial technology firm in London, and pioneers Diversity &  Inclusion programs in a vastly male-dominated field. She has a BS from Columbia  University in Operations Research, with minors in Economics and Chinese Politics.  

Aisha Ali-Khan is an Activist and Human Rights Campaigner. In her professional life, she has been a teacher for over 13 years and an advocate for the rights of women, children and those with disabilities. She has been a lifelong carer, having helped to raise four siblings with disabilities and now shares caring duties of her 39-year-old sister who has developmental learning difficulties with her family. Aisha regularly writes about the experiences of Muslim women. Most recently she has written to highlight the difficulties that women from a BME background face as victims of domestic violence and trying to bring their perpetrators to justice. In 2017 and 2018, Aisha helped to organise two women’s marches, in Shipley and London. Aisha Ali-Khan is also founder and curator of the Women United blog. 

Farrukh Dhondy was born in Pune, India and went to school and college there before getting a scholarship to Cambridge University UK to study Natural Sciences. He took a second degree in English and began a career as a writer of short stories, novels, journalistic columns, stage and TV drama and screenplays. Among his screenplays are Bandit Queen, Split Wide Open, The Rising -Mangal Pande , Red Mercury, Exitz and Kisna.

Jillian Kowalchuk is the Founder and CEO of Safe & The City*, an active advocate  for gender equality, and a woman whose mission is to eradicate an epidemic  invisible to many – sexual harassment. She was born in Canada but spent her early  years in Yemen. She is an avid solo traveller and visited over 50 countries. She has  graduated with an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and  Tropical Medicine. *Safe & The City (SaTC) is a London-based technology company  that uses GPS, crowdsourced information and police risk data to reduce victims of  opportunistic crimes on streets that can make people feel unsafe. 

Harriet Minter is a journalist, speaker and consultant, focused on revolutionising the workplace. She is the author of the bestselling WFH: How to Build a Career You Love When You’re Not in the Office and provides guidance for companies looking to change their working practices. She has written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Telegraph. She has a monthly column in Psychologies magazine.

She is a regular speaker on hybrid-working, organisational change and workplace diversity. She has given two TED talks and appeared on the BBC and Sky News.

She also writes the only weekly newsletter guaranteed to get you promoted.

Rebeca Riofrio is a Marketing Manager at the  Anglia Ruskin University London. Internet portal founder, video presenter.