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Tags: Career Advancement, Collaboration, Effective communication and respecting others’ styles, Leadership development for women, Leadership Skills, Leadership skills - communication, negotiation, stakeholder management

Episode Description:

In this episode of the Podcast, Julia is joined by Sophie Kwasny and Francine Hetherington Raveney, who reflect on their experiences working together in leadership roles at the Council of Europe. Their collaboration demonstrates how shared values, trust, and adaptability can redefine traditional leadership models. In theory Sophie heads the team and that makes her Francine’s boss, but the duo explains how their complementary approaches to decision-making and their ability to navigate hierarchical systems has redefined leading for them.

“It’s not just about hierarchy; it’s about our collective input and how we achieve things together.” said Sophie.

Listen to this episode to explore how women working together challenge gender norms and stereotypes, offering a fresh perspective on collaborative leadership while providing practical takeaways for fostering synergy, overcoming biases, and leading with inclusivity.

About the Guests

Sophie Kwasny

Sophie Kwasny has over 25 years of experience in intergovernmental work, focusing on human rights, data protection, and sport governance. She is the Head of the Sport Division at the Council of Europe and Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS). Her work supports ethical, inclusive, and safe practices in sport through cooperation between public authorities, sports federations, and NGOs. Previously, she led the Data Protection Unit, managing the modernization of Convention 108, a key international framework for privacy and data protection. Sophie holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Strasbourg.

Francine Hetherington Raveney

Francine Hetherington Raveney is an experienced professional with expertise in international consultancy, sport governance, gender equality, and fitness instruction. As Deputy Executive Secretary of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS) at the Council of Europe, she leads initiatives focused on diversity, integrity, and human rights in sport. Her career includes roles in film finance, communications, and anti-discrimination advocacy, as well as the development of gender equality strategies for the audiovisual sector. An Oxford graduate and certified Pilates instructor, she integrates her diverse skills to foster growth and well-being in various sectors.

About the Host

Julia Middleton

Julia Middleton is the host of the Women Emerging podcast and a best-selling author of “If that’s leading, I’m in” as well as two previous books: “Leading beyond Authority” and “Cultural Intelligence”. She is deeply committed to helping people from all backgrounds to find their own approach to leading.

In 2020, Julia launched Women Emerging and in 2022 she lead an expedition of 24 women to find ‘an approach to leading that resonates with women’. She now leads expeditions with women all over the world based on 4Es methodology, discovered in the first expedition.

Prior to that, Julia was founder and, for over thirty years, Chief Executive of Common Purpose, which grew to become one of the biggest leadership development organisations in the world.
Julia is also an Ambassador for the Aurora Prize based in Armenia, on the boards of Alfanar Venture Philanthropy in the Arab World and Equality Now, which operates globally, and on the Advisory Councils of Fundacao Dom Cabral in Brazil and Synapse in Pakistan.

Born in London and brought up in New York, Julia was educated at French Lycées and graduated from the London School of Economics. She is married, with five children and lots of grandchildren.