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Episode Description

In this milestone episode, Julia Middleton is joined by four distinguished leaders- Isata Kabia, Katya Guryeva, Fatima Zibouh, and Erica Su; to explore the transformative power of leading with love. In a world where leadership is often associated with authority and strategy, they discuss how compassion, empathy, and genuine care can drive meaningful change and foster inclusive environments.

Each guest shares personal experiences and insights into how leading with love has shaped their professional journeys. They delve into the challenges and rewards of embracing love as a leadership principle, illustrating how it can enhance decision-making, build stronger teams, and create a culture of trust and respect.

This conversation is a reminder that leadership is not just about power and influence- it is about the courage to care, the generosity to uplift others, and the wisdom to lead with heart.

About the Guests

Isata Kabia

Isata Kabia is the Founding Executive Director of Voice of Women Africa (VoW Africa), an organisation dedicated to amplifying women’s voices and increasing their political participation across the continent. She is also the CEO of AFRiLOSOPHY, a company focused on African-inspired products and services. Previously, Isata served as a Member of Parliament and held ministerial positions in Sierra Leone, including Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Katya Guryeva

Katya Guryeva is an experienced leader in international development, specialising in governance, civic engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. She is committed to driving systemic change through ethical and inclusive leadership.

Fatima Zibouh

Fatima Zibouh is a Belgian-Moroccan political scientist and researcher. She serves as the manager for Actiris, focusing on labour market inclusion. Since 2007, she has been a researcher at the Centre for Ethnic and Migration Studies at the University of Liège, with her work concentrating on the political participation of ethnic minorities and integration policies. In January 2025, she was named Brussels Leader of the Year.

Erica Su

Erica Su is the EY Global Emerging Markets Leader for Strategy and Transactions, with two decades of experience in providing professional services for cross-border mergers and acquisitions. She has been instrumental in assisting foreign companies and private equity firms expand their investments in China, as well as advising Chinese companies on their overseas investments and M&A activities.

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.