START AN EXPEDITION

Episode Description

This is the inaugural episode of the Women Emerging Podcast which introduces the first expedition: one where 24 women from across the globe, spanning diverse geographies, generations, and specialisms, try to find an approach to leading that resonates with women. Host Julia Middleton shares the journey’s origins, rooted in addressing women’s isolation and the need for a fresh perspective on leadership.
Julia is joined by Vidya Shah, author and Executive Chair of the EdelGive Foundation, and Dr. Hinemoa Elder, a Māori Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Vidya reflects on the central role of women in driving societal change and her hope for authentic and diverse leadership styles. Hinemoa shares her experiences from an Antarctic expedition, emphasizing the importance of emotional intelligence, cultural readiness, and honoring indigenous histories in leadership. This episode sets the stage for an extraordinary journey to redefine leading.

About the Guests

Maria Anker Andersen

Maria Anker Andersen is an experienced consultant with a background in strategic and operational management. Passionate about diversity and inclusion, she co-founded Diverse Eksperter and Rollemodeller for Alle. Maria also created REIGN OF GAIA, a sustainable clothing brand for women. She is currently seeking Non-Executive Director roles to leverage her expertise in strategy and DE&I.

Helene Wolf

Helene Wolf co-founded FAIR SHARE of Women Leaders to hold the sector to account on the representation of women in leadership and advocate for feminist leadership as the new paradigm for our sector.

Faith Legendre

Faith Legendre is a Circular Economy Solutions Strategist who believes that we can bring the global circular economy to fruition by strategically implementing people and technology at the right points in the interconnected loops.

Isata Kabia

Isata kabia is the Founding Executive Director of Voice Women Africa which aims to create a cadre of women who believe in themselves and in other women, by mobilizing a network of African women leaders.

Dr Ayesha Mian

Dr Ayesha Mian is the founder and CEO of Synapse, Pakistan Neuroscience Institute. She is the immediate past Chair, Department of Psychiatry (2013-2020), Aga Khan University and the Founding Dean of Students of the Office of Student Experience (2017-2020), AKU.

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.