What does it mean to truly belong at work? For Victoria Tobin, Senior People Partner at Manchester Airports Group, the answer is shaped by nearly 20 years of HR leadership across the UK and internationally. From steering complex transformations to shaping cultures where people feel seen and valued, Victoria brings a wealth of insight into how representation and authenticity drive lasting change. Her journey offers a powerful perspective on building workplaces where every voice matters a...

The brilliant Sophie Milliken MBE joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing a conversation about the power of visibility, storytelling, and taking bold action to create lasting impact. As an award-winning entrepreneur, author, and founder of Mojo, Sophie helps leaders and professionals communicate their value and build authentic personal brands that drive opportunity. From running writing retreats in the Yorkshire Dales to chairing Smart Works Newcastle – a charity transforming unemployed wom...

The brilliant Ngozi Weller and Wayne Bennett join the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing honesty, courage, and vision to a powerful conversation about racial equity, authentic leadership, and creating real change in Manchester and beyond. Their partnership began on a train journey – a chance meeting that sparked a movement. Wayne, a visionary entrepreneur, and Ngozi, a fearless strategist and advocate, combined their complementary strengths to co-found The Racial Equity Group (REG) within Pro Ma...

The brilliant Emma Green joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing creativity, courage, and a passion for storytelling that’s transforming communities across the North and beyond. As Communications Lead for Peel Waters, Emma combines her love of connection and communication to shape places where people truly belong. From a film studies degree to leading communications for one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration projects, Emma’s story proves that career paths don’t have to be linear to be ...

The brilliant Holly Ellis joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing honesty, resilience, and a fierce commitment to breaking barriers in science. Known to her growing online community as The Scouse Scientist, Holly is redefining what it means to belong in STEM while balancing the realities of motherhood, identity, and advocacy. From Liverpool to Oxford University, Holly’s story is one of challenging perceptions and proving that background and accent should never be barriers to opportunity. Sh...

The brilliant Saeeda Ahmed joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing faith, resilience, and a bold vision for building sustainable cities that put people first. As Founder and President of Sustainable Cities Global and a trailblazer named on the global stage, Saeeda is transforming how communities are designed, governed, and grown. From the inner cities of Bradford to international contracts across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa, Saeeda’s story is one of breaking barriers and rewr...

The brilliant Nazir Afzal OBE joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing honesty, courage, and a lifetime of fighting for justice and inclusion. Chancellor of the University of Manchester, Chair of the Lowry, and tireless advocate for equity, Nazir refuses to let diversity become a tick-box exercise – instead, he challenges leaders to make allyship active, authentic, and accountable. From calling out institutional misogyny to championing gender equality, Nazir shares why the retreat from dive...

The brilliant Catherine Millan joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast - bringing resilience, empathy, and a mission to change workplaces for the better. Founder of Be What You See Consultancy and winner of the 2025 Northern PoWEr Women Awards Person with Purpose Organisation Award, Catherine is dedicated to creating psychologically safe environments through innovative active bystander training. From becoming a young carer at just 14 when her mum faced mental health struggles after cancer treatment, ...

The brilliant Alison Lowe OBE joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast - bringing energy, honesty, and a lifetime of serving others with courage and compassion. Based in Leeds and named on the 2025 Northern PoWEr Women Awards PoWEr List, Alison has spent her career challenging injustice, leading with heart, and showing that authenticity is a strength, not something to dial down. From growing up in a political household to becoming Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in West Yorkshire, Alison has alway...

The brilliant Liz Kingston and Alexandra Ahmet join the We Are PoWEr Podcast - bringing a conversation about making recruitment more inclusive, removing the fear from interviews, and building confidence for anyone chasing their next opportunity. As part of BT’s talent team, Liz and Alexandra aren’t just hiring people - they’re rethinking how the process works. From making interviews transparent and prep-friendly to encouraging candidates to always ask questions, they share how curiosity and ...

The brilliant Adrian Jones joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing reflections on leadership, representation, and creating trusted spaces for people to thrive. As Senior Director, Anglia & South Midlands Superstores at ASDA and a 2025 Northern PoWEr Women Advocate, Adrian looks after 31 stores and thousands of colleagues – but his focus goes far beyond retail. From mentoring female leaders to co-chairing the Women in ASDA network, he is committed to driving diversity, amplifying unheard...

The brilliant Hannah McLean joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing a story of bold career moves, northern pride, and learning to back yourself even when self-doubt kicks in. From a history degree to becoming Information Security Officer at Manchester United Football Club, Hannah proves that breaking into male-dominated industries isn’t always about being the most technical person in the room – it’s about problem-solving, communicating, and negotiating with confidence. She shares how she li...

The brilliant Gillian joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast - entrepreneur, risk-taker, and now PoWEr Lister 2025. From flatlining during childbirth to launching tech for social change, Gillian’s story is one of raw resilience, reinvention, and refusing to stay quiet. In this emotional and unfiltered episode, Gillian reflects on going from “wild” child, surviving wrongful arrest in front of her kids, and becoming the youngest-ever responsible individual in the care sector. She opens up about being ...

The brilliant Siwan Smith joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast - this time as a 2024 Northern PoWEr Women Future List star, 2025 Awards judge, and an unstoppable voice for inclusion, courage, and creativity. In this episode, Siwan opens up about surviving sexual assault and two brain tumours, and how therapy, family support, and fierce inner strength helped her rebuild not just her health, but her identity. Now Inclusion and Diversity Manager at Princes, she’s on a mission to make workplaces bette...

The brilliant Ella Grace Gregoire and Elaine Gregoire join the We Are PoWEr Podcast - a mother-daughter duo with a shared mission to uplift, include, and never leave anyone behind. Elaine, founder of Streetwise and a foster carer, shares how she turned a church youth club into a thriving support hub for young people - all while navigating burnout and dancing through recovery (literally, with a Strictly Come Dancing charity challenge). Ella, a performance and wellbeing consultant, reflects on...

The brilliant James Carss joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – this time sharing a story of trauma, transformation, and finding poWEr through purpose, discipline, and inclusion. In this episode, James opens up about training daily as a teenager to moving to Hong Kong with just a suitcase, James’s journey is packed with resilience, humour, and heart. He shares the life-changing mentorship he found with a Chinese martial arts master, his unexpected stint in the movie industry, and how those experi...

The brilliant Steph Edusei returns to the We Are PoWEr Podcast - this time as a PoWEr Lister, published author, and still dancing her way through leadership, life, and impact. In this episode, Steph shares the leadership lessons that shaped her writing, the moments that tested her optimism, and the poWEr of creating collaborative spaces where people flourish - not just follow. She opens up about why not every table feeds you, the importance of saying no, and how her book was written with 10-...

The brilliant Juliet Sanders, CEO and Founder of Feeding Families, joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast to explore how purpose, persistence, and community can become a truly PoWErful force for change. From growing up as an adopted only child to discovering a family of siblings later in life, Juliet shares the deeply personal story behind her drive to build a charity that now supports thousands. She opens up about surviving domestic violence, founding Feeding Families, and the emotional journey of ...

In this episode of the We Are PoWEr Podcast, we sit down with Kirsty Murphy MBE — trailblazing pilot, proud daughter, and people-first innovator. From growing up on an RAF squadron to becoming the first and only female Red Arrows pilot, Kirsty shares how she carved out her own path in a world where few women had gone before. She speaks openly about building a career that’s more like a climbing wall than a ladder — full of bold moves, challenges, and powerful pivots. From the RAF to Connected...

In this episode of the We Are PoWEr Podcast, we sit down with Gail Hall, Director of Operational Excellence, and Emma Griffin, Group Chief Security Officer at Royal London - two powerhouse leaders with stories that move from bars to boardrooms, and everything in between. We also explore Royal London’s commitment to empowering others, including their brilliant partnership with our Mentor of the Year category at the 2025 #NPWAwards. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:49 Meet This Week's Guests: ...