In this powerful episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell sits down with the remarkable Donna Scully, Joint Owner and Director of Carpenters Group, one of the UK’s leading providers of legal and insurance services.

From the tenement streets of inner-city Dublin to the top of the UK legal sector, Donna’s story is one of courage, resilience, and unapologetic ambition. Leaving school at 16 with just GCSEs, she defied the odds and proved that social mobility isn’t just possible, it’s essential for building truly inclusive businesses and leadership teams that reflect the real world.

With refreshing honesty, Donna speaks about:

• Her working-class upbringing and the battles she faced navigating professional spaces.

• How she built her career without the “right” background or connections.

• Why we must rethink traditional hiring, qualification pathways, and what "professionalism" really looks like.

• How kindness, integrity and hard work still matter in today’s cutthroat business world.

💥 Donna's Quote: "I'm the social mobility poster girl. I’m grateful for every opportunity, and I’ve worked hard because I know how lucky I am – but it shouldn’t be about luck."

This episode is a must-watch for business leaders, HR professionals, educators, and anyone passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion. Donna’s journey challenges us to see people’s potential beyond their postcode or qualifications and to rebuild access routes into business with heart, fairness, and intention.

💡 The Impact Room is brought to you by Douglas Jackson, a founder led, independent boutique recruitment consultant and Executive Search firm. We help organisations hire more impactful, diverse leaders who stay longer and succeed.

👉 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/6DAPJ9scVRc

Follow Donna here: (35) Donna Scully | LinkedIn

Learn more about Carpenters Group https://www.carpentersgroup.co.uk/

Learn more about Douglas Jackson and the regulated sectors we serve including, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance here. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/practice-areas-douglas-jackson-executive-search/

#TheImpactRoom #DonnaScully #SocialMobility #WomenInBusiness #LeadershipWithHeart #DiversityandInclusion #KindnessInLeadership #CareerInspiration #LegalLeadership #DouglasJackson

AI is everywhere – from Spotify recommending your next playlist to hospitals diagnosing conditions faster than ever before. But what does it really mean for businesses and leaders? In this episode of The Impact Room, Perry Fletcher talks with Ahmed Khan, Co Founder of Edge vision AI an AI expert, technologist with over 20 years of experience, about separating hype from reality and finding the true value of AI.

Ahmed shares how companies can leverage AI for efficiency, strategy, and customer experience – and the pitfalls of adopting it blindly. He also explores cutting-edge uses in medicine, transport, and nanotechnology that show the future is already here.

Quote from Ahmed: “The biggest mistake is treating AI like a magic wand. Without strategy and the right data, it won’t work. Get those right, and it can transform your business.”

Whether you’re a CEO, COO, or future-focused leader, this episode gives you clear insights into what AI can do today – and what’s coming next.

If you would prefer to watch this episode go here: https://youtu.be/uZubTbvN3-c

Follow Ahmed here: (9) Ahmed M S Khan | LinkedIn

Learn more about Douglas Jackson, an independent boutique recruitment and Executive Search firm and how to hire more impactful leaders who stay longer and are more successful in AI, Data transformation, Operational Support, Tools Tech, Insight, Analytics and Resource Planning.

https://www.douglas-jackson.com/services-retained-executive-search-firm/

Welcome to The Impact Room, where we speak with the leaders shaping tomorrow’s organisations.

In this episode, Perry Fletcher, Operational Support Practice Lead at Douglas Jackson is joined by Chris Kenny, Digital Specialist at JDI Digital Transform Limited to discuss the crisis of trust facing regulated professions—and what good leadership looks like in today’s climate. Chris has spent over two decades at the intersection of regulation, risk, and governance, helping organisations rethink culture, compliance, and what it truly means to lead with integrity.

From AI to professional burnout, Chris doesn't shy away from the big topics. He challenges the status quo and offers a practical roadmap for leaders who want to create safe, inclusive, and trusted environments that withstand scrutiny and drive impact.

If you're in healthcare, law, insurance, or any highly scrutinised sector, this episode is a must-listen.

👉 Follow The Impact Room for more powerful stories from the leaders creating meaningful change.

Follow Chris here https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kenny-0306312a

Prefer to watch the full episode, you can do that here. https://youtu.be/e2PO0sP-ISo

Learn more about Douglas Jackson Executive Search and Recruitment Consultant for Operations, Operational Support, including, Resource Planning, Analytics, Insight, AI, CX and UX. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/

Douglas Jackson Partner with organisations across sectors to identify and attract top-tier leaders and subject matter experts, whether permanent, fractional, or NED, who drive transformation, scale, or solve critical challenges. Operating at the intersection of Operations, Transformation, Growth, Customer, CX, Marketing, Digital and Operational Support, helping you hire high-impact leaders, C-suite, SVP, Director and subject matter, critical expert hires who stay longer and are more successful.