In this episode of The Impact Room, Michelle Ansell speaks with Hannah Awonuga, award-winning culture, talent and inclusion expert, LinkedIn Top Voice for Gender Equality and advisor to leaders navigating organisational growth.

Hannah specialises in helping scale-up businesses design and embed inclusive cultures where organisational growth strengthens both people, performance and enterprise value. Her work focuses on integrating inclusion into leadership behaviours, operating systems and organisational design, rather than treating it as a standalone initiative.

Drawing on almost two decades of experience across the banking sector and global organisations, Hannah has led cultural transformation programmes, global colleague listening initiatives and remote teams across the UK, US, Europe and APAC.

In this conversation, Michelle and Hannah explore:

• Why conversations about diversity and inclusion are evolving toward leadership and organisational culture • The challenges scale-ups face when growth outpaces cultural infrastructure • Why organisations are increasingly seeking strategic advisory support rather than traditional DEI roles • Practical steps leaders can take to build inclusive, high-performing environments

This episode offers thoughtful insight for CEOs, founders, HR leaders and executives looking to build organisations where culture, talent and business performance grow together.

Together they explore:

• The retreat from traditional DEI roles and what it really signals

• Why inclusive leadership requires new skills — empathy, bias awareness and strategic alignment

• The “frozen middle” and its impact on progression

• Fractional and advisory models for culture and inclusion support

• Intersectional leadership at board level

• Practical next steps for growth-stage organisations

This episode is essential listening for leaders navigating culture, governance, talent retention and long-term performance in a rapidly changing workforce.

If you would prefer to watch the full video you can do that here:

Follow and learn more from Hannah here.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahawonuga/

More Information on The Inclusive Foundations Programme here https://www.theinclusivefoundationsprogramme.com/

Learn more about Douglas Jackson who are Executive Search Consultants passionate about Diversity, Inclusion and Retention of Executive Directors show are more successful.

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

Dr Abbey Atkinson joins Michelle Ansell to unpack the structural, cultural and historic forces that shape gender inequality in the UK insurance sector. Drawing from extensive doctoral research and her own industry career, Abbey explains why progress is slowing, what organisations misunderstand about EDI, and the practical steps leaders can take to build equitable, high-performing workplaces.

Topics include: • Why gender equality progress remains largely superficial • The “role habitus” concept and how powerful job structures resist change • Flexible working, burnout and why policy without culture doesn’t work • Sponsorship vs mentorship — and why women need both • Networking inequality and why it must be treated as an organisational skill • Data, diagnostics and the danger of misidentifying the problem • How insurers can take meaningful action within 90 days

For boards, HR leaders, and executives committed to building better systems — this episode provides grounded, research-led insight with clear recommendations.

Listen today - if you would prefer to watch the recording you can do that here: https://youtu.be/Ny8Ht-nfQxE

For more information on Abbey's thesis and company go here https://www.insightchange.co.uk/

Follow Abbey Atkinson here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-atkinson-phd-88460257/

If you are looking for a Executive Search firm with a passion for Diversity, learn more about Douglas Jackson and their work here. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/diverse-leadership-recruitment-hire-more-diverse-leaders/

In this episode, The Impact Room welcomes Thomas Moore, COO at Custom Connect, to discuss the realities of operational leadership and the evolving outsourcing landscape.

Thomas shares his journey from frontline call-centre agent to COO, offering practical insight into: • The leadership lessons that shaped his career • Why the mid-management layer is under pressure — and how to strengthen it • Behaviour-based hiring and building confident, capable leaders • Human-centred outsourcing and the shift away from AI-first thinking • Managing complexity: cyber threats, global instability and changing customer expectations • What clients should look for when choosing an outsourcing partner

Packed with grounded experience and strategic insight, this episode is essential listening for leaders in CX, operations, BPO, transformation and customer-led industries.

Listen now, or if you prefer you can watch the full recording here.

Learn more about Custom Connect here: https://www.customconnect.com/

Follow Thomas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-m-0659b84/

Learn more about Douglas Jackson for your Executive Search and Recruitment Leadership services. https://www.douglas-jackson.com/