Women in Leadership: Supporting Future Leaders
An exclusive panel discussion as part of Wales Week in London
Date: Thursday, 27th February 2025
Time: 6:30 PM onwards
Location: Florence Nightingale Museum, St Thomas’ Hospital, London
Join us for an inspiring evening of discussion, insight, and networking as we delve into the challenges and opportunities facing women in leadership today. This event is hosted as part of Wales Week in London 2025, celebrating Welsh excellence and culture.
Key Discussion Topics:
- Overcoming challenges women face in leadership roles today
- Building pathways for the next generation of female leaders
- The role of diversity and inclusion in leadership development
- Personal insights and lessons from the journeys of our esteemed panellists
The Florence Nightingale Museum, located at the historic St Thomas’ Hospital, provides a fitting backdrop for our conversation. Just as Florence Nightingale revolutionised nursing and broke barriers in her time, our event focuses on empowering women to overcome challenges, lead with purpose, and inspire the next generation.
This is a unique opportunity to hear from industry leaders, engage in meaningful dialogue, and connect with like-minded professionals.
Spaces are limited, so RSVP to secure your place!
RSVP: Rebecca@callofthewild.co.uk
Confirmed Panellists:
Dr. Carol Bell
Dr.Bell has been involved in the energy industry for over 40 years: working for E&P companies, as an investment banker and an equity analyst. In 1997 she became a Managing Director of Chase Manhattan’s Investment Bank with responsibility for oil and gas and prior to that was Global Head of J.P. Morgan’s
Energy team in Equity Research and Head of European Equity Research.
Now spending more time on the transition to a net zero carbon future and is one of the founder directors of Chapter Zero (the network for NEDs to engage with climate risk).
Also currently a non-executive Director of Bonheur ASA, BlackRock Energy & Resources Income Trust and Tharisa. I also serve on the boards of FA Wales, the Development Bank of Wales (and Chair its Investment Committee), Chair of Hafren Scientific and am a Council Member of Research England.
Her involvement in the charity world include: Chair of the British School at Athens, Treasurer of the Institute for Archaeometallurgical Studies, Vice President of the National Museum of Wales, Deputy Chair of the Wales Millennium Centre and a Trustee of Museum of London Archaeology. A frequent broadcaster in Welsh on business related matters and have sat on the S4C Authority, the governing body of the Welsh Language TV Channel.
Sharon James-Evans
A bold and visionary leader with a real passion for the power of education as an enabler of change, Sharon James-Evans is the Principal of Cardiff and Vale College. As the largest FE College in Wales and third largest in the UK, the College has over 30,000 students, 1,000 staff and is part of the Cardiff and Vale College Group.
With over 30 years’ experience working in post 16 education Sharon has operational responsibility for the College’s commercial and business activities, driving innovative business growth and continued investment that supports our communities and economy. She is an outstanding role model and can give meaningful insights into overcoming challenges women face in leadership roles today.
Sharon also sits on the Board of Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Business Club and is Chair of Its My Shout charity. She is a member of the Welsh Government Employability Group and Creative Wales. She is a Governor and Chair of Curriculum and Quality for Eastern High School.
Denise Lewis Poulton
Denise Lewis Poulton is an experienced non-executive director, trustee and senior adviser to public, private and third sector bodies and has extensive experience of serving on Audit & Risk, Remuneration, Nominations and Communications Committees.
A Welsh speaker, she is passionate about harnessing the power of heritage, culture and the arts in regenerating communities in Wales and across the UK.
She is Trustee of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Heritage Memorial Fund and Chair of the Committee for Wales. Denise is a member of the Fund’s Remuneration and People Committee. She has chaired the National Lottery’s Grant in Aid programme on behalf of Welsh Government.
Denise is also a NED of S4C, the Welsh language national broadcaster and multi-media channel for Wales. She chaired the Communications Committee and was a member of the Content Committee.
She has served on the Boards of The Wallace Collection, home to one of the most significant collections of fine and decorative art in the world, and Welsh National Opera; as a Founding Trustee of The Wessex Youth Trust, the former charitable foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh; trustee of the Cadwgan Buildings Preservation Trust and its award-winning restoration of Cardigan Castle; and a Vice-President of The Hay Literary Festival.
A corporate affairs and strategic communications specialist, during her career as a consultant Denise advised the Welsh Government and Senedd Cymru and a number of Welsh cultural, media and public sector organisations.
Her executive career was spent in leadership roles in multi-national and FTSE telecom companies culminating in her role as Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Orange plc where she was responsible for the communications for three changes of ownership; oversaw the marketing and corporate communications for the Orange flotation, the largest ever European corporate IPO; launched the Orange brand in 22 countries worldwide and created and built an award-winning portfolio of arts, education and cultural sponsorship which positioned Orange as one of the largest corporate sponsors of the arts in Europe.
She was awarded the Financial Times Arts Champion of the Year Award in 2001 and was made a lifetime Honorary Member of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Born in Adpar, Newcastle Emlyn, Ceredigion, Denise was educated at Llandysul Grammar School and King’s College, University of London. She is currently studying for an Executive Masters in Cultural Leadership at The Royal Academy and the University of Maastricht.
Robert Lloyd Griffiths OBE
Our panel chair for the evening Robert is the Director for the ICAEW in Wales and held the position of National Director of the Institute of Directors in Wales from 2009-2021.
Robert works very closely with both the UK Government and the Welsh Government. He currently chairs Business Wales, the Welsh Government’s Strategic Board that oversees business support in Wales; a public appointment made by the Minister for Business and the
Economy. He previously chaired the Welsh Government’s Micro Business Task & Finish Group and has conducted several Ministerial Reviews for the Welsh Government. As a member of The Secretary of State for Wales’ Business Advisory Group and the Wales Office’s Brexit Advisory Panel and The First Minister for Wales’ Council for Economic Development he contributed to the economic and business agenda for Wales. Robert is also a member of the Welsh Government Tax Advisory Group, appointed by The Minister for Finance.
He has held trustee/board positions on a wide variety of Welsh charities including Arts & Business Cymru/Wales, The Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales, Help a South Wales Child and The Order of St John, and was previously the Autism Employment Ambassador for Wales – the first for Wales and also internationally. He is currently chair The Duke of Edinburgh Awards – Wales, Business Ambassadors Board.
Spaces are limited, so RSVP to secure your place!
RSVP: Rebecca@callofthewild.co.uk
