Same Purpose, New Adventures

At the end of last year, I left my role as Chief Learning Officer and Head of Employee Wellbeing at Unilever. After 6 years in that role, and a wonderful 28 years with Unilever, I felt that it was time to take on new challenges, finding where my purpose of nurturing deeply human possibilities can make a difference in the world now.

The transition has been exhilarating; I had intended to take a month off, but instead have been writing proposals at the request of organisations wanting to embed purpose into their business, develop 21st Century Leadership, deploy coaching journeys for C suite leaders, or create psychologically safe, agile cultures. ?I’ve had lots of learning moments, and huge joy in discovering how I can make a difference in new situations.

A massive bonus for me is that I will stay connected to Unilever through their “U-Work” scheme.?"U-Work" is Unilever’s new employment model which enables freedom and flexibility whilst also offering an ongoing relationship with the company. Through it I will continue to direct our Senior Leadership Development Practice, creating development plans for Unilever’s next generation of senior leaders. I will also continue to facilitate the incredible Four Acres Learning Community of CLOs & their teams, working on the future of learning, of reskilling, and of leadership development. As part of that, in June we will be delivering the Breakthrough Retreat for Senior Leaders. This is an innovation in developing leaders in an ecosystem, open to senior leaders from different companies, who will come together with handpicked experts from different partners to create a deep development experience, hosted at Unilever’s Four Acres Leadership Centre. It’s a privilege to continue to be associated with Unilever – a beacon of purpose and performance.

My focus now is to build a practice focussed on deep team and individual development, along with organisational transformation (name to be confirmed shortly!). Alongside it, sharing the revenue, will be a not-for-profit organisation, the Foundation for Transformational Leadership, offering the same opportunities for development to young leaders globally. I am also thrilled to be supporting Elisha London as an adviser to her new venture www.prospira.global which designs & delivers private sector mental health solutions, and to be working with the wonderful team at the Harlequins Foundation, who work so hard building brighter futures for young people, on their own development. And I am looking forward working with the amazing Mac Mckenzie of the Bridge Institute as a facilitator on the 1,000 Leaders Programme in Jammu & Kashmir.

There will be things that I will miss from being a “regular” member of Unilever’s team; being Chief Learning Officer is a platform to lead from. But mainly I feel gratitude. I am grateful that Unilever enabled me to share my experience of recovering from Post-Traumatic Stress and to try to dissolve some of the stigma that mental ill-health carries in the workplace. I am grateful to have been part of creating the Collaboration for Better Workplace Mental Health, with inspiring leaders from HSBC, Deloitte, and others. I am grateful for the opportunity to have engaged on what leadership means in the 21st Century - something on which the future depends - and to have worked with outstanding partners to realise it. Most of all I am grateful for all of the wonderful people across the Unilever world and beyond who I have journeyed with so far.?

Gratitude and purpose are my fuel for the adventure to come.