Top Voices UK: Special Edition for International Women’s Day

The LinkedIn Top Voices for International Women’s Day list highlights 10 thought leaders in the UK who share insightful content and help shape conversations around diversity and equality.

Each year, LinkedIn News explores different ways to elevate the work of women changemakers and support conversations around pay transparency, challenging biases and making work actually work for women on International Women’s Day and beyond.

Today, we’re launching the inaugural Top Voices list for International Women’s Day. The members featured are passionate voices on issues that impact women, personally and professionally, and post on topics including workplace rights, inclusion, reproductive health and more.

We know that, for many, this is a year like few others as LinkedIn members around the world come to terms with the new and unsettling reality of war. At this time of crisis, many members are choosing to share their support for those impacted by the war in Ukraine. Learn more about how you can support Ukraine.

__________________________________________________________________________

Top Voices is a series of lists that have been editorially curated by the LinkedIn News UK team, highlighting creators who are writing and sharing about today’s important workplace, career and industry topics. This list is in alphabetical order by surname. You can find more about how we compile these lists and who is eligible to be a Top Voice at the bottom of this article.

See the #LinkedInTopVoices for International Women’s Day here and follow them to stay plugged into the conversation.

__________________________________________________________________________

Funke Abimbola, CEO, The Austen Bronte Consultancy

What she talks about: As founder of a consultancy that provides diversity and equity expertise, Funke Abimbola is passionate about inclusion and showcases it in her posts. Her content includes inspirational insights from a range of sources, whether colleagues, family, Hollywood stars, or even fictional characters. In recent days, Abimbola has also shared support and called for action to support people impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.

?? Follow Funke Abimbola here

Joeli Brearley, Founder at Pregnant Then Screwed

What she talks about: The firm Brearley founded, Pregnant Then Screwed, provides support for women who have faced workplace discrimination, particularly around parenthood. In recent weeks, Brearley has drawn attention to the use of non-disclosure agreements, particularly by employers, which prevent women from speaking publicly about allegations of harassment or discrimination.

?? Follow Joeli Brearley here

Neelam Heera, Founder of Cysters

What she talks about: Birmingham-based Heera founded her charity Cysters with the aim of supporting reproductive health and mental wellbeing in a culturally sensitive way among marginalised communities. Her posts highlight initiatives to tackle health inequalities and managing chronic conditions, as well as support for studies into how healthcare is provided to people from underrepresented backgrounds.

?? Follow Neelam Heera here

Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon, CEO at Stemettes

What she talks about: Nine years after founding social enterprise Stemettes, Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon remains as passionate about supporting women into science, maths, engineering and technology careers. Imafidon shares her own experiences – including her work on Countdown – and in recent days posts on the technological threats in Ukraine. Her posts also cover what the “future of good work” looks like, as well as highlighting STEM-focused events.

?? Follow Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon here

Valentina Milanova, Founder and CPO, Daye

What she talks about: Daye may be best known for its tampons, but Valentina Milanova founded the company “on a mission to bridge the gender gap in innovation”. Milanova posts about health tech developments and gender inequalities in healthcare, writing about the lack of clinical testing data on women and funding for women’s health. In recent days, she has also posted her support for Ukraine and an end to the war.

?? Follow Valentina Milanova here

Birgit Neu, Senior DEI Advisor

What she talks about: As an experienced diversity and inclusion specialist, Birgit Neu is well placed to further her work around equality in the workplace and has aligned herself with equity non-profit groups including the 30% Club and Coqual. Birgit posts about intersectional inclusion, including ethnicity equality, diversity initiatives, ageism and gender equity within the financial sector and throughout society.

?? Follow Birgit Neu here

Emma Palethorpe, Programme Manager and LGBT+ Network Chair at St. James’s Place Wealth Management

What she talks about: As Emma Palethorpe says, “representation is EVERYTHING”. A proud trans and LGBT+ campaigner, Emma is vocal about equality and inclusion. She fosters a welcoming community, posting about creating safe spaces, protecting the wellbeing of LGBT+ identifying children and working for gender equality in the workplace.?

?? Follow Emma Palethorpe here

Lauren Paton, CEO, Unleashed Coaching

What she talks about: Lauren Paton is focused on creating the next generation of powerful female leaders. In addition to guiding women through the coaching service she founded, she hosts workshops and is regularly invited to speak to groups about her work. She posts about emotional wellbeing, leadership and expectations placed on women.

?? Follow Lauren Paton here

Sharon Peake, Founder & CEO, Shape Talent

What she talks about: What are the barriers stopping women from progressing up the career ladder? That question is fundamental to Sharon Peake’s work as a coach and gender diversity expert. She posts about unconscious bias, gender equality and self-worth.

?? Follow Sharon Peake here

Carol Stewart, Executive, Career, Leadership Coach

What she talks about: Carol Stewart’s go-to saying is: “Before you can lead others you have to be able to lead yourself.” She celebrates the power of all women, but especially introverted women making their own way through their careers. Carol posts about networking, breaking biases and diversity and equality.?

?? Follow Carol Stewart here

______________________________________________________________________

How we compile the list

Top Voices is a series of lists that have been editorially curated by the LinkedIn News team, with the goal of highlighting creators to follow who are covering the chosen segments and/or topics. To compile each list, editors consider each individual’s content on LinkedIn. Specifically: Are they covering the topic at hand on a regular basis? Are their contributions insightful, conversational and timely? Have they built up and engaged with their communities? Do they seek to give and get help vs. being self-promotional? We aim to highlight a diverse set of voices, so that the list reflects the world we live and work in today.?

Who is eligible

Any LinkedIn member who shares content and drives professional conversations on the platform is eligible to be a Top Voice, with the exception of LinkedIn and Microsoft employees, members who have violated LinkedIn’s User Agreement, including our Professional Community Policies, or individuals currently running in an election for an executive, legislative or judicial position.

Top Voices may include individuals who are a part of the LinkedIn Influencer (invite-only) or the Creator Accelerator (application-based) programs. However, being a part of either does not automatically boost a member’s chance of being a Top Voice, nor is it a requirement or prerequisite for success on the platform.?

Interested in building your audience on LinkedIn??

New voices emerge every year — and there’s nothing stopping you from turning your own ideas into powerful conversations. Try creating a post to share your expertise or thoughts on the latest trending news, and you may be surprised at the community you find. If you’re struggling with where to start, follow our LinkedIn for Creators page (in English) for content inspiration, tips, news, education and more. And if you’d like to recommend someone for a future Top Voices list, let us know in the comments (just be sure to tag them and let us know why you love following them). We’re always looking for new individuals to highlight.