It was just before the pandemic, and I had started to think about the new direction that TIE needed to take.

And although I could never have imagined how much would change in the years that followed, there was one person who started that journey with me then, and never left my side until a few weeks ago.

I remember the introduction well. I was on a business trip to London and had just met with Neil Cassie.

“I know just the person to help you,” he kindly said.

Ines was one of the sharpest strategic brains I have ever come across. And she was never backwards in coming forwards – always ready to tell you when what you were saying made no sense.  It was something I deeply valued about her.

In the early days post-pandemic, she helped us design new programmes – always ensuring they were true to TIE Leadership’s core. She sense-checked articles I wrote. Almost weekly she would send me material she thought I’d enjoy reading. And when it came to my book, she took my thinking and ideas right at the beginning and turned what she called the ‘mud board’ into something actually coherent, strategically. I genuinely don’t know if I would have managed to crack the structure and flow without her help.

I would often wake up in the morning to a new WhatsApp voice message, always starting with, “Hi Philippa, it’s Ines.” My children got to know her voice and always smiled lovingly when they heard any message starting with those words. The messages would then continue with an interesting thought, or simply checking in to see how I was. The messages became more frequent when I was going through treatment.

And she knew only too well the challenges of chemotherapy, having gone through it herself – even while I was.

Ines became such a good friend. To see her bravely face her final rounds of chemo, and so many unknowns, was truly humbling. She remained so brave, loving, luminous and absolutely determined, right until the end.

Ines, thank you for your love, friendship and unwavering support. I am already deeply missing you.