So, last week I was named Most Influential HR Businesswoman 2026 in the UK by Acquisition International Magazine.

And while I am hugely (!) grateful for the recognition, what it really made me think about was this:
Over 20 years ago, when I started TIE Leadership, the idea that humanity belonged at the centre of business still felt like something I had to defend.

I remember so clearly justifying that empathy mattered. Explaining the power of vulnerability – that it really does have a place in leadership. That exposing people to unfamiliar contexts can fundamentally change how they lead. And that business can be a force for human transformation, not just commercial growth.

Back in 2006 it felt more like a belief than a proven model. (Oh the memories of me in meetings at the very beginning….imagine!)

But after two decades of watching leaders step into experiences that challenge how they see themselves, other people and the world around them, I have seen what happens when people reconnect to their humanity.

Something truly shifts in them. And then it shifts in the teams around them, and in the cultures they build.

This doesn’t happen because they learned a framework; it happens because something REAL moved within them.

So while I am incredibly honoured, this recognition really belongs to every client, participant, NGO partner and team member who believed in this possibility alongside us. Thank you so much for taking that leap.

I truly am grateful and even more convinced than ever that this work matters.

Better Leaders. Better Companies. Better World.