Women Emerging Podcast

Women Emerging
Women Emerging Podcast

Every week, we produce a new episode that explores women and leadership from a different perspective. In a series of lively, wide-ranging discussions, we talk to women all over the world who are dealing with tough leadership challenges in their daily lives. We find out the barriers they face and how they are overcoming them; they share their experiences, insights and advice. (the series also informs and illustrates the expedition while it is underway and gives updates on the members’ progress.) Episodes come out every Wednesday and once a month, we do a live q&a.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    142. Women Leading Together: The dynamics of women working together explored with Rema & Ritu

    In the third episode of Women Leading Together, Julia speaks with Rema Subramanian and Ritu Verma, whose 14-year bond has transformed their India based investment fund into a globally recognised powerhouse, raising over $200 Mn while building a resilient team and brand.  Rema and Ritu share their secret of working together as women leaders: fostering trust, aligning upon core values, and embracing differences to complement each other’s strengths. Their collaboration thrives on open communication and a shared focus on organisational goals rather than personal agendas.  "You always need pace setters who keep the race moving forward," Rema notes. "It’s not about passing the baton but ensuring you’re nudging each other forward and staying relaxed about who sets the pace at different times."  Explore more such insights in this episode that exemplifies female partnerships that drive results in high-stake environments.   About the Guests:   Rema Subramanian is a Co-founder and serves as Managing Partner at Ankur Capital. She serves as a Board Member at BigHaat. Prior to Ankur, Rema has three decades of experience in building and scaling operations across various sectors like financial services, education, IT, packaging, etc. in India. She has headed several companies across various sectors, growing many from scratch to large-scale businesses. She has deep domain experience in the education and outsourcing sectors. She brings the unique capabilities of having been an entrepreneur and worked across sectors. She is a management accountant from AICWA, Inter-Company Secretary, and systems manager from ICFAI.   Ritu Verma is a Co-Founder and serves as Managing Partner at Ankur Capital. She also serves as Board Member at Daily Dump, BigHaat, String Bio and TESSOL. She has over a decade of investing and operational experience across various sectors. Prior to starting Ankur, Ritu was director at Truven, a boutique advisory company for venture funds looking at investments in India and SE Asia. She covered deal sourcing, due diligence, M&A target identification in renewable energy, health, agriculture, and materials. She also has over 10 yrs of industry experience working across different functional roles product development, supply chain, branding and marketing at Philips and Unilever. Her key focus as an intrapreneur was to take products from the bench to market. Ritu serves on the board of ICAAP (IKP Centre for Advancement of Agriculture), CropIn Technologies Pvt Ltd and PBK Waste Mangement Pvt Ltd. She holds an MBA from INSEAD with a focus on entrepreneurship and venture capital and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Pennsylvania.

    32 min
  2. 27 NOV

    141. Women Leading Together: The dynamics of women working together explored with Dorothy & Deanna

    In the second episode of the Women Leading Together series, Julia dives into the competitive world of basketball with Dorothy and Deanna, two remarkable 3X3 referees. They talk about how their partnership thrives on mutual respect, trust, and complementary strengths despite the intense nature of their sport.  Dorothy brings a calm and reflective approach, while Deanna embodies direct and assertive approach to leading. Together, they balance their different approaches to managing high-pressure games with precision and poise. They share insights on how to maintain authority, navigate mistakes with grace, and support each other against external attempts to sow division.  "On the court, it's me and you against the world," Deanna reflects, highlighting their unity.  This episode has actionable advice on teamwork, communication, and overcoming stereotypes about how women lead. Listen to this one to discover how the two referees redefine leading with resilience in a challenging and competitive space.  About the Guests:   Dorothy Okatch is a FIBA International Referee for both traditional basketball and for 3 x 3 basketball. She got her traditional basketball license in 2014 and her 3x3 license in 2020. Dorothy has officiated various national, regional and international competitions such as the Olympics, World Cups, AfroBasket and the Basketball Africa League.  Deanna Jackson is entering her 14th season as a basketball official. She currently officiates in the NCAA Division 1 Women's Basketball. She has worked in multiple conference tournaments and two NCAA tournaments. She also represents the USA as a FIBA 3x3 official and officiated in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    28 min
  3. 20 NOV

    140. Women Leading Together: The dynamics of women working together explored with Iliana Montauk

    This is the very first episode of the series, Women Leading Together, the one where we explore how women lead as a team in communities, companies or at home across different sectors, geographies and specialisms. In this episode Julia is joined by Iliana Montauk who shares the story of her partnership with Laila Abudahi, detailing how they’ve harnessed their distinct approach to leading to build a social impact startup. Iliana and Laila approach leadership differently, Iliana focuses on emotional nuance, and Laila on directness and efficiency. Even then they’ve learned to appreciate each other’s strengths. Together, they’ve faced challenges with resilience, unity and a fierce commitment to their mission.  "There have been times when people have tried to divide us, and we're like a fierce lioness when that happens. We are each other's biggest defenders," says Iliana.  Tune in to hear how two leaders with contrasting approach to leading work together to drive growth, support their team, and uphold shared values in a demanding geography.  About the Guest:   Iliana Montauk is the founder of Manara, a social impact startup dedicated to unlocking human potential by upskilling tech talent in emerging markets. With a focus on preparing computer scientists from the Middle East for global opportunities, Iliana has led Manara to achieve remarkable outcomes, including a 71% referral-to-hire rate at Google. Under her leadership, participants have experienced transformative career advancements, such as one individual increasing their salary from $16,000 to $100,000 in just four months, all while working remotely from Palestine.  Iliana's commitment to making a difference is further highlighted by her previous accomplishments, including bootstrapping Gaza's first startup accelerator during wartime and managing talent at Upwork, the world’s largest talent marketplace. Her determination to create opportunities in challenging environments reflects her vision for a more inclusive and equitable future.

    24 min
  4. 13 NOV

    139. Exploring Continues: Katya Guryeva Shares What More She Has Discovered Since the First Expedition

    In the final episode of Exploring Continues, Julia speaks with Katya Guryeva, who recently completed a remarkable run across Armenia, from the border of Iran to the border of Georgia. Katya reflects on her transformative year and shares the insights she gained post the first expedition. When asked if she has discovered an eighth Essence beyond Motherness, Sacred, Trauma, Education, Ancestors, Body, and Nature, Katya identifies community perhaps is a strong contender.  She recounts her journey from the inception of the project to its successful completion, highlighting the incredible support she received along the way. Through the lens of Energy, Katya discusses the Law of Conservation of Energy, emphasising that Energy cannot be created or destroyed but is instead transferred. This concept is central to her project, prompting her to consider how she can pass on the energy she’s received. In her vision of purposeful leadership, she expresses a deep desire to share this Energy with others. This episode urges us to reflect on the importance of community and the ways in which we can nurture and share Energy in our own lives, building connections that uplift and inspire.  About the Guest:   Katya is an explorer, dreamer, cautious optimist, and recently has started to feel comfortable, also calling herself an ultrarunner after a few years discovering the sport. She was a member of the first Women Emerging expedition last year, and in her day job works on urban climate resilience at C40 Cities. Passionate about gender equity and the power of community to make change, she is also a 2024 Ambassador for Free to Run, an organisation that supports women in conflict areas to develop leadership skills through sport.

    27 min
  5. 6 NOV

    138. Exploring Continues: Ayesha Mian Shares What More She Has Discovered Since the First Expedition

    In the third episode of Exploring Continues, Julia talks to Ayesha Mian. Ayesha reflects on her experience of leading a diverse group of women during the Pakistan expedition, how her leading has shaped over the last one year and how Body has emerged as part of her Essence recently. On Motherness, she provides us with an insight that might resonate with many (men and women alike) who are building their organisations and looking forward to making it independent of their presence, so that the organisation can thrive without being dependent on the founder. “That's the Motherness in my mind, how am I nurturing a little child that makes them have their own agency and independence, and then they can survive in this own world where I can become obsolete,” she notes. This episode is a deep dive into Ayesha’s reflections on the first expedition, leading her own expedition and building her neuroscience institute in Pakistan. Listen to this one to understand how Essence shapes leading.  About the Guest:   Dr Ayesha Mian is the founder and CEO of Synapse, Pakistan Neuroscience Institute. She is the immediate past Chair, Department of Psychiatry (2013-2020), Aga Khan University and the Founding Dean of Students of the Office of Student Experience (2017-2020), AKU.   Dr Mian created the first child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training program in Pakistan. She has been internationally recognised for her work; key awards include the Jeanna Spurlock Award for Diversity and Culture by AACAP, the Laughlin Fellowship by American College of Psychiatrist (ACP), Presidential Award and Outstanding Mentor by AACAP, Robert Fellowship for Inspirational Mentorship (AAP), Fulbright and Jaworski Awards in Educational Leadership by BCM and a Lifetime Achievement Award by the University of Missouri, Department of Psychiatry.

    27 min
  6. 30 OCT

    137. Exploring Continues: Isata Kabia Shares What More She Has Discovered Since the First Expedition

    In the second episode of the series Exploring Continues, Julia is joined by Isata Kabia, who discusses how Motherness as an Essence has manifested in her leadership since the first expedition. She reflects on how what women do while leading is the purest form of Motherness and how women have felt embarrassed about it for so long. She emphasizes that this Essence is what the world needs in all aspects of leadership. “It’s not just about care; it's also about being really agile,” she explains. Isata also discusses the idea of ‘connectedness’ and how it provides courage, confidence, and a clear sense of purpose. This episode motivates us to dive deeper into our Essence, understand our Elements, and consciously control our Energy as we lead.  About the Guest:  Isata Kabia is the Founding Director of Voice of Women Africa, an organization focused on empowering women in Sierra Leone. She believes in building a strong community of women who support one another and encourages more women to take part in politics. This, she believes, will lead to better decisions that promote peace, prosperity, and rights for everyone.  Isata is also behind AFRiLOSOPHY, a program that started in 2015. It offers training in manufacturing and financial management to help women start and grow their own businesses. She understands that when women are economically strong, they can lead and make a real difference in their communities.

    30 min
  7. 23 OCT

    136. Exploring Continues: Katrina Webb Shares What More She Has Discovered Since the First Expedition

    This is the very first episode of our new series, Exploring Continues. This series is both about looking back and forward. Katrina Webb, who was part of the first expedition tells us how her leading has shaped in the last one year and if the 4Es still resonate with her? She passionately discusses the Essence of "Motherness" in leading, declaring, “I have shouted out that I am an incredible leader because of my Motherness.” Katrina shares her excitement about the expedition she is running, which began on October 21, 2024, where she will lead women with disabilities and chronic conditions. She wonders and wishes to explore whether disability emerges as a new Essence in leadership. Listen to this one for an inspiring conversation that bridges personal mastery, resilience and the power of inclusive leading. About the Guest: Katrina Webb is recognised and acknowledged for her success as a Paralympic athlete. She has won gold, silver and bronze medals in athletics at three Paralympic Games. She was the first torch bearer to enter the Stadium for the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games and in 2006 Katrina was selected on behalf of the International Paralympic Committee to speak at the United Nations in New York. Off the track Katrina is the Director of Silver 2 Gold High Performance Solutions which specializes in powering organisations, teams and individuals best. Katrina is a global ambassador for the International Paralympic Committee and due to her own experience in dealing with a disability and a deep love of helping others, Katrina is the Founder and Director of Newday Leadership a platform to inspire leadership for the greater good. Katrina Webb is an international speaker, leadership and personal mastery consultant, trainer in Wellbeing and Resilience and a physiotherapist.

    32 min
  8. 16 OCT

    135. Belief Frames How Jackie Leads

    This is the final episode in our series on Leading by Faith. Lifelong Alaskan Jackie, born and raised in Kotzebue, shares her unique insights and experiences rooted in rural Alaskan culture. She emphasizes the importance of oral history, reflecting on how her family has inhabited the same land for thousands of years. Jackie explains that this deep connection fosters a mindset that values retention of knowledge over conventional learning methods. For Jackie, sacredness is intertwined with her ancestors, culture, and the disruptive changes her community faces. She discusses how this knowledge and her grounded sense of calm influence her leadership style, which is closely connected to nature, her heritage, and the sense of community. Listen up to discover how she builds teams, draws wisdom from her ancestors, and generates energy in her work. About the Guest: As the Director of Climate Initiatives, Jackie brings over 20 years of experience in communications and business management. She facilitates stakeholder engagement and supports various projects focused on environmental health, climate, and sanitation across Alaska. Jackie served as the Lead Facilitator for the Holistic Approach to Northern Sustainable Communities project and co-authored several regional energy plans in collaboration with the Alaska Energy Authority and local leaders. Her current work includes addressing water security and sanitation for unserved homes in rural Alaska, climate adaptation, community engagement, and integrating Indigenous perspectives to bridge service gaps. Jackie’s commitment to serving Indigenous populations allows her to merge culture and Indigenous knowledge with her professional endeavours, creating a powerful blend of Western and Indigenous perspectives.

    34 min

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About

Every week, we produce a new episode that explores women and leadership from a different perspective. In a series of lively, wide-ranging discussions, we talk to women all over the world who are dealing with tough leadership challenges in their daily lives. We find out the barriers they face and how they are overcoming them; they share their experiences, insights and advice. (the series also informs and illustrates the expedition while it is underway and gives updates on the members’ progress.) Episodes come out every Wednesday and once a month, we do a live q&a.

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