NEW Birmingham: Accelerating Action with International Women's Day 2025

We are delighted to confirm full details for our 2025 International Women’s Day event.

Our event is centred around this year’s theme, Accelerate Action, and will feature an engaging panel discussion where our speakers will share their different experiences and perceptions of how they, their businesses or the wider business community is driving change and accelerating progress towards gender equality and equity for future generations. 

We are excited to share details of our panel with you...

From left to right

Kate Oates

Kate leads the BBC’s largest drama production hub outside London, championing bold British storytelling. She has created some of TV drama’s greatest moments, with flagship shows like EastEnders and Casualty winning top audience and industry awards. Kate joined BBC Studios in 2018 as a Senior Executive Producer and became Head of Continuing Drama in 2019, leading a majority female senior leadership team. Before BBC, Kate produced ITV’s Coronation Street (2016-2018) and Emmerdale (2013-2016), making her the only person to helm all three of the UK’s top continuing dramas.

Dr Samia Mahmood

A Senior Lecturer at Wolverhampton Business School, Samia specialises in gender dynamics and women’s leadership in entrepreneurship. She is a member of the Gender and Enterprise Network Committee of the Institute of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) and the Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Policy and Research Working Group, where she contributes to projects aimed at advancing gender equality in UK manufacturing. Samia’s research focuses on barriers to finance, digitalisation, and the impact of AI on workforce participation, with the goal of supporting women in business leadership and promoting SME growth.

Lesley Holland

Lesley, CEO of Juniper Training (Specialising in Pre-Apprenticeships and Apprenticeships), is passionate about vocational learning as a credible alternative to academic learning. She pursued qualifications through work-based learning and education, culminating in a master’s degree. Lesley leads a majority female board and is committed to equity for all, aiming to positively impact local communities via apprenticeship schemes; tackling unemployment, improving social mobility, supporting local businesses, and being an excellent employer.

Mia Szewczyk

Mia is currently excelling in her business administration apprenticeship with Juniper Training, where she has been a valuable member of the team for the past 16 months. She chose a vocational career path over a traditional academic route after successfully completing her GCSEs and A-levels. This hands-on experience and dedication have proven that choosing an apprenticeship was a successful decision. Looking ahead, Mia aspires to transition into a role focused on business development and marketing, areas she has always been passionate about. 

If you haven’t done so already, please register your interest and we will be in touch shortly to confirm your place.

If you have any queries please contact Lauren.Harris@Freeths.co.uk