Charting the Course: My TechWomen4Boards Finalist Story

My journey into the airline industry began with a childhood fascination fuelled by BBC TV shows like "Airport" and family trips to Disney World. I vividly remember telling a career advisor that I simply wanted to be involved in "Holidays!" This early passion led me to pursue a degree in Business Studies and Tourism, which included a formative placement year at British Airways Being up close with aircraft like the Concorde during what truly felt like the "golden age" of aviation solidified my calling, and this experience taught me the importance of being open to new opportunities, even if they seem outside my immediate comfort zone.

After graduating, the industry was in a tough recovery phase following 9/11. Despite this, my persistence paid off, and I joined Virgin Atlantic in 2004, beginning a long and incredibly rewarding chapter of my career. I often look back and describe my 18 years there as my "apprenticeship" because I literally got to try my hand at everything before really settling into Tech and Transformation. This "squiggly" career path, which included holding just under 10 different roles, gave me incredible industry knowledge and prepared me exceptionally well for the world of transformation, which is where I thrive today. This period of professional growth taught me that building a diverse skill set is invaluable and that true leadership is about adapting and learning.

A significant personal and professional transformation occurred when I moved to Spain and joined Vueling as the Head of Transformation. My role was about building the foundations for long-term transformation by establishing strategic frameworks and new operating models. Being a transformation leader means you are transient by nature; the ultimate goal is to empower an organization to sustain the change independently. It was a success story.

I have taken all that extensive experience to and lend it to support many firms in different industries to achieve their full potential and empower people to achieve their goals. My career story is a testament to the power of following a passion and the resilience required to lead through constant change.

I am proud to be recognized as a leader in transformation, and being a TechWomen4Boards finalist is just the start.