What does it mean to you to be a ‘woman in leadership’?

I think being a woman in leadership requires a level of strength and humility that is often overlooked. We not only need to champion ourselves (which I think a lot of women find challenging), but we also need to represent ourselves in rooms that aren’t necessarily built for us and widen the door for the next woman coming through.

Recently someone mentioned to me that women who work together often struggle to get along because we tend to be more competitive. I didn’t want to believe it, but I think there’s truth in it. We’re still made to prove our worth in ways men often don’t have to, and sometimes that pressure turns inward, pitting us against each other instead of fuelling solidarity.

At the same time, I’ve watched men “ego-check” in the workplace, making sure that we don’t rise above our station. There’s a strange dichotomy being a woman in leadership; we need to be strong but delicate, confident but humble, strategic but not too self-assured. It’s a dizzying tightrope that we find ourselves walking. The best way we can combat that is by being one another’s biggest cheerleader, share positive stories on social channels, celebrate when others do the same, and encourage open and honest conversations where possible.

What has been your biggest achievement?

For me, earning a CEO title. While I thought it was a clear decision to bring legitimacy to a role and fulfil the expectations of something I was already doing, I was challenged on it in a way I wasn’t anticipating. I was already doing the work, building strategy, leading people, representing the sector, but formalising it into a title took a fair bit of persuasion. I wasn’t asking for a pay rise, or a change in my job description, but a recognition of work already being done.

I’d like to think the initial resistance was due diligence, but part of me believes it may have been because I was a woman asking for formal recognition of leadership. Still, I persevered and here I am. That moment for me allowed my leadership to be visible, valued, and fairly titled.

What is your vision for the SSIA?

The seaweed sector is a puzzle; every piece needs to slot in at once for it to truly work. Unfortunately, it seems that all these things need to happen simultaneously to meet ROI criteria for most investor’s timelines… Investment, exposure, strong industry representation, and coherent communication all need to be improved at one cohesive pace. My vision for the SSIA is to be the organisation that brings those pieces into alignment.

I want the sector to gain real visibility. We need more storytelling, be it farmers, wild harvesters, processors, ultimately the people and communities behind the products. The SSIA can drive that narrative, making seaweed relatable, tangible, and known for its role in building a circular economy. Its environmental, economic, and social benefits are extraordinary, I want to see the sector gain notoriety for its contribution to a circular economy, it has a plethora of benefits that we almost take for granted. The government should recognise that contribution, and we should make it impossible to ignore.

Alongside the purpose of the UK Seaweed network, the SSIA should act as a unifier, discouraging duplication and encouraging shared progress. Grants shouldn’t be used to repeat what’s already been done; they should build upon it. The SSIA’s role is to connect, amplify, and coordinate so the sector grows collectively, not competitively.