ABOUT THIS EPISODEToday’s guest is, Senior Civil Servant, Mark Burden. In our conversation Mark offers valuable insights into:How presenteeism is not about visibility The importance of seeking feedbackDisability and the art of the possibleAnd how everyone is integral to achieving the “thing”Mark’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders and Listeners:Be comfortable in not knowing the answer but having the knowledge to connect peopleMistakes are great - learn from them rather than fearing them. It is an opportunity to move from fear to opportunityTell the story, explain the why and if possible the who and the when! The what bit is then quite easy! Connect with Mark:LinkedIn: Mark BurdenTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend: Go to my website, www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website www.annitownend.com, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.  I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

About this episode:Today’s guest is Asad Dhunna Founder and CEO of the Unmistakables.In our conversation Asad offers valuable insights into:Creativity Bravery Humour Spirituality Asad’s Key Encouragements to Leaders:Work out what's going on for people.Talk about what makes you nervous.Sometimes you have to let go to let in.  To connect, follow and find out more about Asad:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asaddhunna/ Website: https://www.theunmistakables.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asaddhunna/ To listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend: Go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™  with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.Collaboration.Equation.A big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn. 

ABOUT THIS EPISODEToday’s guest is Nicola Bettesworth, Defra Chief People Officer, Group Corporate Services, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.  I had the joy of meeting Nicola when she was looking for a leadership partner to work with her and her leadership team. We very quickly built our relationship, and have enjoyed a true partnership for a number of years. I greatly admire Nicola, her vision and her passion and am looking forward to her sharing her leadership story today.In our conversation Nicola shares and offers valuable insights into:Contribution and Community;How Everyone Matters, Everyone Counts;The importance of knowing who you are, and of choices;Making every single moment count.To connect with Nicola: Email her on: [email protected] To listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend:Go to my website: www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing, and to Louisa Penny of Penny Writing for the marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website www.annitownend.com, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.  I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEToday’s guest are Kate Lowe Founder and Director and Alex Remington, Director of Partnerships at Both Barrels.In our conversation Kate and Alex offer valuable insights into how their passions and purpose of Family, Relationships, Integrity and Never Giving Up are woven into the fabric of their lives and leadership.Why clients choose Both Barrels:Staying calm no matter what the situation;Keeping the objective in mind when there are setbacks - and ability to pivot;Building big trusting relationships Kate and Alex's Three Key Encouragements to Leaders: Trust and guide your teamSurround yourself with good peopleNever be afraid to admit you don’t know something or when you are wrongAbout Kate and Alex:KATE LOWE:Kate Lowe is a trusted PR and communications strategist with over 15 years of experience advising senior executives on how to harness sport as a platform to shape personal and organisational narratives.Kate specialises in integrating into businesses to build a deep understanding of their goals, refining complex messaging into clear, impactful communications. Steering clients through the fast-moving world of sport and guiding C-suite leaders in navigating complex media landscapes to protect and enhance brand value.Her established relationships across global sports and sports business media enable close collaboration in crafting messaging that achieves alignment and influence.Her deep understanding of the business and cultural dynamics of sport enables her to build collaborative stakeholder relationships and deliver strategic communications solutions that build reputations and unlock commercial and reputational growth.ALEX REMINGTON:Alex Remington is a strategic partnership leader with over 18 years of experience driving transformative collaborations that position sport as a catalyst for business growth and cultural relevance.A Harvard Business School alumnus, he combines expertise across sport, entertainment, media, and business, applying data and insights to guide commercial decisions and deliver sustainable results.At Manchester United, Alex pioneered “performance partnerships,” redefining sponsorships as performance-driven collaborations integrating elite technology from sponsor brands into sporting operations.He specialises in designing integrated strategies that align sporting operations with business objectives, building partnerships that deliver measurable impact, unlock new revenue streams, and create lasting competitive advantage for rights holders and brands.To connect, follow and find out more about Both Barrels, and Kate and Alex:LinkedIn: Both BarrelsWebsite: bothbarrels.co.ukInstagram: @bothbarrelsprTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge™  with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.Collaboration.Equation.A big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast with Louisa Penny, from Penny Writing.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website, subscribe to my...

ABOUT THIS EPISODEToday’s guest is Lisa Partridge, communication skills specialist, facilitator, founder of SIXCOMMS and host of the SIXCOMMS podcast. I had the joy of getting to know Lisa through following each other on LinkedIn, and through our shared passion for working in nature with leaders. Lisa invites people to ‘Come Curious, and Leave Connected’.In our conversation Lisa offers valuable insights into:The 3Cs of human-centred effective communication: Connection, Curiosity and Compassion;The benefits of taking conversations outside in nature;How being in nature allows us to listen more deeply and be more present with ourselves and each other;How taking our conversations outside in nature can unlock insight and give us the clarity to see the path ahead.Lisa’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Connection first, always.Step outside to see inside.Slow down to lead strong.About Lisa:Originally from the UK and based in Singapore since 2009, Lisa Partridge is a communication skills specialist, facilitator, and founder of SIXCOMMS. She has worked with leading organisations including Singapore Airlines, Marina Bay Sands, Maxwell Chambers, and ADB Bank. Guided by her 6Cs of Effective Communication: Connection, Curiosity, Compassion, Clarity, Customization, and Consistency, Lisa helps leaders and teams communicate with greater impact. She also hosts The SIXCOMMS Podcast, now with over 70 episodes, and leads 6Cs walking sessions in Singapore’s parks, where a community of professionals “Come Curious, Leave Connected.”To connect, follow and find out more about Lisa:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/lisasing/Website: www.sixcomms.orgInstagram: @sixcommslisaYouTube: www.youtube.com/@sixcommsconversations2025Lisa's Podcast: sixcomms.buzzsprout.comFree download: The 6Cs of a Thriving Communicator GuideTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.com; to listen to Finding Your Collaborative Edge with Lucy Kidd and I, to do go our website www.Collaboration.Equation.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEI had the joy of meeting Karen via an online supervision group organised by EY in collaboration with Henley Business School. Karen has written a book, Breaking the Coaching Code - how great coaches transcend the rules published in November 2025. In our conversation Karen offers valuable insights into:What it means to walk home to yourself. The journey to and of self-acceptance. And having a social conscience.Karen’s key encouragements to Leaders:Reconnect with your unique self rather than trying to be what you think a good leader isUnderstand your strengths and be clear about your purpose Build your ability to have effective conversations with clarity, compassion, curiosity and courageAbout  Karen:Karen Foy has been coaching since 2003, her background before coaching was in the NHS working locally, regionally and nationally on policy related to patient experience. She caught the coaching bug on an Open University summer school whilst undertaking a module from the MBA on Creativity, Innovation and Change thinking about creativity innovation and change.She heard about this thing called coaching and thought, that’s the thing she does when she’s supposed to be working and was blown away that she could do it as a career. She trained as a coach, built her business alongside her work, and then jumped in 2007 to become a full-time coach.She already had a first degree in psychology and the next step for her was to undertake a master’s degree in Coaching Psychology which she gained in 2011. She is a Master Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation, a Certified Mentor for ICF Credentials and she has a Professional Certificate in Coaching Supervision from Henley Business School.She has recently retired from her lecturing role at Henley Business School where she was the Programme Director for Accredited Coaching Programmes. Joining an academic institution was a crash course in acceptance as she is a Yorkshire woman from a ‘dyed in the wool’ working class background who left school at 14 with no qualifications.She has come to a place where she is more able to welcome her gremlin of not being good enough as the gift it is to her coaching.To connect with Karen:Website: www.thecoachtribe.comLinkedIn: @Karen Foy, MCCTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with Anni Townend: Go to my website, www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website www.annitownend.com, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn. To find out more about Collaboration Equation, do go to our website www.collaborationequation.com and follow us on LinkedIn. I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEI had the joy of meeting Tim when he came to speak on the Marketing Leaders Programme some years ago.  I had previously heard about his amazing adventures with the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project in Cornwall, the UK, from a mutual friend.I then had the pleasure of meeting again at Anthropy 25 which was hosted at the Eden Project, a gathering of leaders and organisations to inspire and learn through meaningful collaboration, human kindness and unbound leadership.In our conversation Tim offers valuable insights into:Losing your fear of being dislikedDaring to dreamEnjoying provocationKnowing your weaknessesTim’s Key Encouragements to Leaders:Dare to have your dreams and then deliver on them or give them up and do something else. Defeat the look in people's eyes or the tone in people's voices, which says, this isn't for the likes of you.Embrace those dancing lessons from God, these random meetings, and you'll be amazed at how your life changes.Always hire people that are better than you and tell them how much better than you they are. To find out more about Anthropy 2026 go to anthropy.uk, the Anthropy Charter is made up of Human Kindness, Meaningful Collaboration and Unbound Leadership.To read about, and visit Heligan, heligan.comTo read about Eden Project edenproject.com and to learn about other Eden Projects including Eden Morecambe all reconnecting people with nature, and all that we can learn and with nature.To listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website www.annitownend.com, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn. To find out more about Collaboration Equation, co-founded by Lucy Kidd and I, go to www.collaborationequation.com I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.

ABOUT THIS EPISODEI had the joy of meeting Rachel through The Marketing Society, and over the years of getting to know her through her love of the Walk and Talk, her excellent marketing and most recently through the Marketing Leaders Programme.In our conversation Rachel offers valuable insights into:How to recognise and prevent organisational burnout;The business case for a positive mindset at work;The strategic power of content as a business driver when it serves brand objectives and real human needs;And finally building brand reputation through stakeholder engagement.Rachel’s Three Key Encouragements to Leaders:Align Your Strategic Vision with Personal Purpose.Build Excellence Through Audience-Led Thinking.Embrace the Power of Integrated Leadership.About RachelRachel Letham is Head of Brand and Communications at The Marketing Society, where she leads strategic brand development and integrated communications for the global membership organisation. As a key member of the Leadership Team, she has established the function as a centre of excellence, implementing bold, audience-led strategies that drive measurable improvements in brand visibility and stakeholder engagement.With over 13 years of experience in strategic communications and brand development, Rachel combines commercial expertise with creative vision to transform organisations through innovative content strategies.&nbsp;At The Marketing Society, she oversees the development of impactful communications and content, ensuring consistent messaging while pioneering new approaches to enhance brand reputation and member engagement.Alongside her corporate role, Rachel is a certified positive mindset coach, working with global organisations including Google, Target, and Kargo. This unique combination allows her to bring fresh perspectives to brand challenges, helping both individuals and organisations align their strategic goals with purposeful vision-setting. Her approach was shaped by her own experience of near-burnout in the fresh produce industry, leading her to develop sustainable approaches to professional growth and team development.As a leader, Rachel is known for building and inspiring high-performing teams, fostering cultures of innovation and strategic thinking. She maintains a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and measurable outcomes, while ensuring that brand and content strategies deliver genuine business impact. Her work demonstrates the power of combining strategic brand thinking with positive mindset techniques to drive organisational success.Through both her role at The Marketing Society and her coaching practice, Rachel helps organisations and individuals unleash their full potential, creating meaningful change through the intersection of strategic communication, brand development, and personal growth.Connect with Rachel:LinkedIn: Rachel LethamWebsite: www.rachelletham.com, www.marketingsociety.comInstagram: @rachellethamTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with Anni Townend:Go to my website, www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media Management for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on <a...

ABOUT THIS EPISODEMy conversation today is with Anna Deacon, photographer, writer and wild swimmer. I had the joy of meeting Anna at the Creative Light Photography Festival in the Highlands of Scotland in October 2022.&nbsp; I was inspired by her, and by her many, many books on Wild Swimming.&nbsp;In our conversation Anna offers valuable insights into:How and why the wild swimming project started.Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.How to find your peace in the wild/outdoors.Anna’s three Key Encouragements to Leaders&nbsp;Don’t be afraid to change things up/take risksBelieve in your gut intuitionDon’t write yourself off before you have really tried somethingAbout AnnaAnna has worked as a photographer since 2007, specialising in wild swimming, portraits, nature and travel. She has worked with large and small brands like MINI, Speedo, Kit Kat, Visit Scotland, Cape Cove, Selkie and more to create content. Her photography work has been published extensively in the national press including The Guardian, The Telegraph, Stylist and The Scotsman. She has also had her work featured in large scale photography exhibitions.&nbsp;Since 2019 Anna has had seven books published, working with co-author Vicky Allan on Taking The Plunge (2019), For The Love Of Trees (2020), The Art Of Wild Swimming series (Scotland, 2021, England &amp; Wales, 2021, and Ireland, 2022, The Ripple Effect published in 2023 and&nbsp; Swimming Wild Ireland in 2024, all published by Black and White Publishing/Bonnier.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also in 2021 The Wild Guide Balearic Islands book was published by Wild Things Publishing, this extensive travel guide was co-written by Anna and her sister Lizzie Graham. Anna is working on her ninth book which is due for publication in Autumn 2026.&nbsp;&nbsp;Anna hosts a popular Instagram page @wildswimmingstories which The Sunday Times magazine named as one of the Top 7 influencers to follow in the ‘Health and Fitness’ category in 2023.&nbsp;&nbsp;Previous to this Anna worked in the music and entertainment industry in London for over a decade, specialising in PR and events such as NME Awards, Isle of Wight Festival, Ibiza Rocks, MOBO Awards, British Comedy Awards and Teenage Cancer Trust concerts. She co-founded the PR agency Amazing Media in 2004 who were at the forefront of working with brands such as Nokia, T- Mobile, Diageo and O2 to create dynamic partnerships with the live music industry.&nbsp; Anna also worked in talent handling and personal PR for The Who, Jamiroquai, Anastacia, Beverley Knight, Sia, Big Brother, and many others. Connect with Anna:LinkedIn: @Anna DeaconWebsite: www.anna-deacon.comInstagram: @wildswimmingstoriesTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected], subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn.&nbsp; I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for...

ABOUT THIS EPISODEI had the joy of connecting with Susie through a colleague. I enjoyed our conversation so much that I invited her to be a guest.&nbsp;Susie offers valuable insights into:Following your passion to find your purposeLiving outside your comfort zone as a way to learn and growFinding your balance to enable you to do your best workSusie’s three key encouragements to leaders:Take time to understand what matters to you - so you can enjoy doing what you doGet comfortable being uncomfortable - it’s a source of growthBe confident in finding your own rhythm - and then set your boundaries to stick to itAbout SusieAfter a successful career in marketing at Unilever and British Gas, and then fulfilling her ambition of sailing a yacht around the world, Susie started her next adventure when she founded the strategic marketing agency Blue Feathers.Susie’s aim was to help marketers to be their best and drive their brands to succeed. She now leads a team of marketing experts who work with major brands including Tesco, Primark, Michelin, Simplyhealth and Cambridge University Press &amp; Assessment.Susie believes that people do their best work when life is balanced – and that belief is reflected in how she leads the Blue Feathers team: a highly skilled, fully remote group, motivated through shared purpose and a deliverables-based approach.Susie remains passionate about sailing and loves spending time on the water. She is also now a keen beekeeper and gardener, and enjoys spending time hiking.The best way for people to connect and follow Susie is:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/susiepartridge/Website: www.bluefeathers.co.uk and www.yachtadina.co.ukTo listen to other Leaders in Conversation with me Anni Townend go to my website, www.annitownend.comA big thank you to SHMOGUS Media for the wonderful production and marketing of the podcast.To contact me Anni Townend do email me on [email protected] visit my website www.annitownend.com, subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on LinkedIn Anni Townend, and Collaboration Equation.&nbsp; I look forward to connecting with you, thank you for listening.