In this episode of the Lead to Soar Podcast, Michelle Redfern is joined by Sheila Flavell, Chief Operating Officer of FDM Group.
Sheila reflects on more than three decades in the global technology sector and the leadership judgment required to move from operational excellence to enterprise accountability. She shares her role in FDM’s growth from flotation through to an FTSE 250 listing, and the deliberate choices involved in scaling a business while reshaping industry norms.
The conversation explores:
What changes when leaders move into enterprise-level responsibility
How commercial growth and gender equity can be pursued together
The leadership decisions behind FDM’s Returners Programme and zero gender pay gap
Why curiosity, learning, and systems thinking matter at senior levels
Sheila also speaks to her broader leadership influence across the tech sector, including her work with techUK and as Chair of the Institute of Coding Industry Advisory Board. Her experience offers a practical perspective on how senior leaders can leverage power, position, and credibility to drive structural change.
This episode is for leaders considering executive scope, and for women interested in how enterprise leadership can be used to shift outcomes for business and for women at scale.
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