Runako Celina | Investigative journalist
Runako Celina is a multilingual producer and investigative journalist based in Bristol.
Her debut documentary, Racism for Sale, broke several records for BBC Africa Eye, becoming the most watched, saved and commented-on video of all time on the BBC Africa Instagram account. Her work has seen her short-listed and receiving a special mention at the 2022 BBC News Awards as a rising star.
She holds a Masters in Investigative Journalism from City University, and another in International Politics and African Studies from Peking University, China.
When she isn’t producing factual documentaries, she is an avid narrative filmmaker, visual storyteller and a hobbyist genealogist.
Kelly Ling | Head of Dynamic Creative | Dentsu
My career started as an animator in Singapore before relocating to the UK to pursue a Master of Arts degree (Animation).
Upon graduation, I landed a job as festival producer in June 2006 where I gained experience in event planning and management, marketing and sponsorship, product distribution, volunteer management.
In March 2010, I took a break from marketing, and joined the Fringe Society as an Office and Retail Manager. I supported customer relations, administration, operations, retail and merchandising, staff development, and management.
In May 2013, I returned to my creative roots at Whitespace a marketing agency, as Account Manager. During this time, I led a range of marketing projects and campaigns for clients across the public and private sectors including the mobile application 'Greener Journeys' that won the 'Best App Design' at the Scottish Design Awards 2014.
In September 2016, I joined Dentsu as Dynamic Creative Manager, where I served as the strategic lead on large client accounts. I went on progressing through several roles, leading to my current role as Dynamic Creative, Partner. Over the years, I have been instrumental in the growth of the dynamic creative product offering, operations, and team, delivering year on year profits of at least 20%. Addition to my role, I voluntarily contribute to various employee-led committees spanning Diversity, Equality and Inclusion, Mental Health, and Parents and Carers. More recently, I launched #IAmRemarkable, a Google initiative that empowers women and underrepresented groups to self-promote in the workplace, and challenge gender and cultural modesty norms.
Karimah Bangura | Journalist and Digital News Producer | ITN
I am currently a journalist and digital news producer at ITN Productions where I mainly edit news packages for social media about daily newsworthy events.
Prior to that, I worked as a junior journalist apprentice at Channel 5 News where I gained many practical and technical skills and graduated my apprenticeship with a distinction in early 2023.
I did my apprenticeship after leaving sixth form in 2020 because I was keen to get experience in working in the media industry. I always enjoyed creating engaging news content for people and telling stories in school so I love that it’s now my career.
Jessica Rhodes | Head of Marketing | BR-DGE
Throughout my career I have been pursuing my passion for creative communication, from sending a Lego pension man to space to managing nationwide CRM integrations and pioneering international campaigns.
As a highly motivated and ambitious individual, I have led successful multi-channel campaigns across FMCG, Finance, Languages and SAAS sectors. I am passionate about visually stimulating, insight driven marketing, delivering strategic communications and brand management to target persona behaviour, demonstrate financial accountability, and secure revenue.
I have over 10 years’ experience in Marketing and I’m currently a marketing leader in FinTech, directing the team at Scottish payment orchestration business, BR-DGE.
Throughout her career, I have designed and deployed multi-channel campaigns on complex financial concepts, across the UK, Europe, US and Australia. With experience both in B2C and B2B, I have had great exposure to varying marketing needs of international businesses, their different audience personalities, and is an advocate of simplicity in marketing using insight to drive relevant and engaging campaigns.
My portfolio is built on clear and creative campaigns; including virtual reality games educating audiences on financial models, sending a Lego man into space to amplify creative communications, and launching industry movements that promote community and collaboration, such as thebigleaders and The Marketing Meetup.
As Head of Marketing at a fintech firm, I lead a small team of marketers in curating hyper-personalised, content driven workflows and event campaigns to increase lead generation, client loyalty, and to inspire and educate the wider market on the evolving digital ecosystem.
Emma Saddleton | Global Media Strategy Director | dentsu
My passion and enjoyment in life comes from asking two questions: “Why?” and “Who With?”
I changed career at the age of 25 following completion of a MSc in Mental Health, because I strongly felt a pull to this industry and a desire to develop my personal interest in technology and media. A vocation in a faster paced environment and one which allows me to ask these questions more and more drove me to take a leap of faith in 2014 and start at my current company.
Why facilitates my curiosity and get to the heart of a problem, to work out what the next best steps are. I am a natural organizer and someone who strives for continued development and feel most fulfilled when building on my current knowledge and sharing this knowledge with others.
Who With refers to my passion for bringing people together and working out how to help them fulfil their potential. I believe the best projects and outcomes are results of collaboration, shared goals and purpose – either at work when coordinating teams, in life with friends or in sports such as rock climbing or most recently, completing (and winning) a White Collar charity boxing fight, raising over £2,000 for a suicide bereavement charity.
These two questions have helped me progress through my career so far, and facilitate my passion for continued development. I want to continue developing my skills in order to help others to reach their goals, across clients and my own teams.
Eloise Hunte-Wood | Producer | POW TV
As an ambitious media professional with a strong commitment to diversity, equality, and women's empowerment, I obtained a degree in Media and Communications from Bournemouth University and have since built a successful career in the industry.
My work with Faiths Forum for London involved creating informative social media videos about the charity's events and COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as a project commemorating the anniversary of the Finsbury Park Mosque attacks.
At POW TV, I helped to produce Driving Force, a groundbreaking series that tells the inspiring stories of some of the UK's most accomplished female athletes, going on to develop innovative shows, events, and charity fundraising ideas that support organisations both within and outside of the sports world, championing women's visibility.
In my day to day, at POW TV, I take immense pride in planning women-focused events, panels, and networking opportunities that celebrate the achievements of women in collaboration with organisations such as The Ned and Soho House. Through this, we offer women the opportunity to learn from successful women, regularly providing a plethora of women with my own mentorship and support.
My work reflects my unwavering dedication to driving positive change and creating opportunities for women, a passion that continues to motivate me as I progress in my career.
Dolly Carter | Reporter | Newsquest
Dolly Carter is a reporter for Newsquest's Suffolk titles - the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star. Described by national award judges as a “tirelessly dedicated and constantly creative journalist," she is currently working towards her NCTJ qualification.
In her first year working in the industry, she has achieved over 50 front page articles and her stories have been picked up by an array of national publications. She has played a role in co-ordinating the paper's International Women's Day coverage and fought to hold the local hospital to account in reinstating gas and air for women on the maternity ward.
Dolly recently graduated with a First Class Honours in BA English Literature with Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. During her tenure as Editor-in-Chief of her student paper, it was shortlisted in the top ten student publications in the UK. Dolly was also shortlisted for a further three categories at the 2022 Student Publication Association Awards and was highly commended for the Billy Dowling-Reid Award for Outstanding Commitment.
Antonia Fox | Head of Learning and Development | dmg media
Antonia joined dmg media in 2014. She worked within the recruitment team for 2 years leading the dmg media graduate programme and recruitment of early careers talent.
She realised that she enjoyed the people and career development and progression aspect of the role.
She joined the learning and development team in 2016 working her way up and is now the Head of Learning and Development.
In her role she supports dmg media with all people, talent, learning and development related activities including training, apprenticeships, work experience, wellbeing, culture, engagement, performance and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Frida Nzaba | Rolls-Royce Plc
If someone told me 10 years ago I would be working for Rolls Royce, I would have asked them, why would I want to work in a dirty garage fixing expensive cars?
In year 10 I realised I genuinely loved engineering. I enjoyed learning about the different machining processes such as turning and milling and the fact that I was able to apply some of these techniques to basically manufacture my coursework. I remember engineering was one of the subjects I always looked forward to because it was fun, practical and contained maths and physics that actually made sense to me.
In year 11, my engineering teacher advertised the amazing apprenticeships available, which were rarely encouraged in my school.
Initially, an apprenticeship was not an option for my family, it was in my parents’ interest that I follow the ‘traditional route’ to higher education. Eventually after months of research and convincing my family, I decided to undertake an apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce in 2013.
I completed my apprenticeship and secured my first job in Rolls-Royce Hucknall as the Trent 700 component owner and a computer aided process planner (CAPP) alongside studying for my Mechanical Engineering Degree; I graduated in 2017.
I currently work as a Repair and Overhaul Manufacturing Engineer in Rolls-Royce Plc. This role consists of developing and implementing methods that can be used to repair various components from a jet engine. The main thing I enjoy is the fact that I can go into work and see various jet engines being stripped and assembled ready to dispatch to the customer; this is just simply mind blowing. I am also a board member of the WISE Campaign Young Professionals Board.
In 2019, I founded a non-profit social enterprise with two other great engineers. The enterprise aims to bridge the gap between STEM education and industry globally. I have mentored a dozen of young people, advising them of the options available to them after they finish their GCSEs and promoting them towards carrying out an apprenticeship. I am an advocate for Diversity and Inclusion, this has led to me becoming an active member and STEM lead for the Rolls Royce African and Caribbean Pioneers Network which is an Employee Resource Group within the company. I am also a STEM ambassador for Rolls-Royce and Nottinghamshire.
Adriana Tudela | IBM
As an Engineering graduate with experience in the automotive industry as well as a Global Master’s in Management from LSE, Adriana joined IBM as a Technology Consultant less than 2 years ago.
She already has a promotion under her belt and works as a Project Manager for one of IBM’s biggest clients in the Oil & Gas industry, playing a key leadership role in the global implementation of a new enterprise application. Adriana has been called out by her client for stellar leadership skills.
Adriana was previously selected for Extreme Blue, IBM’s flagship internship with a selection rate of 1% in the U.K. For three months, Adriana led a team through the development of a mobile application proof of concept, integrating IBM’s cognitive technologies to bring an enhanced digital experience for her client.
So early on in her career, Adriana has submitted a patent for handling of wireless network communications, becoming a patenting advocate for early professionals. In 2018, Adriana led a technology learning series for Graduates with topics such as DevOps, Data Science and Digital Strategy. Her contribution has received high praise e.g. “The whole series has moved to a different level under your coordination...’
Adriana is driving the people learning agenda for one of the biggest UKI accounts and developed the 2019 strategy for the graduate scheme in her service line.
Outside of her client work, Adriana runs design thinking workshops at LSE and is the recruitment lead for IBM in the university. Additionally, she is leading a project with master’s students to develop a new attraction strategy with a focus on gender diversity for the consulting graduate programme.