In 2016, a group of women with leadership roles in digital companies based in London met up for dinner. At that point, we were little more than loosely-connected acquaintances who had run into each other at industry events, but we shared a desire to encourage more women in our organisations to strive for leadership roles.
 
A one-off dinner became a regular thing. Over the course of many dinners and WhatsApp chats, we began to understand the profound benefits of a supportive group of friends, with comparable experiences, facing similar opportunities and challenges – a network that any one of us could turn to for business and personal advice, inspiration and support.    

We shared ideas and resources, referrals and connections. We pooled our knowledge to help each other. We kept each other going. It became clear to us that we’d stumbled on something very special, something that had the potential to bring more women in our sector together and lift them up; to support the senior leaders of today and inspire the CEOs and Board Chairs of tomorrow.
 

We organise events and discussions for our community of members. Featuring a mixture of panel talks, zoom discussions and one-on-one break-out groups, our regular events explore topics of common interest, ranging from leadership and innovation to board roles and coaching. We provide a space for connections and friendships to form; we bring women together to advise and inspire each other, and we help leaders establish micro-networks of their own. Together, we want to encourage every woman in the digital space and beyond to aim high, to reach the top – and then keep going.

Women in your sector and on your side! 

Our WITSEND network already includes 150+ women in senior leadership positions and Board roles across the UK. These are leaders, founders and investors in digital companies or in sectors being influenced by digital, all of whom can benefit from a network of supportive professionals to help them navigate opportunities and challenges and continue to thrive. Many of us are from backgrounds which mean we didn't start out with strong networks and have had to create our own.