Our Team

Neil joined WIG as CEO in May 2023 at a time when the charity’s purpose of encouraging better leadership, dialogue and collaboration across sectors for social, economic and environmental benefit is more vital than ever.

Neil spent over seven years as CEO at the charity WorldSkills UK, a network for raising training standards in apprenticeships, technical and professional education to world-class levels. Neil was previously Deputy Director-General and Chief Operating Officer at the business organisation the CBI, working for 12 years at the highest level of the business and government interface nationally and internationally.

Neil was also the former CEO of OUTstanding, a business network for LGBT leaders and their allies, and former deputy chair of Stonewall, the LGBT equality charity. He holds a PhD in race equality in the workplace and was awarded an OBE for services to diversity and inclusion in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List. In 2019, Neil was also awarded an honorary doctorate by Middlesex University for services to STEM education.

Neil enjoys reading and travelling and supporting his husband in the garden.

As Director of External Engagement, Tom is responsible for overseeing the WIG Events & Content team and the Membership team. The main focus is to ensure WIG continues to be the leading platform for constructive collaboration between government, industry and the not-for-profit sector. Tom originally joined as Head of Content and Events in 2017.

Before joining WIG, Tom worked across both government and industry. He ran the energy division for a commercial conference company, worked within the Department for International Trade, and developed new business for an independent TV production company that worked exclusively with not-for-profits.

Tom graduated from UCL with a BA (Hons) in History and subsequently picked up a Masters in International Security and Global Governance from Birkbeck.

Outside of WIG, Tom is a keen Tottenham Hotspur fan and spends time exercising, and walking his dog.

As Head of Membership, Angie is on hand to support members to maximise the value of their membership and to ensure that their insights are incorporated into WIG's membership offering.

For the past 15 years Angie has worked in the not-for-profit sector, where she has directed membership, policy & regulation, communications and learning & development areas. She has gained a unique understanding of the synergies involved in the membership journey and how best to meet and anticipate the needs of various stakeholders having worked for a diverse range of membership organisations, which include a trade association representing the global alternative investments industry; a charity championing parental participation in education; and a social business supporting organisations to improve disability confidence. Angie combines her expertise with a sense of humour, efficiency and high-delivery standards and WIG's members are well-served by her dedication to ensure that they are receiving all that their membership has to offer.

Having moved to the UK from South Africa 23 years ago, Angie nurtures the 'eternal tourist' in her and loves exploring new places with her family. She is writing a collection of children's stories and dreams of becoming a published author.

Bio Coming Soon

Katy manages our Talent function, designed to maximise cross-sector learning through operational exposure and one-to-one coaching. Within this she helps co-ordinate and run the Charity Next programme, arrange and facilitate both secondments and mentoring opportunities between sectors. She also directly recruits as part of NED and Trustee recruitment.

Before joining WIG, Katy worked as a Director for Badenoch & Clark, a specialist professional services recruitment company, personally specialising in senior level recruitment to Social Housing, Not-For-Profit and Local Government, as well as sitting on their operational board.

She sits on a customer committee for a Housing Association, and as a Trustee for a Grant Giving Charity. And in her spare time, when not looking after her three children, she enjoys swimming, running and skiing.

As Head of HR and Operations, Soumaya sits at the heart of the organisation, overseeing the HR, Operations, IT, Legal and Governance functions; she is responsible for shaping our employee value proposition and keeping WIG true to its purpose through innovative and inclusive people practices. Her passion for lifelong learning, education and inclusion is what inspired her to join WIG and drive our mission.

Before joining WIG, Soumaya worked across both commercial and private sectors, partnering with senior teams to facilitate leadership development, promote inclusion and belonging through workplace policies and increase the representation of diverse talent within teams. She ran cross-functional teams across HR, Operations, Finance, Marketing and Product, driving internal HR projects like performance management, culture transformation, HR compliance and global talent acquisition while simultaneously working with organisations such as Google, the Department for Education and AWS, leading and supporting teams to identify, upskill and place specialist and mid-manager talent through impactful learning programmes and coaching.

Outside of WIG, Soumaya continues to share her learning through HR roundtables and mentoring and when not, spends her time being a dog mum to Hector.

As an office executive, Alejandra administers and oversees IT, HR, telephone systems, supplier relationships, office administrative tasks and responds to queries relating to WIG’s office.

Before joining WIG Alejandra graduated from the University of Northampton with a BA (Hons) in International Business.

Outside of WIG, Alejandra organises her own events in UK, South Korea and USA. She also studies Mandarin independently.

As a Talent and Charity Next Assistant, Cameron helps support the Talent team with recruitment, mentoring and secondment. He also assists with the Charity Next programme. He is currently on placement at the University of Bath.

Before joining WIG, Cameron was studying at the University of Bath, where he was studying Politics and International Relations.

Outside of WIG, Cameron loves going to the gym, travelling or playing with his two cats.

Cezanne supports Non-Executive recruitment campaigns for WIG. They support our members and non-members to streamline their recruitment campaigns to ensure that the right candidate is matched to their specified requirements.

As part of their role at WIG, Cezanne oversees the Bespoke Mentoring Programme, collaborating with esteemed industry leaders and policymakers to identify and address their specific professional development requirements. Additionally, Cezanne facilitates cross-sector secondment initiatives for individuals and organisations seeking to broaden their experience.

They also sit on WIG's EDI committee to promote a culture of inclusivity and equity for all employees. Prior to WIG, Cezanne worked in the private sector advising individuals on employment opportunities. They also have a background in sales and customer service.

Cezanne graduated from The University of East Anglia with a BA Hons in American History in 2018 and an MA in Gender Studies in 2019. Cezanne has a specific interest in the intersections of race, gender, and disability.

Chloé is the Membership Manager at WIG, engaging members so they can make the most of WIGs many offerings.

A New York native, Chloé has an M.Phil in Race, Ethnicity, Conflict from Trinity College, Dublin, and has previously lived in Tokyo, Japan while studying at Waseda University. For the past five years, she has lived and worked in Brussels, Belgium, starting first in the NGO sector, before moving to the not-for-profit sector at membership associations focused on the philanthropic and data privacy sectors, in event management and member engagement respectively.

Outside her professional life in the not-for-profit sector, Chloé is fluent in French, enjoys film photography and cooking/baking, and is a full-time cat mom.

Dani joined WIG’s Leadership team in 2018. She is the Programme Manager responsible for WIG’s Exchange Programme, Senior Leaders Programme, and multiple bespoke programmes. She works closely with programme participants and facilitators to design experiential learning interventions tailored to the cohorts needs.

Dani looks after WIG’s organisational visits, where she works with our members to understand their key priorities and challenges and pairs them with another organisation, who have faced similar challenges and can offer valuable insights. Recent sessions have focused on, recruitment and retention, organisational culture and sustainable innovation and transformation.

She also focuses on our alumni strategy, delivering creative sessions to engage our alumni community of over 2,500 and continue to connect the sectors.

Dani holds a BA Degree in Sociology and Criminology from the University of Nottingham where she was also a member of the Soup Runner’s Society. In her spare time, she enjoys attending Reformer Pilates classes, travelling and skiing.

As Membership Assistant, Edivaldo assists membership inquiries, providing support to Membership Managers in enhancing member satisfaction and retention.

Prior to joining WIG, Edivaldo’s commitment to community service is evident through volunteer work for charities such as Cancer Research UK and WizKidzz. Holding a BA in Education and Social Science from St Mary's University, Edivaldo has since worked in the not-for-profit sector, contributing as a Membership Services Coordinator for the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and a Social Media Trustee for Steel Pan Trust.#

Outside the office, Edivaldo enjoys attending immersive exhibitions, exploring art galleries, cooking for friends and learning new languages.

Elle has joined WIG to undertake Programme Management of both the Step Up Step Across and Women’s Leadership Programmes.

Originally from New Zealand, with over a decade in the UK, Elle is a people-person with an extensive client-centric background in relationship management, personal and professional development, operations, communications and events across the private sector.

Away from the office, Elle has an ongoing interest in Human Sciences, a passion for continued learning herself, as well as travel, quality time with loved ones, and enjoying all the diverse delights of London.

Fiona is a Leadership Programme Senior Executive at WIG, a position she has held since joining the organization in 2023. In her role, she is responsible for leading the coordination and delivery of a portfolio of WIG Leadership Development Programmes, with a particular focus on WIG Masterclasses. Fiona also supports Programme Managers on other WIG Leadership Development Programmes, working closely with the Head of Leadership to review processes and procedures to continuously improve the quality and reach of WIG's leadership development services.

Prior to joining WIG, Fiona was an experienced learning and development professional with over 20 years of experience across various business sectors. As a registered I-O psychologist in Hong Kong, she is passionate about helping people grow, develop, and lead successful professional and personal lives.

Fiona is also a proud mother of two daughters. In her leisure time, she enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and water sports

Gina brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her Programmes Manager and ED&I (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Champion roles. Originally from Colombia, Gina has dedicated nearly a decade of her career to the not-for-profit sector. She leads a bespoke programme for under-represented groups and manages two initiatives focused on breaking barriers in women's representation. Additionally, Gina oversees the Future Leaders Programme, nurturing the next generation of leaders.

Prior to joining WIG, Gina worked with non-governmental organisations such as the Secretariat of Amnesty International and Minority Rights Group. Her work included facilitating capacity building workshops for community leaders in Kenya and the Dominican Republic, to build the skills, knowledge, structures and resources of indigenous and minority ethnic partner organisations. Gina holds a BA in Politics, Philosophy, and History from Birkbeck, as well as an MA in Human Rights.

Outside of work, Gina finds fulfillment in spending time with her family and friends, exploring different corners of the world through travel, and practicing yoga whenever possible.

Haimanot is a senior finance executive at WIG with over 10 years of experience in the industry. She has a deep understanding of the financial reporting and a passion working together with the team and expanding the organisation financial processing system. In her current role at WIG, she work closely with Head of Finance to provide outstanding financial support for the team and financial success for the organisation. Haimanot hold a Bachelor’s degree in Finance & Accounting from London Southbank University and she is a part-qualified for ACCA.

As Leadership Programmes Manager, Hannah is responsible for the management and continued development of WIG’s leadership programmes. 

Prior to joining WIG, Hannah designed and delivered programmes for executive leaders in the education sector, and has also produced learning and development programmes for the wider public sector. 

Hannah holds a BA (Hons) degree in History and Political Science from the University of Birmingham. Outside of WIG she enjoys baking and is a volunteer for Homeless Action in Barnet.  

As Events & Content Assistant, Jamie supports with the logistical and administrative side of running our events and managing digital content.  Jamie recently graduated from the University of Aberdeen with a MA(Hons) in History. 

In his spare time, Jamie enjoys running, reading, and roaming around museums.

As a Membership Manager, Josh supports the team in facilitating cross sector relationships between our members. Part of his role is to help manage relationships with our members, ensuring engagement and satisfaction whilst also keeping an eye on the general scope of our membership. Josh Also takes charge of the general day to day running of our mentoring platform- Mentor Match.

Before WIG, Josh has worked at other not-for-profit and membership focused organisations, including internationally, having been based in both Sydney and Auckland. He also holds a degree in Politics and International Relations from Loughborough University.

In his spare time, Josh is a keen runner and tennis player and also loves to travel.

As Event & Content Manager, Leo is responsible for producing and managing a wide range of WIG events.

Prior to joining WIG, Leo was Head of Events at the PRCA, the professional association for the PR and communications industry.

In his spare time Leo enjoys gardening and spending time in the allotment with his greyhound, Del. He also plays drums in an indie-blues band.

As Communications Senior Executive, Lydia drives a diverse range of communications campaigns, supporting WIG to reach and engage its members and key audiences.

Lydia has worked in both the not-for-profit and education sectors. She started her career in marketing and development at Emergency Infant Services, a non-profit in Oklahoma, USA, and then moved to a communications role at a multi-academy trust in the UK. Lydia graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a BA in English Literary and Cultural Studies with minors in business and Spanish.

Outside of work, she likes to read, explore museums, and go on walks.

Mafe works across the Talent Team where she helps with the delivery of the Charity Next programme, as well as the wider Talent offering. She supports the team with the completion of specific day-to-day responsibilities across our recruitment, mentoring, secondments, and Charity Next work.

Prior to joining WIG, Mafe built her experience in the not-for-profit sector through placements in charities and NGO's such as the Planeta Rural Foundation in Colombia. Additionally, she recently graduated from King's College London with a BA degree in International Relations.

Outside of WIG, you will find Mafe devoting her time to her three favourite activities: playing sports, creating art and spending quality time with her family & friends.

As Events and Content Executive, Masooma is responsible for coordinating a range of WIG events. She also supports with the administrative side of WIG events, also helping manage digital content. 

Masooma has recently graduated with a degree for BA Politics and International Relations from the University of Essex. In her spare time, Masooma enjoys reading, cooking, and watching sports.

As Charity Next Director and Talent Manager, Matt works across the Talent team to help candidates gain experience working in different sectors. Matt’s particular focus is on the Charity Next programme, where he places Civil Service Fast Streamers into charitable organisations and not-for-profits for six-month secondments.

Before joining WIG, Matt worked as a freelance communications consultant, drawing from his experience as a digital marketer and a copywriter. He worked for a major political party at the 2019 general election, as well as think tank consultancies and commercial start-ups.

Outside of work, Matt is a keen musician - he plays the saxophone, bass guitar, and even the banjo, much to his neighbours’ dismay. When he can, he pops back home to walk the family dogs and tries his best to stop them ruining people’s picnics.

As Events and Content Executive, Nia is responsible for coordinating events in the 'Economic Growth and Prosperity' and 'Society' series. She also supports on the logistical coordination of a range of other WIG events.

Nia has recently graduated from the University of Greenwich with a BA (Hons) in Events Management.

Outside of WIG, Nia is a keen sports fan and especially loves watching Arsenal FC.