Accelerating action for female entrepreneurs

Hosted by Tamara Gillan, Founder and CEO of FFinc, you’ll learn about their journeys to success. From sharing failures and overcoming obstacles to navigating male-dominated industries, our guests contribute their insights, experiences, and strategies for success to support accelerating action and outcomes for female founders.  

Sharing failures and building resilience 

Sharing the challenges, failures and setbacks to inspire and support other future founders through their journeys was a key theme for our panel. Louise Hill recounts her experiences in securing funding to build Go Henry, including the hurdles and rejections she encountered along the way – highlighting the role of resilience for entrepreneurs.  

Supporting change for female leaders 

Our Women in Business report demonstrates the challenges women face as part of the workforce today. Keely Woodley explains how the role of businesses and individuals is critical to supporting change.  

Empowering future leaders through mentorship and coaching is important for fostering inspiration, unlocking pathways and opportunities for growth.

Women in business 2025

Read more on our women in business report 2025

Find out more

What's one piece of advice you'd give to your daughter or your younger self? 

Having each navigated their own leadership journeys to achieve success, our panellists each share a piece of advice. 

Learn more about our panel

Tamara Gillan  

Founder and CEO, FFinc 

Tamara is a pioneer in strategy, partnership marketing, and an advocate for social change. Entrepreneurship is in her DNA, she loves to challenge the status quo and she believes passionately in the power of collaboration. As the founder of Cherry London, one of the UK’s most influential partnership agencies, Tamara revolutionised the way businesses collaborate, leading strategies for brands like O2, Jaguar Land Rover, Visa Europe, Red Bull, and HSBC.  

A passionate champion for women of all ages, Tamara has spearheaded initiatives that advance female empowerment and financial literacy,  including FFinc.  

In addition to her entrepreneurial work, Tamara is a dedicated mentor, adviser, and fundraiser for charities supporting women. A single mother, Tamara is deeply committed to causes protecting vulnerable children, particularly girls, and continues to align her work with her passion for meaningful social change. 

Keely Woodley 

Head of Deals Advisory and Consulting, Board Member, Grant Thornton UK 

Keely has been with the firm for 20 years having started in the M&A practice when she joined from a leading private equity and venture capital firm in 2005. She led our human capital and business support services M&A practice in London before becoming head of Deals Advisory and Consulting. 

Visit Keely's profile

Louise Hill 

Co-founder and CEO, GoHenry

Louise is the co-founder and CEO of GoHenry, the money app helping kids learn to earn, save, spend, and invest. Louise has built the business from the ground up, first launching GoHenry in the US in 2018, then acquiring French Ffintech Pixpay in 2022, followed by the merger with US Ffintech Acorns in 2023. Louise is a passionate advocate for financial education, campaigning tirelessly to make the subject compulsory in all schools starting from primary age.  

Pam Bateson 

Founder and CEO, Thrive Partners 

As the CEO and founder of Thrive Partners, Pam is dedicated to transforming the coaching industry by providing accessible, on-demand coaching solutions that empower individuals and organisations to reach their full potential. With over two decades of experience in leadership development and organisational transformation, Pam has a proven track record of driving growth and fostering innovation. 

Clare Connell 

CEO, Connell Consulting 

Clare is well known within the private equity and corporate finance world for her extensive knowledge of health, social care, and education. Clare has worked in strategy consulting for 25 years and was voted Sector Expert by her peers in the 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023 HealthInvestor Power 50 for her knowledge of the sector. 

Clare and her team at Connell Consulting have produced commercial due diligence on a large volume of substantial transactions in the healthcare, social care, and special education markets. They also do strategic and operational consulting. Connell clients include private equity firms, operators, hedge funds, banks, REITS, and infrastructure funds. 

Subscribe to the series today

Spotify  Amazon