The Dangerous Women Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Welcome to Episode One of Series Five; you are listening to The Dangerous Women Collective, hosted by Sophy Norris.

The launch guest of this Series is the mightyvAlev Scott, a writer whose journalism has graced The Times, Sunday Times, Guardian, and New Statesman. Following her Turkish heritage, Alev became a journalist in Istanbul, where she covered politics and cultural change, which culminated in a ban from Turkey in 2017.

After this seismic change, Alev found a new life in marriage and motherhood, but the call of investigative reporting never left her. An abundance of breast milk was the initial inspiration for her latest book Cash Cow.

In Cash Cow, published 26 February 2026, Alev lifts the lid on the booming global fertility market—egg freezing, surrogacy, breastmilk—and the complex web of profits, ethics, and human stories behind it. Her reporting blends undercover work with first‑hand accounts, bringing us close to a surrogate of twelve children, an international embryo courier, and the people who profit—and pay the price—from this industry.

Alev and Sophy explore what it takes to tell these stories with honesty, courage, and nuance, and what motherhood, career, and risk Alev must navigate in the pursuit of truth. Highlights include:

• The bravery and naivety of youth when it comes to breaking barriers and exploring new territory
• Responding to shock, managing a shift in energy and a change in purpose
• Being dangerous, even if unknowingly and how those feelings manifest
• The complexity of motherhood, and letting (or not wanting to let) our children follow in our own footsteps
• The struggles and benefits of pivoting in life and the importance of curiosity
• The importance of balance in keeping an open mind, and why starting conversations is key
• Using femininity to our advantage
• Dumbo's Feather
• Lifting the lid on an industry we know, but don't know, exists
• The uncomfortable reality of market forces defining female fertility
• The uncomfortable sexualisation of fertility

• Ottoman Odyssey - Amazon
• Cash Cow - Amazon
• The Alligator Pi Agency | LinkedIn
• LinkedIn - Sophy Norris
• Alev Scott

In the Series 4 Finale, Sophy Norris speaks to a true trailblazer, a woman unafraid to work in the worlds seen as typically male: politics, rugby and the great British pub.

Emma McClarkin is the current Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BPPA), a role she has had since 2019. A passionate beer and pub lover, Emma is the voice for the beer and pub sector, leading them through the pandemic and interfacing with Government and stakeholders to secure vital grant support and economic stimulus to aid the Sector's recovery.

Before joining the BBPA, Emma served as a Member of the European Parliament for 10 years and as a true beer lover, she also served as Vice President of the European Parliament Beer Club. Before that, she was the Government Relations Executive for the RFU.

Outside of work, Emma is a big fan of music and sport, closely following rugby, football, and cricket – as well as watching them in her local pub!

In this Episode, Sophy and Emma discuss:

• The importance of grabbing the opportunities in front of you and being open to them at all times
• Why the pub is the nation's living room, a national treasure. 80% of Brits see it as their sanctuary, and it needs preserving
• Why leaders are natural risk takers
• The power women have as natural communicators
• That boards are made better when there is strong female representation, and why investing in women is good for business
• Why being Queen Bee is not how you advance as a woman, rather it is important to create pathways for those travelling with you
• Hospitality needs to be showcased as a brilliant career option, and more women are needed at the C-suite level
• How important it is to listen to our gut and follow our instincts
• Our only competition should be with the best version of ourselves
• Dressing for success and empowering ourselves
• Managing grief at work and being open to help
• Why we need quality in politics to move beyond the Punch and Judy Show of today

• The Rest Is Entertainment | The Rest Is Entertainment
• BBPA Academy | BBPA
• Stroud Brewery
• The Fresh Standard Brew Co – Beers from The Five Valleys
• Open to all 2025 | BBPA
• Long Live the Local | BBPA
• Home | BBPA
• LinkedIn - Emma McClarkin
• The Alligator Pi Agency | LinkedIn
• LinkedIn - Sophy Norris

In our Series Finale, Sophy Norris speaks to Annie Coleman, an Ambassador for Stanford University’s Center on Longevity, whose mission is to accelerate and implement scientific discoveries, technological advances, behavioural practices, and social norms so that century-long lives are healthy and rewarding. Annie also runs her own business, RealiseLongevity, and is a sought-after speaker and published writer on longevity, the future of work and organisational culture.

In this Episode, we unpack what longevity means and the reality of ageism in a population living longer and more actively than ever before. This brings with it huge challenges, but also incredible opportunities (indeed, a $15 trillion one). Some of the areas we discuss include:

• The 100-year lifespan, and living a third of our lives post-60
• Women can take career breaks and get back on it
• Why we should stop thinking about generational differences, and focus more on stages of life
• The power of intergenerational project teams, as this is where the magic happens
• The importance of reverse mentoring and the need for a new kind of leadership
• Why women are never the right age, and are more affected by ageism
• Why COVID was a 'she-session' and not a recession
• Taking responsibility for our financial future
• Women don't need to be invisible
• Reframing ageing
• Why not having a longevity strategy means you don't have a growth strategy
• The (massive) missed marketing opportunity of ignoring women over 55
• Why we need to retire the word retirement
• The power of physical and mental challenges in building long-term resilience
• Sharing what leaders need to hear, and not what they want to hear
• Find out who "didn't just break the glass ceiling but wore the crown"

And a huge thank you to ESET for sponsoring Series 3, you have made it so much easier to bring more Dangerous Women into our cohort. ESET provides Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business.

Links:

Annie Coleman | Sophy Norris

The Stanford Centre on Longevity

RealiseLongevity

The Alligator Pi Agency

Sponsor:

ESET

Items mentioned in this Episode:

Cognitive Diversity in Asset Management (a report)

Women of Influence 2024 Study

Stanford Center on Longevity New Map of Life

Charles Handy and Second Curve of Careers

Fidelidade Insurance Company Head of Longevity

In this Episode our host Sophy Norris and guest Annalise Coady, President Europe GCI Health, dive deep into the heart of agency life, exploring the nuances of female leadership and tackling one of the hottest topics of our time, the rise of artificial intelligence. Annalise brings over 20 years of experience in global marketing communications, where her expertise in data, AI, and technology helps clients navigate the complex healthcare environment we face today.

But this isn’t just about the stats and strategies. We’re here to celebrate Annalise's passion for making scientific data accessible and engaging for everyone. With a career spanning the UK, USA, UAE, Canada, and beyond, she’s not only been a trailblazer in major organisations like Microsoft and Fleishman-Hillard, but she’s also built strong teams, showcasing her superpower of leadership.

Annalise’s blend of strategic vision and financial savvy has driven exceptional growth for many of the organisations she has worked for. Her human, authentic approach and her impeccable timing in capturing the zeitgeist make her a powerful voice in an ever-evolving industry.

So, whether you’re looking to become a more effective leader, interested in the future of healthcare and technology, or want to be inspired by a woman who’s making waves in her field, this episode is one you won't want to miss.

Get ready for a jam-packed conversation filled with insights, laughter, and some powerful takeaways that can help you stay a step ahead in your own journey, including:

• Why we should refuse to settle for the status quo
• The power of pragmatic disruption
• Why agencies are the best training ground
• Role-modelling (emulating and being) will help forge careers
• Consciously creating teams and working hard to integrate blended teams
• What drives the most value for clients, and why being ahead of the curve underpins this
• Being strategy-focused and achievement-oriented
• If you move at pace, remember to bring people with you (because we also need people obsessed with detail)
• Understanding the power of AI in enabling, but also the premium value of 'human only'
• Knowing fear but mitigating risk
• Being ready to navigate "the room"
• Critical nature of financial literacy in senior leadership "forecasts are my suckyblanket"
• Forging relationships, because you will win more business over a drink than you will responding to an RFP
• "Always assume best intent"

This series of The Dangerous Women Podcast is sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business. We thank you so much for making our show possible,

Links:

Annalise Coady | Sophy Norris

GCI Health

The Alligator Pi Agency

Sponsor:

ESET

Items mentioned in this Episode:

Cognitive Diversity in Asset Management (a report)

The Rest Is Entertainment Podcast

The Authority Gap, Mary-Anne Seighart

This week's conversation is with Lindsey Bass, Fundraising and Head of Marketing at ImpactA Global.

ImpactA is a new kind of female-led investment business. A pioneering woman-led infrastructure debt strategy for Global Emerging Markets, mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, was created to catalyse investment in sustainable infrastructure. The team, founded by four women, helps to solve funding gaps in transformational projects and unlocks critical investment to drive climate transition and address inequality.

Lindsey has a 20-year track record as an investment industry professional, but the start of her career could not be further from this. She followed in the footsteps of her creative parents (her mother was in PR and her father was a television producer) into television, which was followed by a stint in the fashion industry. The move into the world of finance was driven by a need to challenge herself and the opportunity to make more money. And she has stayed there ever since.

Lindsey has always been interested in inclusion, and ImpactA’s team make-up and focus on emerging markets is an interesting and rewarding fit. She was formerly co-Chair of the Legal & General Inclusion Teams. She is currently an Ambassador of the Diversity Project (DP) and Co-Lead of the Mental Health Workstream for the DP. Separately, she is a director of Rebel Consulting, on the Advisory Board for E2W, Advisory Council for AIMSE, and is a Trustee for the Poppy Academy Trust, and is a Mental Health First Aider.

In this podcast, Sophy Norris and Lindsey discuss zig-zag careers, working in finance, the power of investing in projects that benefit women, focusing on what we love (with pragmatism), DEI and more.

The conversation includes:

• Faking it till you make it, being curious and being a sponge at the start of our careers.
• The importance of investment management making a difference, especially as investment businesses are the stewards of $trillions. And how channelling DEI thinking into investments can change the flow of money and outcomes.
• Why climate change disproportionally affects women, and how targeted infrastructure investments can change lives (eye-opening, mind-changing stuff).
• Why supporting women's lives positively impacts local economies and communities.
• DEI echo chambers and the current push back.
• The power of cognitive diversity in teams, but the need for inclusive and focused leadership to harness that power.
• Gender-lense investments. And why diversity does not equal "job done".
• The absolute business case for a strong DEI agenda.
• Why being familiar with discomfort is key to resilience.
• Understanding your skill set, what brings you value, what drives and drains energy.
• Being more like Apple Trees, and focus on growing the fruit.

This series of The Dangerous Women Collective Podcast is sponsored by the fantastic ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business. We thank you so much for making our show possible.

Links:

Lindsey Bass | Sophy Norris

ImpactA Global

Sponsor:

ESET

Items mentioned in this Episode:

Dangerous Women: 50 reflections on women, power and identity

The Diversity Project

The Guilty Feminist

Stacy Havener - Billion Dollar Backstory

This series of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast is sponsored by the fantastic ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business. We thank you so much for making our show possible.

In Episode 5, Series 3, Sophy Norris talks to Liz Gregory, the head of an all-girls fee-paying school, The Maynard School. The Maynard has recently been named as a top 100 school by The Times and Sunday Times, as well as being named the best school in the South West. It is one of several all-girls schools on the list (not all fee-paying), making us wonder if all-girls is a fast track to dangerousness.

In this episode, we look at how we educate Dangerous girls. What sets girls up for a life of success (whatever that success looks like), how we bake that in from the get-go and is an all-female, from a pupil point of view, environment the best start for Dangerousness?

But first, a little more about Liz.

Following a state education, Liz studied economics at Reading, fully intending to enter the world of finance. Quickly realising this was not where her passions lay, Liz returned to university for her PGCE, where she realised how much she loved teaching. She started her teaching career in mainstream, inclusive state schools in Warwickshire and Derbyshire, before heading south to accept a position in an all-girls boarding house at King’s College Taunton. She is also President-Elect of the Chartered College of Teaching.

The Maynard is her first all-girls school and her first headship. So, who better to talk to about educating dangerous girls than Liz? Our conversation is, as ever, expansive. Amongst much more, we cover:

• Private versus mainstream education, and the varying (and similar) needs of children.
• Creating an atmosphere of happiness, inclusiveness, excellence and accountability in young girls and women.
• Instilling proud ambition.
• How an all-girls environment should, and does, empower girls to become the best versions of themselves, and to help other girls do the same.
• How "dangerous" is a positive word!
• Teaching courage, bravery and resilience as well as flexibility and compassion so that girls are as ready as they can be for an emerging world.
• Why privilege also means paying it forward (and the importance of mentorship and role modelling).
• Preparing children for a tough geopolitical landscape by encouraging curiosity and hope for a fresh future (a future which today's girls will help shape).
• Why we must learn to say "Yes" when we can.
• "We only get this day once, so let's make the most of it."

Links:

Liz Gregory | Sophy Norris

The Maynard School

Sponsor:

ESET

Items mentioned in this Episode:

Vicky Ward

Series 3 of The Dangerous Women Collective Podcast is magnificently sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for home and Business. We heartily thank you.

In this Episode, Sophy Norris discusses all things menopause with specialist advisor Fiona Prior-Palmer.

Fiona is a specialist community health nurse and has completed her menopause care professional certificate with the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. She also runs a private menopause clinic called Second Spring, as well as working at The Royal Devon University Trust for Occupational Health, where she is the Trust’s Menopause Nurse Advisor for NHS staff.

Since we first started recording this podcast, the “M-word” has raised its head on more than one occasion. We see “women of a certain age” managing a fundamental shift in their well-being as they enter some of the most experienced and powerful years of their careers.

But, just as many of us are stepping into our stride, we are beset by anxiety, brain fog, shifting sleep patterns – let alone the medical symptoms from night sweats to urinary tract infections. And believe us, after listening to this Episode, you will come to realise this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Men, or at least most men, as much as they try, cannot really understand what menopause is all about, and it just isn’t on the radar of younger colleagues, whatever their gender.

So, in this Episode, we tackle some of the concerns and myths about menopause, and ask "is it time for an M-word revolution?" in the workplace.

We discuss:

• The education gap, and why women (and men) need to empower themselves with knowledge
• Normalising the menopause (much the same as puberty and pregnancy) by talking about it more, informing ourselves more, and learning more
• It is still possible to be dangerous and be menopausal
• Workplaces can do more to support menopausal women. Does your workplace have a menopause policy? Has it taken the workplace menopause pledge?
• Being aware of our symptoms and what our bodies and minds need
• Managing symptoms holistically
• Women are their own worst critics. We need to be kind to ourselves
• Everyone can be curious, all genders and all ages, when it comes to menopause

Links:

LinkedIn: Sophy Norris

Fiona Prior-Palmer

Second Spring

The Alligator Pi Agency

Sponsor:

ESET

Other items mentioned in this Episode:

Menopause Support

Menopause at Work Pledge

This series of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast is sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business.

In Episode 3, Series 3, Sophy Norris speaks to Rachelle Peterson about her mesmerising resurgence after being made redundant over a year ago.

Rachelle Peterson is a visionary entrepreneur and storyteller, driving innovation and connection through her two ventures, both founded post-redundancy, and both when she was North of 50.

As the Founder of LOQIA Group, she leads a pioneering media consultancy that specialises in strategic growth across the B2B and D2E (Direct to Enterprise)sectors. With her deep expertise, Rachelle empowers media companies to navigate complex markets and crafts tailored content strategies for hospitality and travel brands, captivating international audiences.

In addition, Rachelle is the force behind Rebound & Rise, a female-led networking and events platform designed to uplift women in business. Rebound & Rise creates a safe, empowering space for women rebuilding their confidence after career transitions, whether returning from maternity leave, navigating redundancy, or overcoming networking challenges. Through meaningful connections and collaborative growth, this initiative inspires women to rise stronger together.

Rachelle is not only making her mark with her new ventures, both of which are giving her a renewed sense of purpose, but she is also sharing her post redundancy story through her rapidly growing LinkedIn following and seeringly honest posts, which shine a light on uniquely female issues – from being a working mother, to a road rage attack, launching a new career and the power (and pitfalls) of redundancy.

We cover more in this expansive Episode, including:

• Owning it in our late 50s, recognising our power and knowing our worth
• Finding the power to go it alone, and recognising the pivots and motivators when they are presented to us
• Embrace being 20% terrified, it keeps our arses in gear
• Be prepared, only then will you be able to seize the opportunities ahead of you
• When you realise you can do anything, when you stop caring what others think, you become unstoppable
• Your self-worth is not pegged to what your company thinks of you
• Being unashamedly ambitious
• Surviving a road rage attack, if it feels wrong, don't do it!

Links:

Rachelle Peterson | Sophy Norris

LOQIA Group

Rebound and Rise

The Alligator Pi Agency

Sponsor:

ESET

This Series of The Dangerous Women Collective Podcast is sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business.

In Episode 2, Sophy Norris speaks to international powerhouse, advisor to governments and industry, university lecturer, public speaker, arts and crafts enthusiast and working mother - Lisa Quest.

Lisa works with senior civil servants and ministers as well as executives of the UK&I’s leading institutions on topics spanning digital transformation, governance, strategy, financial planning, risk management and public policy & regulatory response. Lisa has advised senior government leaders and policymakers on topics of industry competitiveness and stability, and co-authored numerous articles and studies, including supporting the IBFed on the entrance of Big Tech into Financial Services, the Impact of digitalisation on the economy's regulatory structures, and the future of supervision.

She is also a keen advocate of inclusion and a sponsor of diversity– she sits on the Oliver Wyman’s inclusion council, is executive sponsor of Oliver Wyman’s Women of Oliver Wyman and was shortlisted for Mentor of the Year by Management Today Magazine and names on of the Top 100 Female Executives on the HERos list.

Lisa is also a Visiting Academic Fellow at the London School of Economics, Centre for Risk and Regulation. She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, Canada and a Master's degree in Public Administration in European Public and Economic Policy from the London School of Economics.

We are not exaggerating when we say international powerhouse!

In this wide-ranging Episode, which zooms in on leadership and the power of devolved teams i, we touch on several topics including:

• Managing work-life balance, and the power of surrounding yourself with smart teams who co-share work with you.
• Rewriting our leadership style to build a team of leaders, a team built on trust, collaboration and support, enabling each individual to deliver what they are best at.
• Consciously checking out, being "dirty, barefoot and outside", to recalibrate, energise and bring clarity and creativity back into our working and home lives.
• Rising through a male-dominated workplace by finding sponsors and mentors, and actively learning from "dangerous" colleagues.
• Being ultra alert to the mood in "the room" - recalibrating our own role within that room and understanding the agendas and purpose of the people around us.
• Understanding that being the only woman in a room can help you stand out. And recognising the dynamic shift when 30% of people in a room are female.
• Why it's important to be able to look a long way down the road.
• Also, why it's important to say "I don't know".
• And of course, what it means to be a "weapons-grade delegator".

Links:

Lisa Quest | Sophy Norris

Oliver Wyman

ESET

Items referenced in this episode:

The Authority Gap, Mary Ann Seighart

We start our third series, now sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business, with quite a bang. With stories about classism, backstabbing, appropriation, dire straits, and of course, triumph. It is all about moments of intersection, when forces collide and a new path emerges.

Sophy Norris speaks to Emma Critchley-Lloyd who, like so many Dangerous Women, is many things. CMO of Zodia Markets - the institutional-first digital asset platform, founder of multi-award-winning PR and Marketing agency Big Little London, long-standing member of the DMA B2B Council, a proud part-time working mum, and a passionate advocate for women - and particularly mothers - in the workplace.

It is breaking no secrets, as she has publicly posted, Emma, who is rightly proud of her education, upbringing, and working-class roots, has been subjected to some pretty shocking bullying, all based around her class.

This, among her other experiences in both work and life, has made her dangerously resilient. She passionately advocates for a more diverse workforce, particularly one that represents and looks after working mothers and people from the 98% club. And she has done all of this by her mid-30s. She is truly a tour de force.

In this Episode, we cover:

• The importance of working from an early age, every experience is valid, and it prepares you for your working life
• Starting small, even by mistake, and making an impact on individuals' lives
• The power of being uncompromising
• Making shitty experiences, growth experiences
• Surprising yourself with what you can achieve
• The power of being underestimated
• Managing backstabbing and bullying behaviour in a positive way
• Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone is accountable for them
• Trusting in yourself, and focusing on the future
• Why we make our own luck
• The power that knowing your self-worth gives you
• Be good at what you do

Links:

Emma Critchley-Lloyd | Sophy Norris

Big Little London

Zodia Markets

Sponsor:

ESET