Building Women Podcast Series

Building Women Podcast Series

Eight questions, two people, one industry

Our guests share their stories and we celebrate their successes in a male-dominated construction industry.

Julia Jolley chats to senior women in the construction industry and their allies and champions about their background, experiences, challenges and ideas.

These are informal and insightful conversations to help us get to know each other better, inspire the next generation and create a supportive environment.

Episode 12 | Freya Chapman - courage, vulnerability, and the power of being a little bit different!

Join Julia Jolley for an inspirational conversation with Freya Chapman, the residential lead at Mainmark, as she shares her deeply personal journey of resilience and determination. She opens up about her battles with mental health and the trials of raising her son as a single mother. Despite navigating through challenging relationships, including those with herself, Freya has learnt to embrace her uniqueness and become a strong independent woman within the industry.

This episode discusses sensitive topics which may be triggering for some listeners, such as eating disorders, mental health struggles, domestic abuse, PTSD, autoimmune diseases, and chemical menopause. It also discusses late diagnosis of neurodiversity.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues discussed today, we encourage you to seek help and support. Useful resources and charities are listed below and specific resources for our internal listeners at OC:

Resources and charities
  • Mental Health: Call Samaritans on 116 123 for immediate support (Contact Us | Samaritans)
  • Eating Disorders: Beat Eating Disorders (www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk ) offers a support helpline and information for those affected by eating disorders.
  • Domestic Abuse: Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk ) offers support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.
  • PTSD: PTSD UK (www.ptsduk.org ) provides information and support for those affected by PTSD.
  • Autoimmune Diseases: Versus Arthritis (www.versusarthritis.org ) offers support for individuals living with arthritis and other autoimmune conditions.
Internal resources for staff at Osborne Clarke
  • Our AXA Medical insurance offers free neurodiversity assessments. Opt in anytime via the Flex platform.
  • Arrange free counselling via OC's therapy provider, HelloSelf (access platform here).

Episode 11 | Francis Knight - Creativity and Community Engagement

Julia digs into the inspiring journeys of two public art consultants, Louise Francis and Laura Knight, who took a leap and founded their own consultancy, Francis Knight. They discuss their passion for creativity, how community engagement has led to impactful public art projects, working alongside construction companies and advice for aspiring artists.

Episode 10 | Katie Swanick - Constructing the country

In this episode, Julia chats to Katie Swanick, an Operations Manager at Mott MacDonald Bentley, whose career has ranged from motorways to Crossrail, to some of the UK's largest infrastructure that we all use today. They discuss navigating this exciting field, support networks and management styles.

Episode 9 | Isabelle Parasram - Grasping your career potential and making a positive change

Julia sits down with Isabelle Parasram OBE to chat about her life in law and politics and now as CEO for The Institute for Social Value. They discuss…
  • Her early years living in both East London and Trinidad and Tobago
  • Why we should love the work we do and aspire to make a positive difference
  • The importance of trusting in yourself and others around you as a leader
  • The exciting future for The Institute for Social Value

Episode 8 | Dawnet McLaughlin - Harnessing the power of self belief

Julia chats to Dawnet McLaughlin in our latest Building Women podcast Dawnet shares her inspiring journey starting with her family roots in Jamaica, to becoming a female leader in the construction industry as a Regional Managing Director at Vistry Homes. She explores topics such as: 

  • How her family has influenced her mindset today
  • Overcoming multiple barriers surrounding her academics and beyond
  • The importance of self-belief

Episode 7 | Sammie Steele - Don't leave the room till you've got what you need

Julia chats with Sammie Steele, MD of Placemaking and Regeneration at Places for People, about her journey from rural Shropshire to the present day. They discuss her career in construction starting during the financial crisis, how she navigated setbacks, and how she is learning to be comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Most importantly, they explore how she manages to switch off and draw boundaries between work and life.

Episode 6 | Karen Dunn - Unconventional career paths, being a woman in planning and career top tips

Julia chats with Karen Dunn, head of planning at Barratt Developments about her career journey. Karen debunks the common misconceptions of being a woman in the planning industry and...
 
  • shares her unconventional route into planning and construction
  • reflects on her higher education and what advice she would give to her younger self
  • the supportive community she has found at Barratt Developments
  • top moments from her career

Episode 5 | Terry Styant & Sophia Erfan - The changing landscape of women in construction law

Julia chats with the brilliant Terry Styant and Sophia Erfan, both Associate General Counsel at Balfour Beatty about women in the construction legal roles. They discuss:

  • Their lives- how their childhood has influenced who they are today
  • How they both ended up working in the construction sector
  • The changes they see happening in the industry

Episode 4 | Sam Kay - Overcoming Challenges and the Imposter Phenomenon

In this episode, This month Julia chats with Sam Kay, Head of Legal at Kier Group to chat about:

  • Her career journey as a mixed-race woman and top career tips
  • Sam's school years
  • Her journey into law from University and early career
  • Being a working parent and her experience on maternity leave
  • Imposter phenomenon and the importance of a close network to build you up!

Episode 3 | Catherine Wenger - Gender in Engineering, Revolutionary Projects and Top Industry Experts

In this episode, Julia chats to Catherine Wenger, UKIMEA Water Business Leader at Arup about:

  • The challenges and opportunities of being a female engineer
  • Catherine’s experience living and working all over the world
  • Her role models
  • The 'Six Capitals' way of working to create maximum value - and why they are crucial
  • Her stand-out projects at Arup, including earthquake-proof buildings and the revolutionary 'Greener Grangetown' project in Cardiff

Episode 2 | Nicole Geoghegan – Supersized Infrastructure, Adding Value and Supportive Partners

In this episode, Julia chats to Nicole Geoghegan, General Counsel and Company Secretary at Costain Group about:

  • her unusual career journey;
  • relocating across the world;
  • her top tips for young lawyers working in construction and the importance of adding value; and
  • Her secret to minimal stress and a healthy attitude to working life.

Episode 1 | Caroline Saul - From Barry to Singapore

In this inaugural episode, Julia chats to colleague Caroline Saul, Project Finance Partner at Osborne Clarke, about:

  • what makes her tick;
  • who her biggest cheerleaders are; and
  • the main barriers to moving towards more sustainable energy methods in the industry.

Episode 11 | Francis Knight - Creativity and Community Engagement

Julia digs into the inspiring journeys of two public art consultants, Louise Francis and Laura Knight, who took a leap and founded their own consultancy, Francis Knight. They discuss their passion for creativity, how community engagement has led to impactful public art projects, working alongside construction companies and advice for aspiring artists.

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