Lisa has been featured in Forbes and Glamour magazine and is a regular contributor in the media where she has taken part in discussions and interviews on a wide range of topics. More recently, Lisa was chosen as one of BBC 1Xtra’s Future Figures 2022 in recognition of her work around equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as being nominated for other awards this year.
An engaging and passionate public speaker, Lisa wants to use what she has learnt over the years to not just help her thrive, but to help others thrive too.
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Bartek Basista
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Showreel
SHOCKING LACK OF DATA SHOWS BOARDROOM DIVERSITY IS NON-EXISTENT
Lucy:
Well, next tonight calls for more diversity at the top of business.Gamal:
Campaigners want to see a wider range of people in boardrooms, especially people of colour and people with disabilities.Lucy:
Yeah. Latest figures from 2021 show that not a single FTSE 100 company had a board member who identifies as having a disability.
Gamal:
Well, hoping to change that, our campaign is Lisa Maynard-Atem, and Paralympic cycling champion Neil Fachie, who lives and trains in Manchester.Lucy:
Yeah, Neil is a boardroom apprentice on a new scheme from the company MBH, where Lisa's a non-exec director. They taught me what can be done to prize open those top tables.
Neil:
A couple of reasons really. I mean, first and foremost, you know, a sporting career is great, but it obviously doesn't last forever. So part of me wants to get involved in, in the business side. I think that's really comparable to sport. You know, it's very competitive, it's exciting, and it's a world I, I really enjoy.Lucy:
But you're training really hard at the moment, so how do you juggle that with the boardroom?Neil:
Yeah, it's interesting. I mean, I guess, you know, a lot of people after a day at work will go off to the gym to de-stress, whereas my work is spending time in the gym. So for me to go and de-stress, it's almost that flip.
You know, I want to go and do something else, take my mind off of the sporting world that I'm part of every day. So it's something I always thought I'd like to do is, understand what a board is like and to get that privilege from from MBH to have this apprenticeship for a year is something that I'm now no longer daunted by.
I don't think it's as scary as perhaps people imagine it is.
Lucy:
And why is it so important that disabled people are given these opportunities?
Neil:
Back in 2021 FTSE 100 companies, I saw that the amount of disabled people on their workforces was only 3%, and on the board itself, there were no people at all with a disability, which obviously doesn't match up to that one in five people with disability in the UK.
Lucy:
Well, Lisa, that's shocking. Is that right across the board? So to speak.
Lisa:
Yeah, Unfortunately, it is. I mean, Neil and I were having a quite few conversations about this. Um, and when, whilst we were on business and we were talking, we were actually doing a lot of research into what do the figures look like in terms of people who identify as having a disability, and they're absolutely shocking. And like you say, the figures that we have found are quite out of date, which is, is very, very concerning. It's just. It's that thing that I've always said, you know, our leaders should reflect the communities and the people that they serve.
For myself as a woman of colour, I have been in that situation where if I haven't seen somebody that looks like me, it does kind of put me off applying for a more senior role or trying to get onto a board, and I have been in that position when I was kind of early on, mid in or mid-level in my career. You know, I'm very ambitious, very driven, and I'm very passionate about helping people, but I found myself in situations where I just didn't see anybody who looked like me at those top tables and I think there's an element of that, you know, I think the whole See Me Be Me piece is really, really important, which is why I think it's fantastic that, you know, MBH are really, really striving to ensure that, you know, our board is as diverse as possible. And I think, you know, if we look at gender, for example, it's a 50/50 split on our board, our CEO is a woman, which is fantastic. And obviously with Neil on our board as well, we're really working hard to ensure that we have as much diversity as possible.Lucy:
And what, what are they missing out on by not having more diverse boards, would you say?
Lisa:
The diversity of thought, diversity of ideas. I think in terms of innovation, I think is really, really, diversity is really, really key. I think you're just missing out on just a wealth of talent, a wealth of creativity, so yeah.
Lucy:
Yeah. Great point, Lisa. Thank you for that. Neil, you can't go though without me asking you how your training is going and how optimistic you are about, uh, what's coming up.
Neil:
Yeah, I mean, we're just weeks away now from World Championships in Glasgow. It's gonna be a huge event. I'm, uh, I'm very optimistic, I have to say. Uh, hopefully I'd love to come away with a gold from there.
Lucy:
Well, let's hope so. But you're missing out on a bit of sleep at the moment.
Neil:
Yeah, my, uh, my wife, who's also a part of the team, gave birth about seven months ago now to our, our young boy. She's hoping to be competing at those world championships too, so I, I hope we'll both be there and we'll of course, need child support. So if anyone can help us, that would be very much appreciated.
Lucy:
Well, let's hope that Fraser is sleeping well and you can both get some decent sleep and we'd be looking out for you in that the very best of luck. Thank you. And thank you so much, both of you, for coming here.
Lisa: Thank you.
Pleasure.
ITV News - Granada Reports
Articles
In the wake of Black Lives Matter, what questions are you asking yourself as a leader?
I ask, because asking questions is the start of understanding. If you’re now awake to the police brutality that has long blighted Black lives in the U.S., or are sitting with the gutting realization that people of color are disproportionately dying from COVID-19, it’s long past time we started asking ourselves why...
The former stylist and social media entrepreneur Lisa Maynard Atem, 42, always knew she was destined to do work that made an impact. In fact, it was practically her birthright. Her father worked for the UN, her mother was a charity worker and her sister is a scientist, who works specifically in encouraging young girls to get into STEM.
For Lisa, this meant harnessing her existing skill set as Harrods’ first-ever social media manager (she created their Instagram and got it to 1m followers) and founder of her own consultancy ‘The Social Word’ to raise awareness for causes she cared about- namely black business, black representation in business and economic equality...
From the age of five, I was sure of two things. Firstly, I would someday become my own boss (taking orders has never really been my thing to be honest) and secondly, I really wanted to help people. I also knew that I was going to achieve both things. Don’t ask me how I knew, I just did. I enjoyed problem-solving (I remember negotiating with my kindergarten teacher to get our class a variety of snacks for break time rather than just dried raisins because some of the other children didn’t like them - I succeeded) and being in charge - the reasons for...
See Me, Be Me Podcast
“Decisions are made at the top tables. Therefore, those tables should be diverse.”
Lisa in conversation with Nile Henry and Blair Henry (The Blair Project) on their ‘See Me, Be Me’ podcast, talking about her journey, early influences and the importance of diverse leadership.
THE KINGS CORONATION
Gamal:
Well, that Coronation is now just a couple of days away, but there's been one issue that's really been making the headlines.
Lucy:
Yeah, the palace announced that millions of viewers are being invited to pledge their allegiance to their new king out loud on Saturday, wherever we are, we're all being urged to swear an oath.
Gamal:
Earlier, we were joined by Andy Carter, the MP for Warrington South, who's one of only 20 MP's going to the coronation, uh, and by Lisa Maynard-Atem, who's a social empowerment and black representation campaigner.
Lucy:
Yeah. We started by asking what they thought about the so-called oath of allegiance.
Lisa:
Service is something that's very, that's at the heart of the monarchy, and I actually feel that it might have been a better idea to actually invite people to maybe make a pledge of allegiance in terms of service, in terms of serving their communities, helping each other.
Gamal:
Andy, there is a lot going on at the moment, so is now an appropriate time for members of the public, uh, to be asked to swear this allegiance to the king and his successes.
Andy:
I think as Lisa said, it's down to individuals if they want to do that. I, I was on the Mall a little bit earlier, which is just down the road from the House of Commons, and I was talking to a member of the public that had been on the Mall during the last coronation.
We'd just come out the back of a terrible second world war and they were saying how things have improved so much better today in society. Uh, and actually this is a great opportunity for the nation to come together, uh, to recognize the service that, uh, the, the Monarch gives to this country and for everybody to be part of that special service and I think that in itself is a, a really welcome thing.
Lucy:
Would you agree though, that perhaps the pomp and pageantry that goes into this is coming at quite a tough time.
Andy:
Even today, people all around the world are looking at what we do here and thinking, isn't this wonderful? My inbox today has been flooded with details of people having street parties, community events coming together, and it is about bringing communities together and celebrating, uh, the, the, the national coming together for, for, uh, for the coronation.
Lucy:
So Lisa, a moment in history, it gives people a chance to celebrate, lift the Spirits a bit.
Lisa:
Yeah, I mean, I agree with Andy. It's a, it's an incredible occasion. Why don't we celebrate and honor the coronation of the king by doing good deeds and, and helping other people? I think that's, that's a fantastic way to celebrate.
Lucy:
It's a great idea. No one's stopping you from doing that.
Lisa:
Well, um, I will be doing some volunteering at the weekend.
Lucy:
So what will you be doing?
Lisa:
I will be, um, so one of my neighbors, she is going to be watching the coronation, she's an elderly lady and she lives alone, so we're gonna take it in turns to go and see her and sit with her. Um, but I also, it's also my mother's birthday, so unfortunately Mummy Maynard has to take priority over the King, so.
Lucy:
I'm sure he'd understand.
Gamal:
Andy. I mean, a couple of interesting points there for, from Lisa. I mean, many people will say that this whole process of swearing an allegiance to the, to the, to the king and his successes, Is somewhat archaic, should there not be more of an emphasis, um, in this day and age on swearing an allegiance to your local community.
Andy:
I think one of the big messages that has come from, uh, King Charles has been this sense of service and supporting communities, and in particular, on holiday Monday, the big help out, uh, I'll be out in Warrington with, uh, what we think will be the biggest litter pick that Warrington has ever seen.
And, and actually in terms of, of, um, swearing and allegiance to the, I'm probably one of the 600 people in this country that have already done that. As a member of Parliament, uh, we are asked to swear allegiance to the Monarch, uh, their heirs and successors, and it's something that I was very happy to do, uh, because it's part of, uh, of, of representing my constituents and being part of the House of Commons.
Lucy:
Yeah, except that not all of your constituents would feel the same way.
Andy:
When, when we look at what this does to set Britain on the stage around the world, people look at us and think, actually what a fantastic country, uh, and we should be incredibly proud of, of the, the ceremony and the pomp and circumstance that, that we project to the world.
Lucy:
Yes, Lisa.
Lisa:
I wouldn't quite agree with that, just because the conversations I've been having have been very different. A lot of people have said that they wouldn't pledge allegiance, they just don't, they just feel that it's somewhat outdated, if you like. Um, and that actually it should be, it should be really about the monarchy doing something that's more in keeping with the times.
Lucy:
Well, the debate goes on. Thanks for all of your views coming in as well, via Twitter, Tony Lockwood, for example thinks he's misread the room asking the country to swear allegiance to him and his heirs.
Gamal:
Yeah, another Tony's got in touch, a Tony Collier. He says, um, I won't be swearing an allegiance, but I'll watch for a bit, uh, we do things so well and I won't get to see another.
Lucy:
Yeah. Jeff Hughes says he's already King, I don't need to see him put his hat on.
Gamal:
Samantha says it's costing so much to put this on when it could have been used for the NHS or even food banks.
Lucy:
And Matt says, I like Charles and Camilla, but it's my dad's 85th birthday on Saturday and he's having a party.
Gosh, everyone seems to be having birthdays this coming weekend. Uh, like the coronation, he says, my dad will only be 85 once, so it's a once in a lifetime event.
Andy:
That's salient points there.
Lucy:
Yeah. And happy birthday to him.