Envision female vision
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Envision female vision ✩
Empower is back!
What is the Empower Conference?
The Empower Conference is one of the largest student-led conferences in Europe, organised by the Leeds University Women in Leadership Society. This flagship event celebrates the achievements of women across various industries and fosters meaningful dialogue about leadership, diversity, and empowerment.
Our previous conferences have had over 370 attendees from 27 European universities, 15+ UK university societies, and 20+ companies. This year, we aim to take it even further with inspiring keynote speeches, dynamic panel discussions, and unparalleled networking opportunities with professionals from various sectors.
Our society, with 1500+ members, is proudly focused on empowering female students by providing them with opportunities to network with inspiring female leaders and learn about career opportunities in leading organisations.
Monday, March 3rd 2025 | Pyramid Theatre & Pyramid Canteen
Announced Keynote Speakers
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Olivia Mae Hanlon
Founder & CEO of Girls in Marketing
Olivia is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree for Media and Marketing (2024). As an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and mentor, she leads the female-led organisation in empowering women with accessible marketing education. Under her leadership, it has grown into a global community. As co-founder and CMO of Passata, Olivia has trained 12,000+ professionals and worked with brands like Adobe and monday.com to mentor the next generation of marketers.
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Amelia Platton
Trainee Solicitor & Founder of the ND Lawyer Project
Amelia is a trainee solicitor at Clifford Chance and has won Legal Cheek’s ‘Best Use of Social Media’ Award (2022). Diagnosed with autism and dyspraxia, she advocates for neurodivergent-led change in the legal profession. Her team has launched initiatives like the first neurodiversity podcast for lawyers and the SRA’s first neurodiversity resource, breaking barriers and driving inclusion.
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Hannah Chappatte
Founder & CEO of Hybr
Hannah is the founder and CEO of Hybr, a rental platform transforming student housing by connecting young renters with fair, transparent accommodation and providing landlords with an automated lettings management system. She is also a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree and one of The Times’ “25 Most Inspiring People Under 30” (2024). Through Hybr, Hannah is driving real change in the student housing market.
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Dr. Varaidzo Kativhu (virtual speaker)
Education Activist & Founder of Empowered by Vee
Dr. Varaidzo (Vee) Kativhu, a UN Young Leader for the SDGs, is an education activist and founder of Empowered By Vee, advocating for equitable access to learning. An Oxford and Harvard alumna, she advises UNICEF and the Global Partnership for Education, championing diversity and female empowerment. As the youngest recipient of an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford, Vee is a leading voice in youth and girls’ education.
Social Media Panelists
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KATIE ARNOLD
Luxury Athleisure Entrepreneur
Katie is a 23-year-old entrepreneur; she launched her first online store, selling 60,000 units in just one year. She is the founder of @p3prmnt - a brand blending old-money elegance with a modern twist. Committed to sustainable luxury and timeless design, Katie prioritises eco-conscious materials, empowering confidence through refined, polished style.
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NATALEE BARNETT
Fitness Influencer & Gym Owner
Natalee is the founder of The Girls Spot, a women’s-only gym offering a safe, supportive space. With 2.5M followers, she champions women’s empowerment, fighting gym harassment and inspiring women to reclaim their space with bold style. Now a mother, she shares her motherhood journey to inspire mums in fitness and personal growth, proving fitness is about confidence, community, and resilience.
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SOPHIE GOODMAN
Content Creator & Influencer
Sophie is a multi-lingual lifestyle and fitness creator with 73,000 followers. After losing 100 pounds through bariatric surgery, she founded Gastric Gossip, a support space for the weight loss surgery community. Featured in Daily Mail and GB News, Sophie has partnered with Bumble and Gymshark, and recently raised $500 for the 9/11 Memorial with a 5K. She plans to launch the Gastric Gossip podcast.
Law Panelists
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AMINA JAMIL
Dentons
Amina specialises in international commercial disputes, including breach of contract, warranty claims, insolvency, and financial services, advising clients across all stages of claims in the High Court and County Courts, including pre-action, ADR, and injunctive relief.
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LEMMY IMOEDEMHE
A&O Sherman
Lemmy is a Legal Technology Executive, specialising in the intersection of law and technology. Passionate about future-proofing legal education, Lemmy advocates for equipping students with the skills needed to thrive in a digital-first world.
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ASHLEIGH STANDEN
ReedSmith
Ashleigh has worked with ReedSmith in London to help set up their aviation finance team. She is currently a Sigma Lawyer at ReedSmith, helping design better, faster, and smarter ways of delivering legal services.
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LORNA NSOATABE
Slaughter and May
Lorna is a dual-qualified solicitor and a member of the Brussels Bar. She specialises in EU and UK competition law. Her notable work includes advising UnitedHealth on its acquisition of EMIS. Lorna was named Empower’s 100 Future Leaders Role Model (2022)
Finance Panelists
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JULIA CONSTABLE
AlphaSights
Julia is the Vice President of Corporate Accounts at AlphaSights, responsible for leading their client service team in London. She joined AlphaSights to scale their European Corporate team, connecting global Fortune 500 clients with experts in specific industries to drive their strategic success.
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REBECCA HARVEY
GAIN
Rebecca is an Investment Analyst at Border to Coast Pension Partnership, overseeing £64 billion for 11 local authority partner funds. She manages private market assets and recommends new managers for private equity, credit, infrastructure, and climate opportunities. As a 2021 GAIN intern, she later won the GAIN Alumni of the Year Award.
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ALYS NICHOLS
EY
Alys is a Senior Assurance Associate at EY. With several years of experience in professional services, she recently completed the EY Graduate Scheme in Assurance and is an exam-qualified Chartered Accountant (ICAS), having passed all exams on the first attempt. Her final-year project earned the highest grade in her cohort, receiving the IMechE Best Project Award.
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TBC!
KPMG
Confirmed Representatives of Companies Attending
AlphaSights
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Enterprise Mobility
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BBC
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A&O Sherman
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Dentons
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DLA Piper
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EY
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Alpine F1 Team
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Micro2
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KPMG
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ReedSmith
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AlphaSights • Enterprise Mobility • BBC • A&O Sherman • Dentons • DLA Piper • EY • Alpine F1 Team • Micro2 • KPMG • ReedSmith •
Itinerary for the Day (subject to changes)
Times Pyramid Theatre + Pyramid Canteen
8:30 - 9:15 am Registration Opens
9:30am - 9:50am Welcome by President and Conference Director
9:50am - 10:20am 1st Keynote Speaker
10:30am - 11:30am 1st Panel: Social Media
11:35am - 12:05pm 2nd Keynote Speaker
12:15pm - 1:15pm 2nd Panel: Law
1:15pm - 2:15pm Executive Lunch
2:15pm - 2:55pm Mini Event
3:05pm - 4:05pm 3rd Panel: Finance
4:10pm - 4:30pm Break
4:30 - 5:00pm 3rd Virtual Keynote Speaker
5:05 - 5:20pm Closing Ceremony
5:30pm onwards Networking
