Female role models (past or present) who inspire us

We asked a handful of our team to share their famous female role model – and the answers couldn’t have been more different. Each person brought forward a story, a spark, or a moment that stayed with them.

Read on to discover who chose whom – and what inspired their choices:

• Jess Savery:

Miranda Priestley - She embodies uncompromising excellence and commands authority through competence, refusing to be ordinary and defining power by staying ahead of constantly evolving standards.

• Katie Bodman:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer – She redefined what a strong female hero looks like by turning individual strength into collective empowerment.
She embodies resilience and leadership, showing that power grows when it is shared.
Her legacy is the belief that true strength lies in lifting others, not standing alone.

• Costa Barakos:

Mikaela Shiffrin – She represents earned excellence, not talent-as-magic, redefined “mental toughness”. Despite historic success, she stays grounded and respectful. She broadens the definition of leadership and excellence, without needing to perform a persona.

• Alice Heald:

Claire Williams - Claire Williams is a standout female role model for her success in the male‑dominated world of Formula One. As one of the very few women to lead an F1 team, she broke barriers through determination, strong leadership, and resilience, inspiring women to pursue careers in high‑pressure, traditionally male industries.

• Mark O'Malley:

Nicola Adams – She was the first female Olympic boxing champion, winning gold in 2012. She on to become the first double Olympic champion in 2016 and later claimed the WBO flyweight world title in 2019. She retired undefeated, having overcome significant personal and social barriers to reach the very top of her spot, and is widely recognised as a trailblazer both in and beyond the boxing ring.

• John Russell:

Sinéad O’Connor – An Irish woman who stood firmly by her beliefs, despite significant personal and commercial backlash. She challenged sexism in the music industry, spoke out against abuse within the Catholic Church in Ireland long before it was widely acknowledged, and advocated for women’s rights years before they became the subject of national referendums. She has inspired me to stay true to my values and integrity, something that feels even more important to me as a father of two daughters in today’s world.

• Callum Wilson:

Lindsey Vonn – Having brought down the curtain on a glittering career, she makes a remarkable comeback 5 years later. Seven years later, she attains her first World cup podium in seven years before going on to win in St Moritz, becoming the oldest downhill skiing world cup winner. Her foundation provided sports-based scholarships and empowerment programs to girls from underprivileged communities.

• Sam Dustow:

Nigella Lawson - Nigella Lawson is a strong female role model because she combines culinary brilliance with warmth, femininity, and resilience. Despite personal trials and tribulations, she has built a successful entrepreneurial career grounded in family values and continues to inspire through her confidence, creativity, and perseverance.

• Thomas Chamberlain:

Florence Nightingale – She ultimately professionalised nursing and introduced formal training. In doing so, she dramatically reduced the death rates in military hospitals in the Crimean War by improving sanitation.