Judges

Toni is an experienced HR professional with 20+ years in professional services. She trained as an accountant at PwC, working with global clients across multiple sectors. After 10 years in client facing roles she moved into human resources and went on to shape and drive the firm's reward strategy. As part of the HR leadership team, she was also responsible for employee relations and global projects. She joined A&O in 2016 as Global Head of Reward and also became the firm's first Head of Wellbeing. Throughout her career Toni has worked with senior leaders to create people strategies that drive change and improve performance across many aspects of the people agenda including diversity, resourcing, performance management and wellbeing in the workplace - a topic she is passionate about.

Lisa joined Generation Investment Management in 2004 and is currently the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Risk Officer. As sponsor of the Mental Health initiatives for the firm, she is keen for the workplace to recognise and support mental wellbeing for all.

Sarah joined Northern Trust in 2016 and is responsible for the strategy and implementation of a wide variety of D&I programmes and initiatives.  Before joining Northern Trust, Sarah headed up D&I teams at AIG and Barclays Wealth and prior to that held a variety of HR roles at Morgan Stanley and Simmons & Simmons LLP. 

Sarah holds a BA in International Management and Business Administration with German from the University of Reading. Additionally she holds an MSc in Human Resource Management and an MBA from the Open University. She is a Fellow of the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development) and is bilingual English/German. Sarah is also a Magistrate, serving on the East London bench. 

Sarah is a qualified Mental Health First Aid instructor.

Sylvia is a former banking executive and now a workplace mental wellbeing consultant, NLP coach and integrative counsellor. She also talks openly and honestly about her personal experience and transformation from mental ill health (suicidal depression) to mental wealth. In her last position, Director, HSBC, Global Banking & Markets, Sylvia lead a globally respected team working in highly pressurised environments managing a multi-billion USD portfolio. As HSBC’s mental health network Chair, she also passionately drove the Time to Change agenda forward. Sylvia has an insightful blend of business, professional and personal experience and now works with various organisations championing workplace mental wellbeing, creating mental wellbeing confident and supportive workplaces and encourage a practical, business risk-based approach to recognising mental wellbeing as a workplace asset. Sylvia’s work with RidersMinds was instrumental to their extraordinary success at This Can Happen 2021 awards.

Daniel has been a mental health activist for over 5 years, he speaks at events, schools and businesses. He believes that by creating safe spaces and allowing others to communicate with honesty opens the door to better mental health and a greater appreciation for life. He is an Employer Brand Specialist at Tonic.

Charissa Chan is the Head of People and Culture at Swire Hotels. A hotel management company with two brands and seven distinctly different properties in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United States. She is responsible in formulating people strategies to support the business and working closely with a team of People and Culture enthusiasts in cultivating great experiences for talents that cross paths with Swire Hotels.

In a career spanning over 35 years, Jessica worked in television (notably for ABC's Good Morning America) and for a non-profit health promotion research organization (the American Health Foundation) before embarking on a legal career. After attending the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, she practiced at two global law firms (Baker McKenzie and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where she was a partner). For the past several years, Jessica has worked for Thomson Reuters. Currently a Senior Legal Editor for Practical Law, Jessica writes about executive compensation, workplace culture, professional development, careers, and mental health and well-being.

I’ve been in my advertising career for over 20 years now and somehow made a half-decent career out of it, however I tried to fit into a mould I simply didn't fit in for too long, resulting in a mini-breakdown in front of one of my fairly intimidating bosses (which they took really well). After a series of crises on and off for another 10 years, it wasn't until I was 36 that I finally crashed and burned but was lucky enough to have an angel of a mental health first aider where I worked, who did everything they could to get me in front of a psychiatrist. I was eventually diagnosed with ADHD and related Anxiety. Nothing has been fixed overnight, but I certainly know how to live in my own skin better now. I'm like a born-again evangelist with my discovery! I want to make the symptoms and paraphernalia of being neurodiverse as normal as life's everyday occurrences and break down the taboos for the betterment of those in the workforce today, and the future. I also love a deep chat out of nowhere and cherish the 121s with random folk all over, to hear more about their mental health journeys also. I’m now a public speaker and advocate in this space, and enjoy appearing on podcasts, webinars, panels, events etc.

Matt joined Bloomberg in 2017 as a Risk Manager before transferring into the Global D&I team as the COO and Global Programs lead in 2020. His prior career includes 16 years in the British Army serving on operational tours overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq, including time spent in the Falkland Islands and Germany. He holds a master’s degree in resilience from Cranfield University, and is particularly passionate about helping to create a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Fiona is the Strategic Projects Lead within the Global People team of KPMG focussed on identifying and delivering programmes which deliver transformational impact in the people space. Her current focus areas are hybrid work, mental wellbeing and the people aspects of our internal ESG strategy.Fiona’s career at KPMG has spanned twenty plus years covering roles as an Analyst, Chief of Staff and Operations Lead before joining the Global People team. Fiona is a member of the Executive Group of the WEF Good Work Alliance. She is passionate about creating workplaces where individuals can thrive and in understanding the conditions and behaviours that support this.

Anita has always been intrigued by the human mind, which led to her completing a master's degree in Occupational Psychology. Anita has since worked in Leadership, Learning and Organisational Development for nearly 20 years with experience spanning across various sectors including FMCG and Professional Services at organisations such as Deloitte and Coca Cola European Partners. She now uses her experience to deliver effective solutions as part or her consultancy and is a qualified coach. Anita is a public speaker who delivers sessions on topics around mental health, infertility and grief. Anita has been on a personal journey with mental illness where she was diagnosed with Complex PTSD after an initial in patient stay at a psychiatric hospital. She has since been raising awareness around mental health to break the stigma in the workplace. Anita is a Trustee for the mental health charity, My Black Dog and a published poet.

Kris Hall is the Founder of The Burnt Chef Project, non-profit social enterprise fully committed to making the hospitality profession healthier and more sustainable. Kris launched The Project and it's services to eradicate the stigma of mental health in the hospitality industry through education, training and open conversations. Kris believes in providing tailored services and challenging the stigma of mental health a culture of care and compassion will improve recruitment opportunities whilst also reducing turnover rates.

On November 25th, 2020, I lost my only brother Josh to suicide. He was 21 years old and had been searching for ways to end his life on line. In the wake of this I set up a suicide prevention charity called R;pple. It is a browser extension free to all educational organisations to be downloaded onto computers and laptops. If an individual were to then conduct a harmful search relating to self harm and suicide, they would be intercepted and provided with a message of hope that things will get better, before being signposted to a mental health resource that can give them the help and hope that they need.

Xander Hough has devoted over two decades to understanding how people think and feel starting with a degree in psychology and progressing to a career as a senior human resources practitioner and leadership coach, working internationally across sectors as diverse as arts, media, education, hospitality, real estate, fintech, AI and financial services. His own mental illness experiences prompted him to become an advocate and champion of supporting vulnerable and neurodiverse people in the workplace. He speaks to global audiences and writes about his experiences, workplace psychology, mental health, diversity and inclusion, the LGBTQIA+ experience and the world of work.

Mike is graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and received his J.D. from NYU School of Law, where he now teaches as an Adjunct Professor.  He has worked in law firms (large, mid-sized, and small), practicing IP litigation for over 20 years. Mike is presently a partner in the IP Group at Wiggin and Dana LLP in their NYC office, and serves on their diversity and pro bono committees. 

For the last ten years, Mike has also been in leadership at The Good Men Project, where he has served numerous roles on both the editorial and business side, including editing and running its mental health section, and now serves as Director of Special Projects (and Sr. Sports Editor).  He has written articles, appeared on television, radio, and podcasts, developed videos and social media campaigns (#NotWeakJustHuman, #WeRageForLove), and created and led training and workshop groups focused on mental health for over a decade. 

Most recently, Mike has married his interests in mental health advocacy and the legal industry under the umbrella of Lawyering While Human. In this regard, he also serves on the Communications Committee of The Institute for Well-Being In Law. His own personal experience with depression, while working as a practicing lawyer, given him some unique insights, and he is happy to have this opportunity to share his perspective and what he has learned with others in the field.

Helen Matthews is an industry-leading agent of change, innovating and creating, shaping and delivering world-class management of people. She has over 20 years of experience, collaborating with businesses and C-suite teams to design and embed new ways of working, future-proofing some of the world’s best known organisations. Helen is a passionate advocate for not just attracting diverse talent, but providing an environment of true inclusivity and belonging.Helen is the overarching guardian of the agency’s employee experience. In 2019, she launched the industry’s first Menopause Policy whilst at Ogilvy UK, an example of one of a suite of leading wellbeing strategies to ensure everyone can thrive in the workplace.

Monika is Head of Employee Health and Wellbeing at GlaxoSmithKline. She is experienced in setting workplace wellbeing and mental health strategies and leading global teams to operationalise these. She has over a decade of experience in delivering change programs globally at team and individual levels and has more recently in supporting managers to create a positive environment for their people to thrive.

She started her medical career as a General Practitioner and subsequently became a specialist in Occupational Medicine, which she has practiced both in the public and corporate sectors.  She coaches all levels within organisations including executives and is a strong advocate of harnessing the power of mentoring and coaching to enable people to lead more fulfilling lives. She is on the board of the What Works Centre for Wellbeing.

Her interests outside work include practising yoga and mindfulness and supporting the mental health of school aged children.

Being part of our Senior Management Team in Omexom, I am passionate about promoting and championing our Wellbeing strategy within the business. Our Incredible People are easily our best asset and we need to support them both inside and outside of work with Mental and Physical Health initiatives.

I have been with Enterprise for over 26 years. I have held a variety of positions over the years both in the UK and internationally. My current role is in the residual analysis field- we effectively get asked to predict the future for a living! I'm currently married with three teenage children who help me everyday to challenge my own opinions and look at things in different ways. Whilst my cricket playing days are behind me, I still retain a love of the sport!

Kelly Osborne is the Head of Health and Wellbeing for the Wates Group. With 19 years experience in the construction industry, Kelly is Mental Health First aider and Instructor, a Suicide First Aider and a previous finalist at the Women in Construction Awards. She is a passionate advocate for all things wellbeing and works strategically with the business and leaderships teams to drive change and help them see the benefits of looking after yourself and each other. Kelly loves to travel and values her time spent with family and friends.

Dr Alka Patel, also known as the Age-Reversing Alka-Myst is building the world's most impactful strategic self-care revolution for ambitious business owners, entrepreneurs, leaders and celebrities to unleash their phenomenal potential to achieve soaring success whilst reversing ageing through lifestyle optimisation.She is Founder of Lifestyle First®, Creator of The Lifestyle First Method® and The Health Hacktivation Code™️, and host of The Lifestyle First Podcast® and Health Hacktivators™️ Show.She focuses on data-driven health by using cutting edge science and technological advancements to map lifestyle changes to biometrics in a way that is personalised, precise and predictive. Dr Patel’s mission is to help 1 million people reach their potential to live a 1-million-hour life.

Hale's interest in workplace mental health stems from his experience living with mental health conditions, personal research on best-in-class mental health programs, leadership roles in disability inclusion employee resource groups, and finally his commitment to de-stigmatizing Substance Use Disorder (SUD) while embracing recovery in the workplace. In his current role, Hale ensures Fidelity products and services are culturally relevant to the disability community and their loved ones.

Stephen is the Chief Human Resources Officer for Copper.co. Prior to joining Copper, Stephen was the HR Director for Retail at TJX Europe, a division of the TJX Companies Incorporated. Stephen has over 15 years experience in Human Resources leadership roles on executive committees, covering Europe, Asia and North America, for Kingfisher Plc, the TJX Companies Inc and The Virgin Group. Stephen holds a degree in Political Science, is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and an accredited executive coach with the EMCC.

Nicola is a Technical Accountant at Swiss Re as well as current co-chair for our UK mental health network, Pathways. In 2020 I joined our global Mental Health core team for Pathways, working with my colleagues around the world to ensure that support is available for all Swiss Re staff wherever they may be located. I also helped launch a UK menopause support network within Swiss Re which we have called MELT, a network of support for those going through the menopause but also used to educate all on symptoms and available support.

Dave Seglins is an investigative journalist and "Well-being Champion" with CBC News based in Toronto. He is a leading educator and advocate within the news industry and is co-author of a national study of +1200 Canadian journalists (Taking Care: a report on mental health, well-being and trauma among Canadian media workers, May 2022) He is a fellow of the Dart Centre for Journalism and Trauma (Columbia University) and holds certificates in Global Mental Health (Harvard Medical School) and Mental Health First Aid (Mental Health Commission of Canada).

Adrian is Corporate Responsibility Director at VolkerWessels UK, a leading multidisciplinary contractor that delivers innovative engineering solutions across the civil engineering and construction sectors including rail, highways, airport, marine, energy, water, and environmental infrastructure. He is responsible for maintaining corporate governance for an employed and subcontract workforce exceeding 8,000 people.He has over 25 years in the construction industry across operational, training, supervision, management, change, and professional services. Adrian is approaching 16 years of service at VolkerWessels UK, with accountability for the provision of a range of services including health, safety, environment, quality, sustainability, occupational health and wellbeing, management systems.

Lou is the Employee Engagement, DEI & Wellness program lead for Intuit UK. She has created a culture of belonging with a focus on authenticity, encouraging the UK team from the top down to openly discuss challenges with mental health. Lou designed and delivered a global strategy to create allyship and empathy across all 14,000 Intuit employees and their communities, contributing to the company's overall DEI strategy.

I founded a suicide prevention charity to help protect the mental health of Doctors and healthcare workers. I am not a medic myself but lost my older brother (a doctor) in November 2018 to suicide and wanted to do something to prevent future tragedies and care for those who care for us.

Sunita Wazir is a Mumbai-based Human Resources and Leadership Development professional with 26 years of Industry experience. Sunita is deeply passionate about enabling Mental Health, building Psychological Safety and landing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives and is especially committed to building equitable workspaces for women, the LGBTQI+ community and Persons with Disabilities. She enjoys mentoring leaders and is supportive of gender balance initiatives in every sphere of life. She is a trained mindfulness and mental health champion and a Korn Ferry certified coach. She is living her purpose of helping people become the best version of themselves through her role leading the Global Wellbeing agenda at Unilever.