Advanced Television

Wonder Women Conference 2025 unveils line-up of speakers

August 26, 2025

The Wonder Women Conference 2025 has unveiled the line-up of speakers for its third annual one-day event set to lead conversations about the future of the industry and its impact on women who work in the creative industries.

Hosted by Wonder Women, the pioneering network dedicated to advancing diverse women in Television, Film and the Creative Industries, the Conference will take place at the iconic BFI Southbank, London on September 26th. Welcoming 450 mid-to-senior-level women from across TV, film, and the broader creative sector, this transformative gathering offers a full day of career-advancing insights, community building, and immersive development training.

This year’s programme features a dynamic mix of senior executives, thought leaders, creatives, and changemakers, all committed to championing inclusion, representation, and meaningful progression for underrepresented women in the industry. Speakers include representatives from WBD Access UK, BAFTA, ScreenSkills, Channel 5, BBC, Channel 4 and Sky alongside speakers from creative and talent leaders from Zebedee Talent, Seven Six Agency, Glittersphere and the Self Love Movement.

Providing a cross section of experiences, sectors and skills, the line-up of this year’s speakers are:

  • Ali Hill, Managing Director, Motion Entertainment
  • Anna Higgs, Managing Director, Character 7 and BAFTA Film Committee Chair
  • Charlotte Stavrou, Founder, Seven Six Agency
  • Debbie Ramsay, Editor, Channel 5 News
  • Elina Teboul, Founder and Author, Feminine Intelligence
  • Emily Stillman, Senior Vice President, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden
  • Emma Cassidy, Senior Creative Director, Kids & Sport, Warner Bros. Discovery Creative EMEA
  • Emma Crosby, Journalist & Presenter (CNBC, Sky News)
  • Jacqueline Shepherd, Broadcaster & Journalist
  • Jennifer Sobol, Director, Inclusion Pipeline Programmes, Warner Bros. Discovery
  • Laura Johnson, Co-Founder and Director, Zebedee Talent
  • Lindsay Williams, Series Producer, Waterloo Road
  • Lisa Opie, Chair, ScreenSkills
  • Lulu Featherstone, Founder, Self Love Movement
  • Mariayah Kaderbhai, Head of Programmes, BAFTA
  • Michelle Griffith Robinson, Olympian, Life Coach and Motivational Speaker
  • Nishma Patel Robb, Founder, Glittersphere
  • Remi Olajoyegbe, Systemic Leadership Coach
  • Rita Daniels, Commissioning Editor, Channel 4
  • Sophie Morgan, Disability Activist, Broadcaster & Campaigner
  • Sreya Biswas, Director of Programmes, Natural History, BBC
  • Zoe Birkett, Actress & West End Musical Star
  • And Wonder Women founder and television presenter Ria Hebden, who will introduce and moderate across multiple sessions.

This year’s line-up showcases a breadth of experiences, sectors, and skills, featuring women who have broken barriers and shaped their industries. From Debbie Ramsay, the trailblazing first Black News Editor, to Sophie Morgan, a pioneering disability activist and broadcaster, the programme brings together leaders from television, film, talent management, publishing, and beyond. Whether it’s Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden’s Senior Vice President Emily Stillman driving innovation, Elina Teboul redefining leadership through her work on Feminine Intelligence, Laura Johnson championing diverse representation through Zebedee Talent, Nishma Patel Robb of Glittersphere inspiring creativity and advocacy, or Lulu Featherstone of the Self Love Movement, promoting wellbeing and empowerment, each speaker offers unique insights and perspectives that promise to inspire, empower and energise.

With thought-provoking panels, an immersive masterclass, and carefully curated networking opportunities, the Wonder Women Conference continues its mission to equip attendees with tangible tools, boost visibility for underrepresented talent, and foster a supportive peer network that extends far beyond the event. Delegates will hear from inspirational female leaders across the day, including three exciting panel discussions: Positive Disruptors, Women at the Top in TV and How to Rise.

Hebden said: “This year’s incredible speaker line-up represents leaders and changemakers who are not only at the top of their game but who are passionate about lifting others as they rise. We’ve designed this year’s Conference to be a truly all-round experience. It offers more than inspiration – it’s a space for action, reflection, and transformation. Career progression isn’t only about navigating external industry challenges; it’s about equipping women with the confidence, resilience, and clarity to navigate those challenges and rise stronger.  In a climate where DEI progress is being quietly erased, our work matters now more than ever. This is our moment to come together, speak up, and lift each other up.”

Melanie Hoyes, Director of Inclusion at BFI, added: “The Wonder Women Conference is an essential fixture in the industry calendar. We’re proud to host it at BFI Southbank as part of our commitment to championing equity, inclusion, and representation across the screen industries through the BFI’s Inclusion Strategy. Standing alongside Wonder Women, we celebrate and empower women from all backgrounds working across the creative industries.”

The Wonder Women Conference 2025 is made possible by leading industry sponsors including WBD Access UK, WWP Media, Channel 4, Banijay, and the BFI awarding National Lottery funding, with Audio Network as the official music partner.

Launched by Hebden in 2017, Wonder Women was born out of the industry’s need for structural and holistic support for underrepresented women in TV. Now operating as a Community Interest Company (CIC), the organisation offers a growing ecosystem of support, including live events, a podcast, monthly online networking, and the UK’s only year-long mentoring programme of its kind.

Against a backdrop of mounting global setbacks to DEI efforts, the 2025 Wonder Women Conference promises its most ambitious edition yet. The conference will feature high-impact keynotes, thought-provoking panels, a hands-on masterclass, and curated networking – all designed to inspire, empower and equip attendees with actionable tools to thrive. With marginalised women still at risk of leaving the industry, the event aims to directly address retention, support career progression, and foster a lasting peer support network.

Wonder Women is guided by an advisory board of senior female leaders across media, law, coaching, and production, including: Nicole Marie Joseph (Various Artists Limited), Nicola Hill (Orchard Studios), Remi Olajoyegbe (Systemic Leadership Coach), Hayley Brady (Herbert Smith Freehills), Anne-Marie Douglas (Peer Power Youth), and new board members Tolu Akinsanya (Media Relations Expert) and Katrina Strauss (Alix Partners).

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