Women Emerging Podcast

n this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, Julia Middleton sits down with Smahane, Expedition Leader of the first Women Emerging city expedition, held in Brussels, to reflect on what it took to lead 20-plus women leaders through months of uncertainty — and what came out the other side. Smahane and Julia trace three threads from the pilot: leadership as the generation of energy, and how very different energies — calm, loud, intellectual, embodied — found their place around one table; the idea that expeditions build bridges, illustrated when two explorers who would likely never have connected in ordinary life ended up building something real together; and the discipline of leading without knowing exactly where you’re going — moving forward, as Smahane puts it, with far less than the “80% of the information” she was once told a leader needs. They also talk about “corporate coats” — the armour that falls away once women stop performing leadership and start doing it — and why, in the end, the biggest lesson of the expedition wasn’t a target or an output, but trusting that the right people, brought together, will always exceed what any single plan could achieve. A candid conversation about energy, trust and the courage to lead into the unknown. About the Guest: Smahane Lamassab is a seasoned human resources professional with extensive experience in employee relations and organisational development. Her career has been dedicated to fostering positive workplace environments and guiding leaders through complex HR processes. Smahane is committed to promoting fair and respectful practices in all aspects of employment.

In this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, Julia Middleton sits down with documentary filmmaker Justine to explore how the 4Es helped her find language for questions of existence, confidence and taking space. During the Brussels City Expedition, Justine began looking more closely at her essence and the influence of her maternal ancestors. Having grown up hearing herself described as an “unwanted child”, she had carried a fear of taking up too much space. A filmed conversation with her mother revealed a different story: the fear surrounding her birth was not about her right to exist, but about money—and belonged to a longer, inherited history of scarcity. Together, Julia and Justine explore how understanding this history enabled Justine to move away from seeing herself as a victim and begin recognising her own agency and power. They discuss why taking space sometimes requires disagreement, honesty and accepting that it is impossible to please everyone. Justine also reflects on the “motherness” she brings to filmmaking: creating an environment in which her crew feels safe, seen and able to offer their full selves. For her, leading requires a balance between care and control, and taking space herself enables her to create more space for others. This is a conversation about inherited fear, the right to exist and how the 4Es can give structure and language to emotions that are otherwise difficult to name. About the Guest: Justine Cappelle is a documentary filmmaker who takes her own existence as a “spiral child” as a starting point: conceived despite an IUD, against a very small chance of being here. From this paradox, she questions what it means to exist, why we are here and how we give meaning to the world around us. Her films turn toward people, stories and phenomena that often remain unseen, using documentary as a way to make space for other forms of presence and perspective. At the same time, she questions the documentary image itself: how we show, tell and construct reality, and what happens between what is visible and what remains hidden. Her practice searches for different ways of approaching truth, moving between observation, lived experience and interpretation. Her films have been presented at international festivals including IDFA, FIFA and Kassel Dokfest.

In this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, Julia Middleton sits down with Lara following the first Women Emerging City Expedition in Brussels to explore what impact did the expedition leave on her. Lara reflects on how the expedition changed her understanding of leading. Having previously assumed that leadership required a title, a certain age or responsibility for a team, she began to recognise it as the work of anchoring people, connecting ideas and restoring direction when priorities become unclear. Together, Julia and Lara explore why leading in Brussels requires flexibility and local understanding, why cities must build from their strengths as well as address their problems, and how empathy needs boundaries if it is to remain a sustainable source of leadership. They also consider whether women build bridges in cities through something quieter and more everyday: weaving people together through conversations, introductions and informal spaces of connection. This is a conversation about leading without a title, stepping beyond familiar bubbles and recognising the often-invisible work that holds communities—and cities—together. About the Guest: Lara Loi is a graduate of Cultural Diplomacy, with a background in Conflict & Development and Political Sciences, and is deeply interested in the intersection of culture, dialogue, and leadership. She is an Explorer with the expedition for women leading in Brussels.

In this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, Julia Middleton sits down with Njeri Margaret to explore why vulnerability matters when we lead—and why it must come with boundaries.Together, they begin with what vulnerability makes possible. It allows people to relate to the person behind the title, makes leadership more authentic and can help others feel seen and heard. Njeri reflects on how sharing lived experience can build community, give voice to what others have struggled to express and turn a personal story into a resource for change.But vulnerability can also become exposure. Drawing on her own experience of speaking publicly about mental health and accumulated fatigue, Njeri describes the vulnerability hangover that followed: the fear that she had revealed too much, before she had fully processed it herself. She and Julia explore how preparation, purpose and the emotional maturity of the room can help a leader decide what to share, what to hold back and when a story is ready to be told.This is a conversation about vulnerability, strength and the discipline of sharing with intention. It asks whether a leader is revealing something to create connection and change—or simply revealing for the sake of attention. The conclusion is not to become less vulnerable, but to become more conscious: vulnerability is essential to leading, but it does not require full exposure.

In this episode of the Women Emerging Podcast, Julia Middleton sits down with Ema to look back at a leading journey that began when she was just 12 years old. Together, they explore what Ema now knows about leading across generations, staying true to herself and beginning before she felt entirely ready.Ema reflects on what it was like to lead adults while still being seen as a child. She shares how she once believed that being respected meant appearing older and more experienced, before recognising that her creativity, passion and willingness to see things differently were not weaknesses she needed to outgrow. They were an important part of what she brought to leading.The conversation also explores what the ocean has taught Ema: how to remain calm through storms, respond to forces beyond her control and look beneath the surface to recognise what may be hidden within other people. She and Julia discuss why leading sometimes asks us to move beyond shyness, build connections and create spaces where people of different ages and experiences can contribute to a shared purpose.This is a conversation about cross-generational leading, self-doubt, finding your voice and resisting the pressure to become someone else before you begin. As Ema reminds her 12-year-old self, the timing will never be perfect and you may never feel completely ready. Sometimes, you simply have to throw yourself into it.