The emPOWER Breakfast is a monthly networking event with a difference.

Lemonade Reps is proud to announce their upcoming event The emPOWER Breakfast! The networking event of the year, launched on International Women's Day, aims to empower a community of women in the industry showcasing talented individuals, who aren't afraid to share the battle scars of various challenges they have experienced.

Each talk, sponsored by Framestore and Company 3, will be hosted at their building — 28 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1LB.

The list of speakers is joyous! The talks will get to the heart of each subject, offering insight and a space to connect in a meaningful way. 
emPOWER hopes to become an agent for change inviting high level professionals who may gain an insight to then takeaway and feedback into the working cogs of their companies.

The growing alumni will work towards mentoring women in our industry through shared experience and aim to create a more supportive and inclusive working experience.

March 20th 2024

Arrival 9.45 - Talk Commences 10.15

‘Breaking Points as Breakthroughs: How Hitting Limits Can Reveal Overlooked Autism’

Leila Bartlam is CPO at Accenture Production Studio, and is Songs UK lead for Enablement. Previously Head of Production at Engine, Head of Film and Content at iris, Head of Film at Havas and Head of TV at adam&eveDDB, to name a few positions where she has been a groundbreaking force. 

Leila's work has won numerous creative awards and effectiveness awards from D&AD, British Arrows, Creative Circle and Campaign Bigs amongst others. Leila is incredibly strong operationally and has a passion for helping agencies run more efficiently, whilst still delivering creatively brilliant work. She has also always cared about the internal workings of the companies that she works for, advocating for staff led support. Leila continues to advocate for a healthy working environment. This has become even more important to Leila as she has recently received an Autism diagnosis, which makes her an even fiercer advocate for the hidden voices in our Industry.

April 18th 2024

Arrival 9.45 - Talk Commences 10.15

‘#RepresentMe: The Advertising Revolution Led by Nishma Patel Robb and WACL’

For nearly a decade Nishma Patel Robb steered Brand and Reputation Marketing at Google UK, leading the strategy and execution of campaigns and initiatives that showcased how Google's products and services help people and businesses in their everyday lives. With over 16 years of experience in marketing, sales, and general management, Nishma has a proven track record of delivering innovative and impactful projects and programmes, such as Digital Garage, This is My YouTube, Brandcast, and Be Internet Legends.

In some of her early roles Nishma proved her acumen by increasing revenue by 50%, and climbed the ranks quickly to become a notable force in the industry.

Nishma is the President of WACL (Women in Advertising & Communications Leadership), and works tirelessly to inspire, support, and champion women in the sector. A  passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in the marketing and creative industry, she also mentors young diverse talent, supports groups such as MEFA (MediaForAll), and founded Fast Track 50, a programme to accelerate the progression of underrepresented groups.

We also like to share the bios we find on Insta, and upon reading this we realised Nishma is even more of a legend than we already thought!  ‘Shoe addict, storyteller, gin-lover & mummy of twins. Easily distracted by sparkly things!’...This resume AND twins! . 

Nishma is a Fellow of the Marketing Society and IPA, and has been recognised by Ad Age, Campaign, Drum, and Hospital Group as one of the most influential and innovative leaders in her field and we are honoured to have Nishma come and talk to us at emPOWER

May 30th 2024

Arrival 9.45 - Talk Commences 10.15

A Life of Two Halves - Mapping My Mental Health Journey

Being the daughter of a famous 70s commercial director, Jody Allison has quite literally grown up in advertising. She has since been in the industry in her own right for over 30 years, and has worked prolifically across agencies, production companies and even had a short stint talent broking. Most notably, she will be known as Head of  Creative Production & Film at RKCR/Y&R (where she resided for 9 years) and where her business partnership, and friendship with Tim Page was born.

Jody and Tim set up Heads Up Production in 2017, spotting an increased demand from Clients to be closer to their production output. Heads Up primarily works directly with Brands, but often help smaller agencies and production companies facilitate their own productions with brands.

Jody doesn't seem to have an insta account bio, but If she did it might possibly say  'Fiercely loyal day dreamer of wholesome living, positivity weaver and lover of family. Hard worker and friend maker'

Jody is a member of BIP100 and is on the board of the AFA with Lucy Powell. We are honoured to have Jody come and talk to us at emPOWER.

June 27th 2024

Arrival 9.45 - Talk Commences 10.15

Redefining the Art of Representation with Looks Like Me Casting

 Award winning casting director, Selma Nicholls was motivated by her daughter Riley-Ann..who questioned her own identity at three years old due to the limited visibility of children that looked like her on billboards, theatre shows, the big screen, magazines and within advertising content.

 This motivation led Selma to found 'Looks Like Me Casting'

Selma's motivation has since seen her presented with the 'Best Casting Featuring Children in Commercials' award from the Casting Directors Association, and 'Arts and Media Senior Leader' from the Black British Business Awards. To date, her company 'Looks Like Me' has worked with businesses as diverse as LEGO, Disney, Barbie, Dove, Google.  Selma cast the child cast in grammy award winning video 'Brown Skin Girl' by Beyonce, and the Queen Charlotte Global Orchestra featuring Alicia Keys for Netflix.

As a global speaker, Selma has inspired and motivated businesses, brands, advertising agencies, and universities in the UK, Europe, USA and Asia, through demonstrating the importance of representation in casting. Selma is a proud and active board member of Punchdrunk Enrichment.

 Selma doesn't have an Insta bio but if she did it would probably say 'Proud to have proven the impossible is possible'.

Looks Like Me raises the profile of underrepresented people in mainstream content.  It is a globally recognised and celebrated Casting business that specialises in enabling businesses to have inclusive communications.  Selma also co-founded The So White Project – an initiative to reverse the lack of diversity in commercial photography in partnership with Getty Images.  Selma is an advocate for representation and realistic depictions of women and girls.  We are honoured to have Selma come and talk to us at emPOWER.

Robert Hammond

July - Date TBC

C-Suite Workshop ‘ A Boardroom Round Table’

Robert Hammond, is Managing Director and Global Head of Front Office Conduct and Surveillance, leading all market related anti-fraud and conduct matters at BNP Paribas. Prior to this he spent 20 years running a wide range of Trading, sales and new issue syndicate businesses covering Fixed Income, FX and structured products for JP Morgan, Barclays Capital and Mitsubishi UFJ. During this time Robert worked in London, New York, Frankfurt and Tokyo before a 5 year spell at the largest derivatives exchange in the world, CME, running their European interest rate business.

 In addition to his regular activities, throughout his career, Robert has played a major part in promoting mentorship of women in the corporate world, helping  them to earn  positions of significant responsibility, including personal mentorship of 2 female CEO’s in the advertising industry as they took up their board positions and more recently mentorship in seeking external NED roles.

This is an exciting opportunity for C-Suite members of our community to take part in a two hour workshop with Robert.

As there is limited space please email athene@lemonadereps.com If you are interested in joining the workshop.

September 26th 2024

Arrival 9.45 - Talk Commences 10.15

Ancestral Allies: How Generations of Strong Women Propelled My Path to ECD

Sue Higgs started her career at Lowe Howard Spink in 1990, and she has worked across agencies such as M&C, Ogilvy, Publicis, Havas and Grey as group copywriter, Creative Director, Group Creative Director and now she feels most at home at Dentsu as Group ECD. There aren’t a lot of female ECDs in our industry, even now, and Sue has worked up the ranks through a male dominated landscape of the time as a single parent of three.. 

This is no mean feat! 

Sue is passionate about a lot of things but being on the right side of history and mentoring and protecting others in the industry are up there at the top of her list, with her fierce anti bullying advocacy and equality campaigner. Anyone who knows about Sue’s trajectory will know she has had a brush with some extreme bullying from a senior male colleague. I doubt anyone will try that again… 

When I was looking for a bio for her I had to include her Insta bio…Mother. Daughter. Creative Director. Nurse. Counsellor. Handy person. Driver. Cook….. What she hasn’t added is Friend. I thought I might add that here as Sue is a really great grounded friend to have.

There is nothing that Sue hasn’t been involved in. She is an in-demand speaker and international juror LIA Mentor, Campaign Big, Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clios and Creative Circle.

She is also a SheSays Momma mentor, part of the Uninvisibilty Project and a board director of the Circle Collective, a social enterprise that helps young people to work.

Super power skilled in Creative Strategy, Integrated Marketing, Advertising, Writing, and Commercials. Sue is an integral part of the female fabric of our industry and we are honoured to have her talk at emPOWER.

October 24th 2024

Arrival 9.45 - Talk Commences 10.15

Life After Advertising - Painting a Different Picture

Rosie Arnold is one of very few women to have held a senior role in the creative department of an advertising agency. She began her career at Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH) in 1983 when it was just a start-up moonlighting from her Graphic Design degree at Central St Martins.

While at BBH Rosie was responsible for some of the Agency's most iconic work for Pretty Polly and Levi's in the 80s; The Independent and TAG Heuer and Levi's in the 90s; Lynx (The Lynx Effect) and Robinsons in the 2000s to name a handful. Her work has amassed many awards including six Cannes Gold, six D&AD pencils and three Campaign Golds as BBH's deputy ECD and then moving to AMVBBDO  London as Creative Partner and Head of Art.

Rosie is now a Creative Consultant and an active mentor, and prolific Artist based in her Cornwall home for much of the year.


emPOWER is the brainchild of Lemonade Reps‘ New Business Director Athene Parker. With over 20 years experience in the industry, having worked both in front of and behind the camera, Parker is well connected in advertising and film production circles. 

Her experience extends from Commissioner at Virgin Records, to EP at her former Music Video Company Noughte Productions, in the mid 2000s. Athene then went on to work as HOS at Park Village, Another Film Company and Biscuit Filmworks. More recently she was at Jungle Studios as Executive Sales Consultant, joining Lemonade in 2020 when back at work after maternity. Parker joined founder Corin West to assist in the expansion of the Lemonade roster and offering.

Athene is also the founder of theSENmumma, a mentoring network for parents of neurodivergent children and has begun an advertising group whose meetings are hosted at Saatchi and Saatchi. 

A huge thank you to Louise Sloper at Here We Go Creative for designing our wonderful logo.


If you would like to go on the emPOWER mailing list email

athene@lemonadereps.com


Follow us on Instagram @empowerbreakfast