As a UK national, I worked as a senior marketing professional (Chartered MCIM) for 15 years in the UK (with assignments across Europe and the US). I have been employed by venture capitalists, not for profits and SMEs, in the technology education and training market – responsible for directing marketing strategy to implementing tactical marketing and communications plans – and everything in between.
In 2010 I had the work-life balance debate and decided, with my family, to make a move to the sunny idyll of the Ardèche Gorges in SE France and set up a business as a freelance marketer. Through my freelance work, I joined PWN Global to help support their community management and flesh out their communications strategy. The more I researched the gender leadership debate, the more I realised that I wanted to make this client my full time job - so that I could really focus on communicating tothe world about the varied range of concious and sub-concious barriers that exist for female leaders, and that I have also encountered in my career. I am driven by knowing that I am improving the professional world for the next generation of female leaders?
Since moving to France, the decision has paid off – by working remotely, and reducing my working hours from a manic 60hr a week corporate role, I have found more time to spend with my little boy, Maximus Jean-Marc who is now fully bilingual (French – English); realise dreams with my husband (whose French still needs improvement – much to his frustration and our little boy’s delight) of rennovating our 16th Century fishing villa into habitable accommodation; and, I found a voice – I now sing in a rock band, paddle for the local pirogue team and ride a motorbike!
Living the dream!