Carolyn E Stebbings, chief operations and inclusion officer, RAPP Group

What has been your path to power?

I’ve always been a person that leans in. The one, that despite feeling terrified inside, has stepped out of my comfort zone and raised my hand. It has opened paths for me I would never have dreamed of in my early 20s. Like the data and technology world that now fuels everyday marketing – for this I thank a client early in my career who put me forward for a data role because they felt I’d excel.

In tandem I’ve worked hard not to judge and always to appreciate both sides of a story in order to understand context and opinions. This has been the case both internally when leading as well as externally when consulting. Finally, an integral element of my journey has been contributing outside of work in committees, volunteering and extra-curricular studies.