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EmpowHer Mastermind Series II: What Strategies Can Effectively Boost Women’s Presence in Leadership Roles

Published on September 27, 2024

Thursday, 23rd May 2024

8.15am - 10am (BST)

House of Lords


Joining us from the University of Portsmouth are Dr. Devran Gulel and Karen Johnson, renowned researchers leading the multi-million EUR 'RE-WIRING' transformative research project from the UK. This international project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, and is contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Dr Devran Gulel possesses a Master of Arts degree in European Studies from the University of Hamburg and a Doctor of Philosophy in Law from the University of Portsmouth, where she was a fully funded doctoral candidate between 2017 - 2021. Devran is actively involved in interdisciplinary research that spans various fields, including law, politics, and organisational studies.

Karen Johnston is Professor of Organizational Studies at the University of Portsmouth. Her research interests include public administration and management, and gender studies. Karen has published highly regarded books, chapters and journals articles, and serves on editorial boards of highly ranked journals.



Our members joined us for an exclusive networking breakfast where we explored cutting-edge strategies to boost women's presence in top roles. Participants had the chance the chance to engage in dynamic discussions, gain insights from the pioneering 'RE_WIRING' research project at the University of Portsmouth, and exchange ideas on driving effective change.



While we enjoyed breakfast at this iconic location, we discussed:

  • The continued existence of gender gaps in leadership roles
  • Innovative and practical solutions to work on eliminating these gaps
  • How we can 're-wire' institutions, rather than focusing on 'fixing women'
  • Ways to contribute to improving the representation of women in leadership roles
  • Personal experiences of boosting women's presence in leadership roles