Diversity champion Ann Cairns joins as Chair to help drive Moving Ahead’s strategy

Moving Ahead is thrilled to share that Ann Cairns, the former Executive Vice Chair of Mastercard, will lend her considerable experience to help Moving Ahead accelerate its work to address the multiple challenges companies are currently facing related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). She is joined on the board by Katherine Priestley, who has been an instrumental part of Moving Ahead’s journey and success for many years, and Sam Mazloum, Senior Vice President at Mastercard leading Strategy, Transformation, and Operations for Transaction Services.

Sir Trevor Phillips, the former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, is to form part of Moving Ahead’s advisory board, offering his extensive knowledge on specific areas that will support the organisation in its global mission.

Since the death of George Floyd and the subsequent revelation of improper behaviours within some of the world’s most prestigious and trusted organisations, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have been firmly under the spotlight. In some organisations, the introduction of compulsory gender and racial pay gap reporting, and other DE&I measures, have driven positive change. 

But there’s a danger that some initiatives render some efforts no more than tick-box exercises, sometimes triggering cynicism about DE&I. It’s clear that creating and advocating DE&I policies – and in a way that creates consensus within leadership teams and the broader organisation – is deeply nuanced. That’s why Moving Ahead’s mentoring offering is so important, making a significant contribution to helping companies deliver on their DE&I objectives by helping navigate often difficult conversations and providing employees with the tools to drive their careers forward.

As Moving Ahead’s founder and CEO social impact entrepreneur Liz Dimmock, puts it: “Mentoring is a hugely powerful lever to create change by bringing people together to learn, support and advocate for one another; it unties people and achieves real results. Through accelerating the work of Moving Ahead, we are seeking to replicate the success of our 30% Club programmes, where one in five participants will be promoted during the programme, roughly double the average for women at a similar level who haven’t been through the programme. This rises to a third within the following two years​.”

Moving Ahead’s pioneering mentoring programmes have already reached more than 26,000 participants globally, from hundreds of organisations in over 60 countries and across 30 sectors.

Ann Cairns, former global chair of gender diversity campaign the 30% Club, has been appointed chair of the Moving Ahead board to help the company expand and increase its impact. 

Cairns, formerly Executive Vice Chair of Mastercard, said: “Moving Ahead’s ambition has always been impact at scale and, with data showing that DE&I efforts can be divisive (HBR recently shared findings from Gallup’s research that while 84% of CHROs say their organisation’s investment in DE&I is increasing, most employees feel their DE&I needs are not being met), the need for Moving Ahead's work has never been greater.”

Cairns and the board will be considering a range of options to achieve this scale up including white labelling and partnerships while boosting the capacity and skills of the workforce internally. She added: “I’m proud to have been invited to chair Moving Ahead, a company I had the pleasure to get to know while serving as global chair of the 30% Club. I was impressed with the huge success of the 30% Club’s Cross Company Mentoring Programme that Moving Ahead delivers and has scaled over a decade to become the biggest of its kind in the world. It’s particularly exciting to have watched it grow internationally and broaden its focus beyond gender with the “Mission Include” strand of the programme dedicated to individuals from all underrepresented groups. Moving Ahead has achieved this without losing the impact of the work it does for women.”

Sir Trevor Philips, who was knighted last year for services to equality and human rights, will join the Moving Ahead advisory board. In his role, he will contribute to specific areas of the company’s long-term strategy – namely around data – as Moving Ahead aims to exponentially grow its reach and impact. 

Phillips said: "I believe Moving Ahead genuinely wants to do well by doing good and I hope to help achieve the tremendous opportunity it has for growth. We need strong global players in this space and Moving Ahead has the potential to be a leader. In a tight labour market, nothing matters more than making the most of the talent you already have. Moving Ahead CEO Liz Dimmock and her team are way ahead of the pack in understanding the role of mentoring and leadership development as an essential part of the corporate toolkit. I am looking forward to learning from Moving Ahead and supporting its team in its outstanding work.”

Dimmock said: “I am extremely proud of what Moving Ahead has achieved in less than ten years and so much has happened in the DE&I space in that time – but not enough! We exist to make the world’s workplaces more diverse, equitable and inclusive and my ambition has always been – and still is more than ever – to create impact at scale. We’ve made an excellent start but there is so much more to do.”

She added: “I could not be happier to have the support of such brilliant and experienced leaders; it is a very exciting time for Moving Ahead and to have Ann and Sir Trevor’s endorsement and guidance is remarkable.”