WSS International Women's Day 2023
Networking Event
Speaker Bios
Anika Chiaventone
Anika Chiaventone is working as the Global Business Operations Lead for Spotify Studios Facilities, managing Podcast studios and teams in LA, London and New York. Anika started her career in the film industry and quickly discovered her passion for dollars, deals and data and innovative problem solving, which led her to business operations roles within the tech industry . In addition to her career in tech, Anika is a competitive amateur boxer and is passionate about getting more women involved in the sport through coaching and teaching the mindset of a champion
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Sally Woodward Gentle
Sally Woodward Gentle is a BAFTA award winning and Emmy and Golden Globe award nominated executive producer of television dramas including Killing Eve, Any Human Heart, The Durrells in Corfu, Extraordinary, Enid and Whitechapel.
Since forming Sid Gentle Films Ltd in September 2013 Sally has executive produced four seasons of the BAFTA nominated and ITV ratings hit The Durrells, as well as Sky Arts equally highly acclaimed Neil Gaiman’s Likely Stories. Sally also executive produced SS-GB, the Purvis and Wade adaptation of Len Deighton’s classic thriller that aired on BBC One in February 2017.
In 2022, Sally executive produced three new shows: the brilliantly distinctive Disney+ hit, Extraordinary written by newbie Emma Moran, Ragdoll, a Faustian thriller for AMC and UKTV written by Freddy Syborn and new screenwriter Cash Carraway’s wild Rain Dogs for HBO and the BBC. The second season of Extraordinary is currently shooting to be released in early 2024. Sally has executive produced all seasons of the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated and BAFTA winning Killing Eve, for BBC America. Starring Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh and Fiona Shaw - who have all won coveted awards for their roles - the first series was written and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Killing Eve was based on the ‘Villanelle’ series of novellas by Luke Jennings, the final season aired in 2022. To date, Killing Eve has won over 43 awards and has been nominated for over 167.
Prior to Sid, Sally was Creative Director of Carnival Films. In 2010 she appeared in Broadcast’s Power List for women in film and television. With Sally at its creative helm, Carnival won Indie of the Year at the 2011 Televisual Bulldog Awards and Best Indie at the 2012 Broadcast Awards. At Carnival, Sally developed and executive produced many shows including the BAFTA Award winning Any Human Heart written by William Boyd based on his original novel, four seasons of the award winning Whitechapel and the award winning Enid starring Helena Bonham-Carter.
Before joining Carnival, Sally was the Creative Director for BBC Drama Production following a year as Acting Head of In-House Drama. Prior to that, she was Head of Development for all BBC drama. While at the BBC she worked across a range of high profile output including Tipping the Velvet, Cambridge Spies, Waking the Dead, the first series of the new Dr Who, Philip Pullman’s Sally Lockhart Mysteries, and the HBO co-production, The House of Saddam. She was also at the centre of a remarkable run of new dramas on BBC Four including the BAFTA nominated film Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa!
Sally was formerly Managing Director of Kudos where she helped originate and executive produce BAFTA nominated drama series Psychos created by David Wolstencroft for Channel 4. She continued the relationship with David Wolstencroft and oversaw the inception of Spooks before leaving for the BBC.
Sally is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society.
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Shivanshi Sharma
Shivanshi is an entrepreneur and young, compassionate leader who brings significant business acumen and marketing skills to the table. Having recognised a gap in the market, she founded Shivanshi Sharma Consultancy Ltd (SSC), a hyper-focussed marketing and branding consultancy that specialises in the security industry. With a growing clientele across UK and European organisations, and a team of specialists in India.
Shivanshi has recognised the importance of, and become an expert in, cross-cultural management. She is also a Board Member for the Women in Security Academy. In her role as an entrepreneurship mentor, she works with leading women who have been recognised for their professional brilliance by the WiS Awards, and supports them in pursuing their own business goals and aspirations.
Shivanshi has also served as the Director of Marketing for the International Professional Security Association (IPSA), where she worked with government bodies, associations, regulators, media, and key industry stakeholders to get front-line professionals the recognition and resolution they deserve. Her roles with IPSA and the WiS Academy come with the advancement of the industry at the forefront, which is in line with her goal of collective development for, and giving back to, the industry.
Shivanshi has also always been enthused by writing and public speaking. While she has won a few accolades for the latter, the former inspired her to write articles that have been published by the National Geographic Traveller India magazine, amongst other blogs and websites. As she grows with her Consultancy, she hopes to add more feathers to her hat, and help many more individuals and businesses along the way.
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Karen Whybro
Karen Whybro is a women's safety consultant who advises local authorities, businesses and organisations on improving women's safety and end violence against women and girls through creating culture-centred "safe spaces". She is also a PhD student at Portsmouth University researching the role of the night-time economy in reducing violence against women and girls. She has been a business owner for 10 years and is also a proud mum to a seven year old feminist in training!
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Heather Baily QPM
Heather was appointed as Chair of the SIA on 7 June 2021.
Career
Heather has spent the majority of her professional career in policing, initially with the Metropolitan Police Service and later with Hertfordshire Constabulary where she served as an assistant chief constable with responsibility for major crime, counter-terrorism and safeguarding. She was the East of England lead for serious and organised crime and led the Constabulary’s response to collaboration with Bedfordshire and later Cambridgeshire police services. As Deputy Chief Constable, she continued to lead on wider collaboration in addition to corporate and legal services and HR. On leaving policing, Heather took up a role with the Garda Inspectorate in Ireland, inspecting policing services. Since then, she has held posts as a board member with the National
Crime Agency and Police Remuneration Review Body and as a non-executive director with the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland. Heather was a non-executive director and Deputy Chair of Dorset Healthcare University NHS Trust.
Chair, SIA
The SIA Chair is responsible for leading the Board in carrying out its responsibilities to deliver ministerial expectations and the strategic objectives of the SIA. As such, the SIA Chair is generally responsible to the Home Secretary for the governance and performance of the SIA.