International Women’s Day: women in leadership at Mauve share their stories

This year, Mauve Group celebrates 30 years in business – which, for us, also means 30 years of women in leadership. Mauve CEO and co-founder Ann Ellis has always placed emphasis on supporting women in the workplace – ensuring flexibility and strong female representation in leadership positions.

As a female business leader in the 90s, Ann often found herself pitching to all-male board rooms and as the only woman in client meetings. Meanwhile, when Mauve started out, Ann was the mother of young children, and so understood first-hand the challenges of balancing motherhood with work commitments.

Mauve has always championed workplace equity, and to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, we have interviewed four women in leadership roles in the company.

First off, Ann Ellis tells us what being a female CEO means to her. Then, Joanna Hart, Products, Services, and Innovation Director; Lisa Solda, Chief Operating Officer; Annette Ord, Commercial Director; and Lorna Ferrie, Legal and Compliance Director all brilliantly answer the million-dollar question: what does being a woman in leadership mean to you?

After that, the four directors respond to a variety of questions about their experiences in their careers so far, how Mauve Group champions women in the workplace, and how the landscape is changing for women.

What does being a female CEO mean to you?

Ann Ellis: I’m very proud of being a female CEO. I think things have changed a lot from the days when I started, when I was often the only woman in the boardroom. Today, there are far more female CEOs and women take a far more prominent role in business in general, which is very positive.

Keep an eye out for a full interview with Ann Ellis coming soon... 

What does being a woman in leadership mean to you?

Joanna Hart: It makes me proud. Women face unique career constraints and trade-offs due to life roles, caregiving pressures, and work–life balance expectations and handling all these at the same time as having a successful career is something I am very proud of. It validates my commitment to my career and being the best.

It means I can bring fairness, a sense of achievement, fellowship, community, understanding, synergy, inclusion, cultural intelligence, collaboration, diversity, and equality to my work. It shows that I embrace challenges and am agile and unbiased.

Annette Ord: It’s interesting, because I don’t automatically think of myself when I hear the phrase 'Women in Leadership'. But when I take a moment to pause and reflect, I realise that I am, and that feels like a real privilege. It represents 25 years of dedication, growth, and perseverance being recognised, and having my skills and strengths valued in a way that has allowed me to step into a director role.

For me, it’s about being a positive role model – not only for girls and women, but for everyone. It’s about leading with purpose and being my authentic self. As someone who was extremely shy as a teenager and has grown into a confident communicator and presenter, that journey means a great deal to me. So, for me, leadership, in that sense, reflects both personal and professional growth.

Lisa Solda: In my work life, I rarely occupy my thoughts with the fact that I am a woman. I see myself as an individual defined by a set of responsibilities which I take very seriously.

That said, we still often see ‘Women in Leadership’ framed as if it’s something new or unexpected. In reality, women have always shaped history and led in meaningful ways, even if that hasn’t always been fully recognised. However, a patriarchal lens has often rewritten the past to suggest we weren't there.

A recent example is the 'Ivory Man' discovered in Spain in 2008. Archaeologists assumed these 5,000-year-old remains, belonging to the most powerful leader of the Iberian Peninsula, belonged to a man. It was only recently that analysis revealed the 'Ivory Man' was, in fact, the 'Ivory Lady.'

Our goal should be to reach a place wherein we stop looking at the person at the head of the table and searching for a gendered explanation for their competence. I hope that as more women enter leadership positions, we can continue to get closer to achieving true equality.

Lorna Ferrie: As a Legal and Compliance Director, being a woman in leadership means embodying integrity, empowerment, and impact. In my job, details really matter and stakes are high, and so it is a privilege to bring both technical expertise and a human perspective to decision-making.

People’s perception is that compliance is about rules, but for me, it is about shaping environments where people feel protected, informed, and respected. Being a woman in this space allows me to champion ethical practices and ensure that our organisation leads with transparency and accountability.

I also believe that leadership means lifting as you climb. I pride myself on being someone who actively opens doors for other women, inviting them into conversations, and advocating for their growth and recognition. Representation matters, and I want to be the person I needed when I started my career.

Being a woman in leadership means using my position to create safer workplaces, more equitable opportunities, and leading with authenticity, courage, and intention, knowing that every barrier I break becomes a pathway for someone else.

How do you create an inclusive culture when your team is dispersed across continents?

Joanna Hart: By ensuring consistency in communication and transparency within any interaction with people. By being supportive, flexible, and respectful. By being positive and taking time to listen and learn about every individual’s personal culture and personality; then going away and learning more about those differences so that, through better understanding, we can learn to be more aligned and focused on our goals and objectives.

Remembering important dates and appreciating that someone’s personal life is as important as their role in the business, and acknowledging that there is a direct correlation between both – that they are fundamentally interconnected. A happy home life usually leads to a happy and successful work life, and vice versa.

As a company that started ahead of the game when it comes to remote working, we have learned how to use tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to overcome the physical separation of our teams. While COVID-19 forced many other organisations to welcome this way of working, Mauve took the opportunity to strengthen something that was already there, which makes us so great at empathising with our clients’ cross-border challenges.

What is one piece of advice you would like to give to young women entering the working world?

Lorna Ferrie: My advice to young women entering the working world is this: don’t shrink your ambition to fit the environment you walk into. Bring your full perspective, your questions, and your ideas, because they are exactly what organisations need to grow and evolve.

Always seek out people who will champion you, not just supervise you, and build networks that inspire you to stretch beyond your comfort zone. Crucially, remember that confidence isn’t something you wait to feel; it’s something you practice. Back yourself early and often.

You're one of several women directors at Mauve Group. How does having multiple women at the leadership table change the conversations and decisions?

Annette Ord: Mauve has always been a strongly female-led organisation, so that’s the environment I’m used to. What stands out to me most is not simply gender, but the diversity of thought, culture, and experience around the table.

We benefit from a healthy balance of men and women from different backgrounds, and that diversity enriches our discussions which, I believe, is ultra important in a global company like ours.

Having varied perspectives encourages more thoughtful debate, broader consideration of impact, and ultimately stronger decision-making. It’s genuinely rewarding to be part of leadership conversations where different viewpoints are welcomed and respected.

How does Mauve support women in the workplace?

Lisa Solda: Mauve excels at providing the flexibility and trust that modern workers need. There is an understanding of the challenges many women have to deal with in their personal lives.

For many, work life does not start at 9am. It starts the moment we wake up. By the time we are at work, we have often already navigated a complex landscape of logistics and crisis management, if managing family commitments, too!

There is, therefore, an acknowledgment that the invisible work a woman does at home is high-level managerial work. In my opinion, this hidden skillset simply makes us more resilient and resourceful in our professional roles.

Mauve, and Ann [Ellis] in particular, understand the dynamic well. Mauve provides a level of flexibility that is inclusive of everyone, whether the priority is looking after the children or even our pets. By supporting us, Mauve creates an environment where we can do our best work, knowing that our professional contributions and personal responsibilities are both respected.

Thank you to Joanna, Annette, Lorna, and Lisa for taking time out of their busy schedules to give such considered answers, in honour of International Women’s Day.

Mauve Group has supported women in the workplace for 30 years and continues to champion equity and diversity. With services in 150+ countries, and a global staff stationed at all four corners of the globe, Mauve is proud to celebrate our colleagues worldwide and continue working towards a more equitable future for all.