Equal Parental Leave: The Game Changer for Social Shift

Equal parental leave has the potential to reshape far more than time at home with a new child. It can transform how work is structured, how care is shared, how talent develops, and what leadership looks like in modern organisations.

In our first session at Anthropy UK, we’ll explore whether equal parental leave could be the single biggest lever for redesigning work for modern families, reshaping leadership norms and accelerating gender equity. The discussion will look at the practical, cultural and economic implications of making equal leave the norm.
Jo Farmer is Joint Managing Partner at Lewis Silkin, a law firm focused on what really matters to business – its ideas and its people. Lewis Silkin is a firm that has always followed its own path, purposefully challenging the norm, and seeking to help shape the future by working with individuals and businesses who are forging the way forward across innovation, tech, and creativity.

Jo plays a pivotal role in steering the firm's strategic direction and fostering a culture of inclusivity and innovation. With a deep commitment to social mobility, Jo has been a vocal advocate for creating opportunities within the legal profession for individuals from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Her personal journey and professional achievements have inspired many, as she actively campaigns for greater social mobility in the legal sector, ensuring that talent and potential are recognised regardless of socio-economic background.

She has also been instrumental in implementing a ground-breaking parental leave policy at Lewis Silkin, which allows all new parents to take up to 52 weeks of leave, with 26 weeks at full pay, regardless of gender or sex. This policy is designed to support both parents in balancing their professional and personal lives, and to challenge outdated gender stereotypes in the workplace. Rather uniquely, Jo didn’t want this policy to be a USP for Lewis Silkin, but rather set the industry norm and has therefore challenged other law firms to follow suit and has proactively offered to share the policy so that other can understand, learn and implement themselves. Jo's efforts in this area have not only benefited the Lewis Silkin's employees but have also set a benchmark for the legal industry, promoting a more equitable and supportive environment for all.

In addition to her leadership roles, Jo is a leading lawyer in the field of advertising and brand reputation and is recognised as an Eminent Practitioner by Chambers UK. She advises a range of high-profile clients, from brand owners and content creators, to communications agencies and media platforms.
Amie is the Business Director at Re-Generate, an organisation pioneering business solutions to the UK’s biggest social and environmental challenges. She leads Re-Generate’s work in Early Childhood Development, exploring how businesses can drive positive outcomes for young children while advancing their own strategic goals. One key area of focus is the role of working parents, helping employers support their workforce in ways that improve both family life and business performance.
Laura Biggs is an award-winning event leader and a passionate advocate for women’s health and workplace equity. For more than 25 years, she has built bold, purpose-driven platforms designed to challenge the status quo and turn big conversations into meaningful change. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Women in Work, a global summit series bringing together leaders from business, policy and culture to ask better questions - and demand better outcomes - for women at work.
Under Laura’s leadership, Women in Work has grown far beyond a single event into a year-round movement, with flagship summits in London and New York and an expanding presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos. At its heart is a simple belief Laura returns to often: if it’s good for women, it’s good for business - morally right and economically essential.
Laura’s work is deeply shaped by her own lived experience. She is a mum to Will (20) and Isabella (6) a big age gap, and a big fertility story to match - which she speaks about openly, believing that honesty is a powerful driver of change. She and her husband Phil work happily side by side, live in south-west London, and when they’re not working, you’ll usually find them in the local parks or by the river with their much-loved dog, Doris.
Shaun Greenaway is a male fertility advocate and co-founder of NeXYs Fertility. After being diagnosed with azoospermia, he experienced first-hand the silence and stigma surrounding male infertility.
Now a proud father to donor-conceived twins, Shaun shares his journey through @Knackered_Knackers, using honesty and humour to break the taboo and support others navigating similar paths.
He also co-hosts The Male Fertility Podcast, listened to worldwide, and leads NeXYs Fertility - a platform transforming how men access fertility support. Shaun is dedicated to ensuring no man faces infertility alone or uninformed again.
Fiona Howarth is Founder and Director of Octopus EV, the electric vehicle salary sacrifice and leasing platform backed by Octopus Energy. She founded the company in 2018 to accelerate EV adoption by making electric vehicles accessible and affordable for employees across the UK. Under her leadership, Octopus EV has partnered with hundreds of organisations to provide over 30,000 employees access to electric vehicles. Fiona brings experience from the energy and automotive sectors, and is passionate about sustainability, infrastructure innovation, and creating inclusive workplace benefits. She is reshaping how companies approach green mobility as both an environmental and employee value proposition.

Mind the Gaps: Pay, Wealth & Health

Closing gender gaps isn’t just the right thing to do - it’s an economic imperative.

In our second session at Anthropy UK, we’ll explore how pay, wealth and health gaps intersect across women’s working lives, and why addressing them is critical for productivity, growth and long-term competitiveness. From workplace savings to health equity and policy, we’ll unpack what’s really at stake - and what needs to change.
Jill celebrates 26yrs at Scottish Widows this year, having spent most of this time in and around Workplace Pensions. Most recently Jill took on the role as Head of Workplace Strategic Relationships, building relationships with financial advisers, consultancies, and workplace clients. Previous roles include interim Head of Workplace Relationships, and Partnership Director.
Jill has a long-standing passion for financial equality, and is Co-Chair of the Sottish Widows Women in Retirement workstream.
Holly Atyeo-Smith is a People Partner at Bupa Dental Care, leading on Culture, Wellbeing, Engagement, and People Policy. Her role spans across the UK and ROI. Holly thrives on building environments where people love coming to work and creating a culture where people feel heard, empowered and valued. Holly works closely with stakeholders to shape meaningful employee experiences and foster a positive, supportive culture. With wellbeing being a core element of employee experience, Holly creates opportunities for open dialogue. Through webinars, panel discussions, and storytelling initiatives, she has elevated awareness around key topics such as women’s health, neurodiversity, mental health, bereavement, and men’s health. In parallel, she has implemented resources to ensure managers are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to foster safe and supportive environments, enabling them to support their teams effectively and consistently.
Mariella Frostrup is one of the UK’s most respected broadcasters and columnists. Her contribution to arts and literature along with her advocacy on gender and social issues have placed her at the forefront of the cultural landscape. She made the ground-breaking BBC1 documentary The Truth about Menopause and she currently presents her own daily show on Times Radio covering issues of the day.
Ian Ogilvie is a Marketing Leader at Mercer, where he serves as Programme Director for campaigns that connect business, policy makers and people around shared solutions to some of the UK’s most pressing long-term challenges. With a particular focus on health and skills, Ian brings practical experience in turning purpose into action – designing campaigns that mobilise leaders, help shape public dialogue, and drive measurable change.
Tina Backhouse is currently the Vice President for Theramex Global for Policy and Govt, having spent over 5 years as the UK GM. Theramex is a dedicated Women’s Health Company, based in London. With over 30 years in pharmaceuticals, her passion is in Women’s Health and the equity of care for all women within this space. In the UK, women live longer than men but they live longer in poorer health. As an advocate for WH, she believes that women cannot achieve true equality in their lives or work without equality in how their health is managed.
Liz is the KPMG Global Head of Deal Advisory and also leads the firms’ Global Life Sciences sector. Liz has spent the majority of her 18-year partner career advising clients across the Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences sectors on large, complex carve-out transactions and transformations. Liz is a dedicated leader, mentor and advocate for inclusion, diversity and equality, and Co-Chair of the KPMG Senior Business Women’s Network.