From major global corporations to migrant leadership mentoring with Elham Fardad.

Today I am buzzing to share a coffee with a woman whose story is as captivating as it is inspirational! Elham, the Founder & CEO of Migrant Leaders, arrived in Birmingham at 13 years old as a war migrant from Iran. Navigating a new language, new schools, and a new life was no easy feat. Armed with belief and an extraordinary drive to succeed, Elham went on to build a 25-year career at the very top of global organisations including GE, News Corp and EY. Realising something was missing, Elham did something remarkable and made a “pivot on purpose”. In 2017 she walked away from the corporate world and founded Migrant Leaders, a charity that has since supported nearly 5,000 young people, with over 2,200 senior mentors from across the UK's leading firms. Elham's story is laden with gems of resourcefulness and resilience. Key Takeaways:Origin Story: Elham overcame early obstacles, including securing "home student" status for university via a 3-day protest at Birmingham City Council.Career Pivot: After a 25-year corporate career in finance (GE, News Corp, EY), Elham pivoted to launch Migrant Leaders in 2017. The catalyst was the Parker Review, which revealed only 1.3% of FTSE 100 directors were migrants, all from private schools.Migrant Leaders: A charity supporting c.5,000 young migrants with 2,200+ senior mentors operates with a core philosophy: success is a responsibility to family and community, not just a personal achievement.Elham's Philosophy: Success requires aligning the "heart and mind." The "how" is solvable; the "what" and "why" (the problem statement) are the critical starting points.Episode resources:Elham Fardad: www.linkedin.com/in/elhamfardadMigrant Leaders: www.migrantleaders.org.ukChay Executive Coaching: www.chayexecutivecoaching.com"Women In Leadership, Migrant Leaders, Growth Mindset, Inspirational"