Seat for Society

Guest: David Clarke, Chief Executive, British Paralympic Association How lived experience shapes leadership, and why doing the right thing often starts with listening to who isn’t in the room.Dave Clarke’s story is a powerful reminder that inclusive leadership is about more than policy - it’s about people. Drawing on his journey from elite sport and banking, to leading ParalympicsGB, Dave talks about conviction, courage, and the weight of public scrutiny. He shares how he navigates tough calls with transparency, how “being decent” became his leadership mantra, and why running a non-profit requires as much commercial discipline as any business. A heartfelt, practical conversation about leading with both strength and humility.

Guest: Tris Dyson, Founder & Managing Director, Challenge Works (Nesta)Social innovator, Tris Dyson, shares how he brings business, government, and science together to solve wicked problems - and how a personal diagnosis deepened his understanding of purpose and perseverance.Tris Dyson, founder of Challenge Works, joins Kate and Katie for a conversation that is both deeply practical and profoundly moving. From his early days as a teacher, to leading groundbreaking innovation prizes - including the £10M Longitude Prize on motor neurone disease - Tris reflects on creativity, resilience, and what keeps him going when the odds are stacked high. He opens up about using AI for medical breakthroughs, the discipline of experimentation, and the leadership lesson that failure isn’t the opposite of success - it’s the route to it. This is a masterclass in staying curious, courageous, and collaborative when solving the world’s toughest problems.

Guest: Liz Warner, Media & Social Enterprise Leader, Co-founder of Different Kind & Former CEO of Comic ReliefWhat happens when doing good becomes the hardest job in the room? Liz Warner shares her journey from producing The Undateables, to leading Comic Relief through public scrutiny - and how she rebuilt her approach to leadership, purpose, and joy along the way.In this candid conversation, Liz Warner opens up about leading with authenticity when the pressure is on. From commissioning boundary-pushing TV, to steering one of the UK’s best-known charities through controversy, Liz reflects on courage, empathy, and the lessons learned from being under the microscope. She talks about dismantling outdated narratives, listening to lived experience, and founding Different Kind - a purpose-driven social enterprise that celebrates optimism and community. It’s an honest, energising look at what it takes to stay grounded, creative, and kind when the work you love comes with public expectation.

In this opening episode, Kate and Katie introduce Seat for Society - why it exists, what the “orange chair” represents, and how every leader can think more deeply about the decisions shaping our shared future.