“What has got us here, will not get us there” – Alice Williams, VP Strategy at Schneider Electric

09/29/22 • 38 min

My guest today is Alice Williams, Vice President of Strategy at Schneider Electric – a global company leading the digital transformation of energy management and automation for greater efficiency and sustainability.
Alice has a fascinating background. Initially training as an aeronautical engineer, she worked her way up through the ranks of the British Army, specialising in intelligence and reconnaissance work. In 2019, she transitioned into the world of business and has since become a key voice for gender equality and female representation in traditionally male-dominated industries.
Stay tuned for discussions around squiggly career paths, “model” soldiers, STEM blinkers, and invisible women.
Resources

Schneider Electric UK: https://www.se.com/uk/en/
Squiggly Careers podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/squiggly-careers/id1202842065
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton & Andrew Scott: https://www.100yearlife.com/
PwC study: Women in Work 2022 - Building an inclusive workplace in a net zero world: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/WIWI/pwc-women-in-work-index-2022.pdf
TECH LIVE London: Recrafting the STEM narrative with Alice Williams (ref: female fashion designer who makes clothes using orchids): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvbS-NfL1IE
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (book): https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
Visible Women with Caroline Criado Perez (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/visible-women-with-caroline-criado-perez/id1627229311
Amblers Sophie Ladies Safety Shoe (site shoes exclusively designed for women by diversity champion, Sophie Lydia Smith): https://safpro.co.uk/product/amblers-sophie-ladies-safety-shoe/

LinkedIn: alice-williams-15a312162
Twitter: @SchneiderUKI
Instagram: @schneiderelectric

About Stand Tall
Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.
The podcast is brought to you by Stride Treglown - an employee-owned AJ100 architectural practice and a Certified B Corporation.

Please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. And reach out to us on social media: @rachelj_bell @StrideTreglown #StandTall

Schneider Electric UK: https://www.se.com/uk/en/
Squiggly Careers podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/squiggly-careers/id1202842065
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton & Andrew Scott: https://www.100yearlife.com/
PwC study: Women in Work 2022 - Building an inclusive workplace in a net zero world: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/WIWI/pwc-women-in-work-index-2022.pdf
TECH LIVE London: Recrafting the STEM narrative with Alice Williams (ref: female fashion designer who makes clothes using orchids): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvbS-NfL1IE
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez (book): https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
Visible Women with Caroline Criado Perez (podcast): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/visible-women-with-caroline-criado-perez/id1627229311
Amblers Sophie Ladies Safety Shoe (site shoes exclusively designed for women by diversity champion, Sophie Lydia Smith): https://safpro.co.uk/product/amblers-sophie-ladies-safety-shoe/

LinkedIn: alice-williams-15a312162
Twitter: @SchneiderUKI
Instagram: @schneiderelectric

Previous Episode

“Be kind to yourself” - Ben Channon, The Mindful Architect

In this episode of Stand Tall, we turn the spotlight on issues close to many people’s hearts: mental health, mindfulness, design quality, life post-pandemic... and how you can write a book – by accident!
That by no means sums up my guest, Ben Channon, but does give you a quick overview of the many topics we cover in this fascinating interview with “The Mindful Architect”.
Ben is an architect and Director at Ekkist, author, TEDx Speaker, WELL Accredited Professional, and co-founder of The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum. His insights and experiences really resonated with me, and I hope they do with you too.
Resources

Ekkist: www.ekkist.co
WELL Certification: https://www.wellcertified.com/
Happy by Design: A Guide to Architecture and Mental Wellbeing: https://www.ribabooks.com/Happy-by-Design-A-Guide-to-Architecture-and-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859468784
The Happy Design Toolkit: Architecture for Better Mental Wellbeing: https://www.ribabooks.com/-4The-Happy-Design-Toolkit-Architecture-for-Better-Mental-Wellbeing_9781859469866
TEDx Cardiff University: One Simple Idea to improve mental wellbeing world-wide (“Desking explained”): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ_qNV20IvY
Paddy Pimblett, UFC London post fight interview (2:02): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtwJlQlGfxY
The Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum: https://www.amwf.co.uk/

Twitter: @mindfularchi, @_ekkist
Instagram: @benchannon, @_ekkist
LinkedIn: ben-channon-04295267

Next Episode

“Small is beautiful, small is best” – Rob Delius, Head of Sustainability at Stride Treglown

This week, I’m joined by my friend and colleague Rob Delius who is Head of Sustainability at Stride Treglown.
Earlier this year, Rob completed an epic 1250 mile walk from John O’Groats to Land’s End. For three months he lived alone and largely off grid, walking up to 20 miles each day and sleeping in a tent most nights.
Since his return to work in August, I’ve been keen to invite him onto the show to find out more about his adventure: the highlights, the challenges, and the revelations...
Rob has always been passionate about sustainability and placemaking - and we cover some of his many ‘big ideas’ in this conversation – but it’s clear to me that this trip has intensified his sense of responsibility to nature and people, something which is already feeding into his work as an architect and change-maker.
Tune in to be utterly inspired.
Resources