Shape Talent has a bold vision: to get significantly more women into senior leadership roles in business. As the founder of Shape Talent, I am passionate about helping women to be the best they can be. For over 20 years’ I have helped individuals to find work that they love, and have helped organisations maximise their talent.

Before establishing Shape Talent Ltd, I held global leadership roles in several FTSE50 businesses, in roles focused on recruiting, developing and promoting great talent. I have interviewed and been involved in the promotion decisions of thousands of people over my career, so know first-hand what helps a candidate to stand out, and what can limit women's careers.

In my last corporate role I was the global leader of Talent Management for a FTSE10 consumer business, with an organisation whose global employee population was 81% male. Like many organisations, our female leaders were not progressing to senior leadership roles at the same rate as men. It frustrated me to see talented women ‘getting stuck’ and I was determined to understand the underlying causes and to positively address this. Over the course of just three years, and with the support of some committed business leaders and HR teams around the world, we were able to achieve a 30% female representation at executive level globally. A significant achievement and well above the global and UK averages reported by Catalyst, of 24% and 21% respectively.

It was through this experience that the idea of Shape Talent was born. With targeted focus and effort, as well as leadership commitment, it is entirely possible to dismantle some of the organisational and individual barriers that prevent women from reaching their full potential. Through Shape Talent I partner with organisations to ensure more talented women are making it to senior levels. And I coach women to successfully navigate their careers and fulfil their potential.

Who I’ve Worked With

  • Here is what some of my clients have said about my work:
  • "I have felt very lucky to have worked with Sharon. Not only does she care deeply about the development and growth of people, she backs this up with well thought through and systemic organisation change. What stands out when working with Sharon is her commitment to developing women leaders and her passion for supporting people to make meaning of their careers. A much needed focus if organisations are to thrive" (Co-founder and Director of Leadership Development Consultancy).
  • "Sharon is a world class executive, with highly unusual acuity and insight into executive potential and performance. I hold her in the highest esteem and can recommend her unreservedly" (Divisional President, FTSE10 business).
  • "Sharon was one of the top rated speakers at our recent flagship HR Vision conference in London. In her presentation, she delivered real-detail and shared new ideas and perspectives which engaged and inspired our top level HR audience. I wouldn’t hesitate in inviting Sharon back as a headline speaker at any future events" (Divisional Director, HR Vision Conference)

Services

  • Speaker
  • Consultant
  • Facilitator
  • Trainer
  • Executive Coach

What I Offer

  • At Shape Talent we know that strong inroads to achieving gender balance are entirely possible with the right focus and commitment. We’ve helped companies drive these improvements, and we've seen the results for ourselves. We partner with organisations to understand your gender balance and identify the organisational and individual barriers that limit women's progression within your business. ​ Using our proprietary model, we conduct a diagnostic to understand where changes will have the greatest impact. Strategies are designed collaboratively to dismantle barriers, create relevant support structures and ensure that solutions are able to thrive within the ethos and structure of your organisation. Some of the areas we specialise in are: Designing & Executing Global Gender Equality Strategies • Executive Coaching • Creating and Implementing Mentoring Programmes • Creating and Reinvigorating Business Resource Groups • Facilitating Development Programmes for Women • Career Coaching for Women