Paragon Women’s Network 2026
On 11th March, we brought together colleagues, partners and clients for our third annual Paragon Women’s Network event, marking International Women’s Day and exploring the theme ‘Give to Gain’. What began as a small internal initiative has grown into a much broader forum for sharing ideas, building connections and addressing some of the real challenges organisations face today.
The day focused on how investing in people translates into stronger teams, better decision-making and more sustainable business performance. Attendees took part in open, practical conversations around leadership, inclusion and growth, with many of the themes directly reflecting the priorities we see across our client base.
We were joined by an inspiring group of speakers, including Joyce Idoniboye, Chief People Officer at Oxfam, Ashley James, author, DJ and broadcaster, and Shelina Zadorsky of West Ham United Women. Each shared honest perspectives on building confidence, navigating leadership and creating impact in competitive environments.
Our panel discussions explored the realities of building effective teams and future leaders. Our all women tech panel looked at who builds technology and why that matters.This was followed by the personal brand session, which focused on visibility, confidence, progression and leadership.
Innovation also played a key role, with Paragon DCX showcasing an interactive AI-powered Ada Lovelace avatar. As well as engaging attendees, it demonstrated how emerging technologies can support communication, learning and customer engagement in practical ways.
We closed the day with Mieke Marsman, CEO of Paragon Central Europe, who shared her perspective on leadership and self-empowerment, leaving the audience with a simple but powerful reminder: “Be the heroine of your own story.”
Events like this are an important part of how we continue to build a more inclusive, connected and effective organisation – one that supports our people, strengthens our culture and ultimately delivers better outcomes for our clients.