"I came to and I was in intensive care and it was awful. I remember every single second, feel and smell, emotion."

Six years ago, Katherine Hernandez had emergency open heart surgery. Nobody warned her about the PTSD that followed. For 18 months, she worked through clinical depression and anxiety whilst running a regional portfolio of 14,000+ homes—and told no one at work. Then she started talking about it. Things got lighter.

In this episode, Katherine pulls no punches about what actually happens when you lead with ADHD, recover from major trauma, and try to convince politicians that housing isn't charity—it's infrastructure with a proven £2-for-£1 economic multiplier.

You'll hear about:

• Why Katherine's never had a five-year plan (and how ADHD turned out to be her competitive edge, not her limitation)
• The hospital discharge pilot that cut NHS stays by 99 days and saved £1.4 million—then lost its funding anyway
• What her team did when colleagues couldn't get to work during the 2024 riots because they were people of colour
• The real barriers to DEI conversations (spoiler: it's fear, and Katherine's got a strategy for it)
• Why "customers are at the heart of everything we do" is usually bollocks, and what it actually takes to mean it

Katherine grew up in social housing. Later, when she needed it again, it was there. That lived experience shapes how she leads—from her management team to her board seat at Railway Housing Association, where they're gunning for #1 in UK tenant satisfaction.

If you've ever wondered whether you can be a regional director with ADHD, whether vulnerability belongs in the executive suite, or why housing keeps getting politically sidelined despite the numbers, this conversation will give you answers. Uncomfortable ones, sometimes. But Katherine's not here to make you comfortable.

Perfect for executives in housing, construction, property development, and anyone building leadership cultures that actually work for humans—messy, complicated, brilliant humans.

Read more about Katherine on our website:

https://gscexecutives.com/insights/

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"I failed my chartership first time around... that was a catastrophe. How dare they?" Deborah Nutt doesn't sugar-coat the setbacks that shaped her two-decade rise to Senior Director at Arcadis.

In our latest conversation, Nutt reveals how a random comment from someone she was babysitting led to her entire engineering career. But it's her refreshingly honest take on leadership that'll make you rethink your approach. She argues that great leaders aren't measured by their self-perception, but by their "followship" - whether people actually choose to follow them.

Key insights from our discussion:

• Why authentic leadership means admitting when you've got it spectacularly wrong (and how vulnerability actually builds authority)
• The crucial difference between diversity and inclusion that most organisations completely miss
• How Arcadis is tackling their ambitious 40% women representation target without falling into tokenism traps
• Why she believes "people generally don't get out of bed in the morning to upset somebody" - and how this philosophy drives real cultural change

As Global Gender Affinity Group Chair, Nutt has a front-row seat to the challenges facing traditional industries. Her goal? Making diversity initiatives so embedded in company culture that we won't need them anymore. She's also brutally honest about the six-month role she "managed to do because it would look awful on my CV" - the kind of career reality most executives won't admit.

Whether you're navigating your own setbacks, trying to create genuine inclusion in your organisation, or wondering how to build authentic leadership in rigid industries, Nutt's insights cut through the corporate fluff with practical wisdom earned over 20 years in the trenches.

Listen in for a masterclass in turning professional failures into career fuel, and why the construction industry's future depends on leaders who can admit they don't have all the answers.

Read more about Deborah on our website here:

https://gscexecutives.com/insights/

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/gsc-executives/

In the latest episode of the GSC Executives Podcast, Caitlin Tye sits with Ingrid Osborne, Divisional Chair of Taylor Wimpey London and South East. With over two decades of experience in the property development sector, Ingrid shares her remarkable journey from a graduate with no property background to one of the industry's most influential leaders.

Ingrid's candid conversation reveals valuable insights for executives and aspiring leaders alike:

• Career Progression and Innovation: Discover how Ingrid rose through the ranks from a land buyer to divisional chair, including how she conceptualised, pitched, and successfully built Taylor Wimpey Central London from the ground up.
• Leadership Philosophy: Learn about Ingrid's approach to effective leadership, including the importance of trust, honesty, clear communication, and supporting teams while maintaining high standards.
• Diversity in Construction: Explore the challenges and opportunities of increasing diversity in a traditionally male-dominated industry, with practical perspectives on both attraction and retention strategies.
• Company Culture as a Competitive Advantage: Understand how Taylor Wimpey's supportive yet high-performing culture serves as a key differentiator in the market and drives business success.

Whether you're a seasoned executive looking to enhance your leadership approach or an aspiring professional in the construction and property sectors, this episode offers valuable perspectives on navigating career progression, driving innovation, and fostering inclusive workplaces.

Subscribe now to the GSC Executives Podcast for more conversations with industry leaders who are shaping the future of construction, property, and engineering.

Read more about Ingrid on our website here:

https://gscexecutives.com/insights/

Follow us on LinkedIn for daily industry news:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/gsc-executives/