Welcome to a special Xcede Sofa Series episode in honour of International Women's Day and Women's History Month! Join Angela Evans, Senior Consultant at Xcede, as she explores the remarkable journey of Aly Abel, Head of Research at Storio Group.
In this insightful conversation, Aly shares her profound experiences and invaluable insights as a leader in UX research and design. From her career trajectory to pivotal moments, challenges faced as a woman in the industry, and the significance of mentorship, Aly offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Discover the importance of self-reflection, mentorship, and diversity in the workplace, all while gaining practical advice for women aspiring to excel in the UX research field.
➡️ Connect with <a style="color: rgb(203, 6, 102);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyabelresearcher/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aly on LinkedIn here</a>
🔔 Subscribe to Xcede's Sofa Series, hit the notification button and join us!
&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rnKRnEeGoJY?si=WQOkcZenTS7AyHik" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<video poster="" controls="controls" width="560" height="315">
<source src="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasters.spotify.com%2Fpod%2Fshow%2Fxcede%2Fepisodes%2FXcede-Sofa-Series-Aly-Abel--Head-of-Research-at-Storio-Group-e2hm2jq%2Fa-ab45hmm&amp;data=05%7C02%7CHannah.Hussain%40xcedegroup.com%7C5c430f61c7db4619131008dc4f1b63d2%7C17c21b0ccc3d49ba99343f62c0f31b0c%7C0%7C0%7C638472226280532073%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=HpYRXozreImzsfl2FmQ0%2FBqqx2gWTvzKErjgUw5JhGE%3D&amp;reserved=0"></video>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

XCEDE SOFA SERIES S1 E06: ALY ABEL, HEAD OF RESEARCH AT STORIO GROUP

Welcome to a special Xcede Sofa Series episode in honour of International Women's Day and Women's History Month! In this episode, Ailish Kelly, Senior Consultant at Xcede, delves into the journey of Laura Palmer, Head of Infrastructure 'Project Management' at Fidessa.&nbsp;
Join us as we explore various aspects of Laura's career, including her sources of inspiration to pursue a career in IT, the importance of IT education and pivotal moments in her career progression. We also discuss challenges in a predominantly male-dominated industry, what she encounters as a woman in a leadership role and why you must advocate for yourself. Tune in for an enlightening discussion with Ailish and Laura as we aim to encourage and inspire the next generation of women in IT! 
➡️ For more about Laura, connect on <a style="color: rgb(203, 6, 102);" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-palmer-0223011/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn here</a>
🔔 Subscribe to Xcede's Sofa Series, hit the notification button, and join us in this exciting journey of knowledge and inspiration. Available now on the following platforms:&nbsp;
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_jD3XlNLQZY?si=mj8FPyoD_EgP1YyD" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<video controls="controls" width="560" height="280">
<source src="https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/KlUK2WPZfIb"></video>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

XCEDE SOFA SERIES S1 E05: LAURA PALMER, HEAD OF INFRASTRUCTURE 'PROJECT MANAGEMENT' AT FIDESSA

Welcome to another exciting episode of the "Xcede Sofa Series", where we bring you insights and inspiration from industry leaders. In our fourth episode, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Tom Smith, the Senior Director of Design at Cond&eacute; Nast, for a captivating discussion on "Leading with Design Authenticity." 
With a career that spans across prominent organisations like Aviva, Aqueduct, and Underscore, Tom brings a wealth of experience to the table. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation with Tom as we explore the essence of design authenticity, its significance in business and brand identity, and the challenges it presents. We'll also dive into a quick-fire round, where Tom shares insights on managing stress, qualities he values in a team, his passions outside of work, and his design bucket list. 
➡️ For more about Tom and his journey, visit his LinkedIn profile: <a class="yt-core-attributed-string__link yt-core-attributed-string__link--display-type yt-core-attributed-string__link--call-to-action-color" tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbW1IVUt0XzdaWFJFSW5UM3FZaDZJZEE5MVlzd3xBQ3Jtc0tub3RnMEF0OEdhbGFfb2lLa2JBVFlHemQ1Z09KaVp5TDctc0lGbDAtU3E2UEhid2c0RXBoQS1nMFA2WWtNSzVKMUVReTFYZWxfTnZVcjBPZUZreDFJZ2JnVDd6b1RjQ3BhNURzaE5yUkEydWV2eHJxdw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftom-smith-90647411%2F&amp;v=NVsQlS7lTH4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" aria-label="LinkedIn Channel Link: tom-smith-90647411">tom-smith-90647411</a>
🔔 Subscribe to Xcede's Sofa Series, hit the notification button, and join us in this exciting journey of knowledge and inspiration. Available now on the following platforms:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NVsQlS7lTH4?si=QVFd8JU10NyoZVT6" width="624" height="351" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/2jzidHqVsTEHFHfjjPIovY/video?utm_source=generator&amp;t=0" width="624" height="351" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Xcede Sofa Series S1 E04: Tom Smith, Senior Director of Design at Condé Nast

The "Xcede Sofa Series" is back with your weekly dose of industry knowledge! In our third episode, we had the privilege of engaging in an insightful conversation with Chandni Kumar, the Data Product Lead at Expedia, as she takes us on a journey through her impressive career and her pivotal role in shaping data products. 
With a remarkable 15-year career, Chandni brings her extensive experience from companies like Capgemini, North Highland, Royal Mail, and Bally's Corporation to her current role at Expedia. She's dedicated to shaping data products and enriching the traveller's experience within the B2B ecosystem. Chandni's contributions go beyond her role, as she mentors aspiring data product professionals and plays a vital role in supporting mental health as a Mental Health First Aider. 
Recently, she hosted an enlightening Q&amp;A session at the Xcede Product networking event, sharing valuable insights. 
➡️ Connect with Chandni on LinkedIn:&nbsp;<a class="yt-core-attributed-string__link yt-core-attributed-string__link--display-type yt-core-attributed-string__link--call-to-action-color" tabindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVpmdVZoX3RXRTdoYVFfMG0xaFJvTHE4NEJKZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsTTgtWS00SndSR3ZEeS1ocTJGSXdWSUlpMEdBOU96MDlNRHFqdndfSElnOFgzclVocTZwWDctT2psVnF3azh4MGFRbEEyWVBxcjZwRkdydVBwMEp2VHN4ZENhZkxJTDdfaXk5LUhyQ09UZG1wMTJ6Yw&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fchandni-kumar-41a96212%2F&amp;v=0duXGBmi3kI" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" aria-label="LinkedIn Channel Link: chandni-kumar-41a96212">chandni-kumar-41a96212 </a>
🔔 Subscribe to Xcede's Sofa Series, hit the notification button, and join us in this exciting journey of knowledge and inspiration. Available now on the following platforms:
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0duXGBmi3kI?si=MjvQUov5wjHQfCw9" width="624" height="351" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
<iframe style="border-radius:12px" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/7F3SRy3nghf74wTf8gA0wT/video?utm_source=generator&amp;t=0" width="624" height="351" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" loading="lazy"></iframe>