DEI done right

Dr. Marcia Goddard obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology cum laude, and subsequently earned her PhD in neuroscience, studying neurodiversity in pathways to empathic ability. She left academia to build bridges between science and business, and shifted her focus to high performance culture. She spent three years studying the building blocks of sustainable high performance in large, global organisations, and Formula 1 teams.

Marcia's specific expertise is brain-behaviour relationships in high performance environments and their impact on performance, with a focus on DEI, psychological safety, and mental wellbeing.

In addition, she is an award-winning international keynote speaker, presenter, and science communicator, able to make complex, scientific content accessible and digestible for large audiences. Marcia's clients include ASICS, Porsche, Pon, CrowdStrike, Heineken, Schlumberger, Ahold Delhaize, EY, Deloitte, Accenture, WeTransfer, Indeed, Disney, Danone, the City of Amsterdam, the Dutch government, and the Dutch National Police.

Chris Murdoch embarked on his recruitment career 18 years ago, a journey that led him to co-found Voyse, a RecTech talent attraction platform. This venture was not just a business opportunity but a response to a shared frustration between Chris and his co-founder, Dan Sunderland, who also had a long-standing career in the software market.

At this time, Chris worked with some fantastic companies that often struggled to attract outstanding, diverse talent. These companies, which were often full of brilliant people, had an inclusive culture and welcomed outside-the-box thinking when it came to experience and behaviour alignment. However, they almost always struggled to communicate these things in an engaging, authentic, and scalable way.

Around this same time, Dan worked as a contract software engineer. Every time he faced the job market, he was often dissatisfied with the experience he received as a candidate. Only after final-stage interviews and in-person meetings was there any visibility of the working culture.

Voyse was born out of these shared frustrations, and since its inception, it has been making a significant difference. It has helped numerous organizations, including JD Group PLC, Soho House, Mercedes F1, Gymshark, Autoglass, and many more, to attract and engage with diverse talent. The experience candidates receive is not just engaging, but highly accessible and available in a variety of content formats, ensuring information can be easily digested across multiple channels and platforms.

Charlotte Melkert is a leading figure in the recruitment industry, distinguished by her dedication to eliminating illogical decisions and unfair practices. Along with her twin sister, Fleur Melkert, she co-founded Equalture in 2018. A talent matching platform using game-based assessments, that ensures all candidates have an equal opportunity to secure employment by promoting fair job requirements and unbiased evaluations. This approach helps to prevent the overlooking of exceptional talent.

With a wealth of experience in recruitment, including the founding of a recruitment agency prior to Equalture, Charlotte's efforts extend to predictive and volume hiring solutions, utilizing data-driven measures to enhance hiring accuracy and efficiency. As the Co-Founder & CEO of Equalture, her commitment to equal hiring opportunities and inclusivity in the hiring process is evident.

Charlotte's contributions to the industry have not gone unnoticed. She has been recognized among the top 8 most talented female entrepreneurs in the Netherlands and listed in Forbes 30 Under 30. Furthermore, she has been named one of the Top 30 Most Inclusive Leaders in the Netherlands and featured in Sifted’s top 14 European Gen Z Founders. Additionally, her innovative approach and leadership have earned her a nomination for the EY Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Stuart White is a seasoned Recruitment Director with a distinguished career spanning over twenty years in the technology industry. Renowned for his strategic acumen in attracting, recruiting, assessing, and retaining high performing talent, Stuart's approach is deeply informed by the latest advancements in neuroscience and psychology, particularly within the realms of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Stuart's expertise lies in building high-performing teams that drive organisational success. His career is marked by his ability to implement innovative recruitment strategies that not only meet but exceed business objectives. His commitment to DEI principles has been pivotal in fostering inclusive work environments that promote creativity and excellence.

In his latest venture, Stuart joins a dynamic group of individuals dedicated to helping organisations build exceptional teams. The "Inclusive Talent Collective" aligns perfectly with Stuart's passion for leveraging best practices to ensure that talent acquisition processes are both fair and effective.

Outside of his professional endeavours, Stuart is an influential mentor and speaker, sharing his insights on recruitment at industry events. He remains committed to advancing inclusive hiring practices and nurturing the next generation of recruitment professionals.