Name: Setting Your Career Development Compass (EMEA)
Start: 2026-01-13T12:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-01-13T13:15:00+00:00

EMEA

WeQual Rising Leaders: Setting Your Career Development Compass

A successful career doesn’t happen by accident. It’s shaped by clarity, ownership, and the ability to make deliberate choices in a constantly shifting landscape. This session gives Rising Leaders the space, structure, and support to define where they’re heading and what to prioritize in 2026.

This session on Leadership Insights launches your 2026 journey with a focused, practical conversation on how to set your career compass for the year ahead. Rising Leaders often juggle high delivery demands while trying to define their next steps. This session cuts through the noise, giving you a simple, structured way to articulate your direction, identify gaps, and move forward with purpose.

Using frameworks which are relied on by leading global organizations – including the GROW coaching model and leadership competency mapping – we’ll translate big-picture development theory into everyday decision-making. You’ll hear real experiences from senior leaders, across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas, who have navigated pivots, setbacks, international moves, and career reinvention with intention.

Mark Bateman — WeQual CEO and Co-Founder, and Author of Disruptive Leadership. Mark is a specialist in purpose-led leadership, career acceleration, and global senior-level advancement.

Takeaways:

Define your 12-month direction
Identify gaps and next steps
Build ownership and confidence
Learn from global leaders
Turn insight into action

Mark Bateman

WeQual

CEO, Co-Founder and Author

Mark Bateman is the CEO of WeQual, a global leader in inclusive leadership development, working with over 350 of the world’s largest companies to drive inclusion at the top. Under his leadership, WeQual has helped identify and develop C-suite-ready talent, with 36% of award winners now sitting on executive committees.

With extensive experience coaching senior executives and advising Fortune Global 1000 companies, Mark is a recognized authority on building high-performing, diverse leadership cultures. His work has shaped global DEI strategies, helping organizations navigate leadership transitions and embed sustainable, impactful change.

Ovin Mohan

WeQual

Director of Leadership Development

Ovin has coached more than 1,000 senior leaders from the world’s largest organizations – from Apple and HSBC to NATO and Christie’s – helping them lead with clarity, confidence, and renewed focus. Known by clients as “exceptional”, “brilliant”, and “amazing”, his coaching is both challenging and deeply human.

A former athlete and Head of Leadership Development in the UK’s largest management institute, Ovin combines performance psychology with practical leadership habits that drive real results. He’s lived and worked across London, Chicago, New York, and Valencia, bringing a global perspective to every conversation.

In this session, Ovin helps leaders step back from constant delivery to reconnect with their purpose and priorities – a vital reset for sustained impact.

Emma Hicks

WeQual

VP of Membership & Programs

Emma is an experienced strategic leader specializing in professional development at
C-suite and senior management levels. With over 20 years’ experience across global sectors, she brings deep expertise in leadership education and a genuine passion for continuous professional growth.

A Fellow and Advisory Board Member of the Learning and Performance Institute (LPI), Emma also holds certifications from the Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and previously served on the Education Committee of the European Confederation of Directors Associations (ecoDa).

Before joining WeQual, Emma spent nearly a decade with the IoD, shaping the strategic direction of its global executive programs, including the prestigious Chartered Director qualification. She later joined HR technology company Connectr, first as interim COO and then as Chief Commercial Officer, leading its mission to build more inclusive leadership pipelines.

Earlier in her career, Emma held senior roles with Reed Learning, designing and delivering internationally recognized qualifications for more than 100 corporate and academic partners.

At WeQual, Emma leads the global membership and program function. Creating communities where senior leaders connect, reflect, and develop through shared experience. Her work aligns with her core purpose: Helping individuals achieve their career goals and enabling organizations to succeed through inclusive, effective leadership.

Outside of work, Emma has a young family — Joshua (10), Jasmine (7), and Monty the cockapoo (3) — who keep her active, grounded, and grateful.