Author & Journalist
Alison is an author and former long-serving journalist with the Financial Times and Reuters. She has co-written three business books, INdivisible, Future Work and Why Women Mean Business. (See Books).
She writes on leadership, climate and sustainability issues, and inclusion. In addition to the books, her publications include:
Eco-anxiety: A Growing Threat to Employee Productivity and Well-Being, a research report for The Conference Board, December 2023
‘Reviving purpose’, a case study in the book Climate Change Coaching: The Power of Connection to Create Climate Action by Charly Cox and Sarah Flynn, 2022
The Power of Everyone: Why the work revolution demands a fresh focus on inclusion, a chapter in Work in the Age of Data, BBVA 2020
A Gender Power Shift in the Making, a chapter in Reinventing the Company in the Digital Age, BBVA 2015
‘Closing the Gender Gap’, a report for the Conference Board, 2010
First ladies of King’s, essay in ‘A Book of King’s: Views of a Cambridge College’, TMI Ltd, 2010
Guides to flexible working (2009) and to the over-50s workforce (2010) for the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Journalism career
Alison was on the staff of the Financial Times as a news editor, reporter and feature writer, from 1986 to 2006. During eight years as Management Writer, she interviewed a wide range of prominent figures for her column on leadership. She wrote series on business ethics and on the ageing workforce, and led special reports, including Responsible Business and Business & Diversity.
In 2012, she received a ‘World of Difference 100 Award’ from The International Alliance for Women for her writing on women and work. In 2004, she and the FT features team won the first media award given by The Conference Board Europe ‘for having raised awareness and public consciousness of the issues of diversity and work-life balance’.
In her earlier FT career, she led editorial coverage of world stock markets during the 1987 global crash, was European news editor when eastern Europe opened up after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and reported on food and agriculture at the height of ‘Mad Cow Disease’ and genetically modified foods.
Prior to the FT, she was a journalist for Reuters in Paris and London, and before that she did her journalist training at the Liverpool Post & Echo.
Endorsements
‘This [report on eco-anxiety] is a fantastic resource, and it’s interesting to see the low awareness of eco-anxiety within the leadership of organisations. Hopefully your report will help change this and I love the practical suggestions of how to raise and address the issue.’ Kate Lloyd, Certified Exec, Leadership & Career Coach, Trainer and Facilitator
‘Alison provides imaginative insights into how 21st century organizations work. She’s a passionate speaker about modern, inclusive leadership, an astute facilitator of senior executives, and one of the smartest business writers of her generation.’
Andrew Tank, NED and former Executive Director, The Conference Board Europe
‘Alison’s seminal work on why women mean business has helped to take the debate on the ‘gender agenda’ to another level. The insights offered by her co-authorship with Avivah are inspirational on a personal level as well as highly informative to anyone in business seeking to understand the value, strengths and extra dimension that a gender-balanced workplace can bring to the bottom line.’ Melanie Allison, Consulting Director, Embankment Consulting
‘Alison’s work as a journalist at the FT always had a loyal following, including me, so it was a real pleasure to be able to work with her professionally. Her intellect and grasp of the real issues which affect people make her a key influencer and a very positive contributor to business and society.’ Richard Jones, Bank CEO, Independent NED, and Financial Services Board Adviser