Maya Welford on class and social mobility in Britain, the power of names, and driving behavioural change

In this episode, Melissa and Isabelle welcome Maya Welford, a corporate baddie and the British-Japanese host of "That’s My Name” – a podcast that delves into the fascinating stories, cultures, and traditions behind names.

The conversation explores Maya’s journey of exploring identity through names and her views on taking a partner’s surname after marriage. They talk about cultural capital in the UK, whether skiing is class-coded, AI’s inherent biases, why having a non-English name shouldn’t predetermine whether or not you get a job interview, and how more inclusive work environments lead to better commercial outputs.

Maya, who grew up in a lower socioeconomic background before working her way up the corporate ladder (she is currently Climate Tech Lead at Barclays), also shares her lived experience of social mobility and how it shaped her work in driving behavioural change – a commitment that won her a Desmond Tutu Award. No biggie!

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Maya Welford: https://www.instagram.com/thatsmyname_pod

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Editing: Gabby Lauren

Music: Muri & Lustbass

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