'Phenomenal Women' with Sharanjit Leyl

Inspired by the poem written by Maya Angelou, ‘Phenomenal Woman’, the Gainsborough Hotel launched a bi-monthly talk series in 2018, inviting women from all backgrounds who have achieved recognition and made a significant impact in their field to share their experiences and challenges encountered on their path to success.

Our fourth ‘Phenomenal Women’ guest speaker for 2025 is Sharanjit Leyl on Thursday 22nd of May.

5:45 pm -7:30 pm

Tickets are £15 and include prosecco and canapes.

Sharanjit has brought you the news from Asia on BBC World News, Bloomberg Television and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for a quarter of a century. She spent eighteen years with BBC World News, covering business and politics, anchoring from its Asia bureau and London's Broadcasting House. She regularly anchored live on location on breaking stories from the Asia Pacific region, while contributing to BBC World Service radio and the BBC news website. A Singaporean native, she's produced and presented documentaries on TV and radio about her city on the BBC. Educated in North America with undergraduate degrees in Journalism and a Masters in English, Sharanjit has lived and worked in Washington DC, London, Tokyo, Vancouver and Singapore, bringing a truly global perspective to her work.

She now regularly moderates high-level debates for the United Nations, the ADB and other multilateral and financial institutions while balancing a broad career and advising companies and educational institutions on diversity, inclusion and media strategy. In May 2024, she was appointed as the Chancellor of Bath Spa University, succeeding her predecessor, Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons and is the first Singaporean ever appointed to such a role at a UK university. As a result, she divides her time between her homes in Singapore and Bath.

The Gainsborough welcomes all to attend and participate. Tickets include Prosecco and canapes and cost £15 each.

Feedback from a previous talk with Belinda Brown in September ‘23.

‘What an absolutely wonderful evening – I feel very privileged to have been part of the conversation with Belinda. It’s so rare to be able to have such an open discussion amongst a close group about the challenges and ambitions we all have. Belinda is indeed a phenomenal woman and I learnt so much and was so inspired so a huge well done for organising.

Kind regards and thank you again – truly inspiring!’

Feedback from Margaret Heffernan talk in April ‘24

• ‘I thought Margaret Heffernan’s talk last night was truly inspirational.'

• 'We certainly need to see and hear from superb female role models.'