How I Work Ambitious CEO and present parent? Dr Catriona Wallace on refusing to choose.
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Nov 12, 2025 Dr. Catriona Wallace, founder of Flamingo AI and a trailblazer in ethical artificial intelligence, discusses the challenges of being both a CEO and a mother. She boldly recounts rejecting an investor who insisted she choose between her roles. Catriona shares her journey to authenticity, emphasizing the importance of staying true to oneself. The conversation dives into her innovative use of AI for productivity and self-reflection, alongside fundamental principles for ethical AI development, showing how ambition and parenting can coexist harmoniously.
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Turning Down A Million-Dollar Condition
- An investor offered a million dollars on the condition she remove her nose ring and she refused the demand.
- She later bought a bigger nose ring as a deliberate act of defiance and identity preservation.
Authenticity Protects Leadership Identity
- Catriona warns that compromising personal expression leads to further compromises in leadership identity.
- She argues staying true to yourself silences superficial criticisms and preserves authentic leadership.
Bring Family Into Your Work Journey
- Enrol your children in your work by taking them to meetings and trips so family becomes part of your journey.
- Use unconventional, nonlinear scheduling (e.g., alternating weeks abroad) to integrate work and parenting.
