IWD 2025 - an interview with: Miranda Burgum

Tell us a little about your career journey leading to where you are now.

I started my career in kitchens as a trained chef. I moved front of house working in bars with a quick realisation that people were at the forefront of everything in hospitality. I developed a real love for listening and understanding people's career goals and felt I could have an impact within the people space. Spending most of my career in hospitality, Wetherspoons the Restaurant Group and Green king, I had one stint working outside of the sector for Ford Motor Company, which I loved, but knew my love was in hospitality. I moved to GAIL’s in 2017 as Head of People set up the people function ready for growth. Three years later I was promoted to GAIL’s people director and in 2022 I had the absolute pleasure in moving into a group role, GAIL’s and The Bread Factory. Hospitality is a very special environment, a place where customers choose to go, therefore having agility and innovation in the people space is key to grow teams and business. 

What does the International Women’s Day slogan “accelerate action” mean for you?

Do more of what you’re doing, if you’re doing thew right thing continuous improvement should always be on your agenda.

How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you?

Support is key for anyone in any role, how to unlock potential for each other and how barriers can be removed by learning from others.

How important is diversity across senior leadership teams? 

Different views and voices of the workforce lead to improved choices and actions.

Senior leadership: 26%, C-suite: 19%, 1 in 4: Chief-level. These are the percentages and numbers of female leaders in our industry. What do these numbers represent to you?

Each business should have clear goals/ training to develop our leaders of tomorrow. We all play a part in this to change the statistics. We talk more, we understand more of what needed for the future. Remove barriers to the grey age of only women looking after families. 

As a successful leader, how do you think (business) leaders can accelerate action toward closing the gender gap and ensuring equal opportunities in the workplace?

What can be done now, what planning needs to be done for the longer term. Collectively talk to people within the workplace, what ideas would they have. It shouldn’t just be a top down exercise. Clearly communicate results is key, nothing to shy away from with a good plan of action.

Can you share your top tips for entrepreneurial/managerial/leadership success?

Authenticity, not always having the answer is OK. Transparent in goals, plan collectively. Create an environment where your team thrive, opportunities for development, space to think be innovative and give something ago. 

What’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a woman thinking of starting a career at leadership level?

Why wouldn’t you deserve a seat at the table? 

Have there been any role models through your life (work or professional) who have helped shape you as a leader?

My mother always challenged me with my imposter syndrome, from child to early adulthood, ‘do you not think everyone has it at some time? we are all people with feelings, nerves and reality that something is changing’. Sometimes leaning into WHY helps develop a healthy mindset to move forward and answer ‘ Why not me’