Design Group Celebrates International Women’s Day

What’s the secret to success? This International Women’s Day (IWD2025), we asked six women from across Design Group’s global family to share their perspectives. Join us as we explore their stories, celebrate their achievements and hear their advice on making a meaningful impact.

Kate Richards

“An important factor in my journey is my dyslexia,” Kate says. “I was diagnosed at a very young age, as one of the 5% of children in the UK with the worst form of dyslexia. It was obvious that something wasn’t right. I struggled to read, but I’d finish a maths question quicker than anyone else.” Kate’s dyslexia brought challenges, but also spurred her on. “I didn’t want it to define me, so I felt I had to work harder to achieve the same as other people.”

Re-finding focus

After leaving school, Kate started working at a solicitor’s office, where she was mentored by an accountant. “I came into that job a little bit lost. My mentor saw potential in me, gave me practical help to find accountancy courses and job opportunities, and enabled me to refocus. I’m so lucky to have people who have mentored, supported and pushed me into opportunities where I’ve gained leadership experience. That’s led me to where I am today.”

Accelerated action

“The culture at IG Design Group is probably one of the best I’ve ever worked in. We’re very people- focused and always motivating each other to achieve more.”

One of the key steps of accelerated action Kate has seen at IG Design Group has been a growing discussion around the menopause. “Our HR Manager, Sarah, organised a webinar and issued a Menopause policy as part of Women’s Health week, and it really opened my eyes. I think this is something that needs to be considered more in our workplace cultures.”

With weaknesses there are strengths

To anyone starting out in their career while managing dyslexia, Kate says “of course it gets frustrating at times, but don’t let that hold you back. Maybe achieving your goals will involve working a little bit harder than other people, but it’s worth it. Maybe this also means you can see things slightly differently than other people, with its weaknesses there are also strengths.”

Lucy Regan

“Stepping into this role has been my biggest personal achievement,” Lucy says, reflecting on 12 years working up from product management into leadership.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the team that’s around me, not just my immediate team, but across the board. In my years with IGDG, I have been enable to take a rollercoaster ride across loads of operational and commercial functions. Through it all, the company has been really supportive in creating key steps to get me where I am today.”

More collaborative than ever

Lucy is inspired by the company culture at IG Design Group, she says. “Our workplace culture is shifting in a positive way, we’re more collaborative than we’ve ever been. There’s a willingness to ensure that if somebody sees a future, even without a direct step up, we’ll work with them and find ways to offer development opportunities.” She adds that the inclusion of more women in our senior management, particularly Emily Thomas-Hey who started as Design Group UK’s first female director in 2018, powerfully illustrates this year’s IWD theme, ‘accelerated action’.

Try new things

Lucy’s message to anyone starting out in their career, is to “pave your own path, be willing to try new things, and follow whatever route it takes to reach your goals, embracing guidance from your peers. You don’t need to feel like there are always clear steps of progression. There are always opportunities to expand, and your journey can be whatever you want it to be. It’ll come in its own, unique form, and that’s okay.”

Rachael Milward

“I’ve always needed to be in a job that combines interacting with people and being creative,” Rachael says, looking back on her self-made career journey. That journey began when she left school at sixteen. “16-year-old me never would have dreamed that I could be in a role like this.”

Why I’ve stayed here

“The people at Design Group are one of the reasons I’ve stayed in this company for so long. When looking for a business to work in, always look for good culture: a place full of people who will support you in reaching your goals. That’s why I’ve stayed with Design Group for 20 years.”

Excited by creativity

Rachael thrives on creativity. “My creativity came from my Mum and Nanna. When I was very young, my Nanna would look after me, while my Mum worked. We’d see things in the market and then recreate them at home through crafting. Now I love to do the same.”

Rachael can express and grow her creativity in plenty of ways at Design Group. “I’m inspired by Franke Pynakker, co-owner of IG Design Group Australia, and Shane Timmerman, our CEO. They’re both very creative, always moving outside the box to develop inspiring products and take the business in new directions.”

Better together

Thinking back to the start of her career, Rachael shares her advice for others in a similar position. “Set your sights on your goals and never give up. The dream is to love what you do, to get up each morning and look forward to getting to work. That can become reality if you have a team of people who like to share ideas and get excited together about projects. It’s always better together.”

Paulien Hu

“I was an auditor for 18 years. I made it to directorship, and was looking at further promotion. My career was moving fast and I loved it, especially my own development by continuously challenging myself. It’s what kept me going to the next level. I always thought, ‘Oh, this is nice, but what’s next?’.”

A big step

Then Paulien started to re-evaluate her career direction. “I realised I wasn’t completely happy with what I was doing, even though it looked nice on paper. My next step would have been partnership, but I only loved part of what I was doing: leading my teams and the interaction with clients.”

This led to a big decision. “I decided to quit. It was a huge moment, because I didn’t know what was coming next. I was far outside my comfort zone, maybe a bit nervous, but it felt pretty amazing to take the risk.”

New horizons

After taking this step into the unknown, Paulien received a call about a gift wrap manufacturer that needed some help. “They told me their former CFO had left, and asked me to interview that very same day. I decided to help them on a temporary basis, but after a few months I was asked to stay permanently. I thought, ‘Well, I’m not finished here yet’ – in this creative and entrepreneurial environment at DG.”

Dive in at the deep end

Paulien likes to find success in unexpected places. “I just dive in at the deep end,” she says. “When I was young, my mother asked me if I wanted to play an instrument. I said, ‘I think I’ll go for the violin, because everybody says it’s so complicated’. I’ve always been up for taking a risk.” Paulien’s advice to up and coming entrepreneurs is to “believe in your own strength, it’ll get you to where you want to be.”

José van Tilburg

“I need to pinch myself sometimes,” José says, 15 years on from her start at Anchor International as maternity cover for a sales assistant. “If this is real, how did I end up as Managing Director? I never, ever dreamed this would happen so soon, but I really enjoy it and I think our products are great. I feel so lucky!”

Big shoes to fill

The decision to take on the position of MD wasn’t an easy one for José. “The timing wasn’t perfect; I had just become a mother. But I decided to do it anyway: if I didn’t do it now, my chance would be gone.” José also felt she had big shoes to fill. “Our previous MD, Ron Vroegindeweij, is great at reframing negative situations for positive outcomes, presenting next steps and moving on. This always helped me to keep things in perspective, and it’s an approach I continue to implement with my team.”

The joy of creativity

The team is another reason José has stayed with Anchor International. “The people here are really great. We’re a small company, only 26 people, but we’re very open and straightforward, which I love. The joy of our work, to me, comes when I walk into a store and see people buying a product we created. It’s so satisfying, when you started with a blank sheet and ended up with a product that people are excited about. That’s the ultimate kick, to say, ‘Look, that’s my invention’.”

Making the moment right

Drawing on her own experiences to advise others facing career decisions, José says, “Don’t wait for the right moment, it will never come; instead, make the moment right. Just jump in.”

Vera Sum

“Working for sourcing companies for the last two decades, I’ve picked up a lot of experience and connections within the industry. The journey hasn’t always been easy. In the early days, I was working fulltime and tackling accountancy exams at the same time. Those and other experiences enabled me to develop my knowledge, skills and network and get to where I am now.”

Vera lives in Hong Kong and has worked for companies across Europe and America. “That international background helps me to encourage my team at Design Group to take ownership and navigate cultural differences positively and with nuance.”

Don’t be afraid of change

Vera is adaptable and eager to embrace change. She is inspired by her previous CFO who, she says, “always embraced new ideas and new technology”. “He was one of the first to adopt handheld gadgets in the workplace.” This future-facing mindset has stayed with her throughout her career. “I love being ahead of the curve. Someone recently pointed out an online course about AI. I said, ‘Oh, yes please, that would be great’, and signed up.”

Encourage empathy

Vera’s advice for individuals just starting their careers is, “Set yourself up with up-to-date knowledge and skills, and continue on that pathway, but don’t lose your empathy along the way. Achievement shouldn’t come at the expense of other people, it’s important to remember the pressures on your team, and yourself, and encourage valuable connections.”