Northern Power Women Podcast

The brilliant Nazir Afzal OBE joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast – bringing honesty, courage, and a lifetime of fighting for justice and inclusion. Chancellor of the University of Manchester, Chair of the Lowry, and tireless advocate for equity, Nazir refuses to let diversity become a tick-box exercise – instead, he challenges leaders to make allyship active, authentic, and accountable.From calling out institutional misogyny to championing gender equality, Nazir shares why the retreat from diversity initiatives is not only harmful but deeply damaging to employees who are told, in effect, "we don’t believe in you anymore." He reminds us that while men are often part of the problem, they are also essential to the solution – and must step up, not out, when the work feels difficult.In a conversation rich with challenge and hope, Nazir and Simone explore what real leadership looks like when values are tested, why measuring social impact matters, and how storytelling and community are vital tools for lasting