In this conversation, tech leader Philippa Clifford-Davies reflects on how midlife is less a crisis and more a rebirth. She shares stories of balancing family and career, navigating curveballs, failure and confidence, embracing authenticity, and finding joy in connection. From redundancy to resilience, and from technology’s rapid pace to the wisdom of gut instinct, Philippa offers a candid look at how midlife leaders can shape culture with values, heart, and impact.
Highlights:
- Midlife as Rebirth — not a crisis, but a chance to reset and reimagine.
- Family & Education — the gifts of storytelling, hospitality, and resilience passed down from her parents.
- Balancing Career & Family — lessons learned from negotiating part‑time work, valuing herself, and adapting at each stage of her children’s lives.
- Curveballs & Courage — navigating illness, aging parents, and perimenopause while leading in corporate life.
- Authenticity at Work — letting go of perfection, embracing “Ronseal leadership” (does what it says on the tin).
- Technology’s Speed — shifting from early adopter to wise user, staying comfortable with continuous change.
- Relationships & Networking — building trust, listening deeply, and creating joy in collaboration.
- Redundancies & Renewal — reframing reductions in force as opportunities for reinvention.
- Gut Instinct — intuition as a compass for decision‑making.
- Role Modeling — showing younger colleagues that authenticity and imperfection are part of real leadership.
- Corporate Culture & Support — founding WOW (Wonderful Oracle Women) to create ecosystems of support across organizations.
Key Quote:
“Midlife isn’t a slowing down—it’s a deepening.”
Connect:
Philippa Clifford-Davies - Philippa Clifford-Davies | LinkedIn
Chris Gates (host) - Christopher Gates | LinkedIn
Midlife Murmurings - https://linktr.ee/midlife.murmurings
