Nadine Haughton on redefining leadership and being a BBC 1Xtra’s 2025 Future Figure I Behind The ERG

In this episode, we sit down with Nadine Haughton, Global Industry Manager in the retail sector at Google, to explore how she’s redefining leadership through culture, community, and purpose. She's also a dedicated Events Lead for the UK Black Googler Network, and was recently named as one of BBC 1Xtra’s 2025 Future Figures. Nadine shares how she’s reshaping representation in corporate spaces from driving organisational presence at Notting Hill Carnival, to creating powerful work on Behind The Smile, an event spotlighting sickle cell awareness at work. Nadine shares the behind-the-scenes of building spaces that matter, and discusses partnerships, health advocacy, and her grassroots work with Ensuno House, a mother & baby unit she founded with her mother. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 1:42 How do I want to be perceived? 3:10 Being featured on BBC 1Xtra: The Sickle Cell Impact 5:06 What is an ERG? 6:00 How you can promote real change in an ERG 7:38 How I got Google to sponsor Notting Hill Carnival for the first time 9:06 The true meaning behind Notting Hill Carnival: Freedom and Resistance 12:24 The Reality of Caribbean Identity in Big Tech 14:18 Advice for Black Professionals Maintaining Heritage in Corporate Spaces 16:31 It took a tribe: Partnering with NHS & ACLT for Sickle Cell awareness 17:09 The triple mission: What our Sickle Cell event achieved 18:06 Why This Sickle Cell Story Brought Me To Tears On Stage 19:47 Stop Posting Beach Photos: Use Social Media for REAL Change 21:05 Ensuno House, why my mother & baby unit after my grandmother 22:00 How I used my corporate success to build a Mother & Baby Unit fulfil my mother's dream. 24:00 The challenge of scaling a non-profit business with a 3-bed house 25:24 The controversial podcast I almost didn't mention (and my journey back to faith) 26:30 The quote that inspired my career 27:40 My childhood aspiration 28:18 My question for the next Behind The ERG guest Host: Edward Odofin Guest: Nadine Haughton Editor/Producer: Patris Gordon Email: [email protected]