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Heather Payne is a commercially focused Chief Technology Officer, board advisor, and…
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Heather Payne shared thisSo amazing to have Aimee Al-Dabagh shortlisted fo the Women in Tech, Hero of the year award!! ImmediateHeather Payne shared thisWell this just happened... I’ve been shortlisted as a finalist in the Women in Tech Excellence Awards for Hero of the Year! Huge thank you to Paula Fox for nominating and backing me, to Craig Humby for giving me the confidence and opportunities to push myself. And the brilliant Subs P&T team at Immediate who have been alongside me ❤️ Trying very hard not to deflect this one and just be proud!
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Heather Payne shared thisBuildathons become the new hackathons! It was amazing to see our teams come together for 2 days to build out our future tech at Immediate Many thanks to Nitzan Maas Moore for all her hardwork pulling this together! #tech #aiHeather Payne shared thisWhat can you build in 48 hours? Our Product & Tech teams came together for a hackathon, taking ideas from a blank page to working prototypes across two days. From knowledge assistants and bug-fixing co-pilots to recipe generators and personalised gardening advice, teams used ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Lovable and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Bedrock to build things people would actually use. The thing that stood out wasn’t how quickly people could code. It was how quickly they could test an idea. AI is shifting the bottleneck from building to deciding which ideas are worth building in the first place. #Hackathon #ProductAndTech #AI
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Heather Payne shared thisKnoops as ever is nailing marketing! If you're around in London on the 23rd July go and smash the ice with them. 😊 Also grab one of their new frozen hot chocolate...would highly recommend. Sometimes a brand stays with you when you work for them and this was one of my highlights (and I'm forever addicted to the drinks)!Heather Payne shared thisIt looks like summer 2026 isn't done with the heatwaves just yet, and to help, we are serving up the ultimate cool-down this week in our Notting Hill store. ❄️ Enter our Ice Breaker challenge – an unmissable summer experience featuring a giant ice sculpture inspired by our iconic iced drink cup. Inside? A treasure trove of prizes waiting to be uncovered by lucky ice-breakers, including free drinks for a month, or a money-can't-buy chocolate tasting session with our founder and real-life chocolate visionary, Jens Knoop. For one day only, people can take part in the Ice Breaker challenge, armed with mini–ice picks (and safety goggles, naturally), to chip away at the towering frozen installation for their chance to win. And even if you don't win, there will be samples of our brand new frozen hot chocolate too! So come on down this Thursday 23rd July to our Notting Hill store - 12pm - 6pm (or until the ice melts!) 🧊 #NottingHill #LondonEvents #FreeDrinks
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Heather Payne shared thisShe’s a Cambridge Grad, an entrepreneur, a board member, an accomplished CMO, a mother of 3, navigating the BRCA-1 gene and a double mastectomy and a lot more. She is formidable. And still, thousands of people, grown men and women, just can’t help themselves. They can’t see past the shape of her stomach. She is Marie-France Van Heel. She’s not a “gut in a dress”. Not a “fashion faux pas”. Not “just the prime ministers wife”. Well said Lee Chambers, let's talk about women the same way we talk about men. Respectfully, professionally and recognising the work they have done and the challenges they have overcome. #womeninbusiness #leadershipHeather Payne shared this“Too much gut for the dress” Absolutely disgraceful It’s so disappointing, but sadly not surprising, to see some of the coverage and social commentary about Marie-France Van Heel over this past 24 hours. Mocking her fashion choices Shaming her body shape Scrutinising how she walks Picking at her body language All objectifying. All reductive. Some of it is downright rude and dehumanising. And to think, while they comment on her as some kind of object, they miss the fact that She’s a Cambridge Grad, an entrepreneur, a board member, an accomplished CMO, a mother of 3, navigating the BRCA-1 gene and a double mastectomy, and a lot more. She is formidable. And still, thousands of people, grown men and women, just can’t help themselves. They can’t see past the shape of her stomach. Sexualisation is a scourge on our society. It’s why Male Allies UK continues to call it out at every opportunity. She’s not a “fashion faux pas”. Not “just the prime ministers wife”. She is Marie-France Van Heel. Being respectful costs nothing.
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Heather Payne shared thisI came across an article asking the question we were all apparently too polite to ask: "Why do so many AI company logos look like buttholes?" 😬 As ridiculous as it sounds, the interesting part isn't the joke, it's why? The article argues that AI branding has converged on the same visual language: circles, gradients, organic folds and central openings because they signal "intelligence", "trust", "humanity" and "innovation" Ironically, in an industry obsessed with disruption, we've ended up with brands that all look remarkably similar. It made me wonder whether this is what happens when branding becomes optimisation by committee (or indeed by AI?). Everyone wants to look credible, so everyone copies the visual cues of the last successful company. The result? Brands that are instantly recognisable... but barely distinguishable. Credit to Radek Sienkiewicz's brilliantly funny article for pointing this out...once you've seen it, you really can't unsee it. #fridayfun #ai #design
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Heather Payne shared thisAs a Scot, I am currently riding high from us being at the top of a World Cup Group so I thought I'd share some fun facts: > Scotland's win over Haiti was their first World Cup victory since 1990. > It is also Scotland's first appearance at a World Cup since 1998. > Because we have not won a World Cup match since 1990 and have missed several tournaments, this is effectively the first time Scotland have led a World Cup group table in 36 years. > Scotland's 1–0 win over Haiti extended their technically unbeaten World Cup run to 27 years, 11 months and 19 days because their last World Cup match in 1998 was a draw and they hadn't played another World Cup match until this tournament. Sorry to everyone who isn’t watching the World Cup, feel free to comment with other things I can talk about next time so I’m not so biased! Have a lovely weekend either way 😊 #tartanarmy #worldcup26 #scotland
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Heather Payne shared thisLook out for your female family/friends/neighbours during the World Cup. Domestic abuse increases during England football matches: +26% when England win or draw +38% when England lose +11% on the day after a match Be part of the solution >Sign up to be part of the change >Advocate for women (especially around matches) >Share ways to help with your network Source: Lancaster University / Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. #worldcup26 #domesticabuse Toast91Heather Payne shared thisSadly, we don’t mean the football. We mean what happens after. The domestic abuse that increases when England play. Join the team tackling this today - https://lnkd.in/ebCNJ-Tk
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Heather Payne shared thisReposting for reachHeather Payne shared this£500 if you find me my next hire. Genuinely, if you refer someone for our Head of Up World position and they get the job, I'll send you £500, a full Up World membership, and an Up Fest ticket. So think hard. We're looking for someone to lead Up Club (1,200 members), Big Up Club (growing fast), and everything that sits around it. Strategy, community, commercial, all of it. What we don't have yet: a clear 3-year plan, brand marketing activity or the bandwidth to do everything we want. That's where they come in. They'll lead a small team who are already brilliant, and own membership growth across partnerships, events, referrals, content. This probably isn't someone already doing this job title somewhere else. It might be: → A senior brand marketer itching to build something → A community lead ready for full commercial ownership → Someone adjacent who's genuinely obsessed with how startups build brands Bonus if they're curious about AI and running lean operations smarter. Salary: £65-85k. We'd consider 3 days a week for the right person. Who do you know who lights up when they talk about this stuff? Full ad in comments 👇
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Heather Payne reposted thisHeather Payne reposted thisBanned from contact with his employees? In plain sight, you say? What can you even say about this When the boss has been banned from being near and even watching two of his teams for 3 years Because he’s a severe safeguarding risk Everyone knew. Lots of “good people” facilitated it, in some way, over the past 40 years Some people will say “well look at what he was selling, is it any surprise” It’s true that misogyny is a business model But that’s not the point The bravery of the survivors to come forward is All those that filed police reports that didn’t go anywhere over the years is It took a lot of women to step forward before anything changed It should have only taken one That’s why Male Allies UK exists Because the current status quo is harmful by design
Heather Payne commented on a post
1mo
So lovely to work with you, I can't help thinking you leaving was due to someting I said??? Looking forward to seeing what you achieve in your next role 🚀 Keep in touch. x
Heather Payne commented on a post
2mo
Hey Emma Russell, I'm CTO at Immediate and Good Food is one of our brands. Love what you've done! 👏 If you want a chat so we can understand how to build things that really help and support people like you please DM me 😊
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisToday I joined Currys. After a long chapter in media and a more recent spell working for myself, I’m moving into retail, bringing what I’ve learnt from one industry that’s lived through enormous disruption into another that’s changing in fascinating ways. It’s a big, profitable business at an interesting moment, in a category I’ve always loved. Technology straddles need and want rather brilliantly. Sometimes it’s something you genuinely need, and sometimes it’s something you absolutely, categorically don’t but, after 15 minutes of research, can no longer imagine living without. I know both kinds of shopping well. Some of the challenges feel familiar, others are completely new to me, which is a combination I rather like. And cliché though it may sound, a huge part of the draw was the people. From the beginning, there was something different about them: smart, straightforward, kind, ambitious and clearly enjoying working together. The more people I met, the more I wanted to be one of them. So I’m very happy to be here, with a lot to learn and, I hope, plenty to contribute.
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisThis week, we've been running the Glow-Up Challenge with Good Health by Good Food 🌞 Over 7 days, we brought our members daily content covering hydration, movement, nutrition, supplements, sleep, and mindset, with the overarching mindset that feeling good starts from the inside out. It's been a brilliant collaboration with the team at Good Health by Good Food, who brought expert, evidence-based insight (and some seriously good recipes) to the challenge and socials, alongside our own nutritionists, Beth Furness ANutr and Emily Balmbra (AfN Associated Nutritionist) . We're really proud of the team behind this one, and grateful to everyone who took part. #Nutracheck #GoodHealthByGoodFood
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisToday is The Day! Please mark the 21st of August 2026 (aka 08/21/2026) as The Grand Opening of Knoops USA in Salt Lake City, Utah. A milestone in the history of Knoops, bringing the best chocolate drinks to a new audience, a new country and a new continent. Over the last week, I had the pleasure of meeting probably around a thousand Utahns, who have been invited to try our drinks, provide feedback and give the team the opportunity to experience real-life trading. And this was followed by a brilliantly vibrant influencer event, organised by Brigs Jensen and his team. But this was only the first half of my mission here: today at 6pm, the doors will be wide open to everyone. To those who have been patiently waiting to try out the best chocolate drinks in the world (no pressure…). To those who have experienced Knoops in the UK and couldn’t believe that we have arrived in their neighbourhood. And to those who just want to check out what the hype is about (and there certainly has been a lot of chatter on social media). This is only the beginning: Just as we started our journey from a small town on the south coast in England, moving up to Central London. Then from a 27 UK stores to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And now the first US store in the vibrant 9th & 9th area of Salt Lake City. As mentioned before: this is yet another milestone in the progression of Knoops to expand our reach and the mission to bring the best chocolate drinks to everyone. The “pinch me” moment happened when I stood outside the store for the first time. Travelling from my home, which is closely located to the original store in the UK, flying over the North Pole to the other side of the planet, to walk into our latest store with my name over the door, offering the exacted same product. I keep on pinching myself (and ask others to do so as well). This is a dream come true, that could have only been realised with the expertise, trust and shared vision of the Knoops team as well as our beloved cacao growers and chocolate makers around the world. Many have been involved and I am listing as many as possible below, but I can not emphasise enough: this is a team effort and a team success. Thank you all, and now come and get your chocolate drink at a Knoops near you. William Gordon-Harris Mike Jensen Jo Brett Greg Brown Aaron P. Alex Lindblom-Smith Jessica Tran Vanessa Parsooramen MBA Morgan Brown Caroline Brosche Brigs Jensen Nicola Farrell Zack Carter Agata Krupka Chris Roots Jenny Neal Isobel Macdonald-Buchanan Lucy Winzer Eve Atkins Georgia Turnbull Marcela Jaramillo Asmar David Brealey Juan Diego Franceschi Rafael Bello Sheena Horton and so many more… And all this would have not been possible without Graham Wickens, who believed and trusted my vision from Day 1.
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisWe're delighted to be featured in Nursery World this week. The piece covers the Women in Innovation grant awarded to our founder Maggie Bolger. Get Otii's Inclusion Hub already brings SEND, EYPP and LAC information into one place. This grant is the opportunity to develop that further, and test where it can go next. Thank you to Nursery World for covering it. Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/egvPqb-7 #EarlyYears #SEND #OfstedEarly years platform developer receives innovation grant to build SEND tool for nurseries - Nursery WorldEarly years platform developer receives innovation grant to build SEND tool for nurseries - Nursery World
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on this“But babe, it doesn’t feel as good without a condom” I’ve heard this in different contexts a thousand times. Condom use is dropping. There is a pervasive narrative that condoms reduce sensation. And STIs are increasing. And is anyone thinking about the fact s/x isn't just P in V? So, how do we practice safe s/x without them? Enter OhMyV GmbH - Tabu Ventures latest investment - the first biotech company to disrupt this space in 100 years. Katie and her team are creating a new biomaterial that acts as a shield to stop the transmission of STIs. Can you even imagine how world changing that is? Try. Viral STIs are first (HPV, HSV), then bacterial (chlamydia, gonorrhea etc), then contraception. I will be talking much more about this, and how you can help us support this innovative, transformational work. So, buckle up... 📸 half trying not to stare directly at the sun half begging the people of Hyde Park to share their eclipse glasses
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisOne week into the job and ATG already has news for me to share. No pressure. Thrilled that ATG Entertainment is joining MARI, the global events and experiences company founded by Ari Emanuel. Turns out I picked a good month to start. MARI's portfolio spans sport, art, entertainment and lifestyle, including Frieze, Barrett Jackson, the Miami Open, the Mutua Madrid Open and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Big company to be joining. Nothing changes today. Same ATG, same leadership, same focus on our colleagues, producers, partners and the audiences who show up every night. ATG and MARI operate separately until the deal completes. We bring the venues, the content and the platform. MARI brings scale and a real belief in live entertainment. Together we build something great. Great second week. Excited for what's next. MARI ATG Entertainment
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisCan you really pivot your whole life when you've got young kids, a partner, and bills to pay? People might call you brave to your face and think you're mad behind your back, and almost nobody tells you how it's actually done. Faith did it. She spent years running emergency responses in disaster zones, moved to London, and then had two babies under two during COVID. Rather than reaching back for the career she'd built, she chose to build something of her own, moving from humanitarian leader to mum to founder of The Nugget App. Almost two years ago, she and her partner then moved the whole family to rural Finland without speaking a word of Finnish! So tomorrow I'm flying to Helsinki to interview her on the WIP'n & Reppin' podcast, where we'll get into mindset, adaptability, and the courage to make big pivots when there's a lot on the line. We're talking about the parts that don't make the highlight reel: the bravery it takes, the logistics underneath it, and what it means to build a life around the people you're responsible for, not despite them. If you could ask someone who moved her whole family abroad and started over one question, what would it be? #WIPnandReppin #careerpivot #womeninbusiness
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Heather Payne reacted on thisHeather Payne reacted on thisIts been a while since I have taken one of these pictures and this time I'm not going up a mountain but still to do a new thing... In the background; two properties still haven't exchanged yet, (pretty stressful ⏰️) our own house is half filled with staging items from one property and the other boxes that could no longer fit in our storage unit after we put the staging sofa in, (I think we are definitely professional movers at this point! 🚚) the animals are going on vacation to my best friends house and my wonderful partner has make all that house stuff disappear for some home exchange people to stay at ours whilst we finally go on a little break to Barcelona! (fun times for him 🙈) But first, I'm flying out to Helsinki to record WIPn & Reppin's first guest to talk about all the real stuff when building a life that is truly yours 🎙 Doesn't mean its all worked out all the time - at some point it will be slightly smoother than all the above - but hey ho.....that's life! 🎢 Definitely all a Work In Progress & loving it! (most of the time 🤣) #wipnandreppin
Experience & Education
Licenses & Certifications
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Certified SCRUM Master (CSM)
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Chartered IT Professional (CITP)
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DSDM Atern & Agile Foundation
DSDM
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EPM Project Management Certified
PRINCE2 Based - Ford Motor Company Standard
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ITIL Foundation Certificate
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Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
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Six Sigma Green Belt
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Volunteer Experience
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Start-up Accelerator Speaker & Mentor
1000 Black Voices
- Present 3 years 11 months
Education
1000 Black voices helps Black business founders scale and accelerate their businesses through result-focused coaching and accelerator programs.
Advancing equitable inclusion and facilitating accountable action and positive change for the eradication of racism around the world. -
Volunteer Management Team
Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) - the Neurodiversity Charity
- 4 months
Education
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London 2012 Specialist Canoe Slalom Volunteer
International Olympic Committee – IOC
- less than a year
Arts and Culture
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STEM Ambassador
STEM Ambassadors
- Present 7 years 3 months
Children
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Ambassadors are volunteers from industry and academia who work, study or research in a STEM field. They are passionate about what they do and have a desire to pass on their enthusiasm and inspire the next generation of STEM professionals. I work with schools to enspire students to go into STEM careers.
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Alex Cole
👋🏽 From Ambition to Action: Building a Blueprint for Inclusive Innovation | The Real Preneur feature on the Inclusive Innovation Catalyst Venture Studio captures something powerful happening here in the West Midlands — the shift from talking about inclusion, to engineering it into the way we build and fund new ventures. 📰 Read the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eCfY24Qm For too long, the innovation economy has operated on inherited systems — networks that favour the few, funding models that recycle privilege, and frameworks that unintentionally exclude the very founders capable of driving transformative impact. The Inclusive Innovation Catalyst challenges that head-on. It’s not just another accelerator — it’s a venture studio model designed to rewire access to capital, capability, and confidence for underrepresented founders. What excites me most is the collaboration behind it: Future Planet Capital Regional,TIN Ventures, The 51% Club, The Black Business Collective, The Open University, Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands, and other partners coming together to create a living system — one that integrates learning, innovation, and investment into a single pathway. The goals are ambitious — ⭐️ £30 million in co-investment ⭐️ 50 startups supported ⭐️ £40 million+ in portfolio revenue within three years But the real success won’t be the numbers. It will be in how we measure equity as an outcome: 👉🏽 Entrpreneurs who stay in the game, build wealth in their communities, and shape the next generation of inclusive innovation leaders. 👉🏽 If we get this right, the Catalyst won’t just be a West Midlands story — it’ll be a national blueprint for building ecosystems that are both competitive and fair. 👉🏽 This is where inclusive growth becomes more than a policy — it becomes practice. #InclusiveInnovation #VentureStudio #WestMidlands #TINVentures #OpenUniversity #The51PercentClub #BlackBusinessCollective #SocialImpact #EquityFirst #InnovationEcosystem #DiverseFounders #InvestmentReadiness ⸻ Jane Morrison-Ross David Bryan CBE David Ledbury Jane Galsworthy Mel Selvon Ellyard Steve Conibear Professor Aleks Subic Professor Mark Durkin Paul Hermelin Paul Dickinson Monder Ram Tara Attfield-Tomes Rupert Lyle Jof Walters
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