Professor Geeta Nargund to spearhead The Pipeline’s growth following acquisition by Create Impact Ventures

Pioneering entrepreneur, women’s health expert, and equality campaigner appointed Chair of leading gender diversity consultancy

The Pipeline, the leading UK advisory business that promotes gender parity in the leadership of private, public and third sector organisations, has today announced that Create Impact Ventures, the ethical investment fund, has acquired a majority stake in its operations.

As part of the acquisition, Professor Geeta Nargund co-founder of Create Impact Ventures and the prominent women’s equality campaigner, has been appointed Chair of The Pipeline – a role handed over from Sue O’Brien, who will remain on the board as a Non-Executive Director. Prof Nargund’s remit will be to spearhead the continued growth of The Pipeline, broadening access to its market-leading suite of career development programmes.

The Pipeline helps many of the UK’s most successful businesses, government departments, and organisations promote women into leadership roles. Thanks to investment in the business by Create Impact Ventures, The Pipeline will be in a position to accelerate the rollout of its leadership and coaching programmes.

Throughout her career, Prof Nargund has been a voice for women in areas including health, education and gender equality, campaigning tirelessly in pursuit of closing the gender health gap – which in the UK is the largest in the G20. With reproductive health issues having an undeniable impact on women’s careers, she has not only actively lobbied politicians to introduce protective legislation for women’s health issues, but has also advised businesses on how they too can implement supportive policy change.

Both a renowned doctor and academic, and award-winning entrepreneur, Prof Nargund was the first female founder of a UK multi-site fertility company - CREATE Fertility - now one of the largest providers in the country. A pioneer in the field of Natural and Mild IVF, throughout her career Prof Nargund has disrupted the status quo, striving to put women’s wellbeing at the heart of fertility treatments. In her quest to improve equality of access to IVF, she also co-founded abc IVF in 2017, bringing affordable fertility treatments to the UK for the very first time. Alongside her professional career, Prof Nargund is active in various charities and not-for-profit organisations: she is Vice-Chair of the British Red Cross and founder of women’s health charity Create Health Foundation.

With The Pipeline’s annual Women Count research, last published in November 2023, revealing that women in the UK’s largest businesses continue to be severely underrepresented in the most influential executive functions, such as CEO – with just 9% of FTSE350 businesses led by a woman - Prof Nargund’s role will be to highlight the need for change and help businesses, public bodies and women navigate this unequal landscape.

Professor Geeta Nargund, Chair of The Pipeline, said: “I am excited to chair The Pipeline as we continue in our mission to unmask ongoing inequalities in the workplace. It is unacceptable that, in 2024, so many women still face unfair and unnecessary barriers in their journey to the top. I look forward to working with my new colleagues to drive forward change for women – empowering them to smash the glass ceiling and fulfil their career potential – whilst guiding businesses on levelling the playing field. The time for gender parity in the boardroom is long overdue.”

Sue O’Brien, Non-Executive Director of The Pipeline, said: “Geeta’s stellar track record both as an entrepreneur and as a campaigner for women make her perfectly placed to steer The Pipeline through its next phase of growth. She has been a major contributor to our premier programme, Top Flight, since the start. Her energy, skills and deep understanding of the complex issues in play will be invaluable in paving the way for improved gender parity in leadership roles. With Geeta at the helm, The Pipeline will undoubtedly go from strength to strength.”