In this powerful and deeply honest episode of The Unlikely Executive, Barbra Carlisle is joined by Nike Folayan, Technical Director at WSP and Chair of the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE UK).

Nike shares her journey through engineering and leadership from an early fascination with how televisions work, through a PhD in antenna design, to leading a global technical team while navigating an industry that still struggles with gender and racial inclusion.

This conversation goes beyond career milestones. It explores belonging, burnout, boundaries, leadership pressure, and what it really takes to stay technically credible and human at the same time in male‑dominated sectors like construction, infrastructure, and engineering.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• What it’s like to build a senior technical career without being pushed into project management
• The hidden cost of being seen as “helpful” rather than “technical”
• Why clarity about what you want matters more than confidence
• How leadership expectations differ for women and especially women of colour
• The emotional reality of still feeling like you don’t belong after 20+ years
• Burnout warning signs, including what happens when your body says “no”
• Learning to say no without fear of missing out
• Returning to work after having a child and reassessing ambition, pace and legacy
• Nike’s leadership style: trust, accountability, and human connection
• How AFBE UK was founded and why representation, role models and transition support matter

Key Takeaways

• Technical excellence is a valid leadership path : you don’t have to abandon it to progress
• Belonging isn’t automatic, even at the top and that’s not a personal failure
• Burnout often arrives before you realise you’re struggling
• Boundaries are uncomfortable, but clarity builds trust
• Leadership isn’t about doing more. It’s about choosing what matters

About Nike Folayan

Nike Folayan is a Technical Director at WSP, leading complex telecommunications projects and managing global technical competencies across the UK and India. She is also the Chair and co‑founder of AFBE UK, an organisation established in 2007 to support Black and minority ethnic engineers through outreach, mentoring, membership and corporate partnerships.

AFBE UK has supported over 30,000 beneficiaries and continues to bridge the gap between education and industry through advocacy, role modelling and professional development.

🔗 Connect with Nike on LinkedIn
🌐 Learn more about AFBE UK via their website

About Your Host: Barbra Carlisle

Barbra Carlisle is an Executive Coach and Leadership Trainer working across the construction, housing and engineering sectors.

If you’d like to explore working together:
👉 Book a clarity call or visit www.gleecoaching.co.uk

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