About Nicola Woodward
Nicola is a Human Influence Strategist and founder of RISE — an innovative framework designed to transform our workplaces by growing and embedding positive human influence. With decades of experience, Nicola works directly with your organisation to co-create lasting impact and measurable cultural change.
Meet Nicola: The Founder of RISE
Nicola has led multiple human-centred transformations in the for-purpose and public service sectors in the UK and Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing multi-level innovative solutions to embedded problems.
She has influenced paradigm shifts, from frontline services to national policy, and was an early pioneer of human-centred design in the UK NHS. Following the Canterbury earthquakes, Nicola led the development of The Loft, a nationally unique ‘one-stop shop’ for vulnerable families in Christchurch whilst also CEO of Aviva.
Though Nicola's roles have been varied - frontline to CEO, local to national - her contribution has always been defined by her core belief that personal, organisational and business success pivots on one thing – our collective appreciation of the power of natural human influence.
As the founder of Be Company and creator of RISE, Nicola offers a passion for partnerships committed to superpowering positive human influence as a solution to today’s biggest workplace challenges.
“If DEI is the promise, influence is the way.”
- Nicola Woodward