Daisy Williamson, Global Head of BD for the M&A/Corporate practice at Freshfields
It may seem like a long way from a doctorate in zoology to a high-profile role in global business development, but we learn on this episode of Leaders With Ambition exactly why that path has made abundant sense for one dynamic executive.
Daisy Williamson, Head of BD for the M&A and Corporate practice at Freshfields, shares her unconventional path into corporate marketing and lessons learned along the way – some of them from the world of primates!
This is a woman who has clear priorities and executes on them, whether in building effective teams or promoting equity in the workplace.
Daisy brings a bedrock belief that colleagues perform best when given the benefit of respect and autonomy from the outset. And if a career stretch triggers a bit of Imposter Syndrome, that’s okay, says Daisy.“To move forward, things have to feel a little uncomfortable sometimes and you don’t always do well. But you keep on trying, become more comfortable and grow into it.”
Learn about the tools this innovative leader brings to Freshfields and to her broader network across the sector.
You’ll also hear words of wisdom about fostering highly effective teams and the importance of staying personally open-minded, nimble and creative. Above all, says Daisy, just keep experimenting and learning!
How growing up in the brand new city of Milton Keynes (with free-thinking parents) shaped Daisy’s perception of the world as full of possibility and ripe for innovation.
Dunbar’s Number
About Daisy’s experience working with famed British anthropologist, Robin Dunbarand a theory today deployed in social software, psychology and business management.
Major pivot
Why the opportunity to work in a team context appealed to Daisy, who made the strategic decision to draw on her skills to move into the corporate world.
New Paradigm
How Daisy adapted her academic skills to fast-paced business demands, shorter timelines and the reality that perfection wasn’t always possible.
Key feedback
How working closely to understand client needs and what success (and falling short) looked like fuelled Daisy’s professional growth right from the start.
Staying agile
Why Daisy recommends keeping an open mind and trying on many different roles before zeroing in on a narrow career path. Don’t box yourself in – or let others try!
Going all in
What the sense of pulling together and using teamwork to win business means to Daisy and why she believes safety, humility and flexibility are key.
Management journey
About Daisy’s transition into leadership at Freshfields and the multiple roles with global teams that have challenged her and afforded ongoing growth.
Failing forward
Why it’s important to create an environment in which team members have permission to try, fall short, seek help and contribute collectively to deliver superlative results.
Dynamic culture
Where Freshfields distinguishes itself as an entrepreneurial legal services firm that prides itself on being nimble, adapting to shifting circumstances and objectives.
Communication as key
About the role of networking and maintaining contacts over the course of a career in order to stay curious as well as aware of new horizons, trends, opportunities.
Management insight
How Daisy runs teams to maximize human interaction and efficacy in terms of size, style, tools and collaboration.
Paying it forward
Why promoting working women is a priority for Daisy, who is committed to uplifting female colleagues and empowering support from allies in everyday scenarios across workplace cultures. (See links for recommended reading below.)
Current challenges
Staying agile amidst new technologies, fostering dynamic intergenerational communication and ensuring that teams are complementary.
Giving and receiving
About the multi-faceted role of mentorship at a variety of life junctures and how it has helped Daisy advance her career with both intentionality and purpose.
Words of Wisdom
Believe that anything is possible! Be humble. Stay open to learning from others. Don’t put yourself (or allow others to put you) in a box. Cultivate creative outlets and personal development.
“I drew on my background, which is very open-minded … going to conferences, recruiting fairs, meeting recruiters, seeing how I could make my CV more relevant. I was actively looking at what I should be doing next – and you need to do that, put yourself out there and test it out.”
“In the business world, I learned very quickly the trade-off between perfection and getting stuff done.”
“Working in marketing you have to challenge yourself to understand your clients and their needs. That’s very important … Starting my career with client feedback really worked for me.”
“It’s important to be quite agile and look for where opportunities are, try different things and don’t specialise too early.”
“I was reading something that said that Imposter Syndrome doesn’t exist actually. We all feel slightly uncomfortable if we’re putting ourselves out there in situations where we are growing.”
“To move forward, things have to feel a little uncomfortable sometimes and you don’t always do well. But you keep on trying, become more comfortable and grow into it.
“A high-performing culture needs to continually work and be challenged ... Otherwise it stops being high-performing. You always want to push it forward.” (Nicky)
“Nowadays you really have to experiment and learn and collaborate to test learning… It’s that mindset. You don’t need to know everything but you’re open-minded to the possibilities.”
About Daisy Williamson
Daisy is a strategic business development and marketing professional with 24 years' of experience in the legal sector. Expertise in developing marketing strategy and leading teams across different global markets as business partners to implement plans and initiatives.
She has proven delivery across the full marketing mix: profile and brand-raising activities; pitching and pursuits; insights-driven lead generation and strategic pursuits; key client and client growth programs and cross-selling; and partner integration.
About Nicky Acuna Ocana
Nicky has led high-performing recruitment teams for over 25 years. As the Regional Managing Director of Ambition UK, Europe & US, she leads a team of highly-skilled recruitment consultants who specialise in Business Services functions within Professional Services and are experts in their niche specialist areas.
With an extensive network of senior and board-level contacts, she is also heavily involved in Executive Search, focusing on Director level appointments across Business Services for a range of Professional Services firms.
