Meet the Team
Business and Professional Women UK - generally known simply as BPW UK - is a women's organisation that encourages women to make a real difference in their community and beyond and to realise their full potential in the workplace and outside.
President BPW UK
Ruth Galwey was elected as President of BPW UK at the AGM March 2026.
She is a former civil servant with experience in policy development and delivering front line services.
Having previously served as the BPW UK National Treasurer and Chair of the Governance Working Group Ruth brings strong organisations skills to the role.
Vice President – Membership
Lynne qualified as a psychologist in 1986 and is still practicing as such. She worked in Banking, manufacturing, service industry and ran her own private practice for more than 24 years. She is also a mother and a grandmother, a daughter, sister and a friend.
She is the author of a self-help book ‘the wise women from Tekoa’. She has appeared on National Television and Radio in South Africa talking about psychological issues. She wrote several short articles on relationship topics and has published some poetry. In addition to her Psychology qualifications, she also has an advanced degree in Philosophy.
Roles held within BPW:
- Former Judge of “Make A Different Award” [BPW International]
- Former International Chair of Training and Development [BPW International] 1996 – 1999
- Former Regional Coordinator for Africa [BPW International Africa Region] 1999-2002
- Former National President [BPW South Africa] 2000 – 2006
- Former Vice President of International [BPW UK] 2024 – 2026
Vice President – Communications
Joanne Kinsey has just recently completed her term as President of BPW UK at AGM March 2026.
Joanne (Jo) brings to the role, her skills, experience and background in finance, advocacy, lobbying, as a charity trustee and in her previous role as BPW UK Vice President Media and Marketing. Playing to her strengths as a social media specialist, Jo also serves on the BPW Europe Merchandise taskforce.
Jo is working on an initiative with Amelie LeClerc, a past BPW European Co-Ordinator to send a vehicle to BPW Chernihiv, in Ukraine. This has been an opportunity to bring many BPW European Federations and clubs together to raise the money needed to buy the vehicle and fill it with useful items required to be taken to poor and elderly residents, lacking public transportation, and therefore struggling to acquire food and medication.
Jo lives with her husband and two cocker spaniels in the west country in her home city of Bristol after various moves around the UK and participates in local voluntary organisations.
BPW has given Jo a valuable oversight not only in the world of business but also government legislation, and how it evolves with the input of civil society. She believes that the value of the International Federation of BPW cannot be underestimated, not only in the work the members do in local clubs, but on a national, European, and international level.
By working with women all around the world issues can be shared, and solutions found. As a member Jo has been able to visit other countries and make valuable connections with like-minded women from all backgrounds.
Jo is always ready to speak to anyone about BPW and to understand how we can work together. Why not contact her?
Vice President – Communications
Otoha is originally from Tokyo, Japan where she had also been an active member of the local BPW Federation prior to joining BPW UK.
Born and raised in Tokyo with Unilateral Microtia, Otoha and her family faced a great deal of inequality when trying to attend local schools instead of a deaf school – start of Otoha’s curiosity towards equality in society! At the age of 14, Otoha left home to learn English at a boarding school in New Zealand, then moved to Oxford to further her education at Oxford Brookes University (BSc Anthropology).
After her graduation, Otoha furthered her professional experiences both in the UK and Japan, across diverse industries and roles, from customer services/relationships to sales, project management, consultancy to operation specialist/management in her current job.
She started her first volunteering activities in university, when Japan was hit by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. As the President of the Japanese Society at the time, she led a team to conduct a series of successful fundraiser events within the city in a span of 3months (Oxford Mail article).
Otoha first joined the BPW Japan as one of the interns to participate in the Commission on the Status of Women 58 in 2014. Upon attending BPW International’s Jeju Congress in the same year, she was appointed as the Young BPW Asia-Pacific Regional Representative for the operational instinct and leadership skills shown during the congress after being asked to project manage on the spot.
She has been a member of the BPW UK (SEW) since 2021 and officially moved back to the country in 2023.
Roles held within BPW:
- Young BPW Asia-Pacific Regional Representative [BPW International] 2014 – 2017
- National Representative of Young BPW [BPW Japan] 2015 – 2019
- Federation Executive Member as the Chair of Young BPW Committee / Organization Committee / International Committee [BPW Japan] 2015 – 2023
- Young BPW Raffle Project Organizer/Presenter [BPW International] Jeju Congress 2014, Cairo Congress 2017
- Young BPW Asia-Pacific Symposium Organizer [BPW International Asia-Pacific Region] Singapore 2017, Tokyo 2019
- Occasional appearances on the Webinar series organized by Dr Anne Hilty and Dr Yasmin Darwich between 2020-2022
- Conference Taskforce member [BPW UK] since 2022
- Vice President of Membership [BPW UK] 2024 – 2026
- Chair of Visibility Taskforce [BPW International] since 2025
Vice President – Advocacy & Lobbying
Jeanette has been re-elected to this role at AGM March 2026.
Ann Wiseall
Office Manager
Ann joined BPW in 1987 and has held office at local, regional and national level, including BPW UK President. Her current role is as Vice President Membership and Office Manager, a post held for many years.
She spent many years in education starting as a teacher at secondary level (PE and Biology) and then moving into the primary sector, culminating as head of a primary school.
A change of career and direction followed as Ann worked on the Government’s Drug and Alcohol Strategic Policy planning, culminating as a Commissioner for Drug and Alcohol services across Essex.
She has also devoted her time to several local charities where she held the role of Trustee; and a school governor.
Ann enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.
Vice President – International
Jacqui has been elected to this role at AGM March 2026.
Jacqui has been a member of BPW for over 35 years and is a former joint VP for International.
She brings this experience and that of her many other BPW roles to this new position.