Kath Easthope is the Co-Founder and CEO of Boardwave, a purpose-led community supporting Europe’s most ambitious technology leaders. In just three years, Boardwave has grown to 2,000+ members across 15 countries, offering a high impact programme of events, peer-to-peer learning, mentoring and support – all backed by leading partners from across the tech ecosystem.

Kath brings extensive experience in leadership, growth, and strategic communications. She led global marketing for a generative AI MarTech business that successfully exited in 2022 and previously ran some of Europe’s leading comms and content agencies, supporting high-growth tech companies across the region and bringing US brands into Europe.

She is passionate about building meaningful connections between leaders, supporting those on the scale-up journey, and ensuring the tech ecosystem reflects the diversity of talent across Europe. Her work at Boardwave is grounded in a broader mission: to accelerate the growth of the European tech industry while raising visibility and funding for Cure Parkinson’s.

H.I.E.C partnered with Boardwave in early 2025 to bring talent and scaling expertise to the European software community, and we’re thrilled to share Kath’s insights as we kick off 2026! This discussion delves into the evolution of her leadership philosophy and the community’s mission to support European tech scale-ups. She shares insights on authentic leadership, the importance of working with talented people who genuinely care, and Boardwave’s strategic priorities for 2026, including expanding across Europe, scaling their platform, and embedding AI throughout their operations. 

Happy New Year! We hope you enjoy reading.

How has your definition of great leadership evolved over your career?

What comes with age is knowing what good leadership looks (and doesn’t look) like, at least in your own eyes. Having seen both the good and the bad in action, this coincides with starting to understand who you are, how you want to present yourself, and what truly matters in your leadership, both at work and at home.

For me, leading a community means your commitment to your audience – both members and partners – is there for everyone to see. You can’t fake it. And that really works for me. It keeps us honest, keeps us on our toes, and means we always have to bring our A-game.

The best leaders I’ve worked with are true to themselves, clear on their values, and generous with their time and insight. And they surround themselves with brilliant people – not just to delegate, but to build something better together. The adage of hiring people who are better than you has always worked for me!

What type of people do you like to work with, and what makes them good leaders?

At this stage of my career, I want to work with smart, talented people who are also great humans. No egos, no elitism. This applies to members too – you can be a unicorn founder or just getting started – the energy and intent matter more than the badge. The joy of Boardwave as a community is the lack of ego but that applies to our team too. Everyone in our team is equal in making the experience work for our members and partners, and everyone brings a unique perspective and set of skills.

I don’t gravitate to people who just go through the motions. I want to work with people who truly care – about the work, about the impact, about the people around them. I’ve learned so much from female board leaders like Elona Mortimer-Zhika, Dawn Marriott and Shruthi Chindalur and founders like Vic Peppiatt – smart, grounded, thoughtful leaders who lift others up. They’ve shaped how I lead Boardwave.

What are your three key priorities in the next 12 months?

We’re focused on three things:

1. Doubling down on Europe in terms of member growth and the support we give scaling founders in markets like France, Germany and the Nordics in particular – both in terms of scale-up support and cross-border collaboration.
2. Scaling our platform and programme – continued investment in our app to drive smarter member connections, and evolving our Breakouts and mentoring initiatives for companies at £10m+ ARR. We are also taking a group of scaling members to Silicon Valley – and it’s going to be epic.
3. Driving real value through AI – both in our own roadmap and continuing to help members adopt and implement AI practically across their businesses.

What excites you most about the future of your industry?

The pace and potential of European tech is extraordinary right now. There are native AI companies getting to £100m ARR in 3-4 years, sometimes less. It’s not hypothetical – it’s happening.

However, I also sense a sea change in the way people think of Europe (and I include the UK in that) as an ecosystem. It excites me to see European companies supporting each other, sharing challenges and connections, and building together. The multiplier effect is real when people lean in. I want to ensure more European businesses buy from each other to keep the revenue in Europe when it’s right to do so – and I think Boardave can be an enabler of that.

There’s also a new leadership energy coming through – more diverse, more open, more collaborative. That gives me huge optimism for the future.

What strategic role do you see AI playing in your business over the next 3–5 years, and how are you preparing your teams for it?

AI will underpin our next phase of growth – not just as a topic for our members, but as a core part of how we work. From improving connection-matching across Europe to using tools that boost productivity internally, we’re embedding AI into the platform and our team culture.

We’ve developed an “AI Matrix” to help members depending on their role and focus. We are actively mapping mentors, investors and practitioners to these topics. It’s about turning noise into usable strategy – and for Boardwave, that means building the best network to support that journey.

What fascinates you about your job?

Everything. The mission, the people, the constant sense that we’re building something that really matters. The willingness of amazing, experienced leaders who have scaled businesses supporting the next generation. I co-founded Boardwave just before my 50th birthday (still in denial!) – proof that it’s never too late to start something with purpose.

We’ve kept the structure lean but smart – working with amazing people day-to-day and with leaders in fractional roles who bring the best thinking in the industry. I love that we can evolve fast, stay close to members and our partners who fund what we do, and build something that genuinely helps people go further, faster. I’m so proud of the leadership team we’ve mobilised in recent months, as this will ensure Boardwave can scale. We’re obviously seeing a new wave of AI-native founders and experts in the community, helping more established leaders rethink how they build, operate and compete in a world being reshaped by AI. And the sheer breadth of the network across Europe – by stage, sector, and funding model – means you’re constantly engaging with, supporting, and learning from every kind of founder and CEO imaginable.

What’s the boldest bet you’ve made in business – and what did you learn?

Joining Phill to co-found and grow Boardwave felt like a big leap. But the momentum we’ve seen continues to amaze us.

I think it shows that when you have ‘product–market fit’ and stay laser-focused on the audience’s needs, bring relentless energy to a clear mission, and consistently follow through on what you say – without ever getting complacent – you’re building on solid ground.

We’re now evolving from the hustle of a start-up to a more structured organisation, with a three-year plan and a V2MOM to keep us focused. The opportunities feel endless when you’re building something with real purpose.

Some things I’ve learned along the way:

– You can absolutely reshape your career in mid-life. Running Boardwave and helping others scale through meaningful connections is the unexpected joy I never knew I needed.

– Self-doubt and overthinking can lead to panic – or fuel a drive to do better. I try to channel the restless energy in a positive direction.

– On hiring: If there’s a single shred of doubt about someone, trust your gut. This has been a learning experience over many years, but it’s even more important in a small business.

– Collaboration is everything. You can’t do it all, and there are always people who’ll bring something you can’t. In our space, there are a handful of brilliant communities all doing great work – and working together, rather than in silos, is incredibly powerful.

How do you integrate diversity and inclusion strategies into your leadership approach, and how does this impact your organisation’s culture and performance?

We take a practical approach when it comes to members: less talk, more action. Whether it’s our new board readiness course for women going plural, or our work to highlight diverse leadership talent through our upcoming lookbook – we’re focused on changing who’s in the room, not just talking about it.

Internally, we hire for talent and values. Culture fit matters as much as skill. And we collaborate constantly – we know we can’t do everything ourselves, so we work with specialists where needed. When everyone contributes their bit, you start to see the momentum build.

Want more candid conversations with industry leaders? Subscribe to get our Heads Up interviews delivered straight to your inbox before they’re published anywhere else.