The Her Turn programme’s first cohort brings together four outstanding experts whose experience spans sport, leadership, communication and organisational development. What connects them is a shared commitment to supporting women on their leadership journeys and helping shape a more inclusive, impactful and forward-looking sports sector.
The experts contributing to the programme are Richard B. Stephenson, Mihail Dudaš, Kira Hagström and Annika Arras. Each of them brings a distinct perspective and practical expertise that will help participants reflect on their role as leaders, better understand systemic barriers, and strengthen the skills needed to lead with confidence and purpose.
Richard B. Stephenson: leadership, strategic communication and gender equity
Richard B. Stephenson is a Founding Partner of TrueNorth Consulting in Oslo and an expert in sales, leadership and strategic communication. With more than 20 years of international experience across five continents, he has worked with some of the world’s largest organisations, including Microsoft, Accenture, McKinsey and UNICEF.
Over the past decade, Richard has worked at the intersection of leadership and gender equity. He has helped identify organisational and behavioural barriers that slow women’s advancement, designed female leadership programmes, coached leaders to confront personal bias, and supported organisations in building clearer and fairer pathways to leadership.
His work has extended to some of sport’s most influential institutions, including the IOC, EOC, OCA, national Olympic committees, UEFA and international federations. In Her Turn, Richard will support participants in exploring what inspiring and effective leadership looks like, recognising the barriers they face, and building the confidence to claim the space they deserve.
Richard holds a deep conviction that gender equity is not only a matter of justice, but a strategic imperative for organisations and a measure of the health of society.
Mihail Dudaš: from Olympic sport to strategic leadership
Mihail Dudaš is the Chief Operating Officer at Max Holding, where he specialises in organisational structuring, strategic operations and business development. Born in Novi Sad, he represented Serbia as a professional decathlete — one of the most demanding disciplines in track and field — competing at two Olympic Games, London 2012 and Rio 2016, and setting Serbian national records.
His sporting career includes a number of major international achievements, including bronze medals at the 2008 World Junior Championships, the U23 European Championships in 2009 and 2011, the 2013 European Indoor Championships, and the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam.
Following his transition from elite sport to business, Mihail has combined his Olympian background with an MSc in Management from UCL. He has built and led ventures including Ten Events and NSR RC, and today manages complex expansion initiatives at Max Holding, most notably the development of new Longevity centres in Serbia and across the region.
Mihail’s leadership philosophy is rooted in translating athletic discipline, resilience and focus into effective business execution. He is committed to creating environments where talent can thrive without unnecessary systemic barriers. As a member of the Out of the Box International Pool of Experts, he brings a cross-sector and globally informed perspective to Her Turn, helping participants map their organisational landscapes, sharpen decision-making, and lead with clarity and precision.
Kira Hagström: confident communication and authentic visibility
Kira Hagström is a Senior Advisor in Miltton specialising in social media strategy, communications and marketing. She has more than 15 years of experience helping leaders and experts build strong and authentic personal brands.
Her work focuses on effective communication and public speaking, supporting people in finding their strengths, voice and way of expressing ideas with clarity and confidence. Kira has trained thousands of professionals, from CEOs and communication experts to artists and politicians, and has supported emerging personal brands and thought leaders in growing their visibility and impact.
She has also appeared in the media as a commentator on communication and sport-related topics. In Her Turn, Kira will help participants strengthen their ability to communicate with confidence, purpose and authenticity, both in public and within their organisations.
Annika Arras: strategic communication and empowering women in leadership
Annika Arras is an expert in strategic communication, public affairs and leadership training. She is a speaker and moderator, as well as the CEO of Miltton New Nordics and a Partner at Miltton Group.
In 2016, Annika also founded The Alliance of Her, an empowerment programme for women in politics. The initiative is a European leadership and support programme that helps women in politics build sustainable and successful careers through training, mentoring and a cross-European network.
In Her Turn, Annika serves as both a trainer and mentor, bringing with her extensive experience in leadership, strategic communication and supporting women in decision-making roles.
Together, the Her Turn experts offer participants a rich combination of insight and practical support — from leadership and strategic thinking to communication, self-expression and navigating systemic change. Their experience across international organisations, sport, business and public life creates a strong foundation for the programme.
Her Turn aims to support women in sports leadership and contribute to a more diverse, inclusive and impactful future for sport. With the support of these experts, the programme offers both inspiration and practical tools that participants can carry into their own leadership journeys.