Rightmove recently hosted a vibrant gathering of senior engineering leaders from across the tech industry, bringing together voices from companies like Ripple, MoneyBox, and Kroo Bank. The evening was packed with compelling talks, real-world leadership stories, and practical strategies focused on building more inclusive, empowered, and strategically minded teams. From navigating high-stakes delivery to driving inclusion and carving out your own path to leadership, each speaker offered fresh perspectives and actionable takeaways.
Talk 1: How to Make Your Team More Neurodiverse Inclusive
Márcia French, Engineering Manager at Ripple
Márcia delivered an incredibly personal and practical talk, grounded in her experiences both as an engineering leader and as a parent of two neurodivergent children. She highlighted the immense value neurodivergent individuals bring to teams – creativity, attention to detail, perseverance – and how simple changes in our workplace environment and communication styles can make a huge difference.
From fostering psychological safety to adapting physical spaces and encouraging open, jargon-free communication, Márcia’s message was clear:
inclusive leadership isn’t just ethical – it’s essential for unlocking the full potential of our teams
I had the privilege of joining 50 senior engineering leaders for an evening of connection, inspiration and shared leadership insights. A standout moment for me was the talk on managing neurodiverse individuals – a powerful reminder that inclusive leadership isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s how we unlock the full potential of our teams. At Rightmove, we’re on a journey to not only hire great talent, but to do so in a way that embraces every person as a human being. This session gave me some brilliant, practical tips for leading with empathy and creating environments where everyone can thrive.
(Marcie Foxcroft, Group Head of Talent Acquisition and Employee Engagement, Rightmove)
Talk 2: Delivering a High-Stakes Migration to a Fixed Timeline with Shape-up
Jon Leigh, Director of Engineering at MoneyBox
Jon shared an insightful case study on leading a major migration initiative using Shape Up methodology. His reflections on leadership and delivery under pressure were packed with lessons on autonomy, trust, and team health.
Key Takeaways:
- From Leader-Follower to Leader-Leader: Empower everyone to lead. Autonomy builds trust and high performance—micromanagement doesn’t.
- Balance Challenge with Recovery: Jon emphasized that overwork leads to burnout, not breakthroughs. Focused effort during the workday, followed by rest, leads to sustainable, long-term performance.
- Structured Cadence with Shape Up: 8-week cycles (6 weeks build, 2 weeks cool-down) create space for stability, bug fixing, and strategic reflection.
This talk was a reminder that great leadership isn’t just about delivering results—it’s about how you bring people along for the journey and create systems that enable sustainable, high-quality work.
It was interesting hearing from leaders who’ve walked such different pathways and how they lead high-performing teams through constantly-evolving and demanding times where change is inevitable and you need to move with it. It was a great evening that sparked conversation and made me really think about what makes a good leader!
(Beth Mayes, Talent Acquisition Partner, Rightmove)
Talk 3: Creating Your Own Leadership Opportunities: Building and Demonstrating Strategic Impact
Jack Wall, Head of Engineering at Kroo Bank
Jack closed the evening with a powerful framework for identifying and seizing leadership opportunities—especially when they aren’t handed to you. His message? Find the gaps, claim them, and deliver impact.
Too often, high-performing managers plateau because they wait to be invited to the next level. Jack outlined a three-step playbook to break through:
- Map & Quantify High-Value Gaps – Look for recurring pain points and connect them to business outcomes (cost, risk, growth).
- Launch a Targeted Initiative – Start small, form a cross-functional team, and test your approach.
- Amplify & Share – Frame the outcomes clearly, share progress widely, and build a network of influence across your organisation.
Leadership isn’t a title—it’s a behaviour. It’s about seeing what needs doing, stepping up, and driving change with influence, not authority.
Great evening meeting fellow senior leaders in London. Really interesting talks on neurodiverse inclusion and supporting people to grow in their careers.
(Bennie Johnston, Director of Engineering, Rightmove)
A Huge Thank You
We couldn’t have pulled off such a successful evening without the incredible support from our team.
Massive kudos to Marcie Foxcroft , Bennie Johnston, Francesco Fiori, Liam Abkal-Thomas, Beth Mayes & Tom Middleton from Rightmove plus Sam Findlay and Billy Jenkins from Oliver Bernard for making it all happen; from hosting and welcoming our guests to handling the (less glamorous but equally essential) clean-up afterwards. You were brilliant!
What’s Next?
At Rightmove, we’re on a journey to not just build great products, but to cultivate a culture of inclusive, forward-thinking leadership. Events like this remind us of the power of shared knowledge and community – and we’re just getting started.
Keep an eye on our Tech Blog for more insights, recaps, and future events.
