---
title: "Moriam Adekunle: Nursing, Leadership and Becoming the Strategy"
description: NHS director of nursing Moriam Adekunle on leading through Covid, making staff feel heard and the RISEUP® framework that grew out of her own life.
author: Dame Neslyn Watson-Druée, DBE (Executive Contributor)
date: 2026-11-02T13:22:30.098Z
updated: 2026-11-02T13:22:30.118Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/moriam-adekunle-nursing-leadership-becoming-the-strategy
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/moriam-adekunle-hero-v1.webp
categories: Female leadership, Health
content_type: Profile
region: United Kingdom
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
schema_type: Article
about:
  - type: Person
    name: Moriam Adekunle
    description: "Moriam Adekunle is a senior NHS nursing leader with almost three decades in nursing and a leadership strategist. She created the RISEUP® Strategic Leadership Framework, is the author of RISE UP: You Are the Strategy and hosts the podcast Becoming The Strategy."
    url: https://www.maysolutionsuk.com
    jobTitle: Director of Nursing for Quality Governance
    sameAs:
      - https://www.linkedin.com/in/moriam-adekunle-83b2b933/
---

Moriam Adekunle had planned to become a doctor, until a change in her family's circumstances led her to nursing instead. Almost three decades later she is Director of Nursing for Quality Governance in the NHS, and she still describes the work she does as nursing.

She trained as a nurse and then as a midwife, and later studied Human Nutrition and Dietetics, before moving to the UK, where her NHS career has taken in quality, patient safety, governance and workforce development. In 2023 she received a Zenith Global Health Special Recognition award for her contributions to healthcare, quality improvement and human resources, and in 2024 she was named Diversity and Inclusion Champion of the Year at the Nursing Times Workforce Awards.

Alongside her NHS work she is a leadership strategist. The RISEUP® Strategic Leadership Framework, which she created, grew out of her own experience of adversity and out of years of mentoring colleagues and speaking about her journey. She has set it out in her book, *RISE UP: You Are the Strategy*, and explores its ideas on her podcast, *Becoming The Strategy*, which she launched this year.

Much of that work is aimed at capable people who are overlooked. She wants them to stop waiting to be chosen and take charge of their own progression, and she asks those in senior roles to use their influence to open the way for others.

![Moriam Adekunle speaking into a microphone at a lectern at an event](https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/moriam-adekunle-lectern-1200.webp)

**What drew you into nursing, and what took you from clinical work into leadership?**

I often tell people that "Nursing called me".

Growing up, my mother would often speak about my natural instinct to care for people. I was always looking after others, sometimes placing their needs ahead of my own. For many years, however, my ambition was to become a medical doctor, and I worked diligently towards that goal.

The sudden loss of my father changed the course of that journey. Financial circumstances meant I had to reconsider my options and explore other pathways. As I researched the courses available to me, I discovered nursing. I realised it would allow me to work closely with people, to care for them and support them through some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. My own experience of loss also gave that purpose a deeper meaning.

When I later relocated to the UK, I continued to invest in my education, clinical development and, increasingly, my leadership development. Over time, those experiences opened a pathway into senior leadership and I have never looked back.

My role has changed, but my connection to care has not. I remain connected to frontline teams, regularly visiting services and continuing to develop my clinical knowledge and understanding.

I am a nurse through and through. Caring for people is not limited to what happens at the bedside. Investing in people, developing others, creating environments where staff can thrive, influencing systems and advocating for better care are also acts of nursing.

So I would not describe my journey as leaving clinical practice for leadership. I would describe it as widening the sphere in which I am able to care, influence and serve.

**In 2019 you were a Florence Nightingale Foundation aspiring director of nursing scholar. What did that year change for you?**

The Florence Nightingale Foundation Aspiring Director of Nursing programme was a significant turning point in my leadership journey. It served as an accelerator for my career progression, broadened my perspective on leadership and provided access to an incredible network of experienced and supportive leaders, many of whom have continued to influence my development.

One achievement I am particularly proud of was leading the development of a skills and simulation centre, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, within a large NHS mental health, learning disability and community services trust. The centre subsequently became an important learning resource during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Another significant highlight was the opportunity to connect with senior leaders in high-risk industries outside the healthcare sector. These relationships brought fresh perspectives and created opportunities to develop a more structured approach to organisational learning and translating lessons into improvements within the NHS.

**When Covid arrived you were leading clinically in your trust's incident command while supporting bereaved colleagues. What did leading through that teach you?**

Leading through the Covid-19 pandemic was undoubtedly one of the most challenging and defining periods of my leadership journey.

I was redeployed into the trust's incident management team as a clinical lead within Silver Command, contributing to critical decisions at a time of considerable uncertainty. Alongside this, I was joint chair of our Ethnic Minority Network, supporting colleagues who were grieving, fearful and deeply concerned about the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on people from ethnic minority backgrounds. I was also grieving the loss of colleagues myself.

That experience taught me that leadership is not simply about making decisions; it is about recognising the human consequences of those decisions.

I learnt the importance of remaining calm and responsive in uncertainty, removing barriers that prevent people from doing what is needed, and creating the conditions for frontline teams to act with confidence. Equally, I learnt that compassion must be accompanied by action.

Perhaps one of my greatest personal lessons was understanding that resilience does not mean being unaffected by events. Acknowledging my own emotions and vulnerabilities strengthened my ability to connect with others, demonstrate compassion and lead with greater emotional intelligence.

**You have written that leadership means people having the assurance of being heard through demonstrable actions. What does that look like day to day?**

For me, it begins with recognising that giving people an opportunity to speak is not necessarily the same as making them feel heard.

I recall an experience earlier in my leadership journey when a senior leader noticed a change in how I was contributing during strategic discussions. Rather than making assumptions, they took the time to have a direct conversation with me, listened to my perspective and sought to understand what had changed. What stayed with me was not simply the conversation itself, but the attentiveness of that leader and their willingness to translate what they heard into meaningful action. That experience reinforced my belief that sometimes the most important leadership conversations begin with noticing what people are not saying.

In my own day-to-day leadership practice, I try to demonstrate this by being accessible, creating space for honest conversations, inviting constructive challenge and ensuring that people understand how their contributions have influenced decisions.

Being heard does not mean always getting the answer you want. It means knowing that your voice matters, your perspective has been considered and the leader is prepared to be accountable for what happens next.

**What is the RISEUP® Framework, and where did it come from?**

The RISEUP® Strategic Leadership Framework was born out of my personal journey, shaped by adversity, resilience, reflection and the lessons I have gathered through life and leadership.

At the age of 15, I experienced the sudden loss of my father, an event that changed the direction of my life and that of my family. My father was a man of vision and direction. He had a clear plan for each of his children, and I looked up to him as my leader. His sudden passing left an enormous void, and for several years, I lived with fear, uncertainty and a sense of lost direction.

For a long time, I operated from a place of survival. It was through deep reflection that I began to recognise something significant: I had developed strategies for navigating adversity, making decisions, creating opportunities and moving forward, even when I did not have a clearly defined roadmap. Six principles began to emerge: Reflect, Invest, Strategise, Engage, Unlock and Perform. These became the foundations of RISEUP®.

Another significant influence was the opportunity to share my leadership journey with others, both within my professional roles and as a guest speaker on the Florence Nightingale Foundation's Windrush Leadership Programme. I was approached by people who told me that my journey had inspired them and asked whether I could document the lessons I had learnt. That encouragement led me to develop an initial framework. Through further reflection, engagement with others and the guidance of my business coach, it evolved into what is now the RISEUP® Strategic Leadership Framework.

Today, RISEUP® is much bigger than my personal story. It is a structured approach to helping individuals develop inner authority, recognise their value, navigate opportunities strategically and translate their capabilities into meaningful influence and impact.

At the heart of RISEUP® is a conviction that has become central to my work: 'our experiences may shape us, but they do not have to limit us'. We can learn from them, reposition ourselves and become intentional architects of our future. That is what I mean when I say, "You Are The Strategy."

**Your podcast is called *****Becoming The Strategy*****. What do you mean by becoming the strategy rather than waiting for opportunity?**

For me, waiting for opportunity raises one critical concern: we may unknowingly hand over decisions that shape our lives and future to someone else.

I am also conscious that progression is not always determined by individual effort or capability. While we continue to advocate for fairer and more inclusive systems, I believe we must also strengthen our own capacity to navigate opportunities and challenges with intention. This is what I mean by Becoming The Strategy. It is about moving beyond simply waiting to be recognised or chosen, to understanding our value, being intentional about our development, positioning ourselves strategically and taking ownership of the decisions within our control.

Through my podcast, I explore these challenges, including the cost of waiting to be chosen and what I describe as the conundrum of invisibility and perceived invincibility, where significant strategic contributions go unrecognised by key decision-makers, while consistent competence and resilience create the assumption that we can manage everything without support.

Becoming the strategy is not about believing we can do everything alone, nor is it about pretending barriers do not exist. It is about recognising the power of our choices, knowing when to seek support and developing the courage to take intentional steps towards the future we desire.

![Moriam Adekunle standing beside her roll-up banner at an event](https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/moriam-adekunle-banner-1200.webp)

**Who are the framework and the podcast for, and what changes do you see in the people who use them?**

The RISEUP® Strategic Leadership Framework is designed for individuals who want to become more intentional about their personal and professional development. This includes emerging and established leaders, professionals aspiring to progress in their careers, entrepreneurs and individuals navigating change. I am particularly passionate about supporting capable individuals who work incredibly hard but may struggle with confidence, visibility, access to opportunities or translating their potential into meaningful progression.

My podcast has a broader audience. It is for anyone interested in personal growth, leadership and learning from the experiences of others.

Whilst the formal RISEUP® Framework is still in its infancy, many of its underlying principles have shaped my approach to leadership, mentoring and coaching over the years. I have had the privilege of supporting many colleagues through their development journeys, with evidence of impact seen in career progression, increased confidence and personal growth.

What has mattered most to me is not necessarily the promotions people have secured, but the personal transformation that often precedes those achievements. I have received feedback from colleagues who, through mentoring and support, have regained confidence, rediscovered their professional voice and found the courage to pursue opportunities they had previously ruled out.

**What would you say to a nurse or healthcare professional who wants to lead but does not see people like them at the top?**

My first message would be that the absence of people who look like you in senior leadership should never be interpreted as an absence of your own potential.

I recognise that structural barriers and inequalities remain a reality for many professionals. However, I would encourage aspiring leaders not to allow the limitations they see around them to become limitations they place upon themselves.

Be intentional about your development. Invest in your competence and confidence, build meaningful professional relationships, seek mentors who can guide you and sponsors who can advocate for you.

I would also challenge those of us who occupy senior leadership positions, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to reflect on how we use the influence and authority entrusted to us. One of the principles I embed in the leadership programmes I develop is "Lift as you climb". For me, this means recognising that our success should not be measured solely by how far we progress individually, but also by the opportunities we create, the barriers we help remove and the people we enable to progress along the way.

Above all, remain hopeful, but be strategic. You may not yet see someone who looks like you at the top, but that does not mean you do not belong there.

![Moriam Adekunle standing with her arms folded in a navy suit and red top](https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/moriam-adekunle-portrait-1200.webp)

**What is next for you, and where can people find your work?**

My priority remains my continued contribution to the NHS, strengthening professional practice, supporting workforce development and influencing the quality and future direction of care.

Outside my NHS responsibilities, I contribute to May Solutions UK Limited, a family-run business focused on leadership development, education, mentoring and personal growth.

Writing also remains an important part of my personal journey, and I hope to publish my second book in the coming year.

People can connect with me on LinkedIn, explore the programmes and resources available through May Solutions UK Limited at www.maysolutionsuk.com and the RiseToSuccessConnect community on LinkedIn, or listen to my podcast, *Becoming The Strategy*, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

**About Moriam Adekunle**
Director of Nursing for Quality Governance

Moriam Adekunle is a senior NHS nursing leader with almost three decades in nursing and a leadership strategist. She created the RISEUP® Strategic Leadership Framework, is the author of RISE UP: You Are the Strategy and hosts the podcast Becoming The Strategy.

[Website](https://www.maysolutionsuk.com)