Alyson Donaldson: Unlocking Her Potential

Alyson Donaldson knew from a young age that she wanted to become a Finance Director. Her career since then has taken her through different areas of finance, giving her the opportunity to work alongside people she describes as exceptional and to take on senior leadership roles in very different environments.

Much of Alyson’s career was spent at Diageo, where she worked across FP&A, risk, strategy, commercial and senior leadership roles. The breadth of experience gave her the opportunity to develop as a finance leader while learning from those around her.

“I was there for a long time, but did a lot of different types of roles. I also had the opportunity to work with some really incredible people and really learn what great looks like.”

After nine years, Alyson moved into her first CFO role with a fast-growing, private equity-backed business. Moving from a PLC into an environment where many of the usual foundations were not yet in place brought a steep learning curve. Rather than having established processes and structures around her, Alyson had to build finance governance, controls and reporting from the ground up.

“I didn’t have all the foundations set up that you would expect in a PLC, but took that knowledge of what that great looks like and was able to apply that into that business.”

The experience gave Alyson the opportunity to put her previous learning into practice and build confidence in her ability to lead from the top.

In July 2023, Alyson joined the Donaldson Group as Group CFO. Moving into a large family business brought a different culture and way of working, but also the opportunity to apply the experience she had built throughout her career to a business with strong values and culture.

Growing Into Leadership

Taking on more senior roles has not always been straightforward for Alyson. She identifies her promotion to Finance Director at Diageo as one of the biggest challenges of her career.

“I really struggled initially with how to transition from that kind of more detailed, working with peers into more senior position, and how to make that switch into stepping back, making more strategic decisions.”

For Alyson, having the confidence to make that transition was one of the biggest challenges.

Her move into the private equity-backed business brought a different kind of challenge. Having been used to the established structures of a PLC, she now had to create many of them herself. Both experiences ultimately helped Alyson develop her confidence and showed her that she could take on unfamiliar challenges.

The Space to Think

It was during this period of her career that Alyson joined the Executive Women in Leadership (EWIL) programme.

Looking back, she remembers the opportunity to step away from her role and think differently as one of the most valuable parts of the experience.

“It was my first opportunity to take time out to think strategically.”

The programme also gave Alyson the chance to hear from business leaders about their own experiences and learn from the challenges they had faced throughout their careers.

“It was inspiring to hear the stories of business leaders, listen to their journeys and for them to share their learnings and I soaked it all up.”

Having that time away from the day-to-day demands of work gave Alyson the opportunity to reflect on her own career and consider what she could take from the experiences of others.

The Value of a Safe Space

The relationships Alyson built through EWIL have remained an important part of her experience. She particularly valued having a space where she could speak openly with other women who were experiencing similar moments in their careers.

“I think the most important thing the network offered me was a safe space.”

Being able to share experiences with people who understood the pressures of leadership gave Alyson reassurance that she was not navigating those challenges alone.

“An opportunity to speak freely with women who were all experiencing similar situations and moments in their career journey provided so much encouragement that I wasn’t doing this alone and what I was thinking and feeling was normal.”

For Alyson, that sense of community is an important part of what makes the network different. It provides an opportunity to step outside the pressures of a role, share experiences and learn from others.

Recognising Her Own Strength

Looking back, Alyson believes the programme had a significant impact on her confidence. Rather than giving her something she did not already have, EWIL helped her recognise what was already there.

“The programme was a huge boost to my confidence; I’ve realised my strength was there all along and just need a push to allow me to release my potential.”

That realisation has stayed with Alyson as her career has continued to develop.

As EWIL reaches its tenth anniversary, she hopes the network can continue to provide that same support to other women in business.

“I hope that all women in business get that supportive push that allows them to access their potential.”

Looking Ahead

Alyson’s career has been shaped by a willingness to keep learning and take on challenges that have pushed her beyond what she already knew.

From building broad experience at Diageo to taking on her first CFO role and moving into the Donaldson Group, each stage has brought a different set of experiences and opportunities to grow. Her experience of EWIL gave her the space to step back, learn from others and recognise the confidence she already had.

Looking ahead, Alyson hopes the network can continue to offer that same support to other women in business, creating a safe space where they can share experiences, learn from one another and feel supported.

Executive Women in Leadership Alumni Spotlight Series

This article forms part of our Executive Women in Leadership Alumni Spotlight Series, celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EWLP programme in September 2026, and has been developed collaboratively with the support of Judy Wagner, Director of FWB Ltd and Prof Susan Murphy of The University of Edinburgh Business School, (who co-founded the EWLP), the EWIL Advisory Board, programme contributors, and interview participants.

The EWLP has since evolved into the Executive Leadership Programme (ELP), delivered in partnership with the University of Edinburgh Business School and open to leaders of all genders across the private, public and third sectors.

For more information about joining the 2026 cohort, please contact elp@fwbltd.com.