Ep. 132: Craig Watkins, CEO of Verian UK, Learning Through Impact
- S2E132
- 21:50
- February 23rd 2026
In this episode of the Full Circl Podcast, Craig Watkins, CEO of Verian UK, shares a candid and inspiring journey from his working-class roots in Newport to leading roles across the civil service, EY, and now a social research agency. Craig reflects on pivotal career moments—from navigating early leadership at the Met Police to facing imposter syndrome in Whitehall, and later adapting to the private sector. He discusses the transformative power of mentorship, the importance of trusting your own potential, and how embracing neurodiversity and setbacks has shaped his leadership style.
The Full Circl Podcast
The Full Circl Podcast takes a deep dive into the lives and stories of the world's most exciting leaders.
We explore a range of powerful themes throughout our podcast. The journey to where they are now, the struggles they've faced to get there and the valuable life lessons they've learned along the way are some of the main topics we delve into in each episode.
We hope the stories shared here will provide key learning opportunities and value to those listening.
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Meet The Hosts
Charlie started his career at a Pupil Referral Unit, working with young adults from underrepresented groups. Following his work as a founding member of Elevate Education UK, he worked as Head of Partnerships at career coaching organisation, Future Frontiers, where he started exploring the mutual benefits in connecting professionals with young people.