Article: “I’m here to demonstrate that disabled people can be in leadership positions” Written by Walé Azeez Friday 17 July 2026 Share Share to LinkedIn Share to Facebook Share via email She was told she wouldn’t see her 14th birthday, but since then, Dr Alice Maynard CBE CMgr CCMI – our Chartered Companion of the Month – has forged an accomplished career as a chair, non-executive director, coach and adviser Despite being told by a doctor that she would “be dead by 13”, Dr Alice Maynard CBE CMgr CCMI continues to personify the grit, determination and achievement of her early years more than five decades later. Alice has spinal muscular atrophy and is a wheelchair user, an experience that informs and drives her work in helping other disabled people. Speaking to her, it also sounded like the source of her single-mindedness. The doctor’s prediction of her impending death at such a young age – revised more than a few times as she kept beating the odds – has been the impetus for her many later accomplishments. These include roles as a non-executive director, chair, executive coach and consultant, alongside achieving a DBA in transport economics, an MBA and being awarded a CBE. What is a Chartered Companion? A select group of the best leaders around the world, CMI Chartered Companions help shape our activities by providing thought leadership and directly supporting policy, research and product development. Find out more Alice has been a Chartered Companion since 2022 in recognition of her role as a member of CMI’s 75th anniversary project advisory board. Alice gives her CMI Chartered status a ringing endorsement, believing that it has “opened doors” for her. “It does make a difference to what I do for work, because it tells people when I apply for non-exec roles that I’m a serious player. It’s a stamp of approval,” she says. “CMI’s events are very informative and they do build my knowledge and understanding of the world of management as it is changing.” A lifetime of advocacy Alice began her career in IT, spending ten years in the industry before hitting a “ceiling”. “Although my track record was excellent, I don’t think they thought that I could go any further,” she says of a career that began with mainframe computers and straddled the advent of the PC. So, in 1991, she went on to gain an MBA at Ashridge, affiliated with City St George’s University, London. “My MBA was in the very early days. There weren’t very many women with MBAs then, and I don’t think there were very many disabled people with MBAs either – possibly no other wheelchair users with MBAs in the country.” But Alice says that attaining the MBA actually made it more difficult for her to progress. Keep reading – more from Alice Login or register below for Free Instant Access Login If you are already registered as a CMI Friend, Subscriber or Member, just login to view this article. Confirm your registration Login below to confirm your details and access this article. Log in Register for Free Access Not yet a Member, Subscriber or Friend? Register as a CMI Friend for free, and get access to this and many other exclusive resources, as well as weekly updates straight to your inbox. Article Our extensive range of articles are designed to keep you in the loop with all the latest management and leadership best practice, research and news. Members See More CMI Members have access to thousands of online learning and CPD resources. Learn more about our membership benefits Join The Community CMI offers a variety of flexible membership solutions, tailored to your needs. Find out more and get involved in the CMI community today.
