Closing the Year with Creative Insight and Connection

The emPOWER Breakfast closed its 2025 series with a thoughtful and quietly powerful session led by award-winning director Karen Cunningham. Hosted at Framestore and Company 3, the morning carried a real sense of warmth and celebration, marking a meaningful end to the year.

Karen, whose career spans acting, agency life, producing and ultimately directing, spoke with striking honesty about the experiences that shaped her path. She reflected on the early days of spotting talent and nurturing emerging directors, recalling the vibrant creative culture of the time and the instinctive decision making that defined much of her journey. Stories from record companies, shared flats filled with A&R energy, the hustle of early production days, and the bold choice to co-found a company while six months pregnant all offered a vivid picture of a career built on courage, timing and an unwavering belief in people.

Her conversation with emPOWER founder Athene Parker opened up themes of resilience, curiosity and creative instinct. Karen discussed choosing to structure her working life around her family, refusing to miss the milestones that mattered most, even while sustaining a highly successful career. Her reflections on directing, longevity and the emotional intelligence at the heart of her craft reminded the room that the most powerful work often comes from lived experience and a deep understanding of human stories.

The atmosphere echoed the richness of her journey. Attendees connected over shared histories of production companies that shaped the industry, the art of collaboration, and the shift in how creative partnerships have evolved over the years. The room held a collective sense of recognition, community and respect for the trailblazing determination behind Karen’s achievements, from her award-winning directorial debut to the campaigns that shifted culture and redefined brands.

You can explore moments from the morning in the event gallery here.