Some awards arrive as a surprise. Others feel like the world finally catching up with what those closest to someone have always known.
When Karen Cairney was named the 2025 Novi Inspiring Mentor of the Year, it was very much the latter.
In a sector long defined by tradition, Karen has spent over three decades quietly and powerfully reshaping what leadership looks like in global fundraising. From launching £100M campaigns to mentoring the next generation of female leaders, her story is not just about success. It’s about impact, access, and legacy.
From First Steps to Global Influence
Karen’s journey didn’t follow the conventional path. She went straight into work from school, spending nearly two decades building real-world experience before pursuing higher education. That decision was sparked by something simple but profound: another woman saw potential in her and said so.
That moment changed everything.
Today, Karen is the Founder and CEO of Cairney & Company, a global fundraising consultancy she launched in 2016 with a clear mission: to disrupt a traditionally male-dominated industry and bring a fresher, more inclusive approach to philanthropy. Her firm now works with some of the world’s most prestigious universities and global nonprofits, helping them unlock transformative funding and build for the long term.
£200 Million Raised and Counting
Over her career, Karen has personally helped raise more than £200 million across higher education, healthcare, arts and culture, and environmental and social causes. Her work has supported institutions driving groundbreaking change, from academic innovation to global health research.
But for Karen, fundraising has never been about the numbers. It’s about enabling possibility.
Building Leaders, Not Just Organisations
What truly sets Karen apart is her commitment to people. As an accredited Executive Coach, she works with C-suite executives, academic leaders, and high-performing teams, helping them see their strengths differently and push beyond the limits they’ve set for themselves.
She has mentored and coached more than 20 women from early career stages into senior leadership, many of whom now lead organisations as directors. Her company reflects that same ethos: 80% of the team are women, and the culture they’ve built together is one where ambition and support aren’t in competition.
Karen’s belief is simple: when women are supported, they don’t just succeed. They lift others with them.
Championing Women in Leadership
Karen’s influence extends well beyond her business. She has contributed to initiatives reshaping gender equity at scale, including leadership programmes that have supported thousands of women across nearly 200 institutions. The outcomes are tangible: greater female participation in engineering education, stronger women-led organisations tackling social justice, and a growing pipeline of leaders who might otherwise never have had the chance.
A Legacy of Giving Back
At the heart of Karen’s work is a deep commitment to community. She serves on the board of a foundation supporting women and girls in Africa living with obstetric fistula, a devastating but entirely preventable condition. Closer to home, she mentors emerging professionals across the fundraising sector, supports grassroots charities in her local community, and encourages her team to give their time and skills to causes that matter.
For Karen, leadership has never been about growth alone. It’s about responsibility.
The Power of Belief
Perhaps the most defining thread running through Karen’s story is this: someone once believed in her and changed the trajectory of her life. Now, she is doing the same for others, creating opportunities, opening doors, and ensuring that more women have access to the education and support they need to lead.
It’s what makes this recognition so fitting. The 2025 Novi Inspiring Mentor of the Year is not someone who set out to win awards. She set out to change lives. And in doing so, she has changed many.
Karen embodies everything the Novi platform stands for: visionary leadership, purpose-driven impact, and an unshakeable commitment to lifting others. She is not just building successful organisations. She is building a future where leadership is more inclusive, more human, and more powerful because of it.
Know a Leader Like Karen?
The impact Karen has had did not happen in isolation. It started with someone recognising her potential early on.
There are more leaders like this. Often doing the work quietly. Often overlooked.
The Novi Awards exist to bring those stories forward.
If you know a woman creating real impact in her field, this is the moment to recognise her.
Submit a nomination: nomination.thenoviawards.com
