As Women Ahead celebrates its 25th anniversary, we’re proud to unveil a new brand identity that celebrates where we’ve come from while looking confidently towards what comes next.

Women Ahead began in Dundee in 2001, created to bring together and support women in business and the professions. Twenty-five years later, our community has evolved considerably, but the belief at its heart remains the same: women achieve more when they have the opportunity to connect, share and support one another.

Reaching our 25th anniversary gave us an opportunity not only to celebrate that history, but to think about how Women Ahead should represent itself for the years ahead.

The result is a new identity that is unmistakably Women Ahead but refreshed for our next chapter.

Evolving, not starting again

Our new identity doesn’t leave the past behind. The original Women Ahead logo, created in 2001, featured a distinctive vertical line separating Women and Ahead. That idea has been retained and reimagined in our new marque, creating a visual link between the Women Ahead of 2001 and the organisation we are today.

Even the proportions of the new logo have a connection to our home city. Its dimensions take inspiration from RRS Discovery, the Dundee-built ship launched in 1901 and now one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks. It’s a small detail, but an important one: our ambitions may be growing, but Dundee remains part of our identity.

 A palette inspired by Dundee

Our new colours also tell a story. The deep navy reflects the Tay and Dundee’s maritime heritage, while the new magenta brings energy and creativity to the identity. Warm gold looks to the future, with a sense of optimism, confidence and possibility.

Together, they give Women Ahead a bolder and more contemporary look while retaining the warmth and personality of our community.

Proud of our roots, ambitious for our future

Where our logo once said Dundee & Angus, it now says Enterprise Est. 2001. Dundee will always be our home. It’s where Women Ahead was founded, where our story began and where we have spent 25 years building a community of women supporting women. But our geography no longer defines the limits of our ambition.

Women Ahead is growing across Scotland, with a vision to develop into a centre of excellence for women in business and leadership, built around development, meaningful connection and the success of our members. Our new identity gives us room to make that journey while remaining proud of where it all started.

Bringing the new identity to life

The new identity was created in partnership with Frank Duncan, founder of Blackline Studios, who has more than two decades of experience in design, spanning brand identity, exhibitions, and print and digital communications.

Frank founded Blackline Studios in 2014 with a focus on providing a direct, hands-on and collaborative approach to design. His philosophy is refreshingly straightforward: good design isn’t about complicated jargon, but about understanding an organisation’s story and finding the right way to communicate it.

That approach made Blackline a natural fit for Women Ahead. Working closely together, the challenge was not to create something entirely new, but to evolve an identity with 25 years of history behind it — retaining the elements that connect us to our past while creating a brand ready for our future.

The next chapter of Women Ahead

Our new identity gives our community a brand that better reflects the Women Ahead of today and the organisation we want to become. Twenty-five years is a milestone worth celebrating and also a chance to look forward. We remain a supportive, ambitious and welcoming community for women in business and the professions. As a social enterprise, what we generate is reinvested back into women to support their growth, confidence and success.

Our roots are in Dundee. Our community is growing. And after 25 years, there is still plenty ahead.