It’s not just the day job as Cundall’s managing partner that takes Carole O’Neil across the world. Cundall delivers sustainable engineering and design solutions from those centres of excellence, and is committed to ensuring all its projects are net-zero carbon enabled by 2030, with Carole part of a wide-ranging senior team determined to meet the ambitious target. This year, though, she will also represent England in the Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation Championships, in South Africa. Here, during a break in her preparations, she tells Colin Young how the sport has transformed her life and her career.

David Bruce has had a busy summer. A new head coach, fresh contracts for star players, a stadium makeover, a boardroom restructure and a historic kit launch mean Sunderland AFC’s new chief business officer has had little time to draw breath. Here, the sports business expert, who was primed to help plan the US, Canada and Mexico-based 2026 World Cup before answering Sunderland AFC’s call, tells Colin Young about his journey from Seaburn to the Big Apple and back again, and how he aims to help the club return to the big time.

From a headline collaboration with Fenwick to a new endeavour alongside Close House and further ventures between, Restaurant Hjem is bringing its revered combination of Northumberland produce and Scandinavian cooking to ever-increasing numbers of palettes across the region. Here, Ally Thompson-Nietosvuori, who runs the Wall-based, Michelin-starred restaurant with partner and Swedish chef Alex, tells Kate Hewison about its inception, its meticulously prepared menus and its plans for future growth.