IWF UK

Leadership Stories: Samantha Tross

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 16:30:00 +0000

What does leadership mean to you, and how has your approach or style changed over time?

Leadership for me encompasses many things. It’s the ability to lead, not by giving orders, but by creating a vision. Effectively communicating and giving meaning to that vision enrolls others to support it. By collaborating, encouraging and empowering those you lead, the vision is turned into a reality.

It requires empathy, the ability to listen and self-reflect, being inclusive and holding oneself accountable. Arrogance has no place there.

I became curious about leadership and became fixated on positive, compassionate leadership as, sadly in most of my career, I was not exposed to such examples. I wanted to do things differently and lead with a ground-up approach by encouraging and empowering those around me. Hence, I’ve done a lot of reading and taken leadership courses, which involved self-awareness work, becoming aware of my blind spots and improving my communication skills.

Overcoming self-doubt and tempering my fear of failure were essential to be able to trust and, therefore, hand over responsibility to others.

What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?

My biggest challenges have been overcoming self-doubt and becoming comfortable with failure. Orthopaedic surgery is a male dominated specialty. At the time I qualified, only 3% of consultants were female. Also, there were no black women and little diversity in the specialty. I experienced exclusion (consciously or subconsciously), sexism, racism, bullying and microaggressions. These experiences eroded my confidence and made me question if I belonged.

I was used to being successful at exams in school, often topping the class and suddenly in surgical training I failed exams on more than one occasion. This further eroded my confidence, particularly when I already felt pressure that as a minority, I could not afford to fail.

Practising self-reflection and self-affirmation have been my saviour, along with great mentors, who shared that they also experienced failure. My relationship with failure has improved but is a process in which I continue to practise as I’m aware of the potential for growth. Fearing failure limits my development and by conquering the fear, my opportunities are limitless.

My biggest successes are becoming a surgeon and the first black woman in the UK to do so. It was my childhood dream, and I made that decision aged 7. This led to other successes. I was particularly touched when an orthopaedic colleague selected me to perform knee replacement surgery on his mother.

I have also been successful in sports, becoming UK national champion in the long jump.

From my successes I’ve learnt gratitude, responsibility, the importance of remaining humble, and the power my achievements have to create connections and opportunities.

What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?

I believe everyone has the potential to be a leader, so you should absolutely go for it. The following will help you with the inevitable hurdles.

• Some skills are there naturally, and others require work but every great leader has had to work in one area or another.

• Self-awareness and reflection are the key and a desire for justice.

• On the journey it is important that you develop listening and communication skills.

• Importantly, take time to celebrate yourself.

• Have a mentor.

• Create balance in your life.

I wanted to do things differently and lead with a ground-up approach by encouraging and empowering those around me.

Samantha Tross

Samantha Tross

From the Desk of the Chair - Scottish Summit

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 14:30:00 +0000

As your Chair I am delighted to report back to members that the IWF Scottish Summit which was held on 26 September in the Johnnie Walker Princes Street venue in Edinburgh and was attended by over 60 senior women leaders in Scotland representing a wide range of companies and organisations.

We were so fortunate to be able to have the event fully hosted by Diageo who were wonderful partners to work with. As many of you will know Diageo are the top of the FTSE100 list of companies for the most women on their Board and Executive Committee and have a dedicated track record of recruiting, developing and promoting women throughout their business. They have one of the few women CEOs in the FTSE 100 Debra Crew at the helm.

We put together a varied and exciting agenda to show case what IWF is all about in the UK and globally which Julie Goldstein IWF Treasurer and Global Board member and I covered including showing the 50th anniversary video from the New York Conference. We then had a session led by Dafydd Pugh Williams, Managing Director at Diageo for its brand homes across Scotland, who gave a very uplifting address including an overview of Diageo’s strategies to ensure they have women in senior roles throughout the company. Attending the conference were three very senior women including Dr Emma Walker, Master Blender, the first woman ever to hold this prestigious and technically challenging position.

Our next session covered the Future of Work, New Roles Emerging, Humanity vs AI and Technology. This session was moderated so ably by Margarete McGrath IWF Board member and huge contributions from Sharmla Chetty CEO of Duke Corporate Education and Professor Ewa Luger, Chair of Human Data Interaction at the University of Edinburgh. The session was a fascinating window on to the new world that is approaching so fast and will touch all of us at work and at home in ways that perhaps we have not yet realised.

Our final panel session was entitled Scotland’s Impact on Global Fashion, and this session was again very well moderated by Susan Young IWF Member with contributions from Jacqueline Farrell of the Kings Foundation; Prue White, Style Editor at the Times and Samanatha McCoach, Creative Director at Le Kilt which was featured in the Sunday Times magazine on 6 October.

This was such a fun entrepreneurial session demonstrating the heritage and skills of Scotland especially amongst younger entrepreneurs.

Jenny Urquhart IWF member closed out the session and we ended the afternoon with another networking session hosted by Diageo.

Since the Summit we have had strong feedback, and we are now taking our discussions to the next stage to seek Board approval to form a Chapter in Scotland in the next 6 months with hopefully around 30 members. I will provide further updates as we progress, but this would; undoubtedly be a big boost to our Forum and hopefully might inspire others to try to set up Chapters in other regions of England – there is plenty of scope to increase our membership!

Anne Minto OBE

Chair, IWF UK

Be part of the Racial Equity Mentoring Programme’s continued success

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 17:35:36 +0000

“I saw a talented, fragile woman leader, changemaker and entrepreneur step into her confident self because someone believed in her power and was open to seeing her true value – awesome!”

These are the words of an IWF UK volunteer mentor about the impact she was able to have with her mentee through our Racial Equity Mentoring Programme.

The programme is designed to be reciprocal so that both mentee and mentor learn from each other and grow as leaders. “I learnt a lot about the myriad of hurdles faced by ethnic groups in the workplace and what kinds of support they need,” explains another mentor. “I also learnt that mentoring is really energy intensive and requires focus of a different kind from my own work. It takes strength and courage in equal measure. It was a different experience from previous mentoring I have done.”

The programme sits squarely in the global IWF mission to advance women’s leadership, as well as IWF UK’s commitment to champion racial equity. Feedback from both mentors and mentees on the past year’s programme – the second time we’ve run it – shows it has been a highly valuable opportunity for both sides. The initiative was highlighted by previous IWF UK Chair Marty Rolle in public forums, including the “Lead with Her” conference hosted by Duke Corporate Education, as an example of how IWF puts words into action.

To keep this successful programme going, we now need more volunteers. Would you be willing to help? Please contact Alison Maitland, Monika Biddulph or Alix Thomas.

Being part of the mentoring programme team – which also includes Cheryl Avery and Lisa McCurdy – is a great way to meet new people and forge strong links within our network. It involves coordinating mentors and inviting mentees, pairing them, running an onboarding event, and checking in on progress. Having run the programme for two years, much of the groundwork on processes and presentation for the kick-off event is laid. Now we want to build on progress, in particular offering some career sessions, e.g. on CV writing and networking. If you're qualified in one of these areas and could offer a session, please get in touch! We also need one or two more members to help with the programme running, and we will be looking for mentors for the next round.

Why get involved?

Here’s what mentors say:

‘The need for the programme is very great. It’s a real opportunity to make a big difference to the racial equity mentees whose need for encouragement, support and advice is much greater than I realised before signing up as a mentor. It was eye opening.’

‘For leaders to succeed we need to be not just mindful but understand barriers and hurdles others face to know how to avoid those in our own organisations.’

‘This was the first time I followed the process of reciprocity of benefits, in the way that was suggested at the outset. I proved to myself that I was good at it and know that I was also helpful to my mentee. This provided much satisfaction and encouraged me to try more assignments of this nature.’

‘I connected my mentee with another mentor in IWF UK who was able to provide her with fantastic advice in an area I knew much less about. Let's leverage that collective knowledge and influence.’

‘Mentoring as part of the RE SIG goes to the heart of what IWF is all about; we help women to achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles along the way.’

Here’s what mentees say:

‘It was incredibly valuable as it gave me access to knowledge I normally would never have access to, particularly on what it actually takes to eventually make it to the C level.’

‘I found the programme great value, with a blend of careers sessions and outstanding mentoring, as well as meeting the other mentees. The mentoring sessions helped me to turn around what had been a challenging year and to wake up to the reality and gift of life and opportunities before me. Thank you for the opportunity.’

‘The professional support and guidance enhance networking systems. Also, friendship is forged meaning class barriers are broken.’

‘I would recommend this programme to every single woman that is silenced and denied her greatness.’

We plan to feature some of the mentees’ stories in upcoming communications.

If you’d like to be part of the mentoring programme team and/or offer a career session, please contact Alison Maitland, Monika Biddulph or Alix Thomas.

Leadership Stories: Jane Williams

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 14:00:00 +0000

What does leadership mean to you, and how has your approach or style changed over time?

Leadership has always fascinated me personally and professionally. Its essence is people. Leaders and their people are entwined in a virtuous circle. Or if there are disconnects it can be very uncomfortable, dysfunctional and so difficult. Political leaders of differing countries, their differing ways of operating and the sheer power of their influence have interested me from an early age and continue to do so.

How to empower and lead effectively is a natural consequence of my interest in people and that is what I still do. It would seem that I have a natural ability to lead too. This fascination and interest in people led me naturally to a career in People Leadership. Fortunately I began my career in one or two top companies which gave many of us the solid foundations to build a leadership career.

What I learned quickly as my seniority increased and from changing companies, is that the style of leadership has to be flexible to suit the company and its environment. The span of control, the agendas, the time horizons and the seniority impacted my style and approach. I have always had the ability to drive the organisation, to set the pace and build effective working relationships, crucial in any role.

It takes more thought, emotional energy and understanding to operate at senior levels. From this experience I have grown more conscious of my values as a leader, their power and impact, and how to bring these to bear effectively. Particularly important and influential values for me are working in a way which unites a group of people through respect, open low key dialogue, equity of reward, whilst embracing inclusivity and enjoying work and life!.

Having worked as an Interim for many years, I have experienced many different leadership styles. For me, the most effective leaders have similar characteristics, including approachability, humility, the ability to be the heart of an organisation which pulsates around them, and create space in which others perform.

What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?

My early life was really fortunate until my father and his brother died in their forties, and my guardian as well, all due to heart attacks. Partially as a result of this, my mother suffered from serious mental health issues. Moving forward from this brutal setback I learned to tough out the bad days, do what you can, play to your strengths, and keep the people close with whom you have an innate understanding. One of my team once gave me feedback that there was no-one more reasonable, committed or knowledgeable, this still stuns me. I know that I always give of my best whether I am paid or a volunteer.

The transition from education to employment can be difficult. In my era university places were scarcer so this was not a choice for me. Whilst in the sixth form I had an inkling that a career in personnel could suit me very well. I had worked during my school holidays in the training department of a large manufacturer. So having office experience I made a decision to try retailing. Completely fortuitously I entered the John Lewis Partnership as an A Level Trainee. After six years I moved organisation, with experience and qualified as a retail and staff manager. My career was launched and my hunch was right. From this I learned to keep moving forward with an open mind. It can pay to take a plunge and try something different.

My interim career came from similar origins, as I had one or two managers who worked as consultants and had full time employment. I sensed I might enjoy this way of life, my father had worked in the identical manner too. After eight years at one company in a difficult environment and after leaving, for reasons of redundancy, I gained a new role. An exciting development, except it was very similar to a role I had ten years before. So I decided to resign, put my CV on the open market and the very next day I had news of an exciting interim assignment which would take my career and experience forward.

On reflection I have learned that adversity and success can link together in a disconcerting, almost frightening manner.

What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?

Jump in and start, it is a fascinating career!
Look round in your life, are you leading now? In which case, who and to where? Know how it is progressing…….
Learn how to manage your boss or manager first, understand them.
Be the manager of your team which you always want.
Be flexible about the route to achieve an objective.
Not achieving what you wanted, take a chance, pivot another way.
Always enjoy the journey, make it fun.
Keep in touch with your soul and instincts.
Take your passion and meaning with you!

What I learned quickly as my seniority increased and from changing companies, is that the style of leadership has to be flexible to suit the company and its environment.

Jane Williams

Leadership Stories: Dana Denis-Smith

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 10:30:00 +0000

What does leadership mean to you, and how has your approach or style changed over time?

My relationship with “leadership” has evolved in the last decade, especially so since I founded Obelisk Support and I have had to consider how my leadership style impacts the team.

As I set off as an entrepreneur and employer and started to reflect more and more on the role of ‘leader’ I became aware I was holding very negative views of leadership as shaped by my growing up in communist Romania under what was widely considered one of the most horrific and repressive regimes in Eastern Europe.

Leadership was often perceived as a method to exploit and dominate and never through consensus-driven methods. Outcomes were terrible under this style of leadership with widespread suffering and huge restrictions around freedom – from movement to thoughts and just being yourself.

Private business was forbidden, and views about it were mixed with anti-capitalist propaganda of exploitation of the ‘working classes’. I hadn’t appreciated how deeply affected I was by these messages and experiences until I found myself a business owner and had to embrace leadership and its “positive” attributes.

I realized leadership can be a force for good, able to shape outcomes and divorced from greed. My business was solving a social issue: many women lawyers were being forced out of work due to a lack of flexible jobs available in the legal sector compatible with their desire to have a more flexible schedule to allow them to work and look after family.

I created a business to create flexible jobs in 2010 and to return talented lawyers after a career break to legal careers they worked hard to build. This was a bold move in times of huge dominance of presenteeism as a culture in the legal sector, but it taught me that leadership – with courage – can create positive outcomes and it is not a zero-sum game, as I had been led to believe as a child.

My leadership approach was to be inclusive and to ensure a win-win-win scenario for all those involved with our work – from clients to lawyer and to my HQ team.

In 2014, I also looked to take my baby leadership steps to the wider legal sector by founding the First 100 Years to celebrate the journey of women in law over the first 100 years. They were admitted to the profession from 1919. This showed me again that one can build a movement through a positive approach to messages and leadership – highlighting milestones, good and bad, and shaping a future that sees talent in all corners.

It’s been helpful, if painful at times, to have pitted 2 extreme versions of leaderships against each other – each a lived experience for me- and to see what works best and makes the most impact.

I can finally say I have made peace with being a leader and I am constantly working on myself – often with coaching help – to be the best version of leadership I can be.

What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?

I guess my first challenge was to learn English in a village with no English teacher as a teenager just out of communism. I had made the decision I wanted to become an international journalist primarily driven, I think, by my experience witnessing the collapse of an old regime. In Romania the violence and the transition that followed was extremely painful for a lot of people who did not have anyone to speak for them.

I wanted to be that voice on the global stage, but I decided I had to speak and write fluent English to do so. I had to petition the school leadership with the new education law in hand to allow me to take English for A levels and to cram 8 years of study in 2!

It was very hard work, with only the help of the BBC world service and second hand materials as my parents were too poor to pay for private tutors. Needless to say, I got my A and the rest is history.

It’s been amazing to look back to see I learnt English just at 16, managed to do my undergrad studies at the LSE in 2 years instead of 3, became a solicitor and now even hold an honorary doctorate in laws from the 4^th oldest English language university in the world, University of Glasgow!

What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?

Don’t overthink leadership and go for it!
Don’t accept the advice from people who tell you that you have to keep going on a leadership progamme to become a leader.
Ask to do the leadership role and show you want it as opposed to being put on the slow lane to ‘prove’ you deserve it.
Women are qualified and have amazing leadership attributes.
Don’t let anyone convince you it’s not the time!
Be bold –leadership needs courage!

One can build a movement through a positive approach to messages and leadership – highlighting milestones, good and bad, and shaping a future that sees talent in all corners.

Dana Denis-Smith

Annual General Meeting 2024 - Results

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 09:00:00 +0000

Marty Rolle conveyed her warmest thanks to those of who were able to attend the AGM on 17 July and to those who completed a proxy form to register their vote in support of the elections and resolutions. The draft minutes of the AGM can be viewed here. We are delighted to confirm all resolutions were passed.

Congratulations to Anne Minto OBE our newly elected Chair, who is a highly respected and accomplished leader with an impressive track record and will bring her extensive skills to continue the development of our forum. Congratulations also to Melanie Hart, as our new Company Secretary; to Margarete McGrath who was re-elected to the Board and to the other newly elected members of the Board: Jenny Burns, Lailany Sierra, and Monika Biddulph, which appointments will all greatly enhance our Board. Thank you also to Christine Brown-Quinn for standing for Chair. We look forward to the continuing enthusiasm and considerable contribution that she will bring to the Board. The composition of the 2024/25 board is confirmed as follows:

Anne Minto OBE, Chair
Melanie Hart, Company Secretary
Rachel Sexton, Treasurer
Ailbhe Fallon, Board Member - International Liaison
Christine Brown-Quinn, Board Member - Chair of Communication and Engagement
Gwen Jones, Board Member - Chair of Membership
Jenny Burns, Board member - Lead, Entrepreneurs SIG
Lailany Sierra, Board member
Lara Leigh-Wood, Board Member - Co Chair of Programme
Margarete McGrath, Board Member
Monika Biddulph, Board Member
Sharmla Chetty, Board Member

Marty extended her thanks to Susan Young and Suzanne Todd, who both served two terms, and to Nicolina Andall on her completed term, all of whom stepped down this year. We are truly grateful for their dedication and contribution to our forum during their terms on the Board. Those stepping down, are confirmed below.

Marty Rolle, outgoing Chair
Susan Young, outgoing Vice Chair
Suzanne Todd, outgoing Company Secretary
Nicolina Andall, outgoing board member

She expressed personal thanks and appreciation to Suzanne Todd, our Company Secretary, for running and hosting an excellent meeting and to our administrator Louise Cowen for all her support of Suzanne in relation to the AGM. Thank you to Withersworldwide for so generously hosting the AGM for IWF UK.

Marty also wished to express her personal thanks and appreciation to all members of the Board who have worked so hard on making the UK forum what it is today.

For those who were unable to attend please click here to view the presentation deck.

A message from our Company Secretary - 2024 AGM Ballot: For Action

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Dear Member

This year, as you will see from the second formal Notice of the Annual General Meeting, we have two candidates for the role of Chair.

I wanted to take the time here to confirm the voting process.

All voting will be conducted electronically, and members may appoint a proxy if they so choose.

Voting remains confidential; only the administrator will be aware of who has voted to prevent any duplication. No one can see another's vote. Candidates will remain uninformed about who has voted and the specific votes that have been cast.

The vote's outcome will be compiled by our administrator, Louise Cowen, subsequently verified by myself in my capacity as Company Secretary, and then subjected to an independent review by Caroline Guy, our independent auditor.

To confirm in the event of an equality of votes the Chair shall have a second and casting vote.

Following is the second official Notice of the Annual General Meeting of the International Women’s Forum UK Limited, company number 08850543 (“IWF UK”) issued in line with Schedule 14 of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 passed into law on 25 June 2020.

You are invited to attend this year’s Annual General Meeting taking place on Wednesday, 17 July 2024 at 6pm, kindly being hosted by Suzanne Todd at Withers.

The formal AGM will commence promptly at 6.30pm and cover the results of the Board elections together with reports on the Financial Accounts for 2023 and a general review of the year. In addition, our Chair, Marty Rolle and Board Members, will provide the Members with a general review of the year.

Important Dates: The following is the second official Notice of the Annual General Meeting of International Women’s Forum UK Limited, company number 08850543 (“IWF UK” or the "Company") and notice is hereby given that the meeting will be held as set out below. International Women’s Forum UK Limited - Annual General Meeting Wednesday, 17 July 2024, 6.00pm for 6.30pm Location: Withers, 20 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AN

The business to be discussed at the AGM is as follows:

1. To elect one of the following individuals to the IWF UK Board of Directors in the capacity of Chair (you can only vote for 1)

Anne Minto OBE

Christine Brown-Quinn

2. To elect the following individual to the IWF UK Board of Directors in the capacity of Company Secretary

Melanie Hart

3. To elect the following individuals to the IWF UK Board of Directors in the capacity of Director (you can vote for up to 4)

Jenny Burns

Lailany Sierra

Margarete McGrath

Monika Biddulph

4. To receive the Accounts and Financial Statements of IWF UK Limited for the period ended 31 December 2023.

5. To approve the appointment of Colin M. Wilson, Chartered Accountant, as reporting accountant/independent assessor of our accounts for the next year.

This meeting will be an ideal opportunity, particularly for new members, to learn more about our forum, the global organisation and our purpose to advance women’s leadership and champion equality worldwide, including how we have evolved as a result of the pandemic.

It would be helpful if you would submit any questions to office@IWForumuk.org in advance of the AGM, by no later than Thursday 11 July at 12pm, and the officers will respond during the meeting.

Proxies – should you be unable to attend in person

As a member of the Company, you are entitled to appoint a proxy to exercise all or any of your rights to attend, speak and vote at the meeting and you should have received a proxy form with this notice of meeting. You can only appoint a proxy using the procedures set out in these notes and the notes to the proxy form. (NB if you intend to attend by Zoom you must also use a proxy).

A proxy does not need to be a member of the Company but must attend the meeting to represent you. Details of how to appoint the Chair of the meeting or another person as your proxy using the proxy form are set out in the notes on the proxy form.

If you do not give your proxy an indication of how to vote on any resolution, your proxy will vote or abstain from voting at her discretion. Your proxy will vote (or abstain from voting) as she thinks fit in relation to any other matter which is put before the meeting.

Attached to this Notice with hyperlinks are the following documents for your consideration including voting and proxy forms:

1. Accounts: Year end accounts to 31 December 2023

2. Nominations: A copy of (i) the nominations for each Director vacancy, including for the Chair and Company Secretary; and (ii) the respective candidates’ statements. Please find links to the statements in regard to the following candidates:

Chair:
- Anne Minto OBE - nominated by Julie Goldstein, Dame Nesyln Watson-Drueé DBE and Susan Young
- Christine Brown-Quinn – nominated by Jenny Burns, Kathryn Pretzel-Shiels and Lailany Sierra
Company Secretary:
- Melanie Hart - nominated by Janet Cooper OBE and Marty Rolle
Other Director vacancies:
- Jenny Burns – nominated by Margarete McGrath and Sylvana Caloni
- Lailany Sierra – nominated by Jeanette Cowley and Leila Pilgrim
- Margarete McGrath – nominated by Miranda Sharp and Sally Bridgeland
- Monika Biddulph - nominated by Gwen Jones and Nicolina Andall

4. Voting Form: If attending in person only - Including all resolutions to be voted on

5. Proxy form: Including all resolutions to be voted on, and an explanation of your rights to vote by proxy

PLEASE BE SURE TO VOTE!

YOUR VOTING FORM OR PROXY FORM MUST BE RETURNED

NO LATER THAN 17:00 BST ON 16 JULY 2024 as set out in the notes in each form

PLEASE REGISTER to attend this year's AGM - Details for the Zoom call will be sent to you after you register.

Respectfully submitted

Suzanne Todd

Company Secretary

International Women's Forum UK Limited

A message from our Company Secretary - NOTIFICATION of 2024 Annual General Meeting and Elections

Thu, 30 May 2024 09:37:00 +0000

The following is the Official Notice of the Annual General Meeting of International Women’s Forum UK Limited, company number 08850543 (IWF UK).

This year we will be holding the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024 at Withers, 20 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AN. Voting will be by proxy. Our Articles of Association require that for the AGM to be quorate, at least 30% of the Members entitled to vote will need to have returned their proxy forms by the deadline (by 17:00 on 16 July 2024). Accordingly, please be sure to vote when the proxy forms are circulated!

The formal notice of business to be transacted and relevant materials, including the accounts for the previous financial year, details of candidates standing for Board positions and proposed resolutions (if any), will be circulated no later than Wednesday 26 June 2024, being not less than14 clear days before the date of the AGM, as required by the IWF UK Articles of Association.

As background, the business of IWF UK is managed by the Board of Directors, which meets approximately six times per year and is comprised of a minimum of 8 and up to a maximum of 12 Directors.

Current Board of Directors

1. Marty Rolle – Chair

2. Susan Young - Vice Chair

4. Rachel Sexton – Treasurer

5. Suzanne Todd – Secretary

6. Ailbhe Fallon

7. Christine Brown-Quinn

8. Gwen Jones

9. Margarete McGrath

10. Nicolina Andall

11. Sharmla Chetty

Vacancies There is a total of 5 board vacancies on the Board of Directors, including the positions of Chair and Company Secretary.

Susan Young and Suzanne Todd have both served the maximum of two consecutive two-year terms. They will be stepping down from the Board, as required under the Articles of Association. Nicolina Andall and Marty Rolle will be retiring from the Board, at the end of their current term.

Eligibility

Directors: All candidates for the Company Secretary and Board of Directors, must have been Members of IWF UK for at least one year prior to the date of the AGM, must support the Objects of the organisation, and must be a Member in good standing at the date of the AGM.

Chair: In addition to the above the eligibility requirements, the role of Chair also requires that the candidate may not act as Chair unless she has previously served or is currently serving:

as a Director of IWF UK;
on the executive committee or board of directors of any predecessor organisation of IWF UK; or
on any committee designated by the Directors in the previous five years pursuant to Article 9 of the Articles of Association.

Position Descriptions: A term of office for Chair, Company Secretary and Director is for two years. Descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of the positions of Chair, Company Secretary and Director are available from the Administrator (office@Iwforumuk.org) and can be found in the IWF UK Governance Document on the IWF UK website in the Members only section.

Nomination Procedure

The Board welcomes nominations for these vacancies. As the procedure is dictated in large part by our Articles, the correct procedure must be followed for any nominations to be considered valid. Members may only support one candidate as Chair, one as Company Secretary and one candidate as any other Director.

Applicable to all Directors (including Company Secretary): Nominations must be received from two Members (not the candidate herself) by midnight on Wednesday 12 June 2024 in writing (email to office@iwforumuk.org marked for the Secretary’s attention is acceptable) to nominate a candidate for any of the positions open this year. Nominations cannot exceed 250 words each.

Applicable to Chair: In addition to the two Members required to nominate a candidate for the Board of Directors, by midnight on Wednesday 12 June 2024, any candidate for the Chair must also have a third Member second in writing the candidacy of the Member as the Chair. The third Member must send their seconding statement in writing by no later than midnight on Wednesday 19 June 2024 (email to office@iwforumuk.org marked for the Secretary’s attention is acceptable) which must not be more than 250 words.

Under the Board’s AGM Guidance, each Member may only nominate one candidate for election as Chair, one for Company Secretary and one candidate for any other Director. If a Member nominates more than one candidate in either category, then only their first nomination in that category will be valid.

Any statement which exceeds the 250 word limit will be returned to the nominator to edit; if a final statement is not returned by the stated deadlines below, the candidate will not be considered to be standing for election.

Candidate Procedure

Statements of Candidates (Company Secretary and Director): No later than midnight on Wednesday 19 June 2024, candidates must provide a written statement (email to office@iwforumuk.org marked for the Secretary’s attention is acceptable) of not more than 250 words each outlining the candidate’s history of involvement with IWF UK (or its predecessor organisations), their commitment to IWF UK and IWF globally, and their intentions if elected. Any statement that exceeds the word limit will be returned to the candidate to edit. If the statement is not returned by the above deadline the candidate will not be considered to be standing for election.

Applicable to Chair: By no later than midnight on Wednesday 19 June 2024, candidates for Chair must provide a written statement (email to office@iwforumuk.org marked for the Secretary’s attention is acceptable) of not more than 400 words each outlining the candidate’s history of involvement with IWF UK (or its predecessor organisations), their commitment to IWF UK and IWF globally, and their intentions if elected. Any statement that exceeds the word limit will be returned to the candidate to edit. If the final statement is not returned by the above deadline, the candidate will not be considered to be standing for election.

Circulation of candidates’ statements and formal Notice of Business at AGM: All candidate’s statements will be circulated no later than Wednesday 26 June 2024, along with the Financial Reports, Resolutions (if any) to be voted upon, and the formal Notice of Business to be transacted at the AGM.

Canvassing and lobbying by candidates: There are no express regulations in the Articles of Association governing the canvassing and lobbying for election by candidates and Members. As in previous years, candidates are free to canvass. However, any canvassing and lobbying for election is expected to be conducted in a dignified and respectful manner.

Election results: Election results will be published in a special edition of the IWF UK newsletter promptly after the conclusion of the AGM.

Other Resolutions Finally, if any Member wishes to submit a resolution to be voted on at the AGM, then please submit it in writing (email to office@iwforumuk.org marked for the Secretary’s attention is acceptable). Pursuant to the IWF UK Governance Document (which can be found on the IWF UK website in the Members only section), any such resolution must be supported in writing (email to office@iwforumuk.org marked for the Secretary’s attention is acceptable) by at least 10% of the Members of IWF UK and received by midnight on Wednesday 12 June 2024. The Administrator can be contacted to find out how many Members are required to support a resolution having regard to the total number of Members in good standing on the date the resolution is proposed.

Respectfully submitted

Suzanne Todd

Company Secretary

International Women's Forum UK Limited

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of IWF Austria!

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:16:00 +0000

We had a Ball..

What a wonderful weekend we had in Vienna celebrating the 10th Anniversary of IWF Austria! From the opening reception addressed by the First Lady of Austria and by Erika Freeman (96 years, one of the original members of IWF NY 50 years ago), private visits to wonderful venues and wonderful entertainment - including the surprise performance from the Vienna Girls Choir…

So much represented by the image above, clockwise Top L-R

All together now; wonderful celebration dinner at Bristol Hotel - a full house and wonderful exchanges; some ladies you may recognise; Vienna Girls Choir perform for IWF members and guests; Geraldine Sharpe-Newton and Erika Freeman one of the original members of IWF New York, now back in Vienna where she was born.

Absolutely Fabulous! Congratulations IWF Austria - and thank you!

Images from the event can be found here: Gallery – IWF (iwf-austria.org)

Ailbhe Fallon

IWF UK Board Member - Europe & International Network

NB: Photo credits go to Elisabeth Lechner, Peter Lechner and IWF Austria.

IWF Austria 10th Anniversary celebrations 2024

Sharing NED and Board Opportunities

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:08:00 +0000

Following the Spring Reception in 2023 and the panel discussion on 'Do women Chairs make a difference?', members have been sharing board opportunities in the IWF-UK-Connect WhatsApp group. To expand access to these opportunities, we have now created a separate group specifically for this purpose. Members are welcome to post any board opportunities and executive positions they know of, after confirming with their source that they have permission to share them with this group.

Members are reminded to keep all board opportunities shared in the WhatsApp group or via email confidential, not disclosing them to outside organisations, non-members, executive search firms, or any other third parties.

If you are interested in joining this group, please express your interest by clicking on this link.

Best wishes

Marty Rolle
Chair, IWF UK

IWF UK Board member opportunities - AGM 2024

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 15:06:04 +0000

This year we will have the opportunity to welcome five new members to our Board, as terms come to an end for some of our current board members. These openings will include Chair and Company Secretary, as Suzanne is term limited and is due to step down as Secretary in July and Marty has indicated she will not be standing again for the Chair role.

With the upcoming 2026 Cornerstone Conference amongst other events in the pipeline, this is a great time to join the board of this fantastic forum of amazing women, to share your skills and experience in leading IWF UK.

Descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of the positions can be found in the IWF UK Governance document under Strategy, Governance and Privacy in the Members section of the website.

Marty and Suzanne are happy to have a conversation with you about making a nomination and/or if you are interested in either role.

Alternatively, please do drop a note to chair@iwforumuk.org if you would like to learn more about how you can contribute.

Suzanne Todd
Company Secretary

IWF Leadership Fellows Program - Applications close 1 June 2024

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 12:00:00 +0000

For 30 years, the IWF Leadership Program's scope, rigor, and results have made it an unparalleled tool for career advancement for individuals and succession planning for organizations, accelerating women's career trajectories into C-level leadership positions

Participation in the program is a game-changer for women on the cusp of reaching the highest levels of leadership. Through a recent survey, alumnae reported that program participation:

Drives greater impact on their companies, according to 88% of alumnae.
Generates lasting effects on their professional lives, cited by 93% of survey respondents.
Propels advancement to the top: 61% of alumnae who had a career change moved into a C-suite position (or equivalent title in their field).
Results in enduring satisfaction with the program’s worldclass content: An excellent NPS of 77 across the program’s 30 years, and an exceptional NPS of 89 for the 3 most recent cohorts.

The program provides:

A world-class customized curriculum at INSEAD and Harvard Business School;
Inspiration and intensive one-on-one mentorship from IWF members specifically matched with Fellows' needs; and
A supportive peer network that endures for a lifetime.

The program is highly competitive and designed to accelerate the careers of recognized leaders with a track record of significant accomplishments and influence within their company or industry. Potential Fellows are forces for change in their organizations or communities and lead at the highest professional levels. Learn more about the program here, and view the detailed selection criteria here. Successful candidates have the level of accomplishment that can qualify them for IWF membership within three years of their participation in the program.

Please share the online application with women in your network who have exemplary records of achievement, recognition, and commitment. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Lynne Manrique, Vice President of Leadership and Educational Programs, at lmanrique@iwforum.org. Lynne would be happy to speak with you or companies/individuals who are interested in learning more about the program or nominating a candidate who is a rising leader in your community.

Applications are due June 1, 2024.

Click here to view the online application.

The IWF 2023-2024 Leadership Fellows Class

Harvard University's ALI Fellowship for 2025 - respond by 31 May 2024

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 11:20:00 +0000

ALI invites highly accomplished and motivated senior leaders transitioning from their primary careers to join the Fellowship and tackle some of the biggest challenges facing communities around the world. Future Fellows recognize the value Harvard's academic resources can add in preparation for this next phase focused on driving positive societal change.

The Advanced Leadership Initiative is proud to announce that this year marks the start of an exciting and strategic shift in its fellowship programming. The upcoming cohort arriving in August will be the first to start on an academic year calendar as the program shifts its delivery cycle from its traditional calendar year model. As a result, both ALI and the broader campus community can look forward this coming fall to a larger-than-typical presence of ALI leaders navigating Harvard and sharing their talents, skills, and perspectives.

Distinctive features of the ALI Fellowship include:

Cross-University Engagement: The Fellowship includes a rigorous core academic program led by distinguished faculty from across Harvard University.

Diverse Experiences, Common Purpose: ALI Fellows have 20+ years of demonstrated leadership experience and a shared commitment to make a lasting impact in the world.

Partners Are Welcome: A spouse or life partner can accompany the ALI Fellow as a program participant.

Unique Coalition: The ALI experience continues beyond the fellowship year with annual gatherings to foster lasting relationships and impact.

Since 2016, 50 IWF members have participated in the ALI Fellowship from Forums across the United States and globally.

IWF members interested in pursuing the 2025 ALI Fellowship are encouraged to “Introduce Yourself” by May 31, 2024 in order to receive first consideration in the upcoming selection round. IWF members expressing interest after this date will be considered on a rolling basis where members will be given priority consideration.

Learn more about the Advanced Leadership Initiative and how former ALI fellows are addressing a wide array of social impact challenges in featured impact stories. Feel free to email advancedleadershipselection@harvard.edu for further information. Please indicate that you are an IWF member.

Harvard ALI

Progress Update - Racial Equity Mentoring programme

Fri, 19 Apr 2024 10:57:00 +0000

Mentors in these six-month-long programmes are IWF members and the mentees are typically mid-career professional women from diverse ethnic backgrounds who have been encouraged to apply by our members.

Last October saw the start of our second Racial Equity Mentoring scheme, with a cohort of 12 mentees being paired with IWF UK member mentors. This programme was first developed in 2022 through our Racial Equity Special Interest Group, chaired by Christine Brown-Quinn. This year, the SIG is co-chaired by Janet Collyer and Alexandra Thomas.

Prospective mentees are nominated by IWF UK members and are mid-career professionals from a wide variety of industry and sector backgrounds. The mentors and mentees are matched by the RE Mentoring sub-group, based on what mentors can offer and what mentees are looking for in terms of guidance and career path, using a questionnaire they complete. Pairs meet 4 to 6 times, in person and/or online, and the mentoring is encouraged to be reciprocal.

The Racial Equity Special Interest Group have facilitated online feedback sessions separately for mentors and mentees. These were helpful in shaping further activities and involvement for mentees and support for mentors, gaining feedback on how to improve the programme and have also helped to understand the personal impact the programme has had on mentees and mentors.

Mentees tell us that mentoring has particularly helped in linking them with role models, understanding what others’ career pathways have been, how to network, how to shape goals and model CVs. The mentoring has also provoked challenge and triggered fresh thinking on what personal choices are made and why. One mentee spoke of a “wake-up call”, another talked about how she had “almost given up” and that the conversations with her mentor had “energised” her.

There was overwhelming agreement that some of the key barriers to career progression experienced by our mentees are around social mobility and gaining access to networks and people to “make it happen”. As a result, with the support of Marty Rolle, IWF UK Chair, and the IWF board, we have been able to open some places for mentees at key IWF events to leverage the power of the IWF network.

Feedback from our current mentor cohort was similarly about making use of knowledge and expertise within IWF for specific mentee issues. We have encouraged mentors to reach out either via the subcommittee or directly to their peers in IWF to do this.

A special shout out goes to all IWF mentors and sponsors to date as we have seen a total of 22 mentees over the last two years take part. Also thanks to the Racial Equity SIG subcommittee - Nicolina Andall, Monika Biddulph, Alexandra Thomas, and Alison Maitland - for organising this year’s programme, and to Marty Rolle, Christine Brown-Quinn, and all of the board for their support. More to come in further newsletters on the programme’s impact and participants!

If you are interested in being a future mentor, (or nominate a future mentee) please contact Alison Maitland, or for general info on the programme, contact Nicolina Andall. More info on the Racial Equity SIG is also available by reaching out to Alexandra Thomas or Janet Collyer.

All can be contacted via racialequitysig@iwforumuk.org

L-R: Alison Maitland, Nicolina Andall, Monika Biddulph, Janet Collyer and Alexandra Thomas

Announcing Harvard University's ALI Fellowship for 2025

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:12:00 +0000

Distinctive features of the ALI Fellowship include:

Cross-University Engagement: The Fellowship includes a rigorous core academic program led by distinguished faculty from across Harvard University.

Diverse Experiences, Common Purpose: ALI Fellows have 20+ years of demonstrated leadership experience and a shared commitment to make a lasting impact in the world.

Partners Are Welcome: A spouse or life partner can accompany the ALI Fellow as a program participant.

Unique Coalition: The ALI experience continues beyond the fellowship year with annual gatherings to foster lasting relationships and impact.

Since 2016, 50 IWF members have participated in the ALI Fellowship from Forums across the United States and globally.

IWF members interested in pursuing the 2025 ALI Fellowship are encouraged to “Introduce Yourself” by February 29, 2024 in order to receive first consideration in the very competitive selection process. IWF members expressing interest after this date will be considered on a rolling basis through the second selection round where members will be given priority consideration.

Learn more about the Advanced Leadership Initiative at its website and how former ALI fellows are addressing a wide array of social impact challenges in featured impact stories. Feel free to email advancedleadershipselection@harvard.edu for further information. Please indicate that you are an IWF member.

APPLY NOW

Harvard ALI

IWF Leadership Fellows Program 2024-2025 Applications Open

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:01:00 +0000

The program provides:

A world-class customized curriculum at INSEAD and Harvard Business School;
Inspiration and intensive one-on-one mentorship from IWF members specifically matched with Fellows' needs; and
A supportive peer network that endures for a lifetime.

Applications are due June 1, 2024.

Click here to view the online application.

The IWF 2023-2024 Leadership Fellows Class

Being part of the International Conversation whether you are ‘there’ or not..

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:50:00 +0000

With almost seventy members from IWF France, Ireland and UK descending on London for Friday and Saturday events, crowned by a wonderful dinner in the City. The dinner also provided the opportunity to meet and entertain special guests including Carolyn Carter-Starr, IWF’s Global President, and members of IWF South Africa’s leadership. A really warm international experience.

I say ‘get back to..’ as, for some of our longer standing members, this has been a key element of IWF UK’s offer for many years with Forum-to-Forum visits to Israel, Sweden, Dublin, Belfast, Lille, and Paris to mention but a few. These events have not only strengthened the ties between our Forum and others but provided unique insights into how others live, lead and work together. This is invaluable in forming life-long relationships. We are already plotting future forum-to-forum visits so watch this space.

Of course, it is not always possible to have the time, resources or space in the diary to get away for days or longer. But you can still access our wonderful Forum network on an as needed on a bespoke basis. Visiting a city elsewhere on business or for pleasure, including places not so far, like Dublin, Belfast or Oxford, Exeter or Canterbury for that matter? Then tap into our membership in that location through our IWF UK heatmap or the membership roster on the IWF Connect web portal. You can search by country, forum and, in many cases, city or you can approach the Forum leadership or administrator directly. The secret of this roster is to have your profile up-to-date, including your contact details. It is amazing how generous our sisters are with their own time, and in welcoming international members to join their local activities.

And of course, IWF UK members reciprocate by entertaining members from overseas when they visit us in the United Kingdom whether for work, leisure or just passing through. And if travel is not possible to you for any reason, then the membership roster allows you to set up your own calls or zoom/FaceTime meetings. We’ll be setting up group sessions too. Would you like to host an event with another forum on-line as part of your SIG - contact Ailbhe Fallon and we’ll work together to make it happen.

Our International network is part of what makes us unique - that and our wonderful members.

Make sure you make time to enjoy it!

Ailbhe Fallon

IWF UK Board Member

Triforum events January 2024

35 years of IWF UK - UK, Ireland and France Tri-Forum Event 26th and 27th January 2024

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:02:00 +0000

The gathering will last two days - Friday 26th and Saturday 27th January 2024 - and will include a variety of exclusive Behind the Scene tours and a festive dinner on the Friday evening at The Mercer.

The ticket price includes the festive dinner and the ability to attend one of the Behind the Scene tours - which include a private tour of Southwark Cathedral; an access all areas tour of Fortnum and Mason and walking tour of The Globe theatre.

Members are also welcome to join the brunch on Saturday at Browns Old Jewry (for an additional cost).

One Behind the Scene tour is included in the price package. We may be able to offer further opportunities once initial bookings are fulfilled. Available places on Behind the Scene events will be allocated to each Forum equally.

Ticket price £175. This is a members-only event.

BOOKINGS CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY 20TH DECEMBER.

For more details on this event and to book your place please click the link below.

BOOKINGS - UK, Ireland and France Tri-Forum Event 26th and 27th January 2024

Registration now open - IWF Austria 10th Anniversary celebrations

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:30:00 +0000

Next year IWF Austria celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Below is more information from our sisters in IWF Austria about their anniversary events in March, to which we are all invited.

About the Celebration

IWF Austria was founded in 2014 to give accomplished female leaders, with exceptional careers in Austria, the opportunity to get to know each other and participate in the worldwide network of IWF Global. Currently, the Forum has over 90 members.

Our 10th anniversary in 2024 is planned to be an event for IWF Austria members, as well as members of the IWF Global community. Three years ago, on the initiative of IWF Austria, a working group of European IWF presidents (plus Turkey and Israel) was established to strengthen the IWF network across Europe and thus become a more active part of IWF Global.

Historically, Vienna has always been a city where people from different cultures liked to meet. Its positive and open-minded atmosphere is part of its cultural identity. We want to follow that tradition and offer a program which combines cultural highlights with casual, yet elegant events.

Therefore, we took the opportunity to invite members of the other European forums, as well as the IWF Global Board to celebrate this milestone. We feel honoured that IWF Global President Carolyn Carter and other Global Board Members have agreed to come to Vienna.

This celebratory weekend in Vienna will set this event apart from other international IWF conferences, and strengthen the relationship between the European IWF network and IWF Global.

We are encouraging members partners to join the celebration and have tried to keep the Celebration Fee at an moderate level.

To register to take part please visit www.10years.iwf-austria.org.

Please note that user name and password are the same: March2024International

IWF Lucky Match Europe - Sixth Round

Sun, 22 Oct 2023 15:40:00 +0000

Over 270 participants from all over Europe have already taken part and were delighted to have the opportunity to get to know IWF members from across Europe, expanding their personal network of like-minded, successful and fascinating women. You might even get to meet your match in person as the IWF forums in Austria, Türkiye and the UK celebrate noteworthy anniversaries.

Your next steps are:

o Send and email to: office@iwf-austria.org

o Subject: IWF Lucky Match Europe

o Text: First name, Last Name, Country Forum

You will then be matched randomly with a registered member from another European Forum and informed about your partner. Then, it is up to you. Contact your partner and plan the connection – a phone call, a virtual meeting with coffee or a virtual lunch together.

Deadline for applications is October 31st 2023. Your match will be revealed at the beginning of November.

Tap into IWF's unique resource as an international network of amazing women! We are the change we want to see - connecting across borders makes us stronger as women and changemakers.

Therefore, please apply again - or try it for the first time - and become part of the European IWF network