IB Woman
Issue No. 26 - December/January 2005/06
2005 Serious Women’s Business Conference: Women Impacting Change
by Penelope Herbert
A cross-section of Australia’s most progressive corporations came together for the 2005 Serious Women’s Business Conference developed by Adelaide-based Champion Event Management.
Leading professional women from companies including Coles Myer, Jones Lang LaSalle, IBM, Coca-Cola Amatil, Telstra, CEW (Chief Executive Women) and others making up the 400 delegates sought to challenge business standards, create connections, share experiences and develop potential.
The ‘impacting’ program of 10 sessions examined generational trends, the impact of career and life choices, the balance between corporate and personal values and the inhibitors of change, to touch on just a few.
Guest speakers included Baroness Margaret Prosser (Chair, Women’s National Commission – UK); Dawn Robertson, Managing Director of Myer and Mary Foley, CEO of St Vincent’s Hospital & Mater Health Sydney.
Facilitator Dr Anne Summers AO said in her closing remarks that she learned a lot from the two sessions on Generational change.
“I now feel I know a lot more about the various Generations – Baby Boomers, Xers and Yers – and about the differences between them,” she said.
“It is useful to understand these differences and how they are impacting the job market. I am amazed at the pace of change, where the heads of major organsiations are now adjusting the way they do business in order to lure young people in to their employ.
Dr Summers also said she found it striking that so many top executives were willing to talk openly about the problems facing their companies when it comes to recruiting women. She said CEOs are now conceding that corporate cultures supporting ‘blokeyness’ is a problem that needs to be urgently addressed.
Serious Women’s Business 2006 will be held in Sydney with plans to hold the event in Adelaide in 2008. In-businesswoman will bring you up-dates on this important and ground-br...
