Women in Leadership – A Bright Future

International Women's Day gave us a great occasion to come together and listen to the stories and advice of some of the most successful and inspiring kiwi women in leadership roles in London. Over 80 women were welcomed at the New Zealand House by Katherine Corich who kicked off the event with some words of wisdom; ‘You can’t have it all, but you can be what you want to be’.

The panel consisted of Dale Murray CBE, Louise Chunn, Paddy Austin, Dame Judith Mayhew Jones DBE, and Carly Arnold who shared their personal experiences, the journey they had taken in their careers and also delved in to the balance of life outside of work.  Linda Rose posed challenging questions around success, perseverance in the face of obstacles, cultural barriers and being female leaders in male dominated environments.

The diversity of roles, industry and experience across the group gave a rich dialogue and the discussion resonated with the audience in many different ways.  There is no one road to success as shown by the varied paths of the panel members but there were a number of key ideas that stood out – having high levels of commitment, ‘thinking big’; networking (often and with integrity), credibility - being prepared and contributing; gaining experience with Exec and Non-Exec directorships; acting with integrity and courage; and looking for and taking advantage of opportunities. 

The hour of panellist discussions ended with a networking opportunity between attendees and allowed for attendees to engage with the panel.  Many stayed on and enjoyed a glass of New Zealand wine, some New Zealand inspired finger food, whilst making new connections and taking in the views of London.

The NZBWN twitter feed was buzzing on the night with direct quotes from the panellists. To view these click here.

Our panellists:

Dale Murray CBE is a successful technology entrepreneur turned award-winning angel investor. She holds many Non-Executive Director roles and is a Government Advisor.
Book recommendation: “Lean in” by Sheryl Sandberg.
Role models: Helena Morrissey, Margaret Thatcher.
Words of wisdom: Play the long game: you don’t need to win every battle, but you do need to keep moving forward.

 

Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas DBE, Chair of The New West End Company and of London & Partners. She originally trained, lectured and practised in law, at first in New Zealand and then in London, rising to become Special Adviser to the Chairman at Clifford Chance (2000-2003).
Book recommendation: “The Road From Coorain” and “A woman’s Education” by Jill Ker Conway, an inspirational Australian who ended up as one of the leading women non executives in the USA. An incredible story.
Role models: My mother and all of her teacher friends and Ethel Benjamin, the first women lawyer who went to OGHS and Otago University
Words of wisdom: Life is not a dress rehearsal so seize every opportunity even if you don’t quite know what to do with it at the time.

 

Louise Chunn was born and brought up in Auckland, New Zealand and came to London in 1982. Louise is an award winning editor who has worked with highly reputable newspapers and magazines and is currently launching welldoing.org, a website devoted to wellbeing, self-development and mental health.
Book recommendation: “How to Stay Sane” by Phillipa Perry
Role models: Marcia Russell (Editor in NZ), David Hepworth (Editor in UK), Justine Roberts at Mumsnet, Guardian journalist Georgina Henry who started Comment is Free.
Words of wisdom: Talk to as many people as you can about your idea.

 

Carly Arnold graduated from the University of Auckland with two degrees in Engineering and Business, Carly has spent the last decade in senior roles in the aviation industry in the UK.
Book recommendation: “Jack” and “Good to Great”
Role models: My parents and grandparents, Professor David Ryan, Stephen Miller, Lloyd Morrison, Ralph Norris and Barbara Cassani.
Words of wisdom: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and learn from your mistakes. Be prepared to back yourself and take some risks. Be honest and take responsibility for your decisions. Take opportunities – go after them or seize them as they come along.

Paddy Austin has a long history of governance and senior management, primarily in the public sector. Paddy is an Executive Director of Francis Group and leads its governance, strategy and stakeholder engagement practice. 
Book recommendation: “A Room of One’s Own” by Virginia Wolf. For her insistence on a women’s right to have space and resources in order to succeed.
Role models: My main one would be my grandmother Maud, who combined courtesy and kindness with an iron will and, by living well and in moderation, lived well for 101 years!
Words of wisdom: Whatever you do, make sure you are true to yourself and able to maintain your integrity