Women’s Business Forum speakers inspire record audience
SOME of Europe’s leading female executives were among the line-up of speakers at The Women’s Business Forum, which attracted a record audience of 600 business people to Yorkshire.
Yesterday’s event at Rudding Park, Harrogate – Europe’s largest conference on women in the workplace – included presentations from Carrie Hindmarsh, chief executive of global advertising agency M&C Saatchi and Emily Lawson, senior partner with McKinsey & Company.
Delegates heard from Chris Sullivan, chief executive of the corporate banking division of RBS, who said the bank was now focused on the right balance between reward and recognition. “Our credibility comes in what we do. We must reward and motivate people to do good things. Nobody stays at a place that they don’t like for money very long,” he said.
Other speakers included Allan Leighton, chairman of Pace, who led a debate on the ‘tough calls’ that need to be made in today’s economy.
Liz Bingham, managing partner – people, for Ernst & Young in the UK and Ireland, told the audience that the firm’s approach to flexible working now extended to all staff, not just working mothers.
She said that by allowing staff at its London office to work from home during the Olympics had seen a 35% drop in the number of people using its offices but no drop in productivity.
“As we grow we face a £20m cost for new real estate in London but a flexible approach to working may help reduce that,” she added.
Heather Jackson, founder and chief executive of The Women’s Business Forum, said: “Our outstanding line-up of speakers shared effective strategies that foster talent to create better performing businesses – regardless of gender. It is really important for current and aspiring leaders to come together to hear from open, honest and authentic role models.”
The event also featured Sylvia Ann Hewlett, president of the Center for Talent and Innovation, New York; Ben Black, chief executive of My Family Care; Kirsty Bashforth, group head of organisational effectiveness at BP and Bob Charlton, managing director, Asia Pacific, DLA Piper.
The Women’s Business Forum is part of a wider initiative called ‘An Inspirational Journey’, four programmes that support companies and women in building a better pipeline of talent.
The event is sponsored by RBS, Morrison’s, Ernst & Young and associate sponsors BP & United Airlines.
