Region’s top women challenged to inspire the next generation
The North East’s most influential women paid a visit to Northumbria University at the beginning of this month to give their support to a new initiative, which plans to raise the aspirations of young women from the North East region’s schools. |
The all day event was held in the Newcastle Business School’s state-of-the-art facilities at Northumbria’s prestigious new City Campus East.
Over 500 female students aged 16-18 from the region’s schools attended to listen to words of wisdom from high profile speakers from business, the arts and public life. The ladies in question included Margaret Fay OBE, Chair of One NorthEast; Lorna Moran MBE, CEO of NRG (Northern Recruitment Group); Erica Whyman, Chief Executive, Northern Stage; Sarah Green, Director, CBI (Confederate of British Industry) North East; Jane Atkinson, Vice President Utilities Operations, Sembcorp Utilities UK; Nickie Gott, MD, She’s Gott it!, North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2007; and Kim Inglis, TV presenter.
In addition, Professor Sharon Mavin, Associate Dean for Research and Consultancy presented on the topic, ‘The Devil Doesn’t Always Wear Prada! Tales from the Boardroom’ and introduced some of the paradoxical fables and labels which surround women in business, highlighting dilemmas and tensions, particularly for women in senior management.
Sharon has an award-winning international research reputation in women in management. She was joined by Helene Speight, businesswoman and one of the 2008 finalists of the hit television show The Apprentice who talked about her own experiences of the programme and her career.
All students took part in interactive workshop sessions run by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and members of the CBI’s Future Leaders’ programme designed to develop their leadership and enterprise skills.
Date posted: May 22, 2009
