For International Women’s Day 2017, Forward Ladies is asking you to #BeBoldForChange and help forge a better working world – a more inclusive, gender equal world. A worldwide event when women across the world come together to force the world to recognise inequalities across all cultures, Forward Ladies celebrates with the region by reflecting on the extraordinary accomplishments and achievements of women who have overcome barriers and helped shape the country’s history.

Although it has been observed since the early 1900s, many companies are still struggling to create gender balanced businesses and fail to recognise the talent in the market by attracting, retaining and rewarding the contribution that women are making in business. Drawing from 18 years of experience Forward Ladies is championing gender diversity in the workplace and are committed to investing in women by inspiring, encouraging and helping women build strong internal and external networks.

Forward Ladies is inviting two game changers to share their achievements, challenges and give you the expert insight to how they overcame them:

Host: Jacqui Harper, MBE – @JacquiAHarper

Jacqui teaches leadership communication at INSEAD Business School. She is the founder of Crystal Business Coaching and has 20 years’ experience training executives around the world. Previously Jacqui was a news anchor at BBC Television, Sky and GMTV. She also hosted her own TV chat show.

Speakers:

Kavita Oberoi, OBE – @Kavita_Oberoi

Kavita Oberoi OBE is one of the UK’s most highly regarded and successful female entrepreneurs and social philanthropists. After spending eight years working in the Pharmaceutical industry and missing out on promotion Kavita decided to go it alone. In 2001 she established her first business Oberoi Consulting after spotting a gap in the market for clinical audit services, clients include the NHS and Pharmaceutical Industry. Ten years later Kavita established Oberoi Business Hub, based in Derby’s Pride Park, which is a shared business hub designed to assist and encourage business start-ups and growing businesses. Kavita has appeared in many TV programmes, including The Secret Millionaire and The Apprentice You’re Fired.

Her portfolio of philanthropic work is also consistently growing; 2010 saw her appointment by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts as Chair of the Global Girls’ Fund Board where she leads the fundraising of £10 million pounds. She’s also patron to a number of organisations.

Sherry Coutu, CBE – @scoutu

Sherry Coutu CBE is a former CEO and angel investor who serves on the boards of companies, charities and universities. She chairs Founders4Schools and is a non-executive member of Cambridge University (Finance Board), Cambridge Assessment, Cambridge University Press and a NED of Zoopla and the London Stock Exchange Group. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Linkedin.com.

Philanthropically, she supports the Prince’s Trust, the Crick Institute and serves on the Harvard Business School European Advisory Council. Sherry has an MBA from Harvard, an MSc from the London School of Economics, and a BA from the University of British Columbia, Canada.

She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to entrepreneurship in the New Year’s Honours List 2013.

Date: 3rd March 2017

Venue: Hilton Leeds City in Neville Street, Leeds

Time: 12pm to 3.30pm.

Tickets can be obtained here.

Media partner: Yorkshire Post