While gender equality has progressed since the first International Women’s Day in 1911, the conversation about the advancement of women globally continues to gather momentum.
With women still underrepresented in key leadership roles and face barriers to entrepreneurship, funding, and scaling their businesses, Austrade and the Tech Council of Australia recently hosted a Women in Leadership Networking and Workshop Lunch to mark International Women’s Day.
A group of 41 women and men heard from Dara Williams, Austrade’s Deputy CEO Policy & Programs, and Dr Sandy Chong, a Principal of Verity Consulting and chair of the ASEAN Business Alliance, among other achievements.
The group discussed future trends and opportunities. Some of these included the expectation that women will hold more wealth in the next decade, influencing financial markets; and bringing men into discussions to foster understanding and support.
The event also provided a platform to explore strategies to challenge the status quo and accelerate the success of female leaders and entrepreneurs. This year, the workshop focused on cross-cultural trade, networks and leadership strategies.
As Mining.com.au previously reported, latest data from Chief Executive Women (CEW) highlights a troubling disparity in leadership roles within the Australian mining industry, pointing to a stagnation in gender equality in the top companies on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), with 91% of CEO positions still held by men.
As Ministerial Advisor on Innovation and Digital Economy for Western Australia, Chong has played a pivotal role in positioning the state as a global hub for innovation, investment, and sustainable development.
Williams acknowledges the work the Tech Council has done to embed a new set of industry standards for diversity and inclusion in Australia’s tech sector.
She says Australia’s unique position in the Asia-Pacific offers major opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to expand into international markets. Women-led businesses bring elements that can strengthen trade relationships, scale operations, and connect with new networks, funding sources, and growth opportunities.
She presented the keynote address saying a “culture of inclusivity will support the continued growth of two-way trade and investment between Australia and Southeast Asia”.
“There are vast opportunities for women-led Australian businesses in the Southeast Asia region and Austrade is heavily invested in helping those businesses grow,” Williams says.
Topics of discussion also included addressing policy, representation and systemic change, such as:
- Implementing quotas for greater female representation in startups.
- Expanding targeted funding and grants for women-led businesses.
- Strengthening grants and funding opportunities for women in STEM and tech.
- Encouraging acceptance of failure and risk-taking in entrepreneurship.
Austrade and the Tech Council have signed a memorandum of understanding on their engagement in Southeast Asia. Austrade has also embedded a dedicated export advisor in the Tech Council through Austrade’s TradeStart program.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Austrade
