We had a Ball..

What a wonderful weekend we had in Vienna celebrating the 10th Anniversary of IWF Austria! From the opening reception addressed by the First Lady of Austria and by Erika Freeman (96 years, one of the original members of IWF NY 50 years ago), private visits to wonderful venues and wonderful entertainment - including the surprise performance from the Vienna Girls Choir…

So much represented by the image above, clockwise Top L-R

All together now; wonderful celebration dinner at Bristol Hotel - a full house and wonderful exchanges; some ladies you may recognise; Vienna Girls Choir perform for IWF members and guests; Geraldine Sharpe-Newton and Erika Freeman one of the original members of IWF New York, now back in Vienna where she was born.

Absolutely Fabulous! Congratulations IWF Austria - and thank you!

Images from the event can be found here: Gallery – IWF (iwf-austria.org)

Ailbhe Fallon

IWF UK Board Member - Europe & International Network

NB: Photo credits go to Elisabeth Lechner, Peter Lechner and IWF Austria.

Following the Spring Reception in 2023 and the panel discussion on 'Do women Chairs make a difference?', members have been sharing board opportunities in the IWF-UK-Connect WhatsApp group. To expand access to these opportunities, we have now created a separate group specifically for this purpose. Members are welcome to post any board opportunities and executive positions they know of, after confirming with their source that they have permission to share them with this group.

Members are reminded to keep all board opportunities shared in the WhatsApp group or via email confidential, not disclosing them to outside organisations, non-members, executive search firms, or any other third parties.

If you are interested in joining this group, please express your interest by clicking on this link.

Best wishes

Marty Rolle
Chair, IWF UK

This year we will have the opportunity to welcome five new members to our Board, as terms come to an end for some of our current board members. These openings will include Chair and Company Secretary, as Suzanne is term limited and is due to step down as Secretary in July and Marty has indicated she will not be standing again for the Chair role.

With the upcoming 2026 Cornerstone Conference amongst other events in the pipeline, this is a great time to join the board of this fantastic forum of amazing women, to share your skills and experience in leading IWF UK.

Descriptions of the roles and responsibilities of the positions can be found in the IWF UK Governance document under Strategy, Governance and Privacy in the Members section of the website.

Marty and Suzanne are happy to have a conversation with you about making a nomination and/or if you are interested in either role.

Alternatively, please do drop a note to chair@iwforumuk.org if you would like to learn more about how you can contribute.

Suzanne Todd
Company Secretary

For 30 years, the IWF Leadership Program's scope, rigor, and results have made it an unparalleled tool for career advancement for individuals and succession planning for organizations, accelerating women's career trajectories into C-level leadership positions

Participation in the program is a game-changer for women on the cusp of reaching the highest levels of leadership. Through a recent survey, alumnae reported that program participation:

• Drives greater impact on their companies, according to 88% of alumnae.
• Generates lasting effects on their professional lives, cited by 93% of survey respondents.
• Propels advancement to the top: 61% of alumnae who had a career change moved into a C-suite position (or equivalent title in their field).
• Results in enduring satisfaction with the program’s worldclass content: An excellent NPS of 77 across the program’s 30 years, and an exceptional NPS of 89 for the 3 most recent cohorts.

The program provides:

• A world-class customized curriculum at INSEAD and Harvard Business School;
• Inspiration and intensive one-on-one mentorship from IWF members specifically matched with Fellows' needs; and
• A supportive peer network that endures for a lifetime.

The program is highly competitive and designed to accelerate the careers of recognized leaders with a track record of significant accomplishments and influence within their company or industry. Potential Fellows are forces for change in their organizations or communities and lead at the highest professional levels. Learn more about the program here, and view the detailed selection criteria here. Successful candidates have the level of accomplishment that can qualify them for IWF membership within three years of their participation in the program.

Please share the online application with women in your network who have exemplary records of achievement, recognition, and commitment. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Lynne Manrique, Vice President of Leadership and Educational Programs, at lmanrique@iwforum.org. Lynne would be happy to speak with you or companies/individuals who are interested in learning more about the program or nominating a candidate who is a rising leader in your community.

Applications are due June 1, 2024.

Click here to view the online application.

ALI invites highly accomplished and motivated senior leaders transitioning from their primary careers to join the Fellowship and tackle some of the biggest challenges facing communities around the world. Future Fellows recognize the value Harvard's academic resources can add in preparation for this next phase focused on driving positive societal change.

The Advanced Leadership Initiative is proud to announce that this year marks the start of an exciting and strategic shift in its fellowship programming. The upcoming cohort arriving in August will be the first to start on an academic year calendar as the program shifts its delivery cycle from its traditional calendar year model. As a result, both ALI and the broader campus community can look forward this coming fall to a larger-than-typical presence of ALI leaders navigating Harvard and sharing their talents, skills, and perspectives.

Distinctive features of the ALI Fellowship include:

Cross-University Engagement: The Fellowship includes a rigorous core academic program led by distinguished faculty from across Harvard University.

Diverse Experiences, Common Purpose: ALI Fellows have 20+ years of demonstrated leadership experience and a shared commitment to make a lasting impact in the world.

Partners Are Welcome: A spouse or life partner can accompany the ALI Fellow as a program participant.

Unique Coalition: The ALI experience continues beyond the fellowship year with annual gatherings to foster lasting relationships and impact.

Since 2016, 50 IWF members have participated in the ALI Fellowship from Forums across the United States and globally.

IWF members interested in pursuing the 2025 ALI Fellowship are encouraged to “Introduce Yourself” by May 31, 2024 in order to receive first consideration in the upcoming selection round. IWF members expressing interest after this date will be considered on a rolling basis where members will be given priority consideration.

Learn more about the Advanced Leadership Initiative and how former ALI fellows are addressing a wide array of social impact challenges in featured impact stories. Feel free to email advancedleadershipselection@harvard.edu for further information. Please indicate that you are an IWF member.

Mentors in these six-month-long programmes are IWF members and the mentees are typically mid-career professional women from diverse ethnic backgrounds who have been encouraged to apply by our members.

Last October saw the start of our second Racial Equity Mentoring scheme, with a cohort of 12 mentees being paired with IWF UK member mentors. This programme was first developed in 2022 through our Racial Equity Special Interest Group, chaired by Christine Brown-Quinn. This year, the SIG is co-chaired by Janet Collyer and Alexandra Thomas.

Prospective mentees are nominated by IWF UK members and are mid-career professionals from a wide variety of industry and sector backgrounds. The mentors and mentees are matched by the RE Mentoring sub-group, based on what mentors can offer and what mentees are looking for in terms of guidance and career path, using a questionnaire they complete. Pairs meet 4 to 6 times, in person and/or online, and the mentoring is encouraged to be reciprocal.

The Racial Equity Special Interest Group have facilitated online feedback sessions separately for mentors and mentees. These were helpful in shaping further activities and involvement for mentees and support for mentors, gaining feedback on how to improve the programme and have also helped to understand the personal impact the programme has had on mentees and mentors.

Mentees tell us that mentoring has particularly helped in linking them with role models, understanding what others’ career pathways have been, how to network, how to shape goals and model CVs. The mentoring has also provoked challenge and triggered fresh thinking on what personal choices are made and why. One mentee spoke of a “wake-up call”, another talked about how she had “almost given up” and that the conversations with her mentor had “energised” her.

There was overwhelming agreement that some of the key barriers to career progression experienced by our mentees are around social mobility and gaining access to networks and people to “make it happen”. As a result, with the support of Marty Rolle, IWF UK Chair, and the IWF board, we have been able to open some places for mentees at key IWF events to leverage the power of the IWF network.

Feedback from our current mentor cohort was similarly about making use of knowledge and expertise within IWF for specific mentee issues. We have encouraged mentors to reach out either via the subcommittee or directly to their peers in IWF to do this.

A special shout out goes to all IWF mentors and sponsors to date as we have seen a total of 22 mentees over the last two years take part. Also thanks to the Racial Equity SIG subcommittee - Nicolina Andall, Monika Biddulph, Alexandra Thomas, and Alison Maitland - for organising this year’s programme, and to Marty Rolle, Christine Brown-Quinn, and all of the board for their support. More to come in further newsletters on the programme’s impact and participants!

If you are interested in being a future mentor, (or nominate a future mentee) please contact Alison Maitland, or for general info on the programme, contact Nicolina Andall. More info on the Racial Equity SIG is also available by reaching out to Alexandra Thomas or Janet Collyer.

All can be contacted via racialequitysig@iwforumuk.org

ALI invites highly accomplished and motivated senior leaders transitioning from their primary careers to join the Fellowship and tackle some of the biggest challenges facing communities around the world. Future Fellows recognize the value Harvard's academic resources can add in preparation for this next phase focused on driving positive societal change.

The Advanced Leadership Initiative is proud to announce that this year marks the start of an exciting and strategic shift in its fellowship programming. The upcoming cohort arriving in August will be the first to start on an academic year calendar as the program shifts its delivery cycle from its traditional calendar year model. As a result, both ALI and the broader campus community can look forward this coming fall to a larger-than-typical presence of ALI leaders navigating Harvard and sharing their talents, skills, and perspectives.

Distinctive features of the ALI Fellowship include:

Cross-University Engagement: The Fellowship includes a rigorous core academic program led by distinguished faculty from across Harvard University.

Diverse Experiences, Common Purpose: ALI Fellows have 20+ years of demonstrated leadership experience and a shared commitment to make a lasting impact in the world.

Partners Are Welcome: A spouse or life partner can accompany the ALI Fellow as a program participant.

Unique Coalition: The ALI experience continues beyond the fellowship year with annual gatherings to foster lasting relationships and impact.

Since 2016, 50 IWF members have participated in the ALI Fellowship from Forums across the United States and globally.

IWF members interested in pursuing the 2025 ALI Fellowship are encouraged to “Introduce Yourself” by February 29, 2024 in order to receive first consideration in the very competitive selection process. IWF members expressing interest after this date will be considered on a rolling basis through the second selection round where members will be given priority consideration.

Learn more about the Advanced Leadership Initiative at its website and how former ALI fellows are addressing a wide array of social impact challenges in featured impact stories. Feel free to email advancedleadershipselection@harvard.edu for further information. Please indicate that you are an IWF member.

APPLY NOW

For 30 years, the IWF Leadership Program's scope, rigor, and results have made it an unparalleled tool for career advancement for individuals and succession planning for organizations, accelerating women's career trajectories into C-level leadership positions

The program provides:

• A world-class customized curriculum at INSEAD and Harvard Business School;
• Inspiration and intensive one-on-one mentorship from IWF members specifically matched with Fellows' needs; and
• A supportive peer network that endures for a lifetime.

The program is highly competitive and designed to accelerate the careers of recognized leaders with a track record of significant accomplishments and influence within their company or industry. Potential Fellows are forces for change in their organizations or communities and lead at the highest professional levels. Learn more about the program here, and view the detailed selection criteria here. Successful candidates have the level of accomplishment that can qualify them for IWF membership within three years of their participation in the program.

Please share the online application with women in your network who have exemplary records of achievement, recognition, and commitment. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Lynne Manrique, Vice President of Leadership and Educational Programs, at lmanrique@iwforum.org.

Applications are due June 1, 2024.

Click here to view the online application.

With almost seventy members from IWF France, Ireland and UK descending on London for Friday and Saturday events, crowned by a wonderful dinner in the City. The dinner also provided the opportunity to meet and entertain special guests including Carolyn Carter-Starr, IWF’s Global President, and members of IWF South Africa’s leadership. A really warm international experience.

I say ‘get back to..’ as, for some of our longer standing members, this has been a key element of IWF UK’s offer for many years with Forum-to-Forum visits to Israel, Sweden, Dublin, Belfast, Lille, and Paris to mention but a few. These events have not only strengthened the ties between our Forum and others but provided unique insights into how others live, lead and work together. This is invaluable in forming life-long relationships. We are already plotting future forum-to-forum visits so watch this space.

Of course, it is not always possible to have the time, resources or space in the diary to get away for days or longer. But you can still access our wonderful Forum network on an as needed on a bespoke basis. Visiting a city elsewhere on business or for pleasure, including places not so far, like Dublin, Belfast or Oxford, Exeter or Canterbury for that matter? Then tap into our membership in that location through our IWF UK heatmap or the membership roster on the IWF Connect web portal. You can search by country, forum and, in many cases, city or you can approach the Forum leadership or administrator directly. The secret of this roster is to have your profile up-to-date, including your contact details. It is amazing how generous our sisters are with their own time, and in welcoming international members to join their local activities.

And of course, IWF UK members reciprocate by entertaining members from overseas when they visit us in the United Kingdom whether for work, leisure or just passing through. And if travel is not possible to you for any reason, then the membership roster allows you to set up your own calls or zoom/FaceTime meetings. We’ll be setting up group sessions too. Would you like to host an event with another forum on-line as part of your SIG - contact Ailbhe Fallon and we’ll work together to make it happen.

Our International network is part of what makes us unique - that and our wonderful members.

Make sure you make time to enjoy it!

Ailbhe Fallon

IWF UK Board Member

The gathering will last two days - Friday 26th and Saturday 27th January 2024 - and will include a variety of exclusive Behind the Scene tours and a festive dinner on the Friday evening at The Mercer.

The ticket price includes the festive dinner and the ability to attend one of the Behind the Scene tours - which include a private tour of Southwark Cathedral; an access all areas tour of Fortnum and Mason and walking tour of The Globe theatre.

Members are also welcome to join the brunch on Saturday at Browns Old Jewry (for an additional cost).

One Behind the Scene tour is included in the price package. We may be able to offer further opportunities once initial bookings are fulfilled. Available places on Behind the Scene events will be allocated to each Forum equally.

Ticket price £175. This is a members-only event.

BOOKINGS CLOSE ON WEDNESDAY 20TH DECEMBER.

For more details on this event and to book your place please click the link below.

Next year IWF Austria celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Below is more information from our sisters in IWF Austria about their anniversary events in March, to which we are all invited.

About the Celebration

IWF Austria was founded in 2014 to give accomplished female leaders, with exceptional careers in Austria, the opportunity to get to know each other and participate in the worldwide network of IWF Global. Currently, the Forum has over 90 members.

Our 10th anniversary in 2024 is planned to be an event for IWF Austria members, as well as members of the IWF Global community. Three years ago, on the initiative of IWF Austria, a working group of European IWF presidents (plus Turkey and Israel) was established to strengthen the IWF network across Europe and thus become a more active part of IWF Global.

Historically, Vienna has always been a city where people from different cultures liked to meet. Its positive and open-minded atmosphere is part of its cultural identity. We want to follow that tradition and offer a program which combines cultural highlights with casual, yet elegant events.

Therefore, we took the opportunity to invite members of the other European forums, as well as the IWF Global Board to celebrate this milestone. We feel honoured that IWF Global President Carolyn Carter and other Global Board Members have agreed to come to Vienna.

This celebratory weekend in Vienna will set this event apart from other international IWF conferences, and strengthen the relationship between the European IWF network and IWF Global.

We are encouraging members partners to join the celebration and have tried to keep the Celebration Fee at an moderate level.

To register to take part please visit www.10years.iwf-austria.org.

Please note that user name and password are the same: March2024International

Over 270 participants from all over Europe have already taken part and were delighted to have the opportunity to get to know IWF members from across Europe, expanding their personal network of like-minded, successful and fascinating women. You might even get to meet your match in person as the IWF forums in Austria, Türkiye and the UK celebrate noteworthy anniversaries.

Your next steps are:

o Send and email to: office@iwf-austria.org

o Subject: IWF Lucky Match Europe

o Text: First name, Last Name, Country Forum

You will then be matched randomly with a registered member from another European Forum and informed about your partner. Then, it is up to you. Contact your partner and plan the connection – a phone call, a virtual meeting with coffee or a virtual lunch together.

Deadline for applications is October 31st 2023. Your match will be revealed at the beginning of November.

Tap into IWF's unique resource as an international network of amazing women! We are the change we want to see - connecting across borders makes us stronger as women and changemakers.

Therefore, please apply again - or try it for the first time - and become part of the European IWF network

This year IWF Türkiye commemorates the centennial of the Turkish Republic and a decade of the IWF Sisterhood in Türkiye.

To celebrate they have extended an invitation to all IWF forums to join them in celebrating their 10th Anniversary

Under the banner of "A Century of New Heights, a Decade of Sisterhood," the forum will convene in the vibrant heart of Istanbul from 29th November to 1st December 2023. The three day program will offer opportunities for networking and new connections await in the heart of Istanbul, as city known for its history, culture, art and nature over the centuries.

To find out more, head to IWF Connect, your member area on the IWF global website, or click Community Event: IWF Turkiye 10th Year Anniversary Celebration (connect-iwforum.org)

IWF Austria is celebrating it's 10th Anniversary! We would be delighted if you join us.

We will start with a festive Welcome Reception on Friday afternoon.

Behind the scenes visits to mayor cultural institutions in Vienna are offered on Saturday morning.

The Gala Dinner and Karoline Edtstadler Federal Minister for Europe will be celebrated on Saturday night.

There will be enough time to enjoy Vienna individually and we are encouraging partners to join.

We are inviting members of all European Forums and the Global Board.

This weekend will focus for the first time on the European IWF Network and that will also strengthen IWF Global and its mission.

Details registration and information coming soon.

More than 700 leaders from 22 countries gathered to reflect on how creativity and culture shape our economy and our world, tackling such topics as artificial intelligence and what it means for the future of humanity; the transformation of transportation and its implications for the climate; and how our environment shapes our brains and bodies even before birth.

This was my first conference as a member of IWF - wow! I was thankful for the care and the thought that went into producing such an impactful experience. I was inspired by the diversity of women from all corners of the world, powerful and influential – yet a smile and a hello from everyone without exception.

Here were my key takeaways:

• AI is here to change the world. Embrace it. However, guard your personal data jealously
• Love based leadership is critical and will be so – more and more leaders are choosing to lead with love
• We all have a responsibility to be more inclusive of others – who have different experiences, abilities, outlooks, etc than we do
• In IWF we have a world full of powerful, influential and diverse women who are on a mission to change the world – knowing this, we can have hope
• Music, poetry and movement can influence, speak truth to power and promote wellbeing

Yetunde Hofmann

IWF Global Leadership Conference video and photo highlights

What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?

What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?

To read the full article click here.

Due to her current public role, members are requested not to disseminate Leila’s thought piece outside of IWF.

What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?

What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?

What have been the biggest challenges and the biggest successes in your life, and what have you learned from them?

What advice do you have for younger women aspiring to leadership roles?

Christine Brown-Quinn, co-Chair of the Racial Equity SIG, wrote to members with a practical and actionable way to show commitment to advancing women’s leadership & championing equality worldwide. Following the success of last year’s pilot Racial Equity Mentoring scheme (thank you!), we’re launching a second round this autumn. Do you know women from under-represented groups who might benefit from being mentored by one of our members?

For the full communication, including selection criteria and sample invitation please click here.