As a part of events happening across campus to celebrate women’s achievements internationally, Equality at BU together with the Chartered Management Institute invited four prominent women from local businesses to take part in a panel discussion about the role of women as leaders in business at Bournemouth University’s Talbot Campus.
Alongside Bournemouth University (BU) academics and organisers Deborah Taylor, Parisa Gilani and Melissa Carr, the four panellists were: General Manager of AFC Bournemouth Liz Finney, Founder and Managing Director of Rock Recruitment, Angela Piromali, Celebrity Chef, Sarah Ali Choudhury, and National Policy Chair for the Federation of Small Business, Helen Walbey.
Organiser Parisa Gilani said: “We’ve been so excited by the four speakers we have lined up. We’ve had about 95 attendees from across BU, alumni and representatives from Merlin, AFC Bournemouth, Chartered Management Institute, Rock Recruitment, and a few other organisations.
The panel took on issues such as gender equality, management, and the perceptions of women in leadership roles. Speaking at the event, panellist Helen Walbey said: “I’m here to talk about the importance of having women fully involved in the business community. I would say, follow your heart and follow your passion, don’t be afraid to ask for help and be ruthless in pursuing your goals.
“For me, International Women’s Day is 365 days a year because I’m out there championing it every day with loads of other fantastic and able women and men, who are also great allies who are out there doing the same thing.”
Co-panellist Sarah Ali Choudhury, celebrity chef Ambassador for the UK Nepal Friendship Society and Child Nepal, said: “Most importantly, women need to believe in themselves. Most of the time, women think they’ve just about managed to get through a backdoor somewhere and they think they’re kind of faking it until they make it, but actually they are already there. Once they believe in themselves and understand that they are there, that’s when things hit off.”
Read more about the work of Equality at BU and upcoming events.
