News

On the 8th of March the world celebrated  International Womens Day, we were excited to celebrate the success of female leaders in our community/

Hear from The Hon. Arias-Vasquez, Minister of Health Care & Business of HM Government of Gibraltar, as she shares her insights on the multifaceted challenges women face in the workforce.

In this video, Minister Arias-Vasquez discusses the value of cooperation between men and women to promote diversity across sectors. She also highlights the importance of recognising the challenges women face in balancing work and family life and the need for practical support systems to help them succeed in leadership roles. Minister Arias Vasquez is the first Gibraltarian woman to address the United Nations in 2024.

Hear from Adesuwa Ladoja, Managing Director and CEO of Lagos Free Zone. as she shares her insights on how women in business can overcome challenges related to access to capital, societal expectations, and navigating legal complexities.

In this video, Adesuwa highlights the importance of building strong networks with other women and maintaining financial literacy as key factors in advancing women in business. She also emphasises the remarkable potential of women to achieve objectives often perceived as “too difficult” and encourages women to actively pursue new opportunities with confidence.

Hear from The Hon. Julianna O’Connor-Connolly, JP, MP, Premier of the Cayman Islands Government , as she shares her insights on promoting a supportive organisational culture for women, drawing from her own experiences within a male-dominated working environment.

Premier O’Connor-Connolly placed particular emphasis on limited access to capital, societal expectations, and gender bias as the main barriers in blocking women’s access to leadership networks. With growing recognition in the value of diverse leadership in recent years, advocating for increased representation of women in senior leadership positions will not only help women thrive but further induce positive sector wide transformations. Premier O’Connor-Connolly became Cayman’s first female Minister in 1997. She is also the longest-serving female member of Parliament and the first woman to become Deputy Premier and Premier of the Cayman Islands.

Hear from Apostle Folorunso Alakija, Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil, as she shares her insights on navigating challenges and addressing unconscious bias for women in business across Commonwealth nations.

In this video, Mrs Alakija highlights the financial, legal, and cultural barriers that hinder the potential of women in business. She further stresses the importance of leveraging technology and networking resources in today’s business environment, as well as the need to address unconscious bias through the education of future generations. Mrs Alakija is a businesswoman, philanthropist, and the first female to be appointed Chancellor of a public university in Africa.