Women's Dais

Here we go...

It's time for the main event, the Debate.

Now those who are new to this event, just to let you know how this thing works: we choose six amazing and successful Queensland women to take part in our debate each year, we throw a topic at them related to women and their continuing career journey, we lock them in a small room without food, water or natural light for several days and then we thrust them onstage and expect them to make us laugh, cry and debate the current socio-economic challenges facing women around the world. Sounds easy right?

Today's debaters are "ordinary" women doing something "extraordinary".  The point is, they have families and jobs and, for a brief moment, will assist us all to reflect upon and appreciate the trials and triumphs of women.

They will be debating the topic "that heels have a rightful place in the boardroom". Should be fiery stuff!

Comments from the floor

Event attendees were invited to send comments from the floor to the blog via SMS. Here's what they had to say...

- Jo's birthday 2day, table 87 [Happy Birthday, Jo!]

- How fabulous is this lunch?! Congratulations and thanks to Carolyn, the AIM team and their brilliant sponsors - Karen

- Gr8 video! Leisa is funny and the timing was superb. Nice work.

- Hooray for int'l women's day. What a lovely occasion to celebrate with gorgeous friends - Jill Every

- Love your blog work! [A fan! Wait, I know that number... this is from my sister...]

International Women's Day official site

Looking for resources and information about International Women's Day? Try the official website at www.internationalwomensday.com.

It lists events happening all around to celebrate the day, as well as a comprehensive timeline on the history of IWD.

Did you know IWD became a global day of recognition in 1918? And that it's now an official holiday in Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam?

What Women Want Raffle

Now comes the time to tell you about the incredible What Women Want Raffle… unfortunately it only available to those people at the event. I know it may seem cruel of me to share this with you if you're not here, but one lucky person here will win today an amazing prize pack…

Each year AIM donates the proceeds of the IWD Debate raffle to charity – some $75,000 over the years. Last year we raised just over $10,000 for charity (the Starlight Foundation) with this incredible raffle, and this year we want to blast that amount to smithereens, because we have not one but six charities to support. Each one of our debaters has nominated a charity close to her heart and we will divide the total between all six.

So...what could one person in the room win today?

1. A personal trainer for a year from SOS Fitness. This includes a private consultation to discuss goals, diet and exercise, 22 training sessions and phone support - valued at $1000.

2. UQ Business School Downtown and UQ Business School Executive Education have offered a Boardroom Luncheon Experience for 10 including beverages, a three course meal and stunning river views valued at $2500!

UQ Downtown is the focal point for delivery of the School's Executive Education programs including the "Women Executive Leaders" course scheduled from 2 - 5 June 2008.

3. Next, we have an amazing designer belt and jewellery pack from Kim Alvena Creations - unique pieces of wearable art. Kim Alvena belts are made with freshwater pearls, antique beads, quartz, turquoise, mookite, crystal, shell, vegetable coral and semi-precious stones in vibrant hues and are composed in an exquisite combination of colour, texture and shape - all hand-sewn onto a canvas of Australian Barramundi skin.

The lucky winner will have their very own, one of a kind belt, necklace, ear-rings and bracelet-set designed just for them. One belt alone is valued at $900 and the package is worth $1559. Seriously luxurious stuff.

4. For all those techno geeks out there...you can download music on your Vodafone mobile broadband package with 12 months access - perfect for the businesswoman on the move. This package is valued at around $800.

5. The incredibly delicious Richard Abraham from Witches Falls Winery has donated a brand spanking new wine fridge filled to the brim with 40 bottles of award winning Witches Falls wines, valued at $2500.

6. The Queensland Theatre Company has contributed a 10 pass play package, valued at $500. This amazing pack is available for use at any of QTC's 2008 main stage productions so you decide what plays you would like to see and who with.

7. The divine Jean Brown has donated a pair of gorgeous heels valued at $1000.

8. The icing on the cake of this magnificent prize pack is a brand spanking new, shiny little PURPLE scooter! One person will ride on home in this custom painted number now made famous by our Debate emcee Leisa Barry-Smith! It's valued at over $3000.

The What Women What prize pack will be drawn at the end of the debate…

In addition to all this, another lucky recipient of the lucky door prize will take home a  brand spanking new Sony Walkman phone from TT Group Communications.

Our wonderful sponsors

AIM would like to thank the continued support of our International Women's Day Debate sponsors, Vedior and KPMG.

Vedior Asia Pacific is a specialist recruitment company with a diversified portfolio of brands targeting a broad range of industry sectors. Our unique structure enables us to provide a comprehensive and customised recruitment solution for clients wishing to form a strong business partnership with a staffing services organisation capable of fulfilling their human capital management needs. With some 20 specialist recruitment and HR consulting brands, Vedior Asia Pacific’s portfolio includes: Select Appointments, Select Teleresources, Select Accountancy, Select Industrial, Tanner Menzies, TPA, Sapphire Technologies and Clinical One to name a few.

Operating across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, our multi-branding strategy is unique to the recruitment industry. Our expert businesses each have their own speciality and brand strategy. We strongly believe this is our winning formula. By tailoring brands to specific markets and specific business sectors, Vedior Asia Pacific is better able to attract the right candidates and deliver focused quality services to employers.

Vedior Asia Pacific has been recognised as a Hewitt’s Best Employer for the past three consecutive years and in 2007 was also ‘Highly Commended’. We believe it is in the best interests of all organisations, whether large or small, to make a long-term commitment to looking after its employees and focus on being recognised as an Employer of Choice. This level of recognition will only help to attract and retain the best talent available in an increasingly competitive employment market.

For more information, visit the Vedior website at www.vedior.com.au.

KPMG is one of the world’s leading professional services firms, specialising in audit, tax and advisory. Our local experience, enhanced by our technical and industry knowledge, means we have a deep understanding of our clients’ businesses. Our clients find our independent, objective and professional advice to be clear, concise and jargon free.

In Australia we operate nationally across 14 offices with over 300 partners and 4,000 people. We’re proud of our firm’s strong and established reputation, a reputation built on a long history of independence, integrity and objectivity.

Visit us today at kpmg.com.au.

Welcome to the Debate

You know, each year we think about how to open this iconic IWD event. And all I can tell you that the unveiling of emcee Leisa-Barry Smith is a sight to behold... Let's just say it involves a fabulous woman in a ball gown driving a scooter around Brisbane, seeing the family off to work and school, checking in with the Lord Mayor, teaching classes, signing autographs and everything else a busy woman does every day.

The entrance of Leisa on the actual scooter in the ballroom was a hoot and had the audience rolling in the aisles (which did make Leisa's scooter-riding all the more impressive).

It's here!

The doors are open and the music is pumping...

Welcome to the 2008 AIM International Women's Debate!

The debate it almost upon us...

Can you feel the excitement in the air? Yes, today's the day. While International Women's Day is officially tomorrow, today the Australian Institute of Management celebrates with its annual IWD Debate...

The stage is set, the debaters are primed and ready to go... And we'll be kicking off proceedings at approximately 12.15pm, so be sure to tune in to Women's Dais then (and keep refreshing that browser!).

Here's a super sneak peak at the Brisbane Exhibition and Convention Centre  ballroom at 10.45am:

(Imagine it filled with 1000 of Brisbane's movers and shakers... that will be the ballroom in just over an hour!)

What's in store on Women's Dais? Well, it may not be the Oscars, but the IWD Debate is certainly a sight to behold and we'll be blogging all the action live. You'll see video snippets from the debate itself and share in some other interesting tidbits of information.

Not long to go now!

The countdown has begun...

AIM International Women's Day Debate

Each year the Australian Institute of Management celebrates International Women's Day in style with its now famous Debate... the hottest ticket in Brisbane.

This year the Debate will be held on Friday 7 March (IWD falls on 8 March), and once again the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre ballroom will be packed full of women and a few brave men to hear a debate on the topic "that heels have a rightful place in the boardroom".

The identity of the debaters is always a closely guarded secret, but they are ordinary women doing extraordinary things... and the IWD Debate is no exception.

To learn more about the Debate, visit the AIM Events website. As of Friday 18 January the event is SOLD OUT, however a waiting list is being taken if you missed out.

The IWD Debate blog

In the tradition of Management Excellence Awards Black Tie Blog, AIM will be blogging live from the event, so bookmark this site and stay tuned for all the action from the Debate (and a few extra goodies to go along with it)!

Until then, check out some of the action from the 2007 International Women's Day Debate.