The Institute of Directors Northern Ireland (IoD NI) has announced the line up for the 2025 Women’s Leadership Conference as tickets for the event go on sale.
Author and financier Helena Morrissey is set to deliver the keynote address at the popular conference which returns to Belfast’s Crowne Plaza Hotel on Friday 7 March to coincide with International Women’s Day.
Helena is the founder of the 30 per cent Club, an initiative which aims to improve the gender balance on UK boards and has authored two very successful books ‘A Good Time to be a Girl’ and ‘Style and Substance, a guide for women who want to win at work.’ She is now chair of two companies, Fidelis, a specialist insurance company listed on the NYSE and Altum Group, a fund services company based in Jersey.
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Also on the programme for the 2025 conference is BBC Presenter, disability activist, and author of Blind Not Broken, Lucy Edwards.
Other speaking slots on the day include Naoimh McConville, Managing Director, Rathbane Group, Dorinnia Carville, Comptroller and Auditor General, NI Audit Office, Fiona Tomlin, Chief Marketing Officer, PepsiCo UK & Ireland and Ruth McGuinness, Head of Data & AI, Kainos.
Herbert Smith Freehills will return as headline sponsor of the conference which attracts around 500 delegates each year and is expected to sell out once again in 2025. Tickets are available to purchase from today and all ticketing information is available on the IoD NI’s website.
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IoD NI National Director, Kirsty McManus said: “It is our great pleasure to announce the lineup for the 2025 Women’s Leadership Conference and we are looking forward to bringing these inspirational women to Belfast. This will be the 17th year of the conference, and we are proud that it has now become an unmissable event for so many women and their male advocates in the workplace.
“Things have certainly improved in the decades since we first launched this event and while gender balance in leadership is in sight, more still must be done to achieve greater gender diversity, particularly when it comes to the progression of women from diverse backgrounds.
“Thanks to our longstanding partners at Herbert Smith Freehills for returning as headline sponsor for the 2025 event and indeed all of our associate sponsors who help us improve the conference year on year.”
Lisa McLaughlin, Managing Partner of headline sponsor HSF’s Belfast office, is looking forward to collaborating with the team and putting the spotlight on the importance of women and leadership, once again.
“This will be the 7th year HSF has supported the Women’s Leadership Conference, and we view it as a great opportunity to focus on the importance of effective leadership for successful businesses. We get to learn from, and see examples of, the best practices of other organisations and shine a light on the powerful initiatives we have introduced within our own firm.
“It is positive to be able to bring some of our younger colleagues, the leaders of tomorrow, along and enable them to nurture and develop their own leadership skills as we build for the future.
“We are looking forward to working with the IoD NI team over the coming months to deliver a truly first-class event, and reconnecting with all the wonderful leaders we have met over the years.”
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Also returning in 2025 will be the ‘Pitch Perfect’ competition where female-led startups take to the stage for a live pitching competition with audience members voting on who should take home the £4,000 prize.
Tickets are available to purchase now from the IoD NI website and more information about speakers and running order will be posted on the IoD NI’s social media channels in the lead up to the conference.
As well as Herbert Smith Freehills, associate sponsors of this year’s conference include NIE Networks; KPMG; Danske Bank; Henry Brothers; SONI; Cathedral Eye Clinic and Translink.
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