WIB DG Last session of 2019 with special guest Peter Mansour

Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 26 November 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our November session, we are excited to welcome Peter Mansour CPA for an informal Q & A session, highlighting the different professional journeys available as CPA members.

Peter Mansour CPA is the founder and principal partner at Peter Mansour & Co, a boutique accounting practice in Burwood Sydney. Peter now represents many high-profile brands and individuals in a variety of sectors.

During the past 18 months Peter diversified and founded a start-up Strata Alert, a new technology platform for the strata sector. Having spent so many years running his accounting practice in an office building, and acting as chairman of his building body corporate, Peter felt frustrated at the complete breakdown in communication for strata issues with inefficiencies and duplication of time.

Strata Alert is the easiest way that all owners, occupants and strata manager stay up to date for all their strata issues. Alerts, notifications, groups and online chat features led Strata Alert to be recognized by Westpac as a Business of Tomorrow Top 200 winner.

In September 2019, Strata Alert was also the winner for “Best Emerging Idea” category at the prestigious Committee for Sydney 2019 smart city awards.

Peter as Founder and CEO has applied and received smart city grants on behalf of Strata Alert from the NSW Government and City of Sydney. Peter has worked with City of Sydney to enhance the technology platform to also focus on social connections for people living in vertical buildings.

Peter is now considered as an influencer and proptech expert and his opinion sought after. With the debacle of the Sydney Opal and Mascot Towers, plus the appointment of a new building commissioner in New South Wales to overhaul the building and strata sector, Peter has well positioned Strata Alert with smart city technology solutions. It is expected within 7 years, 85% of Australians will be living in apartments.

Peter attributes most of his success to his training, discipline and experience as a CPA.

As it is our last session for the year, we will be serving canapes and giving away lucky door prizes.

RSVP by email to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 22 November 2019.

An Insider’s Guide to an ERP Transformation Journey

Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 29 October 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our October session we are excited to welcome Belle Rivera, Solution Lead and Project Manager at Annexa to present An Insider’s Guide to an ERP Transformation Journey.

We know we need new technology to keep up with the demands of a modern CFO, but where do we start? Coming from the accounting world herself, Belle Rivera will share with us things she wished she knew when she was still in finance. Belle will guide you on how to cut through the hype and get to what really matters: “Is this the right system for me”.

EDI, WMS, API… Learn what they mean and find out if you need it. Belle will talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly AFTER you decide you need a new system. Stay ahead of the game, build your confidence, and avoid the common pitfalls plaguing today’s implementations.

Belle Rivera is an accomplished accounting and IT professional who has lead numerous successful ERP implementations all around Australia.

Having started her career as an auditor at one of the big four firms, Belle continued in corporate accounting and was on track to becoming a financial controller when she made the leap to consulting. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now Belle is one of the most sought-after solution lead and project managers in the ERP space working with both large high-profile companies and medium-sized start-ups. Guided by her genuine willingness to help and an insatiable appetite for learning, Belle is transforming one company at a time using the most innovative cloud technologies.

RSVP by email to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 25 October 2019.

Memberships for 2019 are now due, please forward your payment as per details below:

$30 for CPAs or $50 for Non-CPA Australia members in 2019 (no pro-rata, non-refundable)

Payment in advance via EFT

Bank: NAB

Account Name: Women in Business Discussion Group

BSB: 082088

Account Number: 186893555

Reference: your full name and CPA membership number.

Please email Felicity for a receipt at cpawibfb@gmail.com

Please update your own CPD Diary if you attend this meeting as CPA Australia no longer do this.  For more details about CPD hours see our blogpost http://cpawomen.blogspot.com/p/cpd.html.

Kind regards,

Ellie Smith

Convenor

Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 24 September 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm

For our September session we are excited to welcome fellow discussion group member and Divisional Councillor, Erica Blythe.

Erica is Director of Finance & Administration at ICC Sydney. She will be giving us her insights on:

·         Leadership

·         team culture

·         achieving results

·         having a life/work balance

A qualified FCPA and GAICD, Erica has consistently delivered strong financial results throughout her career with some of Sydney’s most prominent hotels, including Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and Novotel Darling Harbour.

Passionate about innovation and financial education, Erica is a highly accomplished leader who brings with her more than 15 years of finance and administration experience to her role as Director of Finance & Administration at ICC Sydney. Now almost 3 years of operating the ICC Sydney and achieving the annual KPI’s consistently as well as helping to contribute over $850m in economic benefit to NSW.

Erica joined ICC Sydney following her position as Regional Financial Controller for Accor NSW/ACT where she led the finance function for more than 40 hotels.

Her impressive background and skillset has seen her rise to a celebrated spokesperson within the accounting industry. In 2018 also contributing to a Business Chicks, research piece on Women in Leadership.

Proud mother of two boys who keep her centred and also help her keep it real. Erica champions the Parents & Carers and Generation Success Diversity streams at ICC Sydney.

More recently, Erica was appointed as the Deputy President of the NSW Divisional Council for CPA Australia in January 2019 and is involved in regular speaking engagements, panels and presentations on behalf of CPA. 

RSVP by email to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 21 September 2019.

Workplace bullying - Women in Business Discussion Group

Tuesday 27 August 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our August session we are excited to welcome Elizabeth Devine, Founder of Devine Law at Work, to discuss workplace bullying. 

Elizabeth will explain what is bullying (and what is not) and will outline what happens after a compliant is made.  You will hear from the perspectives of employment law and conflict management.

Elizabeth is the Founder of Devine Law at Work, a law firm and consultancy which specialises in employment law, workplace relations and conflict management.  In this role she provides a range of services to private and public sector employers.

Elizabeth’s qualifications include a Masters of Dispute Resolution, a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts.  She has been practicing law for 28 years and has specialised in all aspects of Australian employment law, workplace relations and conflict management for 23 years. 

In addition to her legal skills and qualifications, Elizabeth is a Conflict Coach, Facilitator, Mediator, Educator, Neutral Evaluator and Workplace Investigator. 

Prior to founding her own firm, Elizabeth worked for the Australian Government Solicitor, in a peak employer body and in private practice. 

Elizabeth is passionate about enhancing the knowledge of others about workplace law and conflict management and regularly presents to a broad range of corporations and business, professional and industry groups. 

RSVP by email to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 23 August 2019.

From Best Kept Secret to Industry Leader: How to Stay Relevant & Be Confident About Your Career… Every Step of the Way.

Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 23 July 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our July session we are delighted to welcome Rick Gilmore, Founder of Good Company Coaching, to present From Best Kept Secret to Industry Leader: How to Stay Relevant & Be Confident About Your Career… Every Step of the Way.

With complexity, disruption, and uncertainty around us, some professionals are thriving, some are confused and frustrated, while others are feeling diminished and devalued.

In the face of all this flux, how do you remain relevant today so you can be confident about your career tomorrow, is the core career question of our time.

What you will learn from this event:

·                  How to earn your seat at the table and be a relevant authority, regardless of your role, organisation, or the sector you operate in.

·                  How to position your progression and promotion prospects without any hype, wince or cringe factor.

·                  How to remove career ‘blind spots’ that are holding you back.

·                  How to be confident about your career, communicate with impact and be yourself at all times.

·                  And much more...

Rick Gilmore is the founder of Good Company Coaching, an Australian based authority on how to remain relevant and amplify influence. A relevance maker©, who for over 25 years has helped numerous executives, professionals and business leaders from across all industries and sectors.

Rick’s clients include Unisys, CSR, ANZ, Orica, Jemena, CSC, Fairfax Media, American Express & Evolution Mining to name a few.

A CPA Congress and CPA Best of Congress Speaker. He is known as a witty, fun, and edgy presenter, who creates an experience and profound changes in the perspectives of audience members.

RSVP by email to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 20 July 2019.

The Thali of Influence - Women in Business Discussion Group

Tuesday 25 June 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our June session we are delighted to welcome back Mark D’Silva, author of ‘Zing! Speak like a Leader’ to present The Thali of Influence.

Each day we are influenced by, or influence, other people.  People may influence you to think, act or behave in a certain way. Have you ever considered what their motivation might be?

Similarly, each day we may be motivated to influence others. How can I get my children to eat their vegetables to be healthier? How can I help my partner make a better financial decision for our future? How can a work colleague help me with month-end to reduce my stress?

In this fun presentation you will gain valuable insights on how to influence others as Mark provides you with influencing concepts as a Thali (which is an Indian word for ‘plate’ serving different types of food).  You will be served strategies on how to best sway others through the notion of reciprocation, use the power of social proof and discover exactly how you can leverage your likeability factor! Bring your appetite with you!

Mark D’Silva is author of ‘Zing! Speak like a Leader’ – a practical and entertaining book dedicated to help people improve their confidence and speaking abilities.
Mark has significant leadership experience including serving on the boards of entrepreneurial organisations. These leadership positions require strong people and influencing skills. Through years of successes and failures, Mark is able to share what influencing techniques work in today’s world.

Mark has won multiple State public speaking titles, contested at the World Championship of Public Speaking in Canada and co-presented at the 2008 Toastmasters International Convention in Phoenix, Arizona.  Mark also appears as a guest speaker, delivering keynote speeches on influencing and confidence building.

Mark’s book ‘Zing! Speak like a Leader’ will be available for sale.

Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 28 May 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our May session, we are excited to welcome Rachel Grimes CFO, Technology, Finance Strategy, Transformation and Programs at Westpac.  Rachel will be providing insights into her role as CFO and also her experience as President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC).

Rachel is an experienced and dynamic financial services professional with over 25 years' experience at Westpac, BT Financial Group and PwC. Rachel is known for her astute accounting knowledge, her dynamic and inclusive leadership style and her ability to achieve outcomes for the organisation, as well as for the team.

Rachel is the immediate past President of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and a passionate ambassador for the accounting profession. She has been involved with Chartered Accountants in Australia (now known as Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) since 1991, and served as the State Chair of NSW in 2004 and as the President in 2011.

Rachel is known as a strong and inclusive leader, and as a key driver of Diversity and Inclusion within the workplace. She has been a finalist in the internal Westpac Women of Influence Awards in the Inclusion & Diversity category each year from 2013 to 2015. She is passionate about developing and mentoring talent, building strong and cohesive teams and empowering the people she meets.

RSVP to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 24 May 2019.

Due to the Easter  and the ANZAC Day holidays, there will be NO CPA Women in Business Discussion Group in April.

Please join us for our next session on 29 May 2019.

Happy Easter!

Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 26 March 2019| 5.30pm – 8pm | CPA Centre Level 3, 111 Harrington St Sydney

For our March session we are delighted to welcome back Dr. Rosina McAlpine, CEO and co-founder of Win Win Parenting to explain how to more confidently manage the work-family interface.

Are you struggling to manage the many challenges of work and family effectively?

It’s not easy to meet all of the demands of work and family. If you're like most people, when things are not going well at home, it affects your concentration at work.

Dr. Rosina McAlpine will help you to reflect on your work-life areas that are going well and ones that may need improving. With her practical activity you'll learn how to evaluate your current circumstances and the steps you’d like to take to improve your work and family wellbeing. We’ll also take a look at that tricky guilt that comes from taking time out for self-care.

In this session you'll explore:

• Where you are right now in terms of achieving the work-family life you'd like to have
• Models for understanding and improving life success and satisfaction
• How you can take small steps towards a happier, healthier more rewarding life.
• Ways to eliminate the guilt that comes with self-care
• The ongoing support to help you achieve your goals from the session

There’ll be a worksheet to take away with additional resources, opportunities to share with your peers and question time as well.  This is a great opportunity to get practical support on managing the work- family interface more effectively so you can succeed at home and at work.

Here's what working parents have to say about Dr Rosina's Win Win Parenting programs:

• "Fantastic! Words can’t express how good Dr Rosina McAlpine is. So true in every situation... Truly remarkable!" (Toyota Financial Services)

• Nice to have a program that is aimed at home life not just work skills to enable a better life balance. (DLA Piper)  

• Fantastic! Life skills not only for raising our children, but skills we can use with dealing with co-workers/stake-holders/clients. (Lendlease)

• Specific examples and a simple process. I can implement the ideas now. (UBS)

• Great program, really beneficial as it enhances and grows work-life balance. I wish all parents had the opportunity to learn this. (Deakin University)

Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 22 March 2019. 

Cybersecurity for the Finance Professional - Women in Business Discussion Group Tuesday 26 February 2019

For our first event of 2019, we are excited to welcome Richard Watson, Lead Partner APAC Cyber Advisory at Ernst & Young to present Cybersecurity for the Finance Professional.

At a time when cyber risk is becoming one of the most talked about topics in boardrooms and executive teams, it is important as a finance professional to be across the latest developments in cybersecurity and have an awareness of what organisations across Australia are doing to address this risk.  Richard will talk us through some of the most pressing cyber threats out there, give an overview of what Australia’s largest organisations are doing to tackle the problem, and highlight some of the pointers for assessing a cyber uplift investment case.

Richard is the lead Partner in EY’s APAC Cyber practice.  He has spent the majority of his 25 year career in the professional services and IT sectors focused on Cyber Risk and Cyber Security.

Richard specialises in helping clients understand and protect themselves from the risk of cyber incidents.  His areas of expertise include cyber risk assessment, technologies for monitoring and protecting against cyber attack, privacy regulations and managing cyber incident response.

Richard has worked in a number of industries, focusing on those that have significant intellectual property to protect, a significant risk of brand damage from a cyber incident or whose core operations see them dependent on the digital ecosystem.

Originally from the UK, Richard is based in Sydney but operates throughout the Asia Pacific region.

RSVP to Reis at cpawibfb@gmail.com or via Facebook by 5pm Friday 22 February 2019.

Memberships for 2019 are now due, please forward your payment as per details below:

$30 for CPAs or $50 for Non-CPA Australia members in 2018 (no pro-rata, non-refundable)

Payment in advance via EFT

Bank: NAB

Account Name: Women in Business Discussion Group

BSB: 082088

Account Number: 186893555

Reference: your full name and CPA membership number.

Please email Felicity for a receipt at cpawibfb@gmail.com

Please update your own CPD Diary if you attend this meeting as CPA Australia no longer do this.

For more details about CPD hours see our blogpost http://cpawomen.blogspot.com/p/cpd.html.

Kind regards,

Ellie Smith

Convenor