EU Executive Women Debate

Helene Martin Gee represented Pink Shoe at the European Parliament in Brussels to debate female leadership. Where are the Executive Women? was supported by PwC and hosted by Angelika Mlinar MEP.

Speakers included Aurelia Takacs, Global Delivery Partner Manager, Cisco Systems; Gilly Lord, Head of Regulatory Affairs, PwC; Grace Stevens, Global Head of Tax at Legal and General; Jason-Louise Graham, EU Panel Watch & Policy Officer, ACP YPN; Joanna Maycock, Secretary General of EWL; Karine Becker, Managing Partner, Hire & Higher; and Sirpa Pietikainen MEP.


This outstanding panel outlined differing attitudes and actions from across Europe with some innovative ideas being implemented. Key elements included: Parity on pay and Pay transparency, which it was agreed would drive change across all sectors.

There was some discussion on whether quotas are needed, with experiences and viewpoints shared on both the pros and cons of this. It was also highlighted that to achieve greater parity for women leaders we need more men to join the debate!

Tina Tchen at Chatham House

Jill Pay represented Pink Shoe at Chatham House for a fascinating roundtable conversation with Tina Tchen, the former White House director who was instrumental in the Let Girls Learn initiative. 

Spearheaded by the then First Lady Michelle Obama, Let Girls Learn sought to deliver education for girls and thus reduce global poverty and promote global stability.


Ms Tchen shared insights into the wide-reaching work of the Obama administration to help develop women’s economic empowerment. 


She then explored her views and experience on how the corporate sector can work with Government to facilitate cultural change.

To find out more see: https://www.chathamhouse.org/event/conversation-tina-tchen#sthash.1Zr3LsB0.dpuf

Debbie Moore inspires at EY

The latest ‘Issues on my mind’ event hosted by Joanna Santinon at EY’s prestigious London HQ was a conversation with Debbie Moore OBE, founder of Pineapple. 

Debbie shared her inspirational story and we were hugely motivated by her practical and confident approach to business.

Having conceived the use of lycra for dance wear, Debbie went on to great success and was the first woman to float a company on the London Stock Exchange in 1982.

During a colourful presentation with great images from her life and business milestones, EY's Iain Wilkie deftly posed the questions. Debbie also shared snippets of her book, ‘When a woman means business’ which is sadly no longer in print. 

Unsurprisingly, Debbie has won numerous awards, including one of the world’s premier business accolades, Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of The Year.

It was great to discover there is a next generation of entrepreneurs too, as Debbie’s daughter Lara Masters, who overcame life changing illness and disability, is a successful milliner.