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8 March 2024 | Firm News | Article by Alun Jones

Inspiring women’s empowerment and inclusion on International Women’s Day


As part of a bumper week of celebrations ahead of International Women’s Day, we were proud to welcome members of the South Wales business community to our Two Central Square Cardiff headquarters for our headline event on Thursday 7 March – aimed at inspiring empowerment and inclusion for women in business.

Hosted by Partner and EDI champion Gwen Morgan-Evans, the event attracted a line-up of distinguished panel speakers, alongside an impressive selection of female-led businesses showcasing handmade and artisan products and produce, as well as music from a local female DJ and the culinary delights of Cardiff-based Tidy Kitchen Company.

Kickstarting the insightful Q&A, friend of the firm Alys Carlton, an executive adviser and coach, a former lawyer and the Independent Chair of the Board of the Football Association of Wales, shared the importance of coaching and mentoring and setting meaningful targets in business, while also highlighting the significant role sport plays in enhancing women’s equality on the international stage.

Next up, Jeremy Vaughan, Chief Constable of South Wales Police and National lead for the HeforShe campaign, spoke of progress and challenges within the police and asked “What do you do personally for gender equality?” so to encourage everyone to be a part of inspiring inclusion.

While, Caroline Thompson, Regional Director for Enterprise, Wales and South West of England for NatWest uplifted our guests with her talk on “the power of mindset”; importance of learning from and embracing failure, harnessing inner voices and taking action.

For a flavour of this special event, and in the spirit of International Women’s Day, here’s a video with Caroline Thompson gathered during a collaborative employee event with NatWest in September. You can also read more about what we’re doing to inspire inclusion at the firm.

Author bio

Alun Jones is Managing Partner of Hugh James, taking the helm in January 2011. He is also chair of the firm’s board of management.

In his role as Managing Partner, Alun is responsible for formulating and implementing the firm’s business strategy and day-to-day operations.

Disclaimer: The information on the Hugh James website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you would like to ensure the commentary reflects current legislation, case law or best practice, please contact the blog author.

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