Business School International Women’s Day Event

As part of International Women’s Day the Business School is holding the inaugural event to give students and staff the opportunity to hear from successful and inspiring female alumni.

As part of International Women’s Day the Business School is holding the inaugural event to give students and staff the opportunity to hear from our successful and inspiring female alumni from across the world.

The panel of international female leaders will give insights into their careers since leaving the Business School and succeeding in an international context. There will also be an opportunity to network and put your questions to the speakers.

Themes of the event are:

• How to make the most of your student experience and use it to launch a successful career
• The experience of a female graduate working internationally
• What it takes to become a successful female CEO

Speakers:

• Lucia Fuertes, Business Manager and Global Marketing Strategist
• Liza Kellett, Chief Executive at Trust Leeds
• Wilma Yingqi Wu, Associate at Grant Thornton

Panel:

Lucia Fuertes - Business Manager and Global Marketing Strategist
MBA, 2016

Lucia is a multi-award winning professional with a long track record of developing and implementing marketing strategies and delivering commercial results through strategic planning and business development. She has worked across a variety of industries (Advertising, Digital Marketing, Finance, FCMG) in multicultural environments and different countries (Europe, Middle East and Asia), in Start-ups, SMEs and MNCs, leading cross-functional and multicultural teams. She is a multidisciplinary individual able to enrich organisations through creativity and to understand business from a holistic perspective.

Liza Kellett - Chief Executive, Trust Leeds
BA Portuguese and Spanish 1988, MA 1998

With a background encompassing the arts, external relations and business development, Liza has worked in the third sector in a number of capacities: as Head of Development at West Yorkshire Playhouse (where she completed her Masters degree); as the founding Chief Executive of Emmaus Leeds – a community for homeless people; as a Consultant advising on business development; and as a Trustee of education and arts charities.

Until Summer 2017 Liza was the Chief Executive of the Community Foundation in Wales, a charity which promotes and manages philanthropy, awarding £3 million each year in grants to strengthen local communities and fund smaller charities and projects on behalf of private clients, businesses and trusts. She led the Foundation’s development over ten years by focusing on endowment growth, community leadership and positioning it as the place for philanthropy in Wales.

Liza’s new venture, Trust Leeds, aims to address poverty, financial exclusion and the poverty premium one person at a time. It provides micro-finance for enterprising people who have great ideas and small businesses but who don't have access to loans from family, friends or mainstream lenders. It also focuses on growing the movement of Self-Reliant Groups to help people to save, share, make and sell together for the benefit of themselves, their families and their communities.

Wilma Yingqi Wu -Associate, Grant Thornton LLP
BSc International Business 2014, MSc Strategic Management in the Global Environment 2017

Wilma is originally from Jiangyin City, near Shanghai in East China. She knew she wanted to study in both China and England to broaden her horizons, so came to Leeds for part of her undergraduate degree. She made the most of her time at the University by joining a variety of societies, volunteering in the sustainability garden, organising the Chinese New Year Celebrations in Leeds Town Hall, and attending the Enactus business competition national finale. She also had a taste of democracy through running the campaign for Leeds University Union's Equality and Diversity officer.

Initially Wilma planned to take a Masters course after graduation. She decided to delay this when she was offered an internship at the Business School, supporting the Student Education Team. In April 2015 she received a Partnership award at Leeds University Union's Celebrate Week. She was awarded the Positive Impact Award for her outstanding contribution to the Business School over the course of her internship.

After completing her Masters degree, and a couple more internships, Wilma is now working for Grant Thornton LLP as an Auditor specialising in Public and Third sector organisations. Clients include local governments, NHS trusts, police services and charities.