Building our female leaders’ impact

This year, 16 leaders from across our business completed our 2024 Female Leadership Program focused on impact, influence and executive presence.

A key initiative developed to address gender equity, our Female Leadership Program builds capability across three of our five capability framework factors.

The program focused on:

1. Know yourself: Self-awareness and understanding of their leadership style and behaviours
2. Self certainty: Builds resilience and empowerment to work towards their leadership ambition
3. Impact and influence: Learn how influence at senior levels and build presence.

The program culminated with a roundtable discussion with the Board where our female leaders practiced their influence and executive presence skills. Simultaneously it enabled members of our Board to meet key female talent from across the business.

2024 female leader participants with our Board, members of our executive and gender equity program leaders

Katie Paull, General Manager Asset Management and program leader, said: “We developed the program using human-centred design principles.

“This meant the program focused on unlocking the incredible potential our females leaders already possess, as opposed to teaching them new skills.

“Our leaders spent time thinking about how their experiences had driven them to where they are now, and each set themselves one goal that focused on their future impact.

“We asked them to focus on their impact because, if you have the right impact, everything else naturally follows.”

Michelle Fong, program participant and Senior Finance Manager, said: “Participating in the Female Leadership Program was an invaluable experience that reframed my concept of confidence. Rather than seeing confidence as an inherent trait, I realised that it’s something that can be developed and strengthened through self-reflection, intentional action and being brave. This shift empowered me to lean into my own leadership strengths and approach challenges with a new perspective in both my career and in my personal life.”

Lucy Andolfatto, Regional Marketing Manager and program participant said: “The personal reflection on what and who has shaped me helped me to better understand who I am and how I can be more grounded in my confidence. This kind of self-reflection was uncomfortable at times, but the safe space created in the group meant that we didn’t feel too vulnerable and I now feel like the connections I have built with these women is really special.

“Scentre Group created the space and time for us to be part of this program over five months because they really believe in gender equity and genuinely want to empower the female leaders in the organisation to be their best leader self. Sitting around the table with our Board and Director group highlighted their personal investment in the program and I’m very grateful for that.”

Katie said that the final element of the program was sponsorship: “Sponsorship creates accountability for our female leaders to continue enhancing their impact beyond the end of the formal program. It also creates opportunity and support as the sponsors proactively advocate for their career development and growth.

“I think we have created something that is truly impactful for our female leaders and contributes to our diversity, equity and inclusion vision: Everyone Belongs.”