This year, to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD), Finlays proudly hosted our first-ever Global Women in Business Forum. It was an inspiring event, bringing together over 200 participants to celebrate, share insights, and engage in meaningful discussions. The conversation was guided by this year’s IWD theme, ‘For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment’.
5 Key Takeaways from the Forum
- Warm Leadership is a Vital Leadership Quality. Leadership isn’t just about making tough decisions – it’s also about empathy, caring, and compassion. These softer traits help create a positive work environment and make people want to collaborate with you.
- Adopt a Mindset of Abundance. Success is not a limited resource. When you view opportunities as abundant rather than scarce, you empower yourself to learn, grow, and take ownership of your achievements.
- Own Your Space and Empower Others. Believe in yourself – you belong at the table. Encourage and uplift other women and young leaders by bringing them into conversations and decision-making spaces.
- Remember: “You Deserve to Be Here”. Confidence is key! Adjust your body language to reflect self-assurance. Even small tricks – like a “power pose” before a big meeting – can help shift your mindset and reinforce your presence.
- Focus on Output, Not Input. Success isn’t about working long hours to be seen – it’s about efficiency. Set boundaries, focus on results, and work smart to make the most of your time.
Meet the Panel
We’d like to say a huge thank you to our incredible panel of speakers who shared their experiences and perspectives on leadership, inclusion, and empowerment:
Christiane Kuehne. As a longstanding Finlays Non-Executive Director, Christiane has been an invaluable advisor to the business. She also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Stora Enso Oyj and L’Oréal S.A. With a distinguished career at Nestlé in operational and strategic roles, Christiane brings a strong background in sustainability and ethics-based management. She firmly believes that diversity in gender, culture, and experience strengthens organisations, making her insights invaluable to the panel discussion.
Jennifer Mason. A recent addition to Finlays’ Board, Jennifer brings extensive experience in safety, sustainability, and innovation. She serves as CSO and EVP of Safety & Sustainability at J.M. Huber and holds board positions at Batory Foods and the U.S. National Board of the Commanderie de Bordeaux. With leadership roles at Mars and Unilever in Global Innovation, R&D, and Technology, Jennifer provided diverse and strategic insights to our forum.
Rebecca Oliver-Mooney. With 20 years of experience in Fast-Moving Consumer Goods, Rebecca currently leads Commercial for Drinks, Frozen, Community Buying, and the Apiary at Co-op, a top British retailer. Her experience spans commercial, innovation, strategy, and consultancy with major brands like Mars, Nestlé, and Kellogg’s. Additionally, she co-founded Raising The Glass, a community fostering inclusivity for women and allies in the drinks industry.
Alongside our esteemed panellists, Tamie Hutchins, our Global HR Director, also shared Finlays’ commitment to Women in Business, aligning with our values and sustainability strategy.
What’s next?
This forum was just a small part of an ongoing conversation about inclusivity, empowerment, and leadership at Finlays. We look forward to continuing to champion women in business at Finlays and beyond!
