Duke Corporate Education

As we enter the fourth week of International Women’s Month, we’re reflecting on the incredible insights shared at Lead with Her 2025 by our closing keynote speaker, The Hon. Julia Gillard AC, Chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership and the 27th Australian Prime Minister. ? Julia acknowledged the challenges faced by modern leaders today and underscored the value of data-led insights in navigating these. She also highlighted the three Ps as a framework for women in leadership: ? Purpose: “It is about finding that sense of purpose inside yourself" - Julia emphasized that clarity and purpose are key to good decision-making. Perseverance: Sharing her extended pathway to political success, Julia pointed to determination as a critical ingredient for successful leadership. Prioritization: Advising to be "ruthless about how you prioritize your time," she reminded us that time is the only non-renewable asset. ? Our CEO, Dr Sharmla Chetty, reinforced these three principles with Julia during the fireside chat, adding that as women leaders, we must practice these often to drive meaningful progress in today’s complex world. ? Thank you, Julia Gillard, for closing our annual Lead with Her conference on such an inspiring note. #LeadwithHer25 #WomeninLeadership #DukeCE #InternationalWomensMonth

Kicking off the week with a special team feature! Meet Viktoriya Koleva, Project Director with Duke Corporate Education’s Europe team, based in our London office. As she travels for her client program deliveries, she reflects on what makes working at Duke CE so special. During her time earlier this year in Durham, NC, Viktoriya engaged with 60 leaders, exploring strategic decision-making, value creation, and the future of leadership—turning insights into real impact. But beyond the sessions, what stood out most was the power of connection—reuniting with colleagues, meeting inspiring educators, and tapping into the wealth of knowledge within Duke CE’s Durham office. For Viktoriya, it’s often the small moments that bring the greatest value—like the daily kindness of Mr. Douglas, the valet at our office, whose warm greetings set a positive tone for each day. In her words: “I’m grateful for the conversations, perspectives, and experiences that make this work so rewarding. As Wayne W Dyer says, ‘Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at will change.’ My work trips are a powerful reminder of just that.” At Duke CE, it’s not just about the work—it’s about the people who make every day inspiring. #DukeCE #TeamFeature #LifeAtDukeCE #LearningInAction

Rising Together: Nurturing the Next Generation of Leaders Leadership growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires bold action, mentorship, and inclusive development initiatives that break down systemic barriers. ? At Lead with Her 2025, we hosted the Rising Together workshop—an interactive session exploring how individuals and organizations can drive meaningful change by championing diverse leadership pipelines. ? A huge thank you to our incredible panellists who shared powerful insights and real-world strategies to move beyond theory and create lasting impact - Caroline Vanovermeire, Global Head of Talent Mgmt, ASML, Kerry C., Group Communication Director, Mondi Group, Sithembile Ntombela maNdaba, GM Marketing, Brand South Africa, Tshiamo Ramano, Sr Associate, Principles for Responsible Investment and moderator Janice Tan Ying, Duke Corporate Education.? ? Thank you to all who joined this inspiring discussion! Let’s keep driving change, lifting others, and shaping a stronger future through leadership. ? #LeadWithHer25 #RisingTogether #DukeCE #LeadershipDevelopment

For the first time at Lead with Her, we introduced interactive breakout sessions designed to ignite deeper conversations, hands-on learning, and real-time collaboration. One such impactful workshop was "At the Heart of Climate Change: Building Sustainable Supply Chains." In this workshop, many relevant questions were posed on climate change and its impact on supply chains and women. To create truly resilient and sustainable supply networks, we must equip women with the financial and technological resources they need to lead. This isn’t just about women—it’s a strategic necessity for building stronger, more adaptive supply chains. A huge thank you to our incredible panelists: Buhle Hanise CA(SA), Head of Business Restructuring Services at BDO South Africa; Lailany Sierra, Head of Business Delivery at CHANEL; Linda Reddy, Global Head of Supply Chain for Nando's Group Limited; and Piyali Sen, Head of Sustainability and ESG Business at Tata Consultancy Services - UK and Europe. Special appreciation to Andrés Saint-Jean, Head of Sustainability Academy at Duke Corporate Education, for expertly moderating this vital discussion. Together, we are shaping a future where sustainability and inclusivity go hand in hand. #Sustainability #WomenInSupplyChains #ClimateResilience #InclusiveGrowth #LeadWithHer25

Duke Corporate Education is so proud of its association with International Women's Forum UK?(IWF UK) as a strategic partner for our Lead with Her 2025 event. Julie Goldstein, International Women's Forum Global Board Director, reminded us of their key principles this afternoon during her keynote and why we are so tightly aligned. Those being: ?????Shaping a future in which leadership has no gender, and the next generation is equipped to transform the world ?????Uniting our global community of women leaders, to advance women's leadership today and tomorrow ?????Fostering collaboration and inspiring action through our common values ? She spoke about the value and impact of the Global IWF Leadership Fellows Program and?how local forums are acting. With a nod to the launch of their?UK 'Connect and Rise' programme, and their Legacy programme in South Africa, both of which Duke Corporate Education is the educational partner for, Julie reminded us of the importance of local action for communities, and showing impact on the global stage. Thank you, Julie! #LeadWithHer25 #WomenInLeadership #IWF #LeadershipForChange #FutureOfLeadership #DukeCE

It was fantastic to have Francine Katsoudas who is Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco for the keynote at this year’s Lead with Her 2025! Fran is an unparalleled example of what it is to lead with purpose, and she brought this to life in her authentic storytelling - that had everyone in the room captivated. Cisco’s technology connects and secures people all over the world, and their purpose is to power an inclusive future for all. One of the ways they activate this body of work is by addressing the digital divide that still sees an estimated 3 billion people without access to connectivity. We loved her thought on - “When you engage in the community and when you help others, there's an element of self-care that also makes you better. It gives you context, it gives you perspective, and it gives you gratitude. Our company is driven by people who embody this belief.” ? Fran also shared the critical role of leadership across everything and everyone. She highlighted Gallup’s 2025 Global Leadership Report which found that the number one thing people want from their leaders is hope. Her belief is that hope must be paired with clarity and execution to deliver impact and resilience at scale. Thank you, Fran, and to her wonderful team, yes – we’re stronger together! #LeadwithHer25 #DukeCE #Cisco #PartnersinGrowth #Womeninleadership

A huge thank you to Diane Ty, Managing Director of the Milken Institute, for joining us virtually at Lead with Her yesterday to unpack the three pillars of social capital that shape how we thrive in the years ahead: - Health Capital – Our physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being play a defining role in our quality of life. How can we invest in habits today that ensure vitality tomorrow? - Financial Capital – Beyond saving, true financial security means having guaranteed income to sustain us in later years. How can we future-proof our financial well-being? - Social Capital – Strong relationships and a sense of purpose are key to longevity and fulfillment. How do we cultivate meaningful connections that enrich our lives? ? Diane’s insights will challenge us to rethink how we approach healthy longevity and financial resilience—and take action to secure our futures. ? Let’s raise awareness, spark conversation, and take charge of our longevity journey! ? #Longevity #FutureOfAging #BrainHealth #FinancialSecurity #Leadership #LeadWithHer25 #ResilientFuture #HealthyAging #PurposefulLiving

Audience participation was a non-negotiable in Ashleigh Shelby Rosette's workshop at Lead with Her yesterday. ? Ashleigh, the James L. Vincent Distinguished Professor of Leadership at Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business, delivered a masterclass on 'Owning Your Power in Negotiation' and had us hanging on every word. ? Attendees were challenged to shift their mindsets, and consider the difference between structural power (resources, titles, connections) and psychological power. The latter is internal power built on mindset and preparation among other things, but it is a gamechanger for negotiating, especially for those who feel they have less 'structural power'. ? What an empowering concept and framework for those who feel they have less resources in their arsenal when it comes to professional negotiations. Thank you, Dr. Rosette, for sharing knowledge that will make real change possible for people during key career moments! ? #LeadershipDevelopment #WomenInLeadership?#LeadWithHer25 #ConfidenceInNegotiation #ProfessionalDevelopment #Empowerment #FuquaSchoolOfBusiness

In an era of rapid change, workforce resilience is more than corporate jargon — it's a business imperative. In the third panel of the day, our thought-provoking panelists at Lead With Her 2025 explored the strategies shaping the workforce of the future. Moderated by Vishal Patel (Duke Corporate Education), the panel featured powerhouse leaders, Sue Whalley (Associated British Foods plc), Monique Carter (Anglo American), Belén Presas (Radisson Hotel Group), Nicole Haris (AstraZeneca). Here are some of the strategic insights shared: - Organisations must adopt a bespoke approach, it is not enough to copy successful companies, there must be proper assessments that tailor to individual needs. - There is often a focus on developing skills gaps, but there should be an equal focus on "superpowers". This means helping people identify their unique superpowers they already have, and how to best harness them. - To drive workforce resilience, we must also recognise the power of action-driven sponsorships, these can create opportunities for individuals to contribute greater value within the organisation so everyone wins. It's clear from this panel that HR leaders are not just managing talent—they’re architects of transformation. What’s your biggest takeaway from this discussion? Drop your thoughts below! #LeadWithHer25 #FutureOfWork #ResilientWorkforce #HRLeadership #AIinHR #LeadershipDevelopment

What an inspiring ‘Trailblazers in Tech: Transforming the Global Economy’ panel at Lead with Her 2025!? Our panelists provided an incredible discussion on how technology can drive economic empowerment and financial inclusion, exploring how AI, digital access, and innovation are tackling today’s most pressing global challenges. Some eye-opening insights that we took away: - AI has the potential to democratize specialized skills and unlock access to the digital economy - First, we need to solve global connectivity in this generation, and then AI will truly be an economic equalizer - We need more leadership that represent a balanced society to fuel these amazing technological advances in a sustainable way A huge thank you to our phenomenal panelists—Liz Centoni (Cisco), Margarete McGrath (Dell Technologies), Vivien Boche (SAP), Dr Christina Yan Zhang (The Metaverse Institute), and Jennifer Marriner (Mastercard)—for their invaluable insights. And a special shoutout to our own Matthew Butler-Adam for expertly moderating this dynamic conversation. Technology is shaping the future—let’s keep pushing boundaries! #LeadWithHer25 #WomenInTech #FutureOfLeadership #TechForGood #DigitalInclusion #AILeadership