Testimonials from Previous Delegates
Upcoming Delegation
2024 “Listen – Learn – Connect” Mission to China
Senior Women Leaders – A Trade Mission with A Difference
Date: 08 September to 14 September 2024
Locations: Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu
This is the 2024 trade mission to China hosted by China Australia Trade and Investment Council to enable senior Australian businesswomen to gain experience and insights into one of the world’s fastest-growing and most influential trade zones while building relationships and connections to supercharge career progression and personal growth goals.
Why China?
China is Australia’s largest trading partner. China is also the world’s second largest economy by nominal GDP and the largest by purchasing power parity. The total economy of Asia surpassed all of the Americas back in 2016. Clearly, the “Asian Century” has arrived and Australians live in this region.
China is now a world leader in innovation especially in AI and Fintech. Businesses need to understand how AI and Fintech can enhance the customer experience. The explosive growth of the start-up scene in China is as much a cultural breakthrough as it is a great leap forward in tech expertise. China is growing at triple the rate of most European nations.
China opened its doors by inviting the world to the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2018. Themed “New Era, Shared Future” it attracted 172 countries, regions and international organizations, as well as more than 3,600 enterprises to showcase their products and services. $57.83 billion worth of trade was made as a result of the Expo.
Australian Bureau of Statstics data show that there were 1.39 million Chinese visitors in the year ending February 2018. The 2016 Census found Australia is home to more than 1.2 million people of Chinese ancestry.
Why Women?
“When we unleash the power of women, we can secure the future for all.” Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General 2015.
Our program was initially devised by Alice Tay and Donna Hardman who have been working for over a decade to increase the number of women in senior leadership roles in Australia.
They observed a global awakening to the value of gender equality feeling that the momentum for change is building. However, increasingly complex social and organisational structures mean that in order to make the difference – new thinking and courage – is required when women get there.
The philosophy of the mission is designed to ‘unleash the power’ of our delegates. We offer an educative, supportive and safe environment for all to ‘have a go’ whenever you feel compelled to do so. Welcome addresses and messages of thanks, daily debriefing facilitation, media exposure and 1:1 cross-cultural, multi-language conversations will be on offer. Opportunities to get involved begin as soon as you are offered a place.
When delegates return home insights can be leverage to improve our delegates thought-leadership positioning and new relationships may become referents and connectors to assist with future opportunities.
Mission Outcomes
Gain knowledge, insight and ideas
Play a leadership role in strategic conversations and decisions
To be a senior business leader in Australia without a deep understanding of China is a significant knowledge gap. That is why the first goal of this mission to provide knowledge, insight and ideas that delegates can employ immediately to enrich strategic conversations, drive better decisions and spark ideas.
Gain empathy for the Chinese people
Build stronger, more productive relationships
Understanding another’s perspective is a key leadership skill. You don’t have to agree on every point but recognising different perspectives in conversations enables us to hear and react to things very differently. This is why understanding what is important to China and the Chinese people is a key goal of this mission. An added benefit is the chance to build relationships with others on the mission with you.
Deal with difference
Be future ready
This mission aims to help you work out your own beliefs, values and personal biases. It might be confronting at times causing reflection about how you approach and understand difference. In today’s VUCA world (volatile, unclear, complex, ambiguous) breakthrough ideas are discovered by diverse teams. Broad perspectives, experience and problem-solving methods are needed. A key goal therefore is to open you up to new possibilities and experiences encouraging a more open mind when it comes to who you include and how you approach things.
Mission Theme
Listen – Learn – Connect
Our vision is to create a trade mission with a difference. We encourage you not to begin with a product pitch but instead to Listen, Learn and Connect.
Listen – Rather than talk. The aim is to inform – perhaps change – your current thinking, perspectives and bias.
Learn – Don’t teach. The aim is to return home with breakthrough insights and ideas.
Connect – More than observe. This is experiential learning not rote. It is as much about how you feel as what you see.
Supporting Organisations
