Women Chiefs of Enterprises International 2024 Highlights
FCEM World President and Members Dinner – 31 October 2024 at The Emporium Southbank
Following the 2024 FCEM World Congress in Sydney, an early celebration marked the forthcoming 40th anniversary of Women Chiefs of Enterprises International (WCEI) and the FCEM network in Australia. Since 1985, WCEI has cultivated a dynamic community of entrepreneurial women and business leaders, fostering meaningful connections, enduring friendships, and impactful outcomes.
The anniversary celebration in October featured insightful panel discussions and inspiring stories from founding members Rhonda White AO and Lorraine Martin AO, alongside WCEI National President Liz Ward. The event showcased the resilience, creativity, and passion that have defined WCEI’s journey over the decades. Special thanks go to WCEI Queensland President Suzanne Bosanquet for her exemplary role as MC and for curating this memorable event, to Fran John, owner of The Emporium Southbank, and to our esteemed speakers and guests, including HC Marie-Christine Oghly, FCEM World President, and Di Tompson, FCEM VP Asia.
WCEI National Awards, FCEM Congress, and WCEI Scholarships – October 2024
Under the exceptional leadership of WCEI National President Suzanne Bosanquet, 2024 marked the inaugural WCEI National Awards at the 2024 FCEM World Congress in Sydney. The awards comprise four categories:
- The Lorraine Martin AO Australian Entrepreneur of the Year Award
- The Shirley Randell AO Award for Community Dedication and Social Impact
- Sustainability in Business
- WCEI Ambassador of the Year
The two namesake awards honour founding members Lorraine Martin AO and Shirley Randell AO, cementing their enduring legacies within WCEI. This milestone aligns with WCEI’s 40-year affiliation with the global FCEM network, a significant achievement celebrated during the Awards Ceremony that concluded the 71st World FCEM Congress on 25 October. The ceremony also featured the International Alliance of Women (TIAW) Awards and FCEM Global Awards.
Margot McKinney OAM was honoured with the ‘Lorraine Martin AO Australian Entrepreneur of the Year Award,’ earning her eligibility for the International FCEM Awards and the IWEC Foundation Awards. Margot’s remarkable achievements were further recognised when she won the FCEM Inspiring Entrepreneur Award. We congratulate Margot on her success and look forward to her participation in the IWEC Foundation Awards Ceremony in February 2025 in Barcelona. IWEC—the International Women’s Entrepreneurial Challenge—is a global network empowering women entrepreneurs through partnerships with chambers of commerce, women’s business organisations, and corporations worldwide.
Scholarships Supporting Women Entrepreneurs
This year, 25 scholarships were awarded at the FCEM World Congress, enabling 25 migrant and refugee women entrepreneurs to attend. Four of these scholarships fully funded women from regional Queensland. This initiative, led by Suzanne Bosanquet, was realised in collaboration with Women of the World Australia and Catalysr to identify deserving candidates.
Special recognition goes to Di Tompson for funding eight scholarships and to WCEI members who generously funded one candidate each, including Danielle Hughes Brown, Rachel White, Jody Siganto, Virginia Bishop, Rhonda White, Lynette Maine, Andrea Plawutsky, Busi Faulkner, Liz Ward, and Shirley Randell. Additional scholarships were funded by friends of WCEI and Suzanne Bosanquet. Michele Blanshard contributed $3,000 through her purchase of the Congress artwork, further supporting this impactful initiative.
As WCEI celebrates 40 years of empowering women entrepreneurs, we extend our gratitude to all contributors for their commitment to fostering social impact and driving entrepreneurial excellence.
