Collective responsibility
IoD Isle of Man hosted a Connect lunch marking International Women’s Day on Friday 7 March at The Claremont Hotel.
Over 75 members of the business community attended the event, which was kindly sponsored by Crowe Isle of Man LLC.
The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2025 was ‘For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.’ Central to this vision is empowering the next generation. Representatives from local charity Love Tech were invited as guest speakers to provide insights into their experiences, careers developments, and anecdotes about their mentors and why they choose to offer their time now to inspire others.
Love Tech is an initiative run by a group of local business leaders and technologists in the Isle of Man. The Love Tech team aim to inspire and empower girls and young women to explore opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) through events, workshops and mentorship in the Isle of Man.
The Love Tech panel was moderated by its Chair, Angela Van Den Berg, and featured: Jenni Devine, Associate Director Cyber Security Operations at Flutter Entertainment; Sarah Saunders, a Principal Medical Writer; Jacqui Verduyn, Architect; and Alexandra Koyfman, Senior Business Analyst at PDMS.
The importance of seeking opportunities, taking risks and being supportive of others came through as a strong underlying theme throughout the discussion.
Debbie Clague, Director at Crowe Isle of Man LLC, said:
“As proud sponsor of the IoD Isle of Man International Women’s Day Connect lunch, we were delighted to be part of such a successful event that brought together a number of influential female leaders, professionals and like-minded individuals. The Love Tech panel members were insightful and inspirational, and it serves as a reminder to us all of the great work the charity performs in the drive to achieve gender equality in STEM-related courses and careers.”
Steve Billinghurst, Chair IoD Isle of Man stated
“Friday’s lunch was a fantastic insight into the careers of just a few on the Island’s successful women. As a father of a daughter beginning her own career in STEM, its always reassuring to hear from others. What’s vital is that the Island continues to ensure that it has in place the right policies that address the continuing inequalities that close off opportunities for women.
Much can be learned from how other countries address issues such as female participation in the workforce, the gender wage gap and the impact on economic performance and productivity. Policies that deal with parental leave, childcare provision and pay inequity are crucial to maximising opportunities for women in work.
It is also crucial that business leaders (and I’m really talking about the men) on the Island are aware, open minded to and engaged with the issues that affect women as they progress through the different stages of their working lives. To that end IWD is not just a day for women to celebrate, but a day for men to learn.”
Local IoD Isle of Man member and attendee, Moreblessing Pedhuru, Interim Director (Highway Services) made a statement during the interactive Q&A which resonated with those present and was a key takeaway from the event
“Be intentional about sponsoring junior officers on your teams, particularly women, by saying their name in rooms where they cannot be and at tables where they cannot not sit. Mention their good work, the skills that they possess and recommend them for upcoming projects. Be the voice for those not present and open doors for them.”
For details on upcoming IoD Isle of Man events visit – International | Business Events | Institute of Directors
