FCTG to manifest 50% leadership goal through Womenwise initiative

Flight Centre Travel Group’s (FCTG) Womenwise initiative has wrapped up another year of achievement with 480 women converging in Brisbane for its annual event.

Citing a change in recruitment processes, a slew of internal promotions and external recognition via some key award wins, the Womenwise committee now has its sights set on 2020 with a goal of seeing women make up 50% of FCTG’s senior leaders across Australia (up from 43% in 2019).

For years now this internal event has offered FCTG women access to structured support and the skills to strive to develop their leadership potential. The all-expenses-paid incentive sees the company fly in and accommodate attendees in the host city, and is a coveted event that sees over 1000 women apply to attend each year.

Womenwise co-founder and Global Head of Peopleworks for FCTG, Carole Cooper, is the woman who oversees the production of this event and has seen the movement grow from a small group of female senior leaders having a chat over a bottle of red to the major event and global initiative it represents today in Australia, Asia, UAE, South Africa, and the Americas.

“What started as an idea to provide a forum for our women to feel supported has turned into a flourishing global initiative across all of our varied businesses,” she reflected.“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to put on this event and it provides a valuable opportunity for our women to network among peers and hear from some incredibly talented and inspirational keynote speakers.

“While the agenda is enjoyable, the themes we discuss have big picture significance so we take this event – and our Womenwise movement – very seriously,” she said.

We are incredibly fortunate to be able to put on this event and it provides a valuable opportunity for our women to network among peers and hear from some incredibly talented and inspirational keynote speakers.

The Womenwise event is the major drawcard in the calendar for FCTG’s approx. 7,800 women across Australia, with women representing 70% of FCTG’s Australian employees. Along with the end of year event, the committee also regularly hosts walking groups, movie nights, and partners with charities and partners to provide its women with opportunities throughout the year to network and build confidence.

This year’s theme focused on “the inspirational women who support you” and the speaker line up included cancer advocate and Love Your Sister founder, Samuel Johnson, former Flightie executive and founder of Goddess in the Boardroom, Rachel O’Brien, and ultra-marathon runner, Turia Pitt.

The event, hosted at Howard Smith Wharves in Brisbane, follows the success of the brand’s first ever leadership course for women; the Womenwise Leadership Summit. Offered for the first time to external guests in August of this year, FCTG’s senior female leaders shared the tried and tested methods harnessed to develop its own leaders.