Who
Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State and widely regarded as one of the most powerful women in the world. Rice is appearing for the ICMI Global Leadership Series live via satellite from Washington and will be sharing her unparalleled views on global issues, national security and leadership in uncertain times.
When
Friday, August 10, 2012. 7:15am – 9:00am. (Registration from 7:00am with a hot plated breakfast served at 7:30am).
Where
Sydney – Four Seasons Hotel, 199 George Street Sydney
Melbourne – Park Hyatt Hotel, 1 Parliament Street East Melbourne (discounted valet parking has been negotiated for attendees at both venues)
Tickets
You can purchase single tickets for just $145 or a VIP table of ten for $1350. Your admission includes breakfast, networking, give aways and prizes. Join other business and government leaders for this unique opportunity to hear from one of the most inspiring and thoughtful world leaders and have the chance to network afterwards.
Pru Goward
Pru Goward was elected to the NSW Parliament in March 2007 as the Member for Goulburn. She has served in the position of Shadow Minister for the Environment and Shadow Minister for Women, and from 2008 to March 2011, as the Shadow Minister for Community Services. Pru is delighted to be the NSW Minister for Family and Community Services and the Minister for Women, following the victory of a NSW Liberals and Nationals Government on 26 March 2011.
Prior to entering Parliament, Pru served as Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner for six years from 2001, and the Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination from 2005 to 2007. During her time with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission she became best known for her advocacy of a national paid maternity leave scheme, the implications of demographic change, and the challenge of work-life balance.
An economist by training and a broadcaster by practice, Pru spent 19 years with the ABC as a reporter and national political commentator for television and radio. She has received a number of awards for journalism, including a special Walkley Award, journalism`s highest honour.
In 2001 she was awarded a Centenary Medal for her services to journalism and women’s rights, and in 2007 an Honorary Doctorate of Business from Charles Sturt University.
Amanda Stevens
Amanda Stevens is one of the World’s leading authorities on Gender Psychology and Communication.
With a Bachelor of Business Communications and after studying the human brain and behaviour for nearly 20 years, Amanda has built a speaking and consulting business based on taking academic, scientific research into the human brain into the sphere of business. She delivers fascinating and profound insights and strategies for management and marketing leaders - lessons in building market share by understanding the human brain and its impact on behaviour.
Amanda is the best selling author of four books, including her latest release, PurseStrings: New Ways of Reaching the Hearts and Minds of Today’s Female Consumer.
As founder and former CEO of an Australian-based specialist marketing agency, Amanda is a former Young Australian of the Year and winner of the 2000 Sydney Young Businesswoman of the Year Award. In 2001 she was awarded the Centenary Medal for Business Innovation.
In 2011 Amanda sold her business to take up the role of President and Executive Creative Director of a Chicago-based communications agency. She now divides her time between Australia and the US and has spoken at over 400 conferences in 12 countries.
From one of the world's most admired women, this is former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's compelling story of eight years serving at the highest levels of government. In her position as America's chief diplomat, Rice traveled almost continuously around the globe, seeking common ground among sometimes bitter enemies, forging agreement on divisive issues, and compiling a remarkable record of achievement.
A native of Birmingham, Alabama who overcame the racism of the Civil Rights era to become a brilliant academic and expert on foreign affairs, Rice distinguished herself as an advisor to George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential campaign. Once Bush was elected, she served as his chief adviser on national-security issues - a job whose duties included harmonizing the relationship between the Secretaries of State and Defense. It was a role that deepened her bond with the President and ultimately made her one of his closest confidantes.
With the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Rice found herself at the center of the Administration's intense efforts to keep America safe. Here, Rice describes the events of that harrowing day - and the tumultuous days after. No day was ever the same. Additionally, Rice also reveals new details of the debates that led to the war in Afghanistan and then Iraq.
The eyes of the nation were once again focused on Rice in 2004 when she appeared before the 9-11 Commission to answer tough questions regarding the country's preparedness for - and immediate response to - the 9-11 attacks. Her responses, it was generally conceded, would shape the nation's perception of the Administration's competence during the crisis. Rice conveys just how pressure-filled that appearance was and her surprised gratitude when, in succeeding days, she was broadly saluted for her grace and forthrightness.
From that point forward, Rice was aggressively sought after by the media and regarded by some as the Administration's most effective champion.
In 2005 Rice was entrusted with even more responsibility when she was charged with helping to shape and carry forward the President's foreign policy as Secretary of State. As such, she proved herself a deft crafter of tactics and negotiation aimed to contain or reduce the threat posed by America's enemies. Here, she reveals the behind-the-scenes maneuvers that kept the world's relationships with Iran, North Korea and Libya from collapsing into chaos. She also talks about her role as a crisis manager, showing that at any hour -- and at a moment's notice -- she was willing to bring all parties to the bargaining table anywhere in the world.
"No Higher Honor" takes the reader into secret negotiating rooms where the fates of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and Lebanon often hung in the balance, and it draws back the curtain on how frighteningly close all-out war loomed in clashes involving Pakistan-India and Russia-Georgia, and in East Africa.
Surprisingly candid in her appraisals of various Administration colleagues and the hundreds of foreign leaders with whom she dealt, Rice also offers here keen insight into how history actually proceeds. In "No Higher Honor", she delivers "a master class in statecraft" -- but always in a way that reveals her essential warmth and humility, and her deep reverence for the ideals on which America was founded.
