Picture a warm sunlit afternoon at Over Coffee in Bangalore’s Lavelle Road, the air buzzing with mid-week energy, the clink of cutlery mingling with the hum of women’s voices. This was ISB’s power-packed lunch with Hilary McGeachy, the Australian Consul General—a meeting that seamlessly blended global diplomacy and conversations of women, by women and for women. And with International Women’s Day around the corner, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Hilary, with her trademark finesse and candidness, turned it into an enthused platform where ideas began to flow as freely as the conversation. She was the one who brought us together, and magic started to happen, as ISB women—women from non-profits, tech, finance, CSR, multinational corporations, and more—brought their unique stories to the table.
The conversation naturally gravitated towards challenges women face at the workplace and in personal lives—globally, in Australia, and in India. Women’s leadership struggles. Urban and rural labour force and its divide. Gender pay gaps. Domestic pressures. Maternity leave and career re-entry difficulties.
And then there were moments when it got personal. An ISB alumna shared her story of returning to work after maternity leave. “You’re juggling motherhood, outdated skills, and the constant guilt of not being ‘enough’ for either role,” she said.
Hilary’s insights? Sharp, honest, profound, with an eye on the long game. These were discussions that hit hard but also offered hope as we spoke about the changes implemented, solutions already underway, and future improvements – policy reforms, enhanced accountability, and the need for cultural shifts.
As the lunch wrapped, the room was abuzz with ideas and inspiration. Women’s struggles are real, but so is the determination to overcome them. Each of the women in the room was living proof of positive change. And changes still to arrive.
This Women’s Day, let’s commit to creating a meaningful world where all women can thrive.
I stepped back onto the street and thought of the energy of the women I’d just met. If this meeting with the forward-thinking Hilary McGeachy and the other ISB women is anything to go by, I have a strong feeling that we’re on the right track.
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Organised by the offices of External Relations and Alumni Engagement at ISB, ‘Meet with a LeadHer’ is a series of interactive lunch/coffee meets where a woman leader shares perspectives on her journey and achievements with the ISB community.