2013 Media Releases

Breathe out, stand up straight and use expansive gestures to master your voice and get your message across, top Australian communications expert Louise Mahler told the fifth Women in Banking and Finance Annual Forum hosted by Deutsche Bank in Sydney yesterday evening.

Academic and former opera singer Mahler urged the audience of almost 500 high-fliers from Deutsche Bank and other institutions at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place, to ditch a series of myths about public speaking, such as the focus on breathing in, that actually bring tension into the voice and damage your credibility. She then joined a panel moderated by Adam Spencer, breakfast host on 702 ABC Sydney Radio, who gave their own recommendations.

Caltex Australia Chairman Elizabeth Bryan said it was crucial for women in particular to "think seriously about how you communicate because it will affect your career enormously". Lawrence Creative Strategy Chief Executive Officer Neil Lawrence, architect of the Kevin 07 campaign, said: "Speak simply and truthfully". The Smith Family CEO Dr. Lisa O'Brien said the key was to find ways to "be authentic" and and Business Council of Australia Deputy Chief Executive Maria Tarrant highlighted the need to "put yourself in the shoes of the person you're trying to communicate with and what they should take away".

Following an introduction by Julie Hunter, WIBF President, JT Macfarlane, Executive Chairman of Deutsche Bank Australia and New Zealand, lamented the slow progress in women joining senior executive ranks but pointed to the encouraging contribution made by recent research and organisations such as WIBF.

"There are no simple and quick solutions, however, the debate is increasingly well-informed and nuanced," Macfarlane said. "It reflects a maturing debate that should lead us to tangible improvements."

The evening was rounded off by a moving performance of the My Fair Lady song "I could have danced all night" by Year 12 student and The Smith Family beneficiary Yasmin. She said her participation in the Smith Family's Learning for Life scheme "made me feel so much less segregated and isolated from my peers who've got so much more resources than I have." Deutsche Bank employees are long-standing supporters of The Smith Family through the Deutsche Community Care program.

The WIBF Forum hosted by Deutsche Bank has become a flagship event in recent years in line with Deutsche Bank’s global commitment to promoting diversity. Previous speakers have included then acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Penny Wong, Minister for Finance and Deregulation, and then Premier of NSW Kristina Keneally.

Deutsche Bank has supported the renowned “Women on Wall Street” event in New York for the past 18 years and, more recently, similar annual events in London and Singapore.

Click here to see Deutsche Bank's Women in Business events around our global network.