TIAW World of Difference Award recognizes the power within every individual to change the world we live in for the betterment of women. Each year, TIAW bestows the TIAW World of Difference Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual TIAW Global Forum to recognize one woman who has truly made a difference in the lives of women.
This year GBA Executive Director Teri Cavanagh, GBA Chair Lake Riemer, and GBA Advisory Member Barbara Mowat won TIAW World of Difference Award. GBA Advisory Member Amanda Ellis received TIAW World of Difference Lifetime Achievement Award.
As Executive Director, Teri is responsible for setting the overall direction, implementing the board’s vision, and overseeing day-to-day operations of the Global Banking Alliance for Women. She assumed this role in early 2010. A visionary who built one of the most innovative small business banking programs for women in the U.S., Teri in the last five years has created models in developing and developed countries for propelling women’s business growth through access to capital and resources. In her role as President of Teri Cavanagh Associates, she advises leaders across the public and private sectors on how to understand, assess, market to and profit from women’s businesses anywhere in the world.
Larke Riemer is the National Head of Women’s Markets for the Westpac Banking Corporation. Larke heads a team of state managers who drive strategies that offer women the information and education that will allow them to have sustainable & profitable futures. Larke has over 27 years with the Westpac Group and has worked across all areas of the bank. She has been instrumental in positioning Westpac as global best practice after her appointment as Head of the Women’s Markets unit in 2005.
Amanda Ellis manages New Zealand’s aid programme, leading the team responsible for managing over half a billion dollars of official development assistance annually. As Deputy Secretary International Development for the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amanda is the most senior woman in New Zealand’s foreign service.
She was the Lead Specialist for the World Bank Group Gender Action Plan to promote women’s economic empowerment. The Action Plan is a $36m initiative over 4 years that promotes gender equality as smart economics. She managed the World Bank’s Global Private Sector Leaders CEO Forum. Ellis previously started the Gender Entrepreneurship Markets (GEM) initiative at the International Finance Corporation, assisting developing countries to improve the policy and regulatory environment provided by governments, providing lines of credit for women SMEs through commercial banks and practical initiatives to assist women business owners in developing countries. Some $49m was committed, with the first ever specific credit lines for women in Nigeria, Uganda and Tanzania.
Barbara Mowat has over thirty years of professional experience as a business owner and management and training consultant. Ms. Mowat is President and owner of Impact Communications Limited, a multi-faceted consulting company working in the areas of management training and consulting; creation of training and business resources; and, international product, business and market development for the global marketplace, including creating and producing trade shows, conferences, forums, and trade missions.
