International Women's Day

18:30 - 23:00 GMT
UK
8.3.2023
Dinner

Cafe Duke, 116 Pall Mall, London, England, SW1Y 5ED

London

ing international women's day
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International Women's Day

London

Dinner

March 8, 2023

Summary

Celebrating exceptional women in business

Influential business positions are no longer an exclusive male domain. In recent years a growing number of organisations have promoted greater female leadership, and in turn they are flourishing. But it hasn’t been easy.

Women have fought hard to prove their value and earn their positions, overcoming challenges and adversity. In 2023, the achievements of women in business are more widely recognised but there is plenty of work yet to be done.

Across the globe on International Women's Day, we celebrate the women that we know, the women that we admire, and the women that we love. For many, it is a sentimental and reflective time to celebrate our own successes, and look back at the challenges that we’ve faced to get to where we are today.

On March 8th, we invite you to join us at an exclusive dinner for female leaders in large businesses. Over dinner we will listen and share our stories, ask you to offer advice for the next generation of female business leaders and discuss what we think is next for women in business.

We hope that you’ll join us for an evening of moving and encouraging conversation, where you’ll be joined by fellow women in business who have achieved, and continue to achieve, groundbreaking success.

PastriesDelegates networkingAudience at a Commerce Futures conference.

The discussion points of the evening will be:

  • Sharing our stories - Listen to the stories of successful women in business who have overcome challenges and adversity to get to where they are now.
  • Offering advice - Offer advice for fellow women in business who are aiming to achieve great success in their own careers.
  • What’s next - Discuss what we think is next for women in business; from the standout names that are making headlines to the next big female led brands.
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Christy Foster

Christy Foster

Managing Director

Online4baby

Christy Foster is the MD of Online4baby, a family business she founded with her younger sister Cheryl.

The girls were brought up by a single mother who had three jobs to try to make ends meet.

Christy’s route to entrepreneurial success began at the age of 12, working on a market stall before and after school each day to earn enough money for a decent lunch.

In her teens she embarked on several money-making ventures, including selling jewellery and gift boxes at factories, mills, and hairdressing salons, earning enough in the run-up to one Christmas to buy her mum a car.

Realising her strength was buying and selling, Christy – who is highly dyslexic, slightly autistic and has just three GCSEs to her name – later began buying bric-a-brac, furniture and antiques and selling them on markets around Greater Manchester, working seven days a week for up to 16 hours a day.

Nursery items proved great sellers and Christy decided to concentrate on these as well as maternity wear. As it grew, her husband Darren and Cheryl joined her business and they branched out to markets in Yorkshire and into wholesaling, buying seconds from big brands and catalogue retailers.

Soon afterwards, as eBay took off, Christy switched her focus to this platform and her business became the largest eBay baby store in Europe. She became one of the first eBay millionaires, but realised she could have her own website, and Online4baby was born in 2011.

Under Christy’s leadership, the pure-play eCommerce business has grown exponentially.

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Leaf wall textureSmiling woman networking at a Commerce Futures eventSmiling woman networking at a Commerce Futures eventPastries in front of delegates
18:30
Arrival & Welcome Drinks
19:15
Guests Sit
19:20
Welcome
Commerce Futures
19:30
Opening Speech
Christy Foster
20:00
Starters
Topic One - Discussion at individual tables
20:20
Topic One discussed as a collective
20:40
Mains
Topic Two - Discussion at individual tables
21:10
Topic Two discussed as a collective
21:30
Desserts & Networking
23:00
Event Closes
18:30
Arrival & Welcome Drinks
19:15
Guests Sit
19:20
Welcome
Commerce Futures
19:30
Opening Speech
Guest Speaker
20:00
Starters
Topic One - Discussion at individual tables
20:20
Topic One discussed as a collective
20:40
Mains
Topic Two - Discussion at individual tables
21:10
Topic Two discussed as a collective
21:30
Desserts & Networking
23:00
Event Closes
08:30
Registration & Networking Breakfast
09:15
Welcome from Commerce Futures
09:25
Ryan Clark, STATSports & Jim Hingston, The Gym Group
Keynote
10:10
Hollie Weatherstone, Muc-Off
Keynote
10:35
Break
10:55
Multi-brand panel – Decathlon, Ellis Brigham, Helen of Troy
Keynote (Main Stage)
Speed dating for delegates
(Breakout Room)
11:50
George Huxford, Apidura
Keynote
12:15
Break
13:15
Rich Philip, Contested
Keynote
13:40
Marc Guisti, Veloforte
Keynote (Main Stage)
David Hanney, Alpkit
(Breakout Room)
14:35
Networking
15:00
Closing Remarks from Commerce Futures
18:30
Arrival & Welcome Drinks
19:15
Guests Sit
19:20
Welcome
Commerce Futures
19:30
Opening Speech
Guest Speaker
20:00
Starters
Topic One - Discussion at individual tables
20:20
Topic One discussed as a collective
20:40
Mains
Topic Two - Discussion at individual tables
21:10
Topic Two discussed as a collective
21:30
Desserts & Networking
23:00
Event Closes
18:30
Arrival & Welcome Drinks
19:15
Guests Sit
19:20
Welcome
Commerce Futures
19:30
Opening Speech
Guest Speaker
20:00
Starters
Topic One - Discussion at individual tables
20:20
Topic One discussed as a collective
20:40
Mains
Topic Two - Discussion at individual tables
21:10
Topic Two discussed as a collective
21:30
Desserts & Networking
23:00
Event Closes

AGENDA

09:00
Registration & Networking Breakfast
09:30
Welcome & Partner Introductions
09:40
Panel Discussion with Q&A
Christy Foster
10:20
Networking Break
10:40
Workshop at tables
11:00
Group Discussion - Moderated
11:20
Final Comments & Networking
11:30
Event Closes
Christy Foster

Christy Foster

Managing Director

Online4baby

Christy Foster is the MD of Online4baby, a family business she founded with her younger sister Cheryl.

The girls were brought up by a single mother who had three jobs to try to make ends meet.

Christy’s route to entrepreneurial success began at the age of 12, working on a market stall before and after school each day to earn enough money for a decent lunch.

In her teens she embarked on several money-making ventures, including selling jewellery and gift boxes at factories, mills, and hairdressing salons, earning enough in the run-up to one Christmas to buy her mum a car.

Realising her strength was buying and selling, Christy – who is highly dyslexic, slightly autistic and has just three GCSEs to her name – later began buying bric-a-brac, furniture and antiques and selling them on markets around Greater Manchester, working seven days a week for up to 16 hours a day.

Nursery items proved great sellers and Christy decided to concentrate on these as well as maternity wear. As it grew, her husband Darren and Cheryl joined her business and they branched out to markets in Yorkshire and into wholesaling, buying seconds from big brands and catalogue retailers.

Soon afterwards, as eBay took off, Christy switched her focus to this platform and her business became the largest eBay baby store in Europe. She became one of the first eBay millionaires, but realised she could have her own website, and Online4baby was born in 2011.

Under Christy’s leadership, the pure-play eCommerce business has grown exponentially.

LEARN MORE →Close icon

Venue

Cafe Duke, 116 Pall Mall, London, England, SW1Y 5ED

Cafe Duke - 116 Pall Mall, is a classic venue with modern flair and an iconic landmark of London’s Georgian heritage, located minutes from Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.

Find directions →
International Women's Day

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