Welcome to Heads Over Heels
Heads Over Heels supports ambitious women entrepreneurs by opening up influential business networks.
The organisation was founded as a not-for-profit in 2010 with a mission to take practical steps to help eliminate gender discrimination and give female leaders the tools they need to grow their companies more quickly.
This is where we come in.
At regular networking events in Sydney and Melbourne, they pitch ideas, discuss challenges and talk through their ‘Asks’ (what they really need to fast-track to the next level) and then establish invaluable personal connections with a targeted gathering of people who have the power to unlock tangible solutions and exciting opportunities.
The thousands of connections we’ve facilitated have led to some spectacular benefits, not just for our CEOs, but for the Connectors too. A 2019 report revealed that of the 25 chief executives appointed to run Australia's top 200 companies that year, only two were women. Overall, just six per cent of ASX200 businesses have a woman in the top job. Tackling this imbalance requires direct, positive action to reduce deeply entrenched attitudes to allow female business leaders to thrive.
The Heads Over Heels model is simple and unique – events where carefully selected women (our Portfolio CEOs) outline their companies’ ambitions and challenges, and then explain their ‘Asks’ to an invited audience of prominent and powerful business leaders (Connectors). Interested parties then make connections and facilitate further introductions to relevant contacts in their address book.
That’s when the magic happens! Women who have been held back for so long by lack of opportunity can finally achieve new goals and fulfil their potential.
Our Strategy Council
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Non Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of Australia, EQT Holdings Limited, Trawalla Group, Qualitas Property Partners and Skalata Ventures. Co-Founder of Scale Investors, Founding Chair of Our Community and Women’s Leadership Institute Australia.
EGM, Global Financial Services at Xero;
Ex-Executive, Personal Banking NAB & NAB Ventures Investment Committee. Chair Chunky Move Contemporary Dance, Director MTC Foundation, Human Rights Watch Committee.
Our Board
Non Executive Director at Macquarie Group, Grant Thornton, Tennis Australia and Chair of The Hunger Project
Partner at Gilbert+Tobin - Corporate Advisory Group, Venture Capital and Private Equity
CEO of Lighter Capital; Ex-General Partner, NAB Venture; Angel Investor, Former Tech CEO, Stanford MA
Head of Startup Ecosystem in Australia & New Zealand for Amazon Web Services; Entrepreneur, Startup Advisor
B. Comm (UofC)
Our National Ambassadors
Richard Enthoven
Founder and CEO of The Hollard Australia; Group Director of the Insurance Council of Australia. Ex-Advisory Council Member of Heads Over Heels.
Karen Enthoven
Medical Doctor, MBA; Project Manager of CIRCA at The Garvan Institute, Ex-CEO, Advisory Council and Board Member of Heads Over Heels
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Renata Kaldor AO
Business Leader and Investor. Founder of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW. Ex-Advisory Council Member of Heads Over Heels.
Andrew Kaldor AM
Business Leader and Investor.
Founder of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW.
Bobbi Mahlab AM
Entrepreneur, investor, board member and philanthropist. Founder & Chair of Mahlab, Co-founder of Mentor Walks.
Robert Kelly
CEO and Managing Director, Steadfast Group Limited. Ex-Advisory Council Member of Heads Over Heels.
Janet Menzies
Director, Category Leader at Amazon;
Ex-General Manager at Cochlear; Co-Founder of Heads Over Heels and Chair of Male Champions of Change.
Ghazaleh Lyari
Co-Head of Investments at the Australian Business Growth Fund; Ex-Director of Champ Ventures, NED, Ex-Chair of Heads Over Heels
Helen Waldron
Head of NSW, Australian Industry Group
