In Conversation with GIDA: Allyship - An International Perspective

Prior to joining Community Business in 2019 as the Chief Operating Officer, Janet built a successful career as a senior leader covering a broad range of disciplines and functions including strategic business planning and performance, programme management and delivery, corporate governance, change management, organisational effectiveness and talent development. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, Janet is based in Hong Kong.

Janet believes an organisation is only as strong as its people. She has helped teams get where they want to be by working with people, opening channels of communication, developing and retaining the right talent and ensuring an inclusive environment where creativity and collaboration can thrive.

With over 40 years work experience, Janet holds a Bachelor of Psychological Sciences through Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, and an Advanced Diploma in Programme and Project Management. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, alumni of The Women’s Foundation Mentoring Programme of Hong Kong and a member of the 30% Club of Hong Kong Steering Committee.

Jeiz champions societal inclusion by influencing Diversity & Inclusion strategies, policies and programmes through active work with Employee Resource Groups, Business Leaders and Civil Society Organisations. As Community Business’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director (DE&I), she is responsible for the strategic direction of Community Business’ DE&I offerings.

Prior to joining Community Business, Jeiz worked with IBM in various capacities for 14 years. As APAC Marketplace Diversity Leader, she leveraged on IBM's experience and thought leadership on global diversity & talent management to build and strengthen customer relationships and identify new business & collaboration opportunities for IBM within the Asia.

Prior to joining Marketplace Diversity, she worked with IBM Consulting leading delivery of HR & Talent Services for various industries globally. Jeiz's decade of experience in the company has revolved around leading HR services through transformation, robotic process automation and analytics. She has lead user-centric innovation by use of Design Thinking and Agile ways of working.

As a passionate champion for inclusion, her work with the LGBT+ community in her country has pioneered inclusive programs in ASEAN region which other companies have followed suit gaining several recognitions worldwide.

Outside her various experience in IBM, she is one of the Trustees for the Philippine Financial & Inter-industry Pride (PFIP) where she ran industry-leading initiatives including publishing the PFIP Playbook, founding its Advocacy by Leadership Enablement Program, ran and speak on its Leadership Forums, Pride summits and more. She also was one of the Co-chairs of the Philippine Business Disability Network and recognising the importance of intersectionality and Diversity and Inclusion beyond the workplace, she and her wife have Cofounded The National Inclusion Council of the Philippines that have enabled them to reach and support LGBTQ+ youth and enable workplace inclusion for the local government.

Marni has dedicated her career to creating safer, more welcoming and inclusive workplaces and communities. She holds a degree in Health Administration and a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional designation. Marni is the Chair of the Board of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion.

She is a tireless advocate for inclusion for the LGBTQ2S+ community. Marni has contributed to legislation and policy protecting human rights for individuals at the provincial and federal levels in Canada. She was a member of the Advisory Committee that helped draft the apology that Prime Minister Justine Trudeau delivered to LGBTQ2S+ people in Canada in the House of Commons. She is a sought-after speaker by corporations, non-profit organizations, healthcare services and government agencies across Canada and around the world. She is a regular lecturer on inclusive health and gender affirming care to medical, nursing and allied health students at universities in Alberta and globally.

Marni was nominated as a YWCA Woman of Distinction, received a Human Rights Award from the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights and was named a Global Edmonton Woman of Vision in 2018. Most recently, Marni received The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal and the 2022 Distinguished Alumni award from the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. You can hear Marni in local and national media and she has made appearances on CNN and the BBC. You can also learn more about Marni in her TEDx talk called “Finding Courage, Conquering Fear”

Maretha has a background and qualifications in behavioural and business sciences and has held three transformational Chief Executive roles in South Africa, prior to her immigration to New Zealand about seven years ago – in the disability sector, local government and health sector respectively. She has also recently completed a six-year term as Trustee of Belong Aotearoa, a specialist settlement agency that focuses on addressing the barriers to successful integration of newcomers in New Zealand. Maretha has a strong commitment to issues of social justice and a deep understanding of the way in which intersectional layers of prejudice have an impact on societal and employment outcomes.

Lisa’s experience in the diversity and inclusion space spans the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors.