The document discusses the speaker's passion for promoting women's advancement and empowerment, which stems from influential women in his own life and career like mentors, coworkers, and his wife and daughter. He finds it infuriating and unjust that talented women may be held back just for being born female, and as a man he feels a responsibility to use his influence to help create more opportunities and a level playing field for women.

2. If you think I look
a bit unqualified
to be hosting a
Women's Day
event

3. you'll be even
more surprised
to learn that
at my previous
job…

4. …I was one of two
people running their
International
Women's
Network

5. WHY DO I KEEP
GETTING
INVOLVED IN
THESE THINGS?

6. The truth is this is
something I'm very
passionate about,
and a lot of that
relates to the women
in my life.

7. I've been fortunate
throughout my career
to have some fantastic
female mentors and
leaders who I aspire to
be like,

8. some brilliant female
co-workers who
supported me and grew
alongside me,

9. I now have
4 very talented
women in my team
who all have huge
potential,

10. my wife is a
structural engineer
and I have a 4 year
old daughter who
wants to be an
engineer

11. and when I say
"oh like your
dada?"
she says
"no, like mama".

12. It INFURIATES me to
think that any of
those women might
be held back from
achieving their
potential

13. just because they
were born a girl and I
was born a boy

14. The
injustice
of
that
is
STAGGERING.

15. And because of the
nature of the problem
and the imbalance in
our industry

16. men have a
disproportionate
ability to
influence those
outcomes
for the better

17. So, with apologies to the
men in the audience who
came along today to show
some support or just for
some cake
(and I am also passionate about cake)

18. I am talking
directly to you
when I say
we need to do
more

19. And I'm going to
challenge you
today:
whatever you're
doing right now

20. do one
more thing

21. Men need
to make
more noise
#IWD2018