A foundation presentation about Women in Defence International

1. A Blueprint for your consideration in forming…
WiDI
WOMEN IN DEFENCE INTERNATIONAL
Promoting and advancing the role of women
in the defence profession and industry
developments for a safer world
Est. 2012

2. MISSION
• Advance the position of women in
the defence industry:
– Promote scientific and
technical R&D by women;
– Improve professionals
standards; and
– Elevate the position of women
to the board level.

3. MISSION
• Create more opportunities for
growth and advancement for
women in the defence arena:
– Foster a mentoring
programme;
– Develop professional
accreditation and education
opportunities; and
– Assist women leaving university
or armed forces to leverage
their abilities & experiences.

4. IDENTITY & RATIONALE
• The spirit of this organisation is
ancient…
• The legendary Bodica was the
first woman leader in the
„Military-Industrial Complex“ –
albeit nearly 2,000 years ago
• Famous for her skill, strength,
strategy, stamina and stature –
we seek to advance these
attributes in our members within
the defence & national security
industry

5. IDENTITY & RATIONALE
• Bodica sought equality and
fairness for her people – we seek
equity for women in defence
• Often portrayed with her
mistreated daughters at her side,
guiding them with wisdom,
strength and insights – we pave a
new career path and foster
growth for younger colleagues
• Bodica embodies and is the spirit
and mission of our organisation

6. CONTENTS
• Running Order of Subsequent
Slides:
– Membership
– Organisation
– Proposed Structure
• Includes Focus Areas
– Requirements (Interim)
– Phased Approach
– Activities
– Ways & Means
– Over to You

7. MEMBERSHIP
• Full Member
– Professional working for a
company or consultancy
directly related to the
defence industry
• Student Member
– University student
interested in a defence-
related career
• Associate Member
– Exiting military personnel
– Retired professionals

8. MEMBERSHIP
• Patron
– i.e. member of Royalty
invovled with the military
– e.g. the British Princess
Royal
• Corporate Sponsor
– Defence & security-
focused companies
– Funding source for grants,
awards, events, etc.

9. ORGANISATION
• Phased Approach
– It will take some time to get this
operational
– A phased approach makes the
most sense
– Suggest an interim leadership
team to lay the foundation
– Meet via a conference call
and emails in late 2012
– Meet ASAP in person in early
2013
• Agenda to be determined

10. ORGANISATION
• Structure – Interim
– Based on the permanent
proposed tri-cameral body of
a:
• Secretariat
• Board of Directors &
Specialist Committees
• Steering Committee of past
board members
• But Speacialist committees and
Steering Committees are moot
until year 1 as a fully-fledged
organisation.

11. ORGANISATION
• First Annual Meeting
– Host First Meeting
• February 2013
• During IDEX-NAVDEX?
• Agree foundation leadership
team, roles and activities of
each member to build the
organisation
• By-Laws will also be drafted
by a special group after the
meeting for approval viva
voce at 1st full meeting or
via email

12. ORGANISATION
• Communication & Publicity
– Mönch Publishing Group as sole
media partner …for now
– Some tools at our disposal
• MILTECH Blog
• Mönch Linked In Groups &
Web Sites
• Other Benefits TBD
• Facebook & Linked in WiDI
groups
• Magazine & Web
announcements

13. STRUCTURE
• Leadership
– Secretariat - Annual
• Led by an elected
Secretary General – 2
year term
• Execute mandates of
the Board as approved
by membership
• Heads of Focus Areas
assign an annual liaison
to Sectrariat

14. STRUCTURE
• General Secretariat
Committees
– Membership & Education
– PR & Marketing
– Professional Ethics &
Standards
– Legal & Human Resources
– Defence Liaison
– CSR
– Meetings and Planning
– 1-year term

15. STRUCTURE
• Governing Board
Heads of Focus Areas plus a
Secretary General
– Drafts all major group by-
laws & policies for
membership approval
– Sets & decides polcies,
annual schedules, general
meeting agendas
– 2-year term

16. STRUCTURE
• Steering Committee
– Outgoing Board members
– Provides guidance &
inputs to the Board &
activities of the
Secretariat
– 2 year term

17. STRUCTURE
• Industry Special Iterest Groups
– Any member can join, self
determining structure
– Focus on:
• Weapons, Ammo, Turrets
• Vehicles, Aircraft, Drones
• Communication, Information
Systems, C4ISTAR
• Modelling, Training,
Simmulation
• Operational Logistics, Support
Services, MRO / LCM, Medical

18. STRUCTURE
• Clothing, Protection,
Resilience, Textiles
• Engineering, Equipments,
Energy, Green Technologies
• R&D, Industrial & Technical
Support, Testing
• Demilitarisation, Terrain
Clearing
• MOUT, Borders & Security,
Counter-Terror, Peace
Keeping,
• Optronics, Sensors,
Measurement

19. STRUCTURE
• Avionics, Air Frames – rotary &
fixed wing, Space
• Cyber Warfare, Computers
• Air Defence, Missiles
• Naval Assets – above & below
Surface

20. REQUIREMENTS
• Immediate / Interim
– Board
• Volunteers for an interim
board
• 3-9 month commitment
• organise structure
– Secretariat
• Appoint interim Secretary
General
• 3-9 month commitment
• Organise structure
• Manage Focus Areas
• Web site & comms

21. REQUIREMENTS
– Permanent Structure
• Agreed by interim
board
• Volunteers to head
Focus Areas
• 3-9 month commitment
• organise structure
– Finalise timings for phased
approach

22. PHASED APPROACH
The following outlines the timing in which
these foundation activities should occur
starting from the point of the first
meeting of volunteer foundation
members.
• Invite interested parties as
foundation members =
months 1-2
• Invite foundation members to
respond to questionnaire
about interests &
commitments required for
starting WiDI = month 2

23. PHASED APPROACH
• Assignments made “staffing”
the structure = months 2-3
• Interim Governing &
Management structure is put
into place = month 3
• Conference call / webinar
held to confirm & begin
organising initial committees
within the interim structure =
month 4

24. PHASED APPROACH
• Agenda decided for first
year‘s activities and planning
leading up to the first annual
meeting = months 5-6
• Fix date for first annual
meeting, agenda & invite
potential members = month 6

25. PHASED APPROACH
• Begin promotion & exclusive
media partnership with Mönch
= month 6
• Seek corporate and
institutional sponsors (grants?)
= months 6 – 8
• Host first annual meeting =
month 9
– Officers elected, new
agendas cast, formalise
foundation, etc.

26. PHASED APPROACH
Eventually create multi-national
regional groups that fall under
this one international supra-
organisation

27. ACTIVITIES
• Include:
– Mentoring programme
• Career pathways,
communication skills
– Best Practice
Committees
• From marketing to
research protocols
– R&D, Studies, & white
paper peer reviews &
promotion

28. ACTIVITIES
– Skills workshops /
continuing education &
training
– Professional Standards
• From human resources
to professional
conduct
– CSR – corporate social
responsibility
• From “War children”
to ethical bidding
practices

29. ACTIVITIES
• Best Practices Programme
– Based on professional &
focus areas
– Involves presentations of
papers, etc.
• Achievement Awards
– Standards
– Research
– Best Practice
– & others that track with
WiDI activities and focus
areas

30. ACTIVITIES
• Industry Liaison
– Information &
perceptions campaign
– Bi-annual meetings &
period events
– Government affairs, etc.
as required
• Funding
– Self-funding, grants,
donations, endowments,
etc. (see next section)

31. WAYS & MEANS
Tools for facilitating
interaction within this virtual
professional group include,
but not limited to these
obvious communication
channels:
• Webinars (sponsored?)
• Email updates
• Conference calls – Skype,
etc. – to get organised and
undertake administrative
work

32. WAYS & MEANS
• Meeting at key international
events
• Linked-in discussion groups
(WiDI Group is established)
• e-Newsletter
… And so on, to be used as
per the wishes of each group
within the organisation.

33. WAYS & MEANS
At some point, the interim
governing bodies will have
to agree how to fund WiDI –
agreeing what is an
acceptable and
manageable membership
fee.
Then also determine which
are the other financial
resources available (grants,
EU funding, etc.) and how to
access them.

34. OVER TO YOU
This is just a start – it needs work!
But the outlined structure /
foundation is ready to be built
upon. Please let me know your
interest by my personal email
womenindefence@gmail.com, or
via our Facebook or Linked in
Groups (WiDI). This is your
professional association. From
here, it is up to you. Its success
depends on your input, time and
participation – and inspiration.

35. HOW ABOUT IT?
This is Your Invitation to create something great for
generations to come – R.S.V.P. to
womwnindefence@gmail.com at your soonest
convenience.