Alderman Fiona Woolf CBE

Plan UK and Arup were delighted to join forces for a Plan Talk on 1st May with Alderman Fiona Woolf CBE, hosted by Dame Janet Paraskeva DBE, Plan UK Chair. The audience at Arup’s London office listened to Fiona’s engaging talk on the choices she has made in her life, the people who have helped and influenced her, the challenges she has overcome, and the positive impact education has had on her life and career.

‘It’s a terrific evening for me to be here at Arup, which I have encountered all over the world and met some very inspirational people at the organisation, but for this to be twinned with Plan UK, which does so much around the world in such difficult environments addressing issues that we can’t believe are still happening in the 21st century, for these two great organisations to ask me to talk to you, well it doesn’t get any better than that in terms of a great honour.’ She went on to say, ‘My career was presented on a platform of empowerment through education, and a very special feeling that actually I could do anything.’

Arup’s ConnectWomen network is designed to support and promote opportunities for women in what is historically a very male profession.  In 2013, ConnectWomen are hosting a series of events whereby Arup invite inspirational women from a variety of fields to come and talk to them about their successful careers. Arup and Plan partnered on a Plan Talk as part of the ConnectWomen series. Kate Hall, Director at Arup, and Tanya Barron, CEO of Plan UK also spoke at the event.

Fiona Woolf, CBE is a partner at CMS Cameron McKenna specialising in electricity reforms and infrastructure projects. She has advised over 28 governments on reform strategy and infrastructure development, establishing a worldwide reputation in a field of law that is embedded in economics and engineering. Much of her recent work has been for the World Bank on regional electricity markets, regulation and infrastructure.

She is an Alderman (Sheriff 2010/11) in the City of London, a key step on the way to becoming Lord Major of London. She was President of The Law Society of England and Wales in 2006/7 and is a Member of the Women’s Business Council and a Member of the Competition Commission. She a non-executive director of Affinity Water Ltd, and a Senior Adviser to London Economics International. In the charity field, she is a Trustee of Raleigh International and The Chelsea Opera Group Trust, which she also chairs.