Each year, IPWS selects a theme that reflects where our community is and where we’re going. It gives us a shared focus, sparks meaningful conversations, and connects our events into one inspiring journey together.
Last season, our theme was “Courage.” We reminded ourselves to stay brave, focused, and steadfast as many members of our community made major life decisions in the post-pandemic era. This season, we build on that foundation with Inspire — not as a passive feeling, but as a leadership verb.
Inspire shows up in everyday leadership: the executive who illustrates why the work matters, the project lead who transforms stakeholder tension into collaboration through authenticity. Inspire doesn’t happen in isolation, however. It grows from presence — that is, being fully aware of yourself and the moment, while also projecting authority and clarity through your voice, gestures, and energy. Without presence, inspiration can feel forced or performative; with it, you create trust, engagement, and momentum.
At our Season Kickoff Thought Activator, we are thrilled to welcome an inspiring leader, Heidi Dugan, Chairwoman of AustCham Shanghai, an entrepreneur, global ambassador for Queensland, best-selling author, TV host with 6 million viewers daily, and KOL with over 250k followers.
Drawing on her remarkable journey, Heidi trains business leaders and teams in the art of presenting themselves, speaking skills for influence and impact, and creating an undeniable presence. At the IPWS Season Kickoff, she will share actionable strategies on presence to inspire teams, engage clients, and strengthen partnerships.
This is not a sit-back-and-listen event. As a Thought Activator, the evening is designed to spark your thinking and activate your voice. After Heidi’s presentation, you’ll join interactive small-group discussions to exchange experiences, share challenges, and uncover practical ways to inspire action in your own professional journey.
5 Key Takeaways:
1.Understand what presence really means for leaders — both inner awareness and professional projection.
2.Learn why presence is the foundation for inspiring others and creating impact
3.Explore practical strategies to inspire teams, clients, and partners in your day-to-day work.
4.Gain insights from Heidi’s 26+ years of leadership, cross-cultural experience, and high-impact business success.
5.Activate your thinking in small-group discussions, leaving with new tools, connections, and actionable inspiration to start your season strong.
Who This Event Is For:
Business leaders and executives who want to command influence in high-stakes environments.
Entrepreneurs and founders seeking to inspire investors, clients, and partners with an authentic presence.
Mid-career professionals ready to strengthen their leadership identity and step into greater authority.
HR and people leaders looking to cultivate inspiring leadership across their teams.
Anyone seeking to move beyond courage and actively inspire through presence and authenticity.
Agendar:
18:30 Check-in & Welcome
19:00 Kickoff & Speaker Intro
19:15 Speaker Presentation
19:45 Group Discussion / Thought Activation
20:35 Closing Reflection and Mingling
About the Speaker
Heidi Dugan
CEO of Arete Group;
Chairwoman of AustCham Shanghai;
Global Ambassador for Queensland
Professional businesswoman and health advocate with multi-jurisdictional governance experience and proven commercial acumen across the Asia Pacific region. Relevant sector experience includes FMCG, Health & Wellness, Education, Government, International Business, Media, Marketing, and China.
Fluent in English and Chinese, highly respected in both commercial and government circles. CEO of Arete Group, international speaker, entrepreneur, and author of Follow Me and Learn to Cook. Co-author of the global bestseller Peak Performance: Mindset Tools for Sales. Heidi owns and operates three privately held companies and has over 11 years of governance experience.
Heidi Dugan’s story is an inspiring one. An entrepreneur, celebrity TV host, wellness advocate, life coach, and media darling, are just a few terms used to describe her. Having lived in China for almost 30 years, she became the first foreign TV host to have her own show in China, which reaches over 6 million viewers daily. She is also a live host on the Oriental Shopping channel, completing up to $2 million in sales in just one and a half hours.
Heidi is fluent in Chinese and serves as an advisor to multinational companies in global business strategy, trade, marketing, and media. In these roles, she helps senior management from both Western and Chinese organizations better understand the local environment, foreign work culture in China, and their strategic placement in the market.
Heidi is a highly sought-after ambassador and adviser to foreign brands, focusing on wellness, lifestyle, beauty, and F&B categories. She leverages her experience and influence across a wide range of online and offline platforms to reach over 250k followers. She has been honored with the position of Global Ambassador for Queensland State.
Venue Partner
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