More than 200 business leaders and students gathered at Bluestone National Park Resort on Friday for Partners in Progress: Give to Gain, a flagship International Women’s Day event focused on inclusive leadership, collaboration and regional opportunity.
Delivered by IoD Wales with support from Bluestone National Park Resort and Welsh Government (Trade & Invest Wales), the event brought together established leaders and future talent to explore how sharing time, insight and opportunity can help unlock economic growth across West Wales.
Now in its third year, the event continues to grow in popularity, with strong demand from businesses eager to take part in practical conversations about leadership, ambition and skills, and was hosted by Nicola John, Regional Chair of IoD South West Wales and Managing Director at FDM by UAP Ltd.
Attendees included business management students from local sixth forms, colleges and universities, who were given the opportunity to ask questions directly to business leaders and learn from real world experiences of leadership and growth.
The panel discussion was chaired by Geoff Hancock, Regional Chair of IoD Wales in South East Wales and Founder of Dragon Executive Management, and brought together leaders from across finance, manufacturing, talent development and the creative industries.
Speakers included Belinda Houghton-Jones, Assistant Director at RBC Brewin Dolphin and a leading figure in female-led investment, Alex Shufflebottom Jones, an experienced industrial leader, Dr Owain James, founder of Darogan, which focuses on developing ambitious career pathways for young people in Wales, and Jane Wallace-Jones, founder and CEO of international creative business Something Different.
Throughout the discussion, the speakers shared insights into their leadership journeys, exporting from Wales, building resilient businesses and creating opportunities for the next generation.
Businesses interested in developing international markets were also encouraged to connect with representatives from the Welsh Government’s Trade Team, who supported the event and were present to provide guidance and support around exporting.
Following the panel, attendees were invited to take part in guided tours of Bluestone National Park Resort, giving visitors the opportunity to see first-hand how the organisation has built a successful tourism and hospitality business in West Wales.
The event closed with reflections on the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, Give to Gain, encouraging leaders to support and invest in the next generation of talent.
Jo Price, Nations Manager for Wales at IoD Wales, said:
“When leaders give time, insight and opportunity, the whole region benefits. This is what our Partners in Progress event is all about, highlighting what can be achieved in West Wales when we come together.”
Rebecca Rigby, Director of Operations at Bluestone National Park Resort, added:
“This event is a powerful reminder that you do not need to leave West Wales to have global impact. Businesses can build here, grow here and export from here, creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders.”
Speakers throughout the event highlighted the strength of Wales’ close-knit business communities and the importance of inclusive leadership grounded in curiosity, resilience and collaboration.
While challenges such as skills shortages remain a concern for Welsh businesses, the panel emphasised that stronger partnerships between education, industry and government can help create clearer career pathways and encourage more talent to build their futures in Wales.
The discussion reflects wider priorities set out by IoD Wales ahead of the upcoming Senedd elections. In its recently published manifesto, the organisation has called on the next Welsh Government to work more closely with business to address skills shortages, provide greater policy certainty and create the conditions needed for long term economic growth across Wales.
