What was the idea behind AllBright?

My partner-in-crime Anna Jones [former CEO of Hearst Magazines in the UK] and I thought that if we could create a monster global network for women, alongside addressing the issue of confidence, we could go some way to change the data surrounding female leadership. That is that only 2% of all capital raised in 2018 went to support a female CEO, one in six leadership positions are held by females and only 7% of investors are women, 2% at partner level.

There are two parts to the business. The first is the physical space – members’ clubs that are absolute bastions of all that women can do, achieve and strive for. They enable events that help to bring women together, for which everything from the art on the walls to the drinks behind the bars are made by women. We programme a lot of events around confidence and resilience. We’re focussed on career – that’s what gets us out of bed in the morning. We also focus on fun – female DJs at weekends, and female standup comedians. We are there to be a filter, support and pillar for women’s lives. The second part is our online global community, for which we’ve developed AllBright Academy, a free digital education course, and AllBright Connect, similar to Linkedin but for women only, both of which have just launched in Hong Kong. We’re really lucky that we get to think all day everyday about what women want.

What were some of the professional or personal experiences you were drawing on when forming the concept? 

As a female entrepreneur, you’re so used to pitching for money to rooms full of men. I want to see more female founders get funded. 

Who is the AllBright woman? 

The average age of our club members is 37, and it’s diverse in terms of who that woman is. There’s an equal mix of entrepreneurs, executives, freelancers and consultants. What all of the women have in common is that they’re smart minded and ambitious. It’s a state of mind rather than a point of age and experience. 

What is your outlook on female leadership and empowerment in Hong Kong?

Some of the data around women investing and female entrepreneurs looks positive. But the data that our partners, HSBC, have produced shows that almost 70% of female entrepreneurs feel they have faced barriers when it comes to raising capital. I think Hong Kong needs an AllBright and we decided to begin by launching an Academy here, and popping up with pitch days.

Are there plans for more members’ clubs to be opened worldwide?

We’re focusing on New York and Washington next, but we’re also interested in Singapore, Shanghai and Mumbai. 

AllBright appears to aid a well balanced life, what with wellness, business and social offerings. How do you manage this in your own life? Any day-to-day rituals you can share?

It is a juggle. I get up really early. I try to sweat every day – I’m not myself if I haven’t hit the boxing bag and, while I fantasise about becoming a yogi, I need to make contact. I’m very organised and run my diary as my life, making sure I am with my children in the morning and afternoon. The beauty of AllBright is it’s a reflection of what we want and need. My children are frequently in the club. It’s about bringing your work to you.

allbrightcollective.com