Invest in your career and join the revolution to empower all women in procurement and supply chain. Discover how you can become unstoppable in your career and let’s shatter the glass ceiling, together.
Reach your full potential
You owe it to your future self
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Who is BRAVO for?
No one belongs here more than you. BRAVO is for global game changers determined to address the lack of women in procurement’s senior ranks. This 12-month program welcomes all professional women and their advocates—whether you’re starting out, stepping into leadership, already leading, or elevating others. Gain the tools, confidence, and strategies to shape the career you deserve.
Bring your whole self to work each day
Over the last half-century, women in the workforce have progressed significantly. Approximately 26% of all CEOs worldwide are now women, and there’s a record number of female CEOs in the Fortune 500. Yet, despite decades of progress, it’s important to acknowledge one critical fact: our careers still look vastly different to the male colleague we might sit next to, and there’s a bias to break through. And unlike that male colleague, we experience our careers as a set of uniquely challenging phases, the cycles of womanhood.
Meet the powerhouses behind the podium
The BRAVO program has been carefully curated to bring you insights from leading industry innovators and professional coaches to help you level up in your career – and your life.
Dr Ellen Joan Ford
Speaker, Facilitator, Author
Dr Ellen Joan Ford is an award-winning leader, researcher, military veteran and TEDx speaker dedicated to transforming workplaces through inclusive leadership and culture. Described by NZ media as an “extraordinary leader” and “change-the-freaking-world person,” she has advised the Chief of the NZ Army, delivered keynotes worldwide, and worked with major organisations across sectors. A former NZ Army Engineer Officer and Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award recipient, she is also the author of #WorkSchoolHours and creator of the Belonging–Autonomy–Purpose leadership model, known for her warm, practical storytelling and commitment to making work better for everyone.
Donna Bowden
Procurement Career Coach, Founder
Donna Bowden is a Procurement Career Coach and the founder of Narrate Your Career. She helps driven procurement professionals move forward in their careers with clarity, confidence, and a standout strategy. With 20+ years’ experience as a recruitment leader, Donna spent more than a decade supporting senior procurement leaders, before successfully launching her career coaching practice in 2024. She brings deep insight into what employers really value and how professionals can position themselves to stand out. As co-host of The Procurement Pivots Podcast, she shares insights and conversations on navigating change and building impactful careers in procurement. Whether her clients are feeling stuck, overlooked, or ready for their next big move, Donna supports them to take intentional, confident steps toward the career they want.
Coretta Bessi
Non-Executive Director, Interim Executive, Keynote Speaker
Coretta is a highly accomplished senior executive with extensive experience spanning the health, finance, mining, heavy manufacturing, distribution, telecommunications, and energy sectors. Throughout her career, she has held several executive procurement roles—including Chief Procurement Officer positions at BlueScope, nbn, Ausgrid, and Westpac—where she led teams of up to 200 professionals managing billions of dollars in externally sourced goods and services. In addition to her corporate leadership roles, Coretta serves as a Non-Executive Director and Committee Member on multiple major government procurement boards and health organisations. Passionate about developing future leaders in the field, she has lectured in Procurement Management and Advanced Negotiation at the university level for over a decade.
Amanda Purnell
IECL-certified coach, Facilitator, Speaker
Amanda is an IECL-certified coach, facilitator and speaker with 30 years of experience across corporate leadership, resilience and high performance. With 17 years in high-pressure leadership roles in the energy sector, she blends deep commercial acumen, lived experience and coaching expertise to help individuals and teams thrive - without burning out. Since 2012, she has delivered more than 4,000 hours of coaching and 6,000 hours of workshops and keynotes across diverse regions and cultures. Her work is grounded in psychological safety, practical strategies and real-world relevance. Known for her authenticity, Amanda creates environments where people feel safe to speak up, take risks and grow. Amanda’s lived experience with perfectionism and burnout gives her a unique lens into the pressures faced by high achievers. She works with executives, senior and emerging leaders across sectors including professional services, finance, energy, legal, mining, FMCG and retail.
Sheila Vijeyarasa
High Performance Coach, author of Brave: Courageously Live Your Truth
Sheila Vijeyarasa is a cutting-edge leader in the movement towards courageous and conscious leadership. She works with emerging leaders and senior managers, to clear their limiting beliefs and address common blocks.
Claim your seat at the table
What's in your BRAVO briefcase?
Flexible masterclasses for all
Led by world-class thinkers, these sessions introduce you to key topics with practical advice you can apply to your role instantly, successful case studies, and tools to advance your career.
Live Masterclasses on topics that matter
Our 90-minute workshops give you ample opportunity for activities and skills development. Deep dive into the hot topics shaking up the business world with other professionals with the choice of joining two times that work for you across the globe.
Practical learning and growth at your fingertips
You can download handy worksheets and information to reference as you operationalise your learnings and embed new skills into your ways of working.
Ongoing professional development
Through the BRAVO program, you can earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points to recognise your achievements and professional growth.
On-demand library
Tap into our exclusive library of inspiration and discover resources, workshops and masterclasses from previous years. Learn from world-class women from all walks of life, from procurement experts to career coaches and beyond.
Expand your global network
BRAVO is more than just a learning program – it’s a global community. You’ll be part of the largest global network of like-minded women who want to be part of something bigger.
Insights from the experts
Global experts from myriad industries come together to share their insights, experiences, and advice with you. Walk away knowing that you’ve got the tools to tackle any challenge that’s thrown your way.
Real change doesn’t happen by waiting our turn – it happens when we back ourselves and each other. That belief is at the heart of BRAVO.
Now in its sixth year, BRAVO exists because while we’ve made real progress - but we still have a long way to go. Women hold just 25% of leadership roles in procurement – and 53% of organisations still don’t have a supplier diversity policy to support women-owned suppliers. I’ve spoken to so many BRAVO participants who’ve walked away feeling more confident, more connected and more in control of their careers. That’s why I do what I do. Because when women feel empowered, they make bold moves – they step up, speak out and bring others with them. That’s the ripple effect of this program. It’s not just about learning – it’s about transforming how we show up in our workplaces, in our profession, and for each other. So if you’re ready to take that next step – to grow your skills, expand your network and help shape a more inclusive future and powerful line-up of women in procurement leadership – I invite you to join us. BRAVO isn’t just a program. It’s a global movement. And there’s never been a better time to be part of it. Tania Seary – Founder, Procurious
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Outspoken supporters of BRAVO
I am really enjoying being part of this community and the learnings from the individual sessions have been very enriching. I look forward to future sessions and face to face catch up with like-minded procurement and supply chain specialists and deepening those new relationships.
The best part of BRAVO has been coming together with women from diverse industries and various phases of their careers and personal journeys. Learning from their triumphs and hurdles, exchanging thoughts and commiserating in a secure environment. Engaging in lively discussions and experiencing a sense of belonging within a broader community that provides mutual support.
I'm a genuine Ally. I lead an all-female team, report to a female leader, and I've worked for and alongside many inspirational female leaders throughout my career... I'm keen to understand the gender challenges that may still exist here at Rio Tinto, and do my part to bring these to light. That's what drives me.
The experts and their insights have been amazing, as well as meeting other amazingly accomplished women.
Meeting like minded women from across the world and being able to connect with them virtually - in workshops and also over Linkedin. It's good to get differing perspectives from other women who have either been there or are currently in that situation, such as bias or challenges, how people are feeling and how they manage their situations.
We are delighted to be championing the advancement of women in our profession through our support of the BRAVO program.
You're in good company
Looks Like Progress, Feels Like Bias.
Two-thirds of women (66%) reported experiencing some form of gender-based adversity at work this year. That’s a slight drop from 74% in 2022, but the day-to-day challenges women face remain persistent. What’s more difficult than working in procurement? Working in procurement as a woman. Women in the procurement and supply chain professions are becoming the leaders they envisioned when they began their careers. But it’s not without a fight, and many still haven’t cracked the glass ceiling of gender equality. Procurious surveyed 170 women to understand the prevalence and impact of gender bias in the procurement and supply chain workforce and the investments companies are making to drive change.