Since setting up WUN, a common theme from our membership has been ‘how can I be a better networker’, and on Thursday 2^nd May we went all guns blazing and based a whole event around that topic, hosted by our legal friends at CMS London in their stunning venue at Cannon Street.  We aim to impress our WUN ladies and CMS London didn’t disappoint!   The evening began well – with prosecco – and networking too of course, and introducing our WUN members to each other – there was an instant buzz in the room.

We got a very warm welcome from Sarah King – a key member of the CMS team and who was instrumental in organising the evening for us – followed by the amazing Dame Fiona Woolf – a partner in the Energy team at CMS, who has been at the cutting edge of all major reforms in the electricity sector for over 25 years – and who was inspirational, sharing her networking with us, and combining useful pearls of wisdom with her unique sense of humour.

The evening progressed with networking tips from WUN Founders Hayley Monks and Angie Needle, which led into our very own Speed Networking Event. It was loud and crazy, and full of laughter and fun, with all our Ladies applying the tips learned from our Speakers earlier in the evening and utilising the LinkedIn connections App to expand networks, taking a few selfies along the way.

The formal part of the event ended with a Panel comprising Hayley Monks, Angie Needle, Jade Gash and myself Emma Ellis with questions from the floor.  The audience got a real understanding that even the most avid networkers fear networking, muck up when networking, hate walking into a room full of people and worry about what to say.   However, we fight the fear and do it anyway, and the more we do it, the easier it becomes.  All the women in that room were relieved to learn that it’s totally OK to feel nervous – and that’s exactly what our mission was for this event.

A personal highlight for me was being approached by someone at the end of the evening who had had a career break and was fearful of returning to work.  She explained the event had given her confidence to go home and write her CV and get back out there, and it’s for women such as this, that the blood sweat and tears of setting up this network is so worthwhile.  This lady truly made my evening and has only spurred us on to build on this network and help even more of you!

We hope you enjoyed the networking evening ladies, the feedback certainly said you did!  Roll on the next event in July which will be based around the Gender Pay Gap. Tickets are on sale soon….so watch this space.