What is a Spotlight Speaker?
Spotlight Speakers are featured women within the professional community who volunteer to share their stories, insights or expertise in an intimate setting. Each speaker is given full creative integrity to introduce herself on the Ivy platform in whichever capacity best reflects her journey. This segment is designed to provide a space to share, to connect, to inspire and to step into visibility within the Ivy Group community.
The Setting
On the evening of 19th September, The Ivy Group held its second quarterly gathering in the form of a Sunset Roundtable. We chose The Whiskey Bar at the renowned Precinct building to welcome several dozen women for an evening dedicated to introductions, connection and visibility. Guests, beautifully styled in chic evening attire, were greeted by photographers on the red carpet before being guided upstairs to the rooftop. There, they were welcomed with a glass of bubbles and a room filled with ambitious women.
Following a lively icebreaker, we began our introductions and set the stage for visibility. As a team, we did not prescribe the speaker presentations. Instead, we allowed them to unfold naturally. It was remarkable to see each courageous guest, some speaking publicly for the first time, step into the spotlight and share her message.
Below we profile each speaker.
Sunset Roundtable Host
The evening was hosted by Alyx Jordan, a serial entrepreneur from London and the founder of The Ivy Group. She opened the evening with the theme of visibility. She shared how finding the courage to speak openly about her experiences as a woman in business led to the creation of the Ivy Group and a desire to find other like-minded women and to create a space where conversations around ambition, achievement and strategy were welcome.
Speaker 1
Our first speaker for the evening was Chand Baungally, a Mauritian entrepreneur, a certified personal trainer and the Ivy Group Principal Manager. She dedicated her segment to the topic of transformation. Her journey in fitness began with a personal need to rethink health, which became particularly important after recognising her family’s history with cancer. She spoke about how fitness changed her life, her mindset and her body. Natural progression allowed her to turn her professional certification into an online fitness platform. Her story was one of resilience, discipline and passion, where she talked about turning passion into lifestyle and lifestyle into business.
Speaker 2
Our second speaker was Ann-Marie Hosang-Archer, a Jamaican-born powerhouse, global in residence and profession. Ann-Marie is a pharmaceutical executive, board director, founder, coach, chair and more. Her segment captured the theme of ownership. She introduced her new foundation focused on women’s health, emphasising the right and need for women to control their education, diagnosis and access to health information. She reminded us of the importance of carving out space for women’s voices to be heard with equal weight, reverence and authority. Her segment was powerful, regal and inspirational.
Speaker 3
Our third speaker for the evening was Linda Sassi, entrepreneur and former Olympic swimmer from the Czech Republic. She opened with a beautifully spiritual observation about collective energy. She spoke of the astrological era of Aquarius, describing it as a time for community and togetherness. Her words captured the sentiment of the evening perfectly, reminding us that this is not an era to walk alone, but a season to grow and rise together. She also spoke of the power of meditation, particularly in children, equipping them with perspective, control, balance and peace, and of navigating adult trauma by addressing how we manage it as children.
Speaker 4
Our fourth speaker was Patricia Aliphon, the first Mauritian licensee of the USA-based Leadership Management International®, is a leadership consultant and trainer. She spoke with deep resonance about the lessons she shares with her adult daughters, and her reflections went beyond her own family, becoming a message for women and generations to come. She spoke candidly about sacrifice, burnout and the hard times, but also about perseverance and the grace that emerges from enduring life’s challenges, preparing each woman for the reverence ahead. She spoke eloquently about perseverance, dignity and self-worth.
Speaker 5
Our fourth speaker was Natasha Ali, education consultant, author and creative from London. She introduced the community to the sometimes conflicting theme of motherhood and guilt, sharing the story behind her latest publication, A Mother’s Guilt, which reframes how women view sacrifice. Natasha encouraged the audience to replace guilt with grace and to seek joy where too often there is only pressure. She also spoke about her entrepreneurial journey, running a successful tutoring agency that supports the success of every pupil, and highlighted her work as a mentor in educational leadership. You can view a recorded reading of Natasha’s publication here.
Speaker 6
Our next speaker was Isabel Polanco, a digital transformation leader and consultant originally from Colombia. She spoke of opportunity, patience and the impact that positive guidance from women can have on other women. She recounted her journey of moving from her native country to London, progressing in her career while facing dissonance and isolation in her marital life, and finding the strength to rebuild. Her story was one of moving from self-doubt to self-trust, refining what it means to recognise your worth as a woman in a new culture. She spoke of finding love again, trusting again and building both a life and a career with confidence. Despite the hardships and discomforts, she would not change a thing, as it was those experiences that helped her become the woman she is today.
Speaker 7
Our final speaker was Edyta Ozbek, a global healthcare recruitment specialist, social impact and innovation strategist and founder, originally from Poland but now living in London. She closed the evening by introducing guests to her ambitious initiative designed to create visibility for healthcare professionals in Mauritius, with the long-term vision to expand globally. She shared her plans for a healthcare summit and award ceremony, already backed by the Ministry of Health, to celebrate healthcare professionals with national recognition and prizes. She has built partnerships with organisations including Oxford University and the NHS, and has secured members of industry for her steering group and judging panels. Her vision is bold: when healthcare professionals are recognised for their dedication and commitment, morale improves and the experience of care improves for everyone. The first award ceremony and summit will take place in April 2025, elevating healthcare voices and contributions on a national stage.
Closing
As the evening drew to a close, what lingered was more than words. It was the courage of women choosing to be seen, the generosity of stories offered without reservation, and the strength of community built in real time. Visibility is not only about stepping into the light, but about creating spaces where others can rise beside us. This gathering was a reminder that when women connect, share and stand together, they do not just tell their stories, they also shape the future.
We are looking for speakers, mentors, articles and women to feature across our platform
The Ivy Group is always seeking to showcase remarkable women and their work. Whether through speaking engagements, mentoring, writing or being featured, our platform is designed to amplify voices, share expertise and create visibility within our community. If you would like to contribute, connect or be considered for a feature, we welcome you to join us in shaping this growing network.