Diana Abruzzi founded the International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry in 1992, the world’s first Chamber of Commerce for women. The Woodend resident is planning to introduce a regional chapter of IWFCI to the local community. She speaks with Serena Seyfort.
What’s your connection to Macedon Ranges?
I’ve lived in Woodend for nearly five years now. I moved here because I wanted to start thinking about the future and a change into my elderly years while I was still fit and able. My family have been at Mount Macedon for many years. When they invited me to look at Woodend for that second stage of my life I immediately fell in love with it. I’ve never been happier, nor more content, than when I am here. When doing a quite large renovation to the house, I included a big office where I could work from instead of travelling to the city every day. I just love looking over the lawns from my office window, it is so peaceful.
You do a lot of your work from home, tell us about it.
I am the founder and international chair of the International Women’s Federation of Commerce and Industry (IWFCI). I started as the first International Chamber of Commerce for women in 1992 with 60 business cards. We immediately proceeded to develop branches and affiliates in over 12 countries across the Asia Pacific and beyond, opening the trade routes for women across the region, enabling women in business to penetrate new markets.
Are you looking at applying any of your work locally?
I recently just finished all my house renovations and thought ‘it’s time’. I really got to know what was happening in the local region here. I was meant to speak at a Macedon Ranges council networking lunch last month but it was washed out with the heavy rains. We are now working with the council for another function in Macedon in the new year, where we will bring many of our very successful international women traders as speakers.
We’re currently looking at starting a regional IWFCI chapter here in the Macedon Ranges. We would very much like to have a collaborative working relationship with other women’s business groups in the area , where the presidents of each group could sit down with us and discuss where we could be of assistance to them.
It’s all yet to be identified as to what shape that will take but I’ll certainly be working with as many people as I can.
Do you have a favourite place locally?
Well, I keep going to Milkos! (The Milko) It’s a cafe in Woodend. It’s great for meetings and coffees in a relaxed environment.
If there was anything you could change in the local area, what would it be?
I’ve noticed what’s happening with Gisborne and Kyneton and they’re losing their character a little bit. We’re a regional country area, we need to keep its current character. Woodend is unique. I believe we need a master plan for the area, without it nothing of substance will really be achieved .
Many people are coming up with ideas and spending a lot of money to deliver proper presentations to the council but they’re not getting too much leverage for it. A master plan is essential to go forward if you want to create jobs here and to entice people to develop and invest into the district, a master plan is essential so there is no confusion in how we see the future of Woodend and it shows good leadership by the council.
Being in Woodend I have seen an enormous potential. Woodend needs to be a tourist destination. There are opportunities here waiting to be worked on. My mind goes crazy walking around the streets thinking what could be done.
