Women Leaders by the Circle

Ledership Reimagined

Women Leaders by the Circle

Women Leaders by the Circle (WLbtC) is a movement. A living, breathing community built on connection, courage, and purpose. We bring together women from across industries, generations, and geographies to grow, to lead, and to reimagine what’s possible as intentional, engaged leaders. At the heart of everything we do is proximity — to real issues, to changemakers, and most importantly, to each other. Through immersive study tours and intimate leadership circles, women come face-to-face with the world as it truly is — raw, complex, inspiring — and are invited to lead with empathy, insight, and action.

Immersive. Insightful. Transformational.

Our Study Tours

The Women Leaders Study Tours are our signature experiences. They are deep, unfiltered journeys into places of profound relevance — from remote First Nations communities to global innovation hubs like Silicon Valley, India, Israel, and Japan. In Australia, we connect with Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs, community builders, and policy shapers. Internationally, we open doors to social enterprise networks, cybersecurity corridors, and bold experiments in leadership. No two tours are ever the same — each one shaped by context, curiosity, and the energy of the women who travel together.

Where the Magic Happens

The Cohort Experience

What makes WLbtC truly unique is the calibre and connection of our cohorts. Each group is a rich mix of experience, ambition, and heart. Women arrive as strangers and leave as a sisterhood bonded by shared discovery, bold conversations, and the courage to show up fully. These connections often evolve into professional collaborations, life-long friendships, and an enduring circle of support. We welcome women at every stage of their journey, from established executives to those in career transition — creating a safe, ego-free space for growth and reinvention.

Inspiring Leadership

Led by Trailblazers

Our Study Tours are guided by extraordinary women who lead with authenticity and generosity who walk beside the cohort, sharing insights, listening deeply, and holding space for others to rise. We are proud to have been led by some of the most respected and inspiring women across AU & NZ, including Christine Holgate, Debra Hazelton, Elizabeth Broderick AO, Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, Ann Sherry AO, Sam Mostyn AC, Naomi Simpson, Antonia Watson, and Pip Marlow — each of whom has brought their whole selves to the journey and left a lasting legacy of presence, courage, and transformational leadership.

Women Leaders 2026 AU Executive Leaders Study Tour to South Australia

**From Country to Capability: Leading Australia’s Future |*A Leadership Journey Across Culture, Innovation and National Transformation***

Led by Gladys Berejiklian
Supported by Christine Holgate
Friday 29 May – Friday 5 June 2026 | Barossa Valley & Adelaide

Women Leaders by the Circle is delighted and honoured to announce our 2026 Women Leaders Executive Leadership Study Tour to South Australia, from Friday 29 May to Friday 5 June 2026, being led by Gladys Berejiklian, supported by Christine Holgate – our 2025 Women Leaders Study Tour Leader.

Gladys is widely admired as a leader who combines professional excellence with deep personal integrity. Today she serves as Chief Customer Officer, Enterprise and Business at Optus. Her career has been shaped by a genuine commitment to service. As the 45th Premier of New South Wales (2017–2021), Gladys led the state through both growth and crisis, earning respect for her decisiveness, resilience, and care for the community. Known for her warmth and authenticity as much as her leadership, Gladys brings to the 2026 Study Tour a unique ability to connect with people, share hard-won insights, and inspire others to lead with courage and purpose.

South Australia has emerged as one of Australia’s most forward-looking centres of innovation, leadership, and future industries. Home to the Australian Space Agency, world-leading defence and cyber capability, pioneering agritech and sustainability research, and the nation’s most dynamic innovation district at Lot Fourteen, the state is rapidly defining the next era of Australia’s economic and technological landscape.

Our 2026 Study Tour will connect delegates with South Australia’s most influential leaders across business, government, academia, First Nations communities, and the creative and agribusiness sectors. This immersive experience offers rare access to the people driving transformation in space, defence, AI, digital technology, sustainability, culture, and social impact. Participants will gain deep insight into how South Australia is reimagining what is possible and meet the exceptional leaders shaping the next decade of opportunity for Australia and beyond.