MORE than 650 delegates are set to attend a major conference focusing on women in business.

Organisers of the Women’s Business Forum have reported record demand for tickets to the event, which takes place on October 2 and 3 at Rudding Park, Harrogate.

Speakers will include economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett, who is flying in from New York especially for the event; Allan Leighton, chairman of Pace; Carrie Hindmarsh, chief executive of M&C Saatchi; and Emily Lawson, senior partner with McKinsey & Company.

Holmfirth-based Heather Jackson, founder and chief executive of the Women’s Business Forum said: “With 80% of the tickets already reserved, we are confident that what we have built and are delivering is a forum that organisations, their women and their men not only want, but need to ensure a future where the best talent can lead, regardless of gender.”

The conference will examine the business performance benefits that can be achieved from creating a better gender balance in senior corporate roles and effective strategies to achieve this goal.

Mr Leighton said: “The issue for many companies is not why they should appoint women to the board, but how they go about doing this.

“The Women’s Business Forum has an enviable reputation in providing companies with a road map on how to achieve this goal.

“The event aims to enable companies and their women to work together to make some really simple changes to support more women into senior positions. There is clear evidence that shows better gender balanced companies are more successful.”

The issue of gender-balanced management has become more important to large corporates in recent years with the publication of the Davies Report, which urged FTSE 350 companies to set out the percentage of women they aim to have on boards and in executive committees by 2013 and 2015.

It recommends that FTSE 100 boards should aim for a minimum of 25% female representation by 2015