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Pictured: Moya Dodd, overall winner of 2016 100 Women of Influence Awards
Former Matildas vice-captain, Moya Dodd, is a board member of Football Federation Australia (FFA), the first female vice president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and one of the first women on the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Executive Committee. Now a partner at Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers, Ms Dodd’s work includes leading the global #womeninFIFA push for gender equality during the recent FIFA reform process, campaigning on women’s right to attend stadiums in Iran, and helping to change the rule against women playing football in headscarves.
Through her board positions at FFA, AFC and FIFA, Ms Dodd strived to influence the contentious world of football politics for the better, and especially for women who were systemically excluded from the sport. While many criticised football governance from the outside, Ms Dodd had a different opportunity to work for change from within.
During her acceptance speech on stage at Sydney Town Hall, Ms Dodd said: “I have learned that to change something, you must first understand it. You must suspend judgement in order to deeply understand the individual perspectives, fears and ambitions of the key players. I have also come to understand that no movement to empower a minority ever succeeded without the permission of the majority. Gaining that permission is the key to making change.”
“My passion is to promote women in the world’s most popular game, to overcome a legacy of exclusion and enable the game, and the women in it, to fulfil their potential. I want to do this at the highest level, because even small improvements, when extrapolated globally, can have a huge impact – and be leveraged to their lives beyond sport. I want others to join this mission.”
“It’s a great honour to be named as the overall winner. There’s a saying that you’re only as good as your next game. I hope to live up to this award by persuading more people to recognise and address gender biases, not only in sport but also in society,” Ms Dodd said.
Moya Dodd accepting her award on stage at Sydney Town Hall, 27 October 2016.
Brian Hartzer, Westpac CEO said: “Moya’s impact on the sporting community in Australia and abroad is paving the way for women to be rightly acknowledged as serious competitors in sport. By agitating to change the culture of football on a global scale, she has become an incredible advocate for reform, integrity and gender equality. Her relentless campaigning has seen huge, and deserved, advancement for women under the amended statutes of FIFA, resourcing and increased opportunity for women on and off the field.”
Greg Hywood, Fairfax Media Chief Executive and Managing Director said: “Moya Dodd is a terrific winner for the overall award. Not only has she been a champion soccer player, not only is she a champion soccer diplomat, she is also a highly respected lawyer. She is respected and respects others. Her recognition as the Woman of Influence will be applauded by many who are in awe or her achievements and adore her as a friend and mentor.”
The 100 Women of Influence Awards also recognised ten other well-regarded women across the categories of Board/Management; Public Policy; Diversity; Business Enterprise; Young Leader; Global; Local and Regional; Innovation; Arts, Culture and Sport, and Social Enterprise and Not-for-Profit.
Mr Hywood also congratulated the “100 remarkable women of influence – and the many more women who were nominated and short-listed. Each of the category winners has made significant contributions to Australian business and their communities.”
THE 2016 THE AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW AND WESTPAC WOMEN OF INFLUENCE AWARDS CATEGORY WINNERS
- Arts, Culture and Sport: Moya Dodd, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers
- Board/Management: Janice Reid AC, Chair, Pacific Friends of The Global Fund
- Business Enterprise: Cyan Ta’eed, Co-Founder/Executive Director, Envato
- Diversity: Kristy Masella, Chief Executive, Aboriginal Employment Strategy
- Global: Prof Julie Bernhrdt, Head of Stroke Division, Florey Institute Neuroscience & Mental Health
- Innovation: Jennifer MacDiarmid, Joint Chief Executive/Director EnGeneIC
- Local and Regional: Leith Boully, Chair, Sunwater
- Public Policy: Mary Crooks AO, Executive Director, Victorian Women’s Trust
- Social Enterprise and Not-for-Profit: Lyn Swinburne, Founder, Breast Cancer Network Australia
- Young Leader: Caitlin Figueiredo, Ambassador, Global Resolutions
Category winners of The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards 2016
Candidates for The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards are judged on their demonstrated vision, leadership, innovation and action in and beyond their field; their impact and how it was achieved.
The judging panel of this year’s awards gave consideration to:
1. Personal, academic, professional and community achievements.
2. Demonstrated performance in their field.
3. Demonstration of collaboration within and beyond their field, and a wider circle of influence than their direct role.
4. How their influence has contributed to women’s social and economic advancement.
5. Involvement and contribution to Australian communities through collaboration and mentoring.
6. Extent to which their contribution was achieved in new and creative ways.
For more information about The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards, visit the website: www.100womenofinfluence.com.au.