The successful commentator’s self-deprecating humour resonated with the mostly female crowd of more than 200.

Rizvi offered tips on why women should negotiate a better pay deal, what confidence sounds like and why when you “stuff up” at work it doesn’t spell the end of your career.

She says women are far less likely to negotiate a higher rate of pay.

“Negotiate,” she says, is the first tip. “Actually negotiate.”

She says male and female graduates are offered the same salary but women are less likely to talk up that salary.

“Men are more likely to say, ‘how about $2000 more’, but women don’t ask,” she says.

“The data tells us that women are very good negotiators and a lot of the research out of the US and Canada says women are actually better negotiators than men if they are negotiating for anyone but themselves.”

“Women are at least as good as the blokes, but are not good when it comes to negotiating for themselves.

“So, step one is just being willing to ask. That sounds like a simple thing but I can’t tell you how many young women I have hired who have never asked me what the salary was, who accepted the job without asking what they were going to be paid.”

Executive Director of CEOs for Gender Equity, Tania Cecconi, introduced Rizvi and guided her through a Q&A session.

Founding members of CEOs for Gender Equity, CCI CEO Deidre Willmott and Clifford Chance Office Managing Partner Jenni Hill, were also in the crowd.