Nominations open today (Monday, July 8) for second annual 100 Women of Influence Awards, sponsored by The Australian Financial Review and Westpac Banking Corporation, and leading women’s advocate Larke Riemer wants to make sure regional women are well-represented.

“We don’t want this to be just about women in our capital cities,” Ms Riemer said. “This is about women in Australia collectively making a difference. These awards are very different to other awards. These are not business awards where the winners get measured on profits. This is about influence and what women are doing in their communities to be effective leaders and help make Australia a better country.”

Ms Riemer is Westpac Banking Corporation’s Director of Women’s Markets, ambassador for the Global Banking Alliance for Women and a regular speaker for the World Bank/International Finance Corporation.

Despite all that, she describes herself as “very much a farm girl”, having grown up on Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands.

She has seen first-hand – through both her private and professional lives – just how influential regional women are.

“There some amazing women out there doing amazing things and we want them put their reservations aside and to stand up and talk about it. Men do this all the time. Men don’t find it a problem to stand up and talk about themselves. We’ve got to get up there alongside them and say ‘yes, I have accomplished a lot and I am proud of it,” Ms Riemer said.

She said the 100 finalists from 2013 would join last year’s alumni in forming an impressive list of remarkably talented and capable women.

“This is where we will find the next Gail Kelly (Westpac CEO), our next female prime minister, the next great leaders and thinkers for our country.”

Nominations are being accepted in 10 categories until August 18 and the 100 Women of Influence will be announced in October.  Entries can be submitted online at www.afr.com/100women

The Australian Financial Review is owned by Fairfax Media.