Holly Ransom runs her own consultancy firm teaching people about public speaking, so addressing a room full of strangers is not usually a problem.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But she found herself having her first ever "panic attack" last December when she had to address a meeting full of G20 sherpas (leaders' representatives), as well as representatives from the World Bank, IMF and OECD.
As the new co-chair of the G20's youth forum, Y20, Ms Ransom had to tell the room in 10 minutes what her plans were for the year.
"I can guarantee you, I was taking deep breaths," the 24-year-old recalls.
Ms Ransom will attend the G20 Summit this weekend, along with the world leaders, advisers, hacks and hangers-on descending on Brisbane. She has been invited to events with Prime Minister Tony Abbott and US President Barack Obama, and will be using the weekend to talk to as many world and business leaders as she can.
After Mr Abbott appointed her to head up the Y20 in August last year, Ms Ransom has been on a crusade to improve youth unemployment. Across the globe, 600 million young people are not in education, training or employment.
"This will have huge ramifications on future economic growth and productivity," Ms Ransom says.
It is a message Ms Ransom took to the finance ministers' meeting in Cairns in September, as part of the first Y20 group to present to the gathering.
The Y20 is pushing for the private sector to expand global apprenticeship and internship opportunities, better support for youth entrepreneurship and better matching of education with the skills needed in the modern, casualised workforce.
"We're not here to antagonise, we're here to be part of a conversation we believe is absolutely critical," she said.
Ms Ransom, who is originally from Perth, recently moved to Melbourne to be able to devote more time to the Y20 role. When she is not working for the Y20, she works as a consultant for NAB and runs her leadership development company.
Along the way, Ms Ransom - a law and economics graduate - has also had the opportunity to get career advice from some high-powered people she was used to reading about in university textbooks.
This includes IMF head Christine Lagarde who, during a 20-minute conversation at a cocktail function in Cairns, spoke of the importance of not "shying away from your point of difference" as a woman in a male-dominated field.
"She [said she] never tried to be anything other than who she was," Ms Ransom says. "It was amazing. I had a fan-girl moment."
As a former Young West Australian of the Year, whose CV includes a stint working with iron ore chief Sam Walsh at Rio Tinto and experience in more than 20 not-for-profit organisations, it is not surprising Ms Ransom often gets asked if she has political aspirations.
"I'm unapologetically ambitious," she notes. "It's not something I rule out."
But Ms Ransom adds she is not sure which path - business, politics, advocacy or some other form - will be the best one to tackle social and economic problems.
"I don't know exactly what vehicle will be the the one to deliver the greatest change."
