Record 1,040 Women from 80 Countries Mark Two Decades!
Beijing, China
Women at the Forefront of Change
Left: Bettina Wassener, Business Editor, Asia, International Herald Tribune moderating the Opening Plenary ♦ Right: Participants look on as Summit President Irene Natividad gives her Welcome at the Opening Ceremony of the 20th Anniversary of the Global Summit of Women in Beijing, China (Xinhua Press)
Left: Global Megatrends speakers: Wei Christianson, CEO, Morgan Stanley China; Rosie Rios, Treasurer of the United States, Wang Lili, Senior Executive Vice President, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China; Wengqin Zhu, Country Officer, China, International Finance Corporation, World Bank; and Irene Natividad ♦ Right: CEO Forum speakers Julia Liuson, General Manager, Asia Pacific & Greater China Region, Microsoft; Henryka Bochniarz, President, Boeing Central & Eastern Europe; and Sakie Fukishima, Chaiman, Korn Ferry International – Japan
Left: Hon. Chen Zhili, president of All-China Women’s Federation is awarded the Summit’s Women’s Achievement Award by Irene Natividad (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) ♦ Right: Ministerial best practice winners with Irene Natividad: Undersecretary of Labor, Patricia Espinosa Torres of Mexico and Vice Minister of Education, Norah Al Faiz of Saudi Arabia
Left: First Lady of Tanzania Salma Kikwete speaks at Closing Ceremony on ending cervical cancer ♦ Right: Sadako Ogata, president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency receives the Global Women’s Leadership Award
Left: Leading Internet-Based Enterprises: Rose Harr, Founder & CEO, Blueware; Yang Lan, Co-Founder & CEO, Sun Media; Marilyn Johnson, VP, Market Development, IBM Corporation ♦ Right: Sungjoo Kim announces the Sungjoo Foundation and pledges $1 million to the Summit
Members of the Summit’s International Planning Committee present the Global Women’s Leadership Award to President Tarja Halonen of Finland
Left: Summit participants enjoy a welcome dinner at the Great Hall of the People ♦ Right: Summit participants pose for a photo
Gala Vilarrasa, President of Le Trefle Rouge, shares her hopes for the future at 2019 Summit. Click image for video. (In French)
Be Part of the 2020 Summit
What Summit Participants are Saying
"Thank you so much for this incredible opportunity. It was an honor to be a part of this inspiring conference and to work with esteemed colleagues in the field of Inclusion and Diversity was the 'icing on the cake.'"
-Esther Hernandez, Chief Diversity Officer, Sandia National Laboratories
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"The atmosphere, the energy, the quality of the interactions and the program were above expectations. Many new topics and high-level speakers."
-Stephanie Cardot, Co-Founder and President, ToDoToday
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"I felt as if we were all linked with such strength. It was not power, it was much deeper, as if a new era is coming. I felt new global energy ... taking care of each other, doing your best without expecting anything, and enough faith in our future to no longer fear it. It was encouraging to all of us."
-Beatrice Ferrant, CEO, Lefranc Ferrant
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"I never know who I will connect with, but with the Summit's unique camaraderie, whoever she is, she will offer her support as I will offer her mine."
-Tess Mateo, Managing Director, CXCatalysts
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2020 Summit Supported by:
In-Kind Sponsors
2020 Virtual Sponsors
Supported by:
In-Kind Sponsors
Media Partners
Summit President on Straight Talk with CNBC’s Bernie Lo
Interview with Irene Natividad on CNBC-e
2016 Speaker Highlights
Click photos to hear from leaders of the 2016 Global Summit of Women:
“The impact of this event will be far-reaching in Morocco and the Arab and Islamic worlds. As a Moroccan woman and as a member of the present Moroccan government, I felt delighted by the extent to which the Global Summit of Women allowed a variety of cultures to open up to each other, regardless of cultural differences and geographical borders.”
– Najima Thaythay Rhozali, Secretary of State for Literacy and Informal Education, Morocco
“I have attended many conferences and forums over the years and few have kept my interest sparked from start to finish as did this year’s Global Summit of Women in Marrakech. I was truly impressed by the talent, positions held, and capabilities of all the women participating both as presenters and as attendees. I met some wonderful people from across the globe — what an experience and a privilege.” – Damayanti Vasudevan, United States
“The Global Summit of Women 2003 provided an excellent opportunity for me to learn about national women’s machineries and to exchange ideas and information with committed partners and dynamic businesswomen from around the world.” The Honorable Jean Augustine, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism and Status of Women)
“I enjoyed this Summit very much. It was a great opportunity to meet all these prominent women. The idea I liked very much was the one-day workshop about empowerment of Arab women. We really need that forum and it was great to exchange ideas between Arab women.” – Zeinab Safar, Egypt
“The networking was fabulous. Until the very last moment, we were still networking, and I found a prospective supplier in Bangladesh, just a few minutes before boarding the plane. I came back with many contacts and ideas. Before the closing of the summit, we were already talking about the next one.” – Evnur Taran, Canada
“The Summit was perfectly organized and professionally conducted. It is the best opportunity for networking with like-minded women in business. One cannot get a better platform for meeting women leaders and entrepreneurs from so many countries. It was the ideal forum for test marketing of my products and it was grand success.” – Farah Khan, India
“The (Summit) once again confirmed what I strongly believe: that the only geographical barriers that exist for our projects are those that we allow to exist.” -Donna Kelley, Spain
“What I found most valuable was meeting and networking with such high caliber, wonderful women. It was a chance to connect with women whom I would not otherwise have had the chance to meet, and to learn something about cultures and countries far removed from my own. A truly enlightening and mind-expanding experience.” -Elizabeth Scott, Hong Kong
“I certainly left Barcelona feeling empowered, renewed and ready to face new challenges and tackle them head-on. The powerful testimonies of fellow women, their achievement and zeal is alone worthwhile being there.” -Inge K. Zaamwani, Namibia
I was very much inspired by the synergy of talents, capabilities, experience, dynamics, and initiatives represented in Barcelona.” -Nela Milijic, Croatia
Summit Outcomes…
What the 2002 Summit Achieved:
* Raised $10,000 to be used as microenterprise loans by Afghan women seeking to reenter their country’s economy
*Created a Technology Committee to develop ways of continuing the sharing of best practices among Summit participants and other women entrepreneurs globally
* Released a report through its Corporate Women Directors International project on Spanish women corporate directors in Spain’s top 300 Companies to establish a national benchmark to measure progress.
*Agreed to develop a compendium of corporate best practices in creating equal opportunities for women. More on this report
Summit President, Irene Natividad
Irene Natividad explains the Global Summit of Women
What Summit Participants Accomplished
“The greatest opportunity for our association was to participate in the creation of a confederation of Mediterranean women entrepreneurs’ associations.”
-Daneille Rousseau, President, Dirigeantes, France
Official Airline of the 2016 Global Summit of Women
2016 Partners
Lead Partner for the 2016 Global Summit of Women
More 2014 Summit Photos
President of Kosovo H.E. Atifete Jahjaga, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, France Minister for Women Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, and First Lady of Malaysia Datin Rosmah Paduka Seri Mansor at the Summit's Press Briefing
Vice President of Vietnam H.E. Nguyen Thi Doan, France Minister for Women Najat Vallaud-Belkacem and Summit President Irene Natividad at the Summit's Press Briefing
Saxon Garden of Warsaw, oldest park in Warsaw opened in 1727
Chopin Monument in Łazienki Park
Maria Skłodowska-Curie Museum
Inside Politechnika Warszawska- Warsaw University of Technology
Golden Terraces Shopping Mall in Warsaw
Copper-Roof Palace of Warsaw
Carmelite Church, created 1761-83
Łazienki Palace
Wilanów Palace
Inside Wilanów Palace
University of Warsaw Library
Sapieha Palace
Warsaw at night
Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad ringing opening bell at GPW-Warsaw Stock Exchange
Europe’s growth champion - Poland has more than doubled its GDP per capita since 1990, and was the only EU economy to sidestep the 2008-09 financial crisis and recession.
The leading economy in Central and Eastern Europe, Poland is a magnet for multinational companies both as a manufacturing and growing consumer base, as well as a gateway to emerging markets in the region.
A leading symbol of regional stability, this country has successfully transitioned to a vigorous democracy, while it continues to advance its political and economic profile on the international stage.
A country with an increasing number of women leaders from the Prime Minister to the Mayor of Warsaw to numerous government ministries and corporations, Poland’s influential women’s networks are making a mark on public policy through its innovative nation-wide Congress of Women.
Poland has a rich heritage based on a 1,000-year historical tradition while it embraces a thriving, vibrant modern culture.
"enjoyed learning and connecting with these great leaders from around the world. Yes, Switzerland it is .. Count me in!"
-Patama Chantaruck, General Manager of Worldwide Software Asset Management, Microsoft
"The entire experience of the Summit was outstanding and so inspiring. These few days had tremendous impact and will be with me personally and professionally for the rest of my life."
- Shannon Studstill, VP, Product Develop-ment, Sony Playstation
"The content is timely and value-added, the speakers are engaging, and the networking is exceptional! My colleagues used words like “life changing” and “inspiring” to describe their experiences."
- Kimberly Admire, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, SAIC
"Just a word: amazing! Great presentations, great professionals, great workshops. To see all these women gathered around a common theme, a common goal was really a strong motivation to continue.”"
-Isabelle Kuster, Senior Vice President for Operations and IT, McDonald's France and Southern Europe
“I never know who I will connect with, but with the Summit’s unique camaraderie, whoever she is, she will offer her support as I will offer her mine”
-Tess Mateo, Managing Director, CxCatalysts
“What an impressive event! The whole event was so well- thought through, and every day was so colorful and meaningful -- From presenters, to the topic of discussion which was so relevant, and all the events.”
Congratulations on a successful Summit. I was impressed with the energy and excitement of the 1000 participants who came from different countries and walks of life! I know that it take a high level of dedication and perseverance to organize 17 successful Summits, which is an amazing achievement. – Shinae Chun, Director, Women’s Bureau, US Department of Labor
The organisation was perfect, the quality and diversity of all the attendees made it very rich and positive. Thank you for also letting everyone talk and express her own situationwhich vary a lot according to the origin, obvious, it is not the same to be a sales manager in IBM in Madrid and be stressed sometimes by the glass ceiling and to “struggle for life” in Congo, and we certainly need to hear about that as well. – Catherine Delaunay, IBM, Spain
This week in Berlin we came together from 95 different countries and united behind commonalities as women, businesspeople and world leaders…. I was reminded of how important it is to continue to reach out to one another. To continue to listen, learn, and exchange experiences across borders. – Gay Gaddis, President and CEO, T-3
The Global Summit of Women was truly amazing. Women leaders from business, politics and society exchanging views, connecting and working towards a better world: congratulations to you and your team for making this happen! – Mirella Visser, Supervisory Board, Royal Swets & Zeitlinger and CEO Centre for Inclusive Leadership
