Speakers from the UN, European Astronaut Centre and UBS are among the list of inspirational women down to speak at She Means Business, which takes place as part of EduMonday at IMEX in Frankfurt on 14 May.
Gender equality and female empowerment have never been higher on the news agenda and these issues are now being given due recognition across the meetings and events sector – as well as in society at large.
At a new conference during EduMonday at IMEX in Frankfurt, pioneering women will share their experiences, provide valuable advice and inspire action.
Inspirational women from around the world will share their perspectives on the current climate at She Means Business, a half-day conference created in partnership with tw tagungswirtschaft magazine, celebrating the role of women in the industry.
Meeting and event strategists – both female and male – are invited to network and learn from a packed programme of highly influential speakers and mentors.
The speakers are inspirational women from diverse backgrounds and sectors. What unites them is that they have overcome challenges and broken boundaries. The day starts with ‘Women in space’, where Major Nicola Baumann, one of Germany’s only three female Eurofighter pilots, and Laura Winterling, a former astronaut instructor and CEO of Space Time Concepts GmbH, will be delivering the keynote (supported by the Cologne Convention Bureau), talking openly about their successes and failures, why it’s important to be brave and challenge yourself.
Female business leaders from backgrounds including tech, finance and the UN share their personal perspectives on issues including empowering women in the workplace, eradicating the gender pay gap and increasing leadership positions held by women.
The UN’s Women's Empowerment Principles are a set of guidelines for businesses on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community.
Chairwoman of the UN Women National Committee, Germany, Karin Nordmeyer, explores these in her session, part of the Women in Business strand.
She explains: “These principles can be transferred to any industry. The task is to break down this approach to individual sectors and environments - such as the meetings and events industry - and to change structures and develop models so that women can live to their full potential and strengths.”
Encouraging women into leadership positions and counteracting gender bias are among the other topics covered by speakers including director of Global Employer Branding at SAP, Suzanna Labonde, and CEO of the European Association of Cardiology, Isabel Bardinet.
She Means Business rounds off with ‘Women in the meetings industry – on eye level with men?’ - a panel discussion moderated by Sheriff Karamat, CEO of PCMA, discussing how a commitment to gender equality and diversity can lead to positive change and new opportunities. This will be followed by the opportunity for roundtable discussions and networking.
Award-winning reporter, producer and presenter, Talia Sanhewe (pictured), will moderate the conference. With previous experience working with the World Economic Forum, CNBC and the BBC World Service, Talia is passionate about inspiring change. She explains: “She Means Business is perfectly timed - never before has the power, position and purpose of women been more important than it is today.”
Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group, comments: “Our new conference, She Means Business, has come at a crucial juncture in society – we’ve reached a turning point where these issues have come to the fore. The next step now is to decide how to move forward – and She Means Business will provide a platform for forward-thinking women – and men - to come together and take action.”
For more information on She Means Business and to register for IMEX in Frankfurt see here.
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