The iW50 INSEAD Summit on the 29^th of June 2018 illustrated an important day for not only our partner INSEAD but also for our network and women as Leaders and equals in education, as this event celebrated five decades of women at INSEAD and ‘their commitment to gender balance and inclusion’.

The yearlong celebration culminated at INSEAD’s Europe Campus in Fontainebleau last week where our WIL members, participants and alumni of our Women Talent Pool programme and came together to enjoy the various academic and alumni speakers, breakout sessions and networking opportunities throughout the day. 

 
Elise Bruillon and Cristina Tejada Biarge                        Sabine Abello, Milena Harito and Elise Bruillon

The One Day Event delved into a variety of issues such as gender parity, mentorship, the importance of diversity and the benefits it can deliver. As well as education  as a powerful force for change, leadership and much more throughout the numerous workshops and breakout sessions.

Amongst the high-level speakers, the Summit welcomed Bill Morneau, Canadian Minister of Finance who spoke on gender balance, “Every human being on our planet has a real and fair chance at success”, the role of government and business in making sure woman are fully succeeding in our society. Mr Morneau referred to a specific quote written on a poster in his daughter’s room… “We cannot all succeed if half of us are held back” a quote by Malala Yousafzai. He further stated that this poster inspired his 2018 Budget for Canada.

In particular, our WIL members and WTP participants acknowledged the powerful words presented by Leslee Udwin, Founder of Think Equal. Leslee not only presented her own experiences, and truly heart-breaking truths, she also spoke of her work as a Human Rights Campaigner and introduced her non-profit global education initiative Think Equal. Please see here for more details on their work.

 “We really have to move to drive change. Not just to ponder it. Leadership by women in the business sector: that is your job because you are remarkable forces for good.”
Leslee Udwin at INSEAD.

Thank you once again to our partner INSEAD and our board member Nida Januskis for not only inviting us but graciously welcoming us to their prestigious event. The Summit truly embodied INSEAD’s affirmation by proving their dedication to making gender balance a ‘norm’ on campus, at work and the world through celebrating not only the past but the present and future of women. We look forward to many more successful events together!

“It is crucial for women’s networks to bridge across sectors and countries to connect and promote women leaders”, said Beatrice Delmas-Linel, WIL Board Member and Managing Partner at Osborne Clarke, during a networking reception organised by WIL Europe and hosted at Osborne Clarke in Paris on the 26^th of March.

  
WIL President Thaima Samman welcomes GlobalWIN Vice Chair Stephanie Peters and Femmes et Diplomatie President Pauline Carmona, along with the entire congregation.

GlobalWIN, a bipartisan NGO based in Washington DC, provides a dynamic forum for female leaders to grow personally and professionally, while contributing to key policy debates. It was our great pleasure to welcome their delegation of Congressional Staff Members, and representatives of their Board of Directors and corporate sponsors and to hear about their visit to Paris.

Similarly, Femmes et Diplomatie is an association focussed on the advancements and interests of women by improving the working conditions of all agents of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The association is based in Paris and we were happy to welcome President Pauline Carmona, Associate Director Asia and Oceania at the French MEAE whom stated during her words that of the objectives of Femmes et Diplomatie is “to promote role models and show that it is possible to have a balanced work life while still reaching tier 1 positions’.

 
Members of WIL Europe and GlobalWIN including Board Member Beatrice Delmas-Linel

WIL Board Members Marina Niforos and Nida Januskis were also present at the networking afternoon with WIL's President Thaima Samman reiterating the importance of putting words into action and how this meeting was a great example of transatlantic female cooperation.

The afternoon was a great opportunity to meet our US counterparts and have insightful discussions as we continue working together on the promotion of women across continents.

Thank you to our friends at GlobalWIN and Femmes et Diplomatie for attending this afternoon, we look forward to seeing you soon for another event together. And many thanks to Osborne Clarke for hosting the event and for all your initiatives to advance women leadership!

The 8^th of March 2018 marks an important day for all WIL members and WTP Participants alike. International Women’s Day is not only a day to celebrate and praise women but also a day to remind us to remain motivated and unite as we #PressforProgress.

This year, WTP Participants and Alumni came together in two major cities, Brussels and Paris to reconnect, network and celebrate the day.

Afterwork Cocktail at LinkedIn in Paris

  
Myriam El Ouni, WTP Alumni welcoming participants and board members to our first afterwork of the year

In Paris, WIL partnered with LinkedIn France, allowing both alumni and new participants to the 4^th Edition of our Women Talent Programme to enjoy an Afterwork Cocktail in their Headquarters. Our President Thaima Samman and Board members Nathalie Wright and Béatrice Delmas-Linel also joined the event and shared some insights on the importance of putting words into action by continuing the drive to ensure the promotion of women.

All in all, this reunion provided a great opportunity to the participants get to know one another and network before the Kick Off Event of the 4^th Edition of our WTP programme in Paris on the 15^th of March 2018.

Thank you, Myriam El Ouni, Global Account Manager at LinkedIn France for making this event happen and we look forward for further cooperation with LinkedIn!

Afterwork in Brussels

Over in Brussels, WTP participants and Alumni enjoyed two activities to commemorate International Women’s Day. Firstly, WTP Participant Ioana Banach invited them to join other organisations of around 150 participants, including the European Women’s Lobby for a photo op. The picture below, as you can see show them forming the shape of the International Women’s Day logo and was a great way to get organisations together to honour the day! After the photo op, WTP participants and alumni enjoyed a dinner together, sharing their previous involvement and future expectations of WIL’s Women Talent Pool programme and network.

 

More than 25 WIL members and guests were given the opportunity to meet and exchange over a one-day event, organised with Softlab, and particularly rich in cultural discoveries and insightful discussions on the topic of women leadership.

Following the success of a first meeting held in November 2016 at the Italian Senate's Committee on Foreign Affairs, WIL Europe organised a second encounter with its Vice-Chairman Paolo Corsini, who shared some insights on the representation of women in the public and private sectors and on the role of gender equality in ensuring economic growth. 

Softlab's President Sargis Ghazaryan stressed the importance for Softlab to experiment and implement gender inclusive best practices, while WIL Board Member Emanuela Palazzani reminded the audience of WIL Europe's role in promoting the advancement of women across Europe: 

WIL Europe's "W" stands for "Women" but also for "Winners". 
Winners never quit and quitters never win (Vince Lombardi) and we are ready to take up the challenge of women's leadership.

The meeting was preceded by a networking lunch and a visit of the exhibition "Trajan. Building the Empire, Creating Europe" presented, for WIL members and guests, by the Curator of the exhibition and Softlab technological Partner. 

The exhibition, hosted in the famous Mercati di Traiano at the heart of the ancient city, allowed the participants to reflect on the relationship between the Roman Empire and current Europe but also stressed the strong power of women surrounding the Emperor, seen as forerunners of U.S. First Ladies.

It was also a great example of the role of technology in delivering inspiring experiences, as the participants discovered the many interactive and visual experiences developed by Softlab, technological Partner of the exhibition.

WIL President Thaima Samman speaking about the importance of women’s networks and role models at a dinner organized in Paris by the association ‘Femmes et Diplomatie’ (Women and Diplomacy) representing women at the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. Modern diplomacy and international relations can only gain from including the views and perspectives of women and the WIL is proud to have had the opportunity to share its expertise and best practices. A very inspiring moment for all the attendees!