Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business: the global Summit

For the Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business Summit in November 2021, we explored and challenged the gender stereotypes holding women entrepreneurs back from success and equality.

Because we won’t wait 250+ years for women to have economic equality.

 

Our world-leading Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business virtual summit (9 – 19 Nov 2021) brought together Cherie Blair CBE KC (watch here), Hillary Rodham Clinton (watch here), Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Hon. Julia Gillard AC, Google, World Bank, DHL, Qualcomm, PayPal, IFC, the Coca-Cola Company and many more incredible companies, institutions, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and activists. Together, the Foundation, speakers and attendees are united by our refusal to wait the 268 years it is currently predicted to take for women to have economic equality with men.

Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business was for business leaders, policymakers, economic empowerment practitioners, women entrepreneurs themselves and others interested in advancing women’s entrepreneurship across the world.

The summit offered inspiring keynote speeches, informative presentations, panel discussions, networking, and development opportunities for women entrepreneurs in low and middle income countries, as well as the release of the Foundation’s important new research report on how gender stereotypes affect women’s journeys to entrepreneurship.

The summit’s four days explored the following themes:

  • Day 1 – Tuesday, 9 November: We Won’t Wait for Equality: Ending the stereotypes blocking women entrepreneurs
  • Day 2 – Thursday, 11 November: Inclusive Supply Chains: Creating equal opportunities for women in supply chains
  • Day 3 – Tuesday, 16 November: Digital Futures: Women entrepreneurs won’t be left behind by tech
  • Day 4 – Friday, 19 November: Unlocking the Next Generation: Driving change for young women entrepreneurs through finance and the media

Together, we set out the clear case for eradicating the gender gap in entrepreneurship and supporting women entrepreneurs, identifying strong calls to action for different stakeholders at every level.

You can download the full programme here and watch recordings of each session below.

Keynote speech: Ending the Stereotypes: Mapping the Way to Success and Equality

Cherie Blair CBE QC, Founder, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
In conversation: Breaking Glass Ceilings

  • Hillary Rodham Clinton, 67th United States Secretary of State
  • Barkha Dutt, Journalist
Panel discussion: Tearing Down the Gender Stereotypes in Entrepreneurship

  • Barkha Dutt (Moderator), Journalist
  • Helen McEachern, CEO, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
  • Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Former Executive Director, UN Women
  • Ngozi Oyewole, Founder and MD, Noxie Ltd
  • Amy Stursberg, Executive Director, Blackstone Charitable Foundation
Panel discussion: Cross-Border Mentoring to Level the Playing Field

  • Efe Olokpa (Moderator), Programme Manager – Mentoring Intakes, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
  • Van Dang, Founder and CEO, Savvycom, and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women alumna
  • Kenrick Fraser, Global Employee Volunteerism and Engagement Lead, Social Innovation, PayPal
  • Zara Jeffery, Global Director, Social Impact Partnerships and Programmes, Marsh McLennan
  • Justin Kwan, Program Manager, APEC-Canada Growing Business Partnership, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
Power talk: Dare to Try: The Transformative Power of Entrepreneurship

Shirin Behzadi, CEO, Public Speaker, Entrepreneur, Board Director
In conversation: Life and Leadership

  • Indra Nooyi, Former Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo
  • Tanya Joseph, Group Managing Director, Hill and Knowlton Strategies, and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Trustee
Keynote speech: Ending the Stereotypes: Are Women-Owned Businesses Getting Cheated in Procurement Post-COVID?

Linda Scott, author, Double X Economy
Panel discussion: Equality in Supply

  • Sarah Kitakule (Moderator), Private Sector Development Specialist, and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Trustee
  • Heather Kipnis, Sr. Operations Officer – Global Lead, Entrepreneurship and Inclusive Business, IFC
  • Norah Odwesso, Senior Director, Social Impact, The Coca-Cola Company
  • Nina Patil, Founder, Fresh Express India, and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women alumna
Presentation: Road to Growth

Hayley Matthews, Senior Partnerships Manager – Trusts and Foundations, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women

Elizabeth Wells, Acting Head of Women’s Entrepreneurship, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
Masterclass: The Role of SMEs in Promoting the SDGs

UN Global Compact
Power talk: Navigating crossroads: Building Personal Resilience as a Woman Entrepreneur

Beatriz Gasca Acevedo, Human Resources and Social Responsibility Expert, and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Global Campaign Board Chair (Latin America)
Power talk: Bias in Value Chains

WEConnect
Keynote speech: Digitalization: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Participate More Equitably in Markets
Rebecca Enonchong, Founder and CEO, AppsTech
Keynote speech: Paving the Way for Women to Overcome the Gender Gap in Technology


Regina Honu, Founder and CEO, Soronko, Solutions Academy
Panel discussion: Development of Women-Led MSMEs for the Digital Economy

  • Geeta Guru-Murthy (Moderator), Journalist and Presenter, BBC
  • Angela Baker, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility, Qualcomm Inc
  • Henriette Kolb, Head of the Gender and Economic, Inclusion Group, IFC
  • Fadé Ogunro, Founder and CEO, Bookings Africa and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Global Campaign Board Chair (Africa)
  • Claire Sibthorpe, Head of Digital Inclusion, Mobile for Development Team, GSMA
Presentation: HerVenture

  • Hayley Matthews, Senior Partnerships Manager – Trusts and Foundations, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
  • Elizabeth Wells, Acting Head of Women’s Entrepreneurship, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
Masterclass: E-Commerce: Get Started
DHL Express
Masterclass: E-Commerce: Power Up Your Potential
DHL Express
Keynote speech: Unlocking the Power of Young Women Entrepreneurs


Hon. Julia Gillard AC, 27th Prime Minister of Australia
Power talk: On Women Entrepreneurs and the Impact of Gender Stereotypes


Helen McEachern, CEO, Cherie Blair Foundation for Women
Panel discussion: Driving Equal Access to Finance for Young Women Entrepreneurs

  • Mallika Kapur (Moderator), Deputy Global Editor, Bloomberg Live
  • Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, Fate Foundation
  • Sofía Benjumea, Head of Google for Startups—EMEA, Google
  • Wendy Teleki, Head of the We-Fi Secretariat, World Bank
  • Anita Tiessen, CEO, Youth Business International
Panel discussion: The Media Taking a Lead

  • Anne Kiguta (Moderator), Journalist
  • Mallika Kapur, Deputy Global Editor, Bloomberg Live
  • Michele (Mitch) Oliver, Global Corporate Brand and Purpose Director, Mars, Incorporated and Deputy Vice Chair, Unstereotype Alliance
  • Japleen Pasricha, Founder and CEO, Feminism in India
Masterclass: Taking the Leap: Breaking Through Barriers as a Young Woman Entrepreneur
Fadé Ogunro, Founder and CEO, Bookings Africa, and Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Global Campaign Board Chair (Africa)

Made possible by...

The Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business summit was sponsored by Bank of America, Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Google and Sail Creative.

Bank of America logo
Blackstone Charitable Foundation logo
Google logo
Sail logo
 

100,000 more women entrepreneurs

Women Entrepreneurs Mean Business forms part of our 100,000 Women Campaign. We’re directly supporting 100,000 more women in low and middle income countries to start and grow successful businesses – and many more by changing global business for the better.

Support the Campaign by making a donation to the Foundation today!

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