Global Women on Boards conference
Beyond the Chaos
An exclusive gathering of visionaries
committed to equity in leadership
Reimagine leadership — boldly, inclusively, and collectively
Event details
WHO
WHEN
13 November 2025
14:00 - 20:00
WHERE
COST
REGISTER
Registration for the 2025 Conference is now closed.
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WHAT
In a time of disruption, uncertainty, and shifting power structures, the Global Women on Boards Conference offers a space to reimagine leadership—boldly, inclusively, and collectively. This high-impact event brings together senior executives, business school leaders, policymakers, and advocates to confront one of the most urgent challenges in modern governance: achieving lasting gender equity at the highest levels of decision-making.
With the EU’s 2026 30% gender diversity requirement fast approaching, this year's summit — Beyond the Chaos — focuses on navigating complexity with purpose and resolve.
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AGENDA
Thursday, 13 November 2025 | 14.00-18.30
Thank you to our moderator
Kerstin Born-Sirkel, Sr. Associate, European Policy Centre
14.00 -14.30 Registration
14.30 Welcome by Phoenix Executive
14.35 From Policy to Power: Building Equity at the Highest Levels
Viviane Reding, Former Vice President, European Commission
Viviane Reding, the architect of the EU’s corporate gender quota legislation, will open the conference with a powerful reflection on Europe’s journey toward equitable leadership.
KEYNOTE SPEECH
15.00 Modern Leadership: What’s Missing and What We Can Bring
Bianca Bax, Partner, Bain & Company
In a time of complexity and upheaval, this keynote challenges the status quo of leadership. Bianca Bax draws on her experience advising global organizations to spotlight what's missing from today’s models, exploring how we can bring bold yet nuanced approaches to the table and create leadership cultures that thrive beyond the chaos.
15.30 Beyond the Algorithm: Allyship in an AI-Driven World
Robert Baker, Associate & Allyship Specialist, Founder and CEO, Potentia Talent Consulting Limited
As AI reshapes how decisions are made and information flows in organisations, new and subtle forms of bias — such as algorithms favouring male voices over female ones — demand a rethink of how inclusion is led and supported.
In particular, we need allies who can use their awareness, position, and influence to ensure technology-driven systems advance - rather than erode - equity, inclusion, and fairness.
In this session, seasoned moderator Robert Baker will chair a panel of industry experts who will discuss how leaders can recognise and challenge digital inequities.
A panel discussion will follow, offering practical strategies to embed inclusion in an increasingly algorithm-driven world and keep inclusion rooted in culture even when formal programs fade.
Panelists:
- Karen Massin, Head of Government Affairs, Google
- Pierre-Yves Busquin, Vice President, Delivery Head Southern Central Europe, Capgemini
- Katarina Wallin Bureau, Général Manager, Strategic Relations, Microsoft
- Daniel Friedlaender, SVP Europe, Computer and Communications Industry Association, CCIA
- Honorine Umuhire, Cybersecurity Program / Projects Manager, FOD Economie
- Marc de Guiran, Strategic Advisor, Head of EMEA, Imubit
16.30 Coffee Break
Stand “The Sponsorship Edge (new programme for women)”
Helen Tubb – – Leadership & Gender Dynamics Advisor / Founder, Helen Tubb Consulting
17.00 From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: How the EU Gender Mandate is Reshaping Leadership and Reputation
Lauren Burge, Senior Managing Director, Strategic Communications, FTI Consulting
With the EU gender balance directive coming into force, businesses face a pivotal moment. Beyond meeting quotas, this change challenges companies to rethink leadership, culture, and reputation. We will explore how the upcoming mandate creates both risk and opportunity: the reputational pitfalls of box-ticking, the power of authentic leadership storytelling, and how organisations can turn regulatory pressure into a catalyst for long-term cultural transformation and competitive advantage.
17.30 How Organizations put Values into Action: Reimagining Systems for Equity and Sustainability at Large
Svjetlana Jerkovic, Global Procurement Head Raw Materials, ICL Group
This session focuses on how organizations are weaving ESG and DEI goals into their day-to-day operations — through procurement, partnerships, and access initiatives.
Panelists:
- Liran Kessler, Group Director of Human Resources & Public Relations, 2M Group of Companies
- Amelia Greene, Senior Director of Commercial Strategy, Brenntag and Co-Founder Women in Chemicals
- Amina Alaoui Kacimi, Global Smart Manufacturing Leader
- Ellen Klaus, Senior Digital Health Advisor, HIMSS
- Monali Bagul, Head of GPO Business Intelligence, ICL Group
18.15 WISE Program – Certificate Ceremony
18.25 Closing remarks
18.30 Reception
MEET THE SPEAKERS
True progress comes from open-minded men and women working together to rethink mindset, rebuild systems, and redefine what leadership looks like."
- Anita Jinju Wimmer, 2024 Global Women on Boards conference attendee.
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