New strategies to advance inclusion and grow female leadership.
A unique collection of the continent’s most influential women, and contrarians from a cross-section of industries, will create a new discourse about dismantling power structures and the need for truly inclusive cultures in business and society at the 2020 FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit presented by Mastercard.
The 5th edition of this dynamic event will be taking place at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Complex in Durban on Friday, 6 March, focusing on the theme, ‘The Ceiling Crashers 2.0: Power with Purpose’. The summit will be followed by the FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Awards Gala Dinner.
“The FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Leading Women Summit has grown in stature and success over the years, and our milestone fifth instalment promises to be the biggest yet with the pioneers and path-breakers who are some of Africa’s most powerful women,” said Renuka Methil, Managing Editor of FORBES WOMAN AFRICA. There will be some dynamic discussions about growing the number of women in leadership that government and business need to mandatorily factor into their strategies.”
Beatrice Cornacchia, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Mastercard Middle East and Africa said: “African women are a vital source of innovation, prosperity, and economic growth. Yet inequality and exclusion still hold women back in many aspects of their everyday lives: from growing their businesses to having the financial tools to participate in the formal economy, from joining the C-Suite to following their passions. We are proud to partner with FORBES WOMAN AFRICA as we believe that it is only by bringing diverse perspectives to the table that we can unlock Africa’s possibilities to women.”
The event, which is hosted annually in honour of International Women’s Day, is anticipated to draw an audience of around 1 000 leading women. Through hard-hitting talks, fireside chats and insightful panel sessions centred on ‘ceiling crashers’, attendees will be inspired to make meaningful changes within their own industries, secure in the knowledge that they have the support of these innovative allies.
The FORBES WOMAN AFRICA Awards Gala Dinner, which is hosted the evening of the summit, is an opportunity to recognise those who are trailblazers and role models who have created a new narrative within their industries. By challenging authority and ‘old school’ traditions, they are enabling future generations to live in a better and more equal world.