Empowering Women: Leading Change in Today's World at the Women Lead Conference
The Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Inc. (ICCPI) in partnership with the Women's Business Council in the Philippines (WomenBizPH) organized a one of a kind event in the Philippines entitled the International Women's Day: Women Lead Conference held last March 8, 2023 from 1:00PM - 6:00PM at Dusit Thani Manila.
The Women Lead conference geared to foster business relationships, associations, and strategic alliances among top-level executives, government officials, and business women and was aimed to motivate and inspire young female professionals and entrepreneurs to excel their careers and overcome the challenges that everyday life poses. Ultimately, the conference pushed the initiative towards the encouragement and advancement of women empowerment in the Philippines.
Global educator, green entrepreneur and creator of the I Can Read Series+, Rayla Allertsen was the keynote speaker for the Women Lead Conference. The event gathered hundreds of leading women of commerce to celebrate and recognize the social, economic, and political achievements of women. This conference was hosted by the Head of Marketing and Events at the Italian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Inc., Gabrielle Hahn Lopez.
Following the presentation of Allertsen that focused on innovation and technology for self mastery and gender equality, the welcome remarks were given by the Chairperson of the Women's Business Council in the Philippines,and CEO of Felta Multi-Media, Inc. Mylene Abiva.
The event highlighted a featured several session speakers followed by a panel discussion divided into five segments including: (1) Women Leadership, (2) Women Entrepreneurship, (3) Work-Life-Balance, (4) Women in Career and Profession and (5) Health and Nutrition.
The session speaker for the segment on Women Leadership was the Managing Director of Accenture Philippines, Ms. Rema Francia de Luna. The presentation of Luna on the "Arc of Modern Leadership" was followed by a panel discussion moderated by the President and Founder of Team Asia and immediate past Chairman of the Women's Business Council, Monette Hamlin.
The panel speakers for the Women Leadership discussion were Rosemarie Rafael, the President of the Women's Business Council of the Philippines and President of Airspeed, Myrna Tang-Yao, the CEO of Richprime Global, Inc. and Rhoda Caliwara, the President and CEO of Executive Genesis.
The session speaker for the segment on Women Entrepreneurship was the Chief Operating Officer at Enchanted Kingdom, Cynthia Mamon who shared her insights on inspiring optimism and creating opportunities for women in business. The panel speakers for the Women Entrepreneurship discussion were the Marilou-Pena Koa, the Chairman and President of Euromode, Marjorey Rubio, the CEO of Bexcs Logistics Solutions, Inc. and Angelie Po, the Product Marketing Head of Globe Business MSME Group. The panel discussion for this segment was once again moderated by Monette Hamlin.
The session speaker for the segment on Work-Life-Balance was the Country Head of Kyani Philippines, Kate Bellosillo. Her presentation focused on how women nurture people to greatness and transform the world.
The panel speakers for the segment on Work-Life-Balance were Tonichi Achurra-Parekh, Vice-President of Service Delivery of Concentrix Philippines, Regina Hahn-Siy, the Managing Director of MDI Novare, and Dr. Mildred Vitangcol, The President of Francisco M. Bautista Foundation, Inc. and Chairwoman of Health Philippines. The discussion was moderated by Rosario Cajucom-Bradbury, the President of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines and former Managing Director of SGS Philippines.
The session speaker for the segment on Women in Profession and Careers was the appointed Deputy Governor for Regional Operations and Advocacy Sector (ROAS) at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.
The panel speakers for the segment on Women in Profession and Careers include Lisa Morales, the President of Philippine Geogreen, Marie Mariano, the First Vice-President Desk Head of Europe, Middle East and America Desk at BDO Unibank, Inc. and Penny Estrada the Chief Commercial Officer at All Transport Network, Inc. The panel discussion was moderated by Victoria Herrera, the Vice President of Marketing at Kumu and Co-founder of She Talks Asia.
Awarded as the Most Influential Filipina 2022 in Lisbon and honored as the Asian Hero of 2022 was the session speaker for the segment of Health and Nutrition, the Secretary General of Philippine Red Cross, Dr. Gwendolyn Pang.
The discussion on health and nutrition was moderated once again by Rosario Cajucom-Bradbury. The panel included Janette Jakosalem, the President of Zuellig Pharma, Catherine Brillantes-Turnvill, the President of Nurture Wellness Village and Nurture Farmacy Spa & Wellness Professionals and Riza Lim, the CEO of the Orissa Garden of Health and Wellness.
The closing remarks were given by the Gender and Development Lead, Undersecretary for Regional Operations of the Department of Trade and Industry, Usec. Blesila Lantayona.
The event encouraged empowering women through embracing equity, proving that women are, in the words of the keynote speaker of the Women Lead Conference, Rayla Allertsen, women are "special, unique and powerful" in their own way.
The sponsors for the Women Lead Conference were Lazada, Oman Air, United Neon Media Group, Kyani Philippines, Stratbase, Crif, Dusit Thani, BDO, Accenture, Airspeed, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. SM Investments, and Eye Power Security and Investigation Services. The official media partners for this event were Business Mirror, the Manila Times and Focus Philippines.
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Written by: Gabrielle H. Lopez, ICCPI, March 13, 2023