Powerhouse Lineup Opens Women in the Economy Summit
Jim Wunderman, president and CEO of the Bay Area Council, released the following statement about the Opening Program of the APEC Women and the Economy Summit:
“Yesterday’s esteemed opening speakers clearly articulated the need for the Asia-Pacific region to come together to share best practices to advance women’s role in their local, national and regional economies. As our speakers noted, women’s economic clout has grown, yet they are still a largely untapped resource. Women still face significant challenges to realizing their full economic potential. We look forward to digging deeper into how to address those challenges over the days to come.”
At the invitation of the U.S. State Department, the Bay Area Council is serving as the host organization for the WES. WES is structured to change national policies, empower women and launch a global dialogue about the status of women. The Bay Area is home to more Fortune Global 500 companies than any other place on the planet, and an epicenter of innovative small businesses, multinationals and global NGOs that accelerate women’s economic opportunities.
Notable Planned Plenaries and Panel Discussions for Thursday, September 15
Opening Address: Driving Economic Growth: The Path to Prosperity – Speakers: Special Representative Lorraine Hariton, U.S. Department of State; Mayor Fumiko Hayashi, Yokohama, Japan; and MelanneVerveer, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large – Grand Ballroom, 9:00 a.m.
Plenary 1: Vision 2020: A Roadmap to Success– Speakers: Chris Jansing, MSNBC; Minister Mari Pangestu, Indonesia; Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook; and Gene Sperling, U.S. White House. – Grand Ballroom, 9:30 a.m.
Plenary 2: Expanding Market Opportunities – Speakers: Carol Massar, Bloomberg TV; Dorothy Attwood, Walt Disney Company; Mercedes Benavides, Wayaru; Beatriz Boza, Ciudadanos al Dia; Elim Chew, 77th Street Pte Ltd.; Sheri McCoy, Johnson & Johnson; and Perry Yeatman, Kraft Inc. – Grand Ballroom, 11:00 a.m.
Lunch 1: Empowerment Through Financial Inclusion – Speakers: William M. Sheedy, Visa, Inc.; Mary Ellen Iskenderian, Women World Banking; and Premal Shah, Kiva. – California East & West Room
Lunch 2: The Courage of Leadership: Innovation Meets Action – Speakers: Susie Tompkins Buell, Esprit; Wanda Holland Greene, Hamlin School (introductory performance); Marissa Mayer, Google; Janet Sape, PNG Women in Business Limited and HaslinaTaib; BAG Network. – Colonial Room, 12:30 p.m.
Breakout 1: The Future: Women and the Sustainable Economy – Speakers: Anne Finucane, Bank of America; Eileen Claussen; PEW Center on Global Climate Change; Kathleen Rogers, Earth Day Network; Megan Smith, Google; and MonthipSriratanaTabucanon, Thailand Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment – Colonial Room, 2:30 p.m.
Breakout 2: Gender Dividend: Driving Prosperity Through Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion – Speakers: Karen Mills, U.S. Small Business Administration; Pacita Juan, Figaro; ShintaKamdani, Sintesa Group; and Barbara Orser, Canadian Taskforce for Women’s Business Growth – Elizabethan Rooms A&B, 2:30 p.m.
Breakout 3: Creating and Empowering Environments and Developing Young Leaders – Speakers: Su-Mei Thompson, The Women’s Foundation; Beth Brooke, Ernst & Young; Deputy Secretary Amanda Ellis, New Zealand International Development Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Carolina Schmidt, Chile Minister of Women’s Affairs; Tina Tchen, Executive Director of White House Council on Women and Girls and Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the United States – Elizabethan Rooms C&D, 2:30 p.m.
