Women's Hemispheric Conference in New York

(Nicolás Manassi/Roey Yohai Photography)

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AS/COA Hosts Seventh Annual Women's Hemispheric Network Conference in New York 

This year's WHN conference in New York focused on gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace and how men can become allies.

New York, October 12, 2018 — On October 11, a group of private-sector leaders assembled at Americas Society/Council of the Americas in New York to discuss how to improve diversity and include women in the workplace, as well as men's role in advocating for them. AS/COA’s Seventh Annual Women’s Hemispheric Network conference featured panels and networking opportunities for an audience of young professionals keen to hear inspirational personal stories and professional advice to help them step into more challenging and rewarding roles.

“We are giving women the space for them to sit with peers who have traveled a longer road than they have in their careers to ask critical questions and to build their networks,” said AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal in her opening remarks. “And this is not a one-sided dialogue. This is a dialogue between men and women in the workplace, at home, and in the social environment as well. That is how you create and cement change.”

Keynote speaker Johnson and Johnson’s HealthE President Duda Kertész delivered remarks grounded in her personal experience. “Always seek help in our networks, inside and outside of the workplace. Get rid of guilt: Every trade-off we make in life, it carries guilt. Finally, take risks. I don’t think we get much further if we don’t,” said Kertész. 

AS/COA’s Seventh Annual Women’s Hemispheric Network conference included a panel on the challenges to implementing D&I policies at a corporate level. Braskem America Legal Counsel and Director of External Affairs Bilal Ezzeddine moderated the discussion that featured CFA Institute Head of the Financial Reporting Policy Group Sandra Peters; Lazard Managing Director Natalia Ramirez; and Merck Executive Director HR Lead Latin America Ruthie Zeltzer

Men’s role as agents of change was the topic discussed in the second panel of the conference. Panelists included Medtronic Vice President, Global Supply Chain, Distribution & Logistics Sheri Henck; HSBC Co-Head of Global Banking North America Lex Malas; and Cleary Gottlieb Partner Francesca L. Odell. The panel was moderated by BlackRock Managing Director and Global Head of Inclusion and Diversity Jonathan McBride.

AS/COA Women’s Hemispheric Network launched in 2012 as a workshop on economic empowerment in New York, bringing together over 100 women at different stages of their professional careers, along with then-UN Women Executive Director Michelle Bachelet and First Lady of Mexico Margarita Zavala, who served as keynote speakers. Since then, the Network has held events in Bogota, Buenos Aires, Lima, Mexico City, Miami, Panama City, Santiago, and São Paulo.

The 2018 AS/COA Women’s Hemispheric Network is sponsored by Medtronic.
Corporate Sponsor: HSBC
Table Leader Supporters: Braskem America, CFA Institute, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and Mattos Filho.

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