Gender equality tops agenda at IMEX America education event

i By August 15, 2019 No Comments

The issue of gender equality is at the top of the agenda for the premiere IMEX America edition of She Means Business, a joint education program by IMEX and tw magazine, supported by MPI.

Taking place on Monday, September 9, the day before IMEX America (September 10-12), speakers at She Means Business will delve into the issues of inclusion, balancing career and family and female empowerment as well as gender equality.

The World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Gender Gap Report projects that it will take 202 years for men and women to reach economic parity. Read the report here.

“Issues around diversity and gender equality are more important than ever and She Means Business will provide women in events and their male counterparts with a platform for deeper understanding and action,” says Carina Bauer, CEO, IMEX Group. ” The launch of this new conference at IMEX America follows two years of growth and refinement at IMEX in Frankfurt. It’s a valuable opportunity for planners to collaborate with and learn from inspiring speakers on crucial issues facing women today and like all IMEX education, there’s no charge to attend.”

Speakers and sessions include:

  • Gender equality: less words and more action?” This keynote address by Dr. Mara Harvey, Head Global UHNW Germany, Austria, Italy of UBS Switzerland AG, will look at why actions speak louder than words in addressing barriers to economic equality. Harvey will explore the root causes of the gender pay gap including the implicit meaning of semantics around risk and money. She will also share her advice for boosting financial confidence across the generations, including stories and tools for tackling the glass ceiling.
  • The sandwich generation: Balancing career and family”  With event management regarded as one of the most stressful careers in the world (Forbes, 2017), managing family obligations and a career can be challenging. An expert panel will debunk the myths and share best practices and solutions. Speakers are Nelly Mukazayire, CEO, Rwanda Convention Bureau; Nicole Bowman, vice-president of Marketing and Communications, IAEE; and Dale Hudson, Knowledge and Events Director of the IMEX Group.
  • Other speakers delivering TED-style mini-presentations about women in business, diversity, gender equality and female empowerment include Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line; Vicki Hawarden, vice-president, Events for the Society of Human Resource Management, and Melissa Ow, deputy chief executive of the Singapore Tourism Board.

Kerstin Wünsch, editor-in-chief of tw tagungswirtschaft and co-founder of She Means Business, says: “We’re very excited to introduce She Means Business to IMEX America, in partnership with MPI. The conference aims for diversity, gender equality and female empowerment—we believe that if we come together, we can make this change.”

“We are thrilled to support She Means Business, an innovative and inspiring program in partnership with our strategic partner, IMEX Group,” said Paul Van Deventer, CEO and president of MPI. “Diversity and inclusion are the core of MPI and we know the strong impact this program will have on our community.”