Bangkok, Thailand, May 12, 2020 / TRAVELINDEX / Over 1,000 Women Expected at Foremost Business and Economic Forum for Women Globally. Bangkok has been chosen to host a major international gathering of women leaders from October 8-10, 2020. With a reputation as the foremost international business/economic forum for women, the Global Summit of Women will mark its 30th year by holding this forum for the first time in Thailand, bringing over 1,000 women leaders in business and government from 60+ countries to Bangkok for active cross-border networking, robust best practice exchanges, inspiring presentations, with a focus on creative solutions to advance women’s economic progress globally.
“We look forward to bringing a global gathering of women to Thailand, world-renowned not only for its beauty but not yet as well known for its dynamic economy, where many women lead enterprises of all sizes,” says U.S.-based Summit President Irene Natividad. “That Thailand ranks high in women’s economic participation, both regionally and globally, makes it an apt venue for the 2020 Summit theme: “Women: Revolutionizing Economies,” which reflects women’s roles in raising national GDPs globally as they entered the workforce and entrepreneurship in prior decades and the ways women are altering business models and practices now and in the future.
As in years past, women leaders ranging from Cabinet Ministers of various portfolios, CEOs of major companies, entrepreneurs, along with male and female senior executives of multinational corporations, are all expected to participate in the three-day Summit. Large delegations of women in business are expected from countries as diverse as China, South Africa, Vietnam, France, Spain, Mexico, Germany and Kazakhstan, to name a few. “Given the global momentum behind creating a level playing field for women triggered by #MeToo, global women’s marches, the public support for the U.S. Women’s soccer team fight for equal pay, we expect a dynamic, fact-filled and engaging conference of what can be done to move the needle on economic equity for women,” adds Natividad.
“The Thai Host Committee and I are proud to welcome women leaders worldwide to Bangkok, and we are working hard to ensure a successful 30th anniversary Summit,” states Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Chair of the Host Committee, current Chair of Toshiba Thailand and former Minister of Tourism. A special session on “Doing Business with Thailand” will be offered to all Summit delegates, some of whom may be interested in future business alliances and opportunities. In addition, a Ministerial Roundtable in which 30+ Ministers are expected to attend prior to the Summit will entail exchanges of what works legislatively in improving women’s economic lives, especially programs in which both business and government are partners.
The 2020 Global Summit of Women will take place at the Centara Grand Hotel and Bangkok Convention Center.
About the Global Summit of Women
Founded in 1990, the Global Summit of Women is a program of GlobeWomen Research & Education Institute, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. GlobeWomen aims to expand women’s economic opportunities through its yearly international forum, through research on women in leadership roles globally, and through other programs, which provide leaders with the tools to expand their efforts to advance women’s economic status – the annual Colloquium on Global Diversity, the Legacies of Women Forum, and Stock Exchange Market Opens held in different countries. More information is available at www.globewomen.org
About Irene Natividad – President of the Global Summit of Women
As President of GlobeWomen Research and Education Institute, Irene Natividad convenes women leaders annually for three decades at the Global Summit of Women on best practices in advancing women’s economic progress; conducts pioneering research on women board directors globally for 22 years now through Corporate Women Directors International, which she chairs; presents women CEOs to students at top universities globally through Legacies of Women Forums; and integrates economic equity issues in international forums including OECD, APEC, T-20 and W-20 (for G-20), U.N. and World Bank meetings, to name a few. A former Board Director of the Sallie Mae Corp., she served as a Commissioner on the National Association of Board Directors’ Blue Ribbon Commission on Board Diversity, and appointed by French Pres. Macron in 2019 to the G-7 Advisory Council on Gender Equality. She was awarded the Trailblazer Award by the Huffington Post In 2015, selected by Women’s eNews as one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” in 2004, as one of the “25 Most Influential Working Mothers by Working Mother magazine in 1998 and as one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in America” by Ladies Home Journal in 1988.
About Kobkarn Wattanavrangul – Chair, Thai Host Committee for 2020 Global Summit of Women
Currently serving as Chair of Toshiba Thailand, Kobkarn Wattanavrangul had a successful three-year tenure as the former Minister of Sports and Tourism, appointed by Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to a key ministry which produces a significant segment of the country’s GDP. Coming primarily from the world of business, she has had various leadership roles including serving as Vice Chair of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, President of the Thai-Japanese Association, Vice Chair of Kasikorn Bank Board of Directors and a member of the Special Advisory Committee of the Prime Minister. Her actual education, however, lay primarily in arts and design through studies at Wellesley College and the Rhode Island School of Design in the U.S. A passionate believer in the bounty of Thai culture and its people, she was known as the “People’s Minister” during the time she served in that role.
