Athena40 Forum
‘Leadership in a New World’
500+ Attendees
55 Speakers
​
​
​
On December 9, 2020 the Athena40 Forum brought together decision makers from all over the world for a day of conversations dedicated to visionary leadership, women in decision making roles and how we can trigger positive changes in our societies. The theme of the Forum was ‘Leadership in a New World: Compassion, Competence, Confidence’. The event unfolded over several thought-provoking panels.
Leaders, luminaries, philanthropists, academics, activists, friends and partners of Global Thinkers Forum
and Athena40 from all over the world attended and exchanged ideas, inspiration and positivity for the future.
Feedback about the event revealed the need for collective thinking but also for access to
new knowledge, networks and fresh ideas for a new world!
​
​
Speakers e-Forum 2020
Agenda Forum - 9th December 2020
9.55-10.00am
Elizabeth Filippouli - Founder of Athena40 - Launches the Forum
10.00-10.45am
Technology For Good produced by Unblocked
The global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the critical role of science technology and innovation in better understanding, containing, curing and preventing pandemics. The conversation will also visit technology trends that can help build a resilient society, as well as considerations about their effects on how we do business, how we trade, how we work, how we produce goods, how we learn, how we seek medical services and how we entertain ourselves.
​
Speakers:
Helen Disney, CEO, Unblocked (Chair)
Dr Jane Thomason, CEO, Fintech Worldwide
Nnenna Nwakanma, Global Ambassador, World Wide Web Foundation
Priya Guha, Venture Partner, Merian Ventures
Vicky Pryce, Chief Economic Advisor, CEBR
​
11.00-11.45am
The Future of Wealth produced by UBS
Women are gaining influence and stature in nearly every sphere of society. Yet despite their progress, inequality persists. As women embrace their economic potential, they are increasingly able to address these imbalances through the choices they make with their wealth. Whether as an individual, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist or an investor, women can help change lives. Building on UBS Optimus Foundation's experience, we will explore the potential of blended finance, combining philanthropy and investing to attract more and better funding to reach the UN SDGs.
​
Speakers:
Maya Ziswiler, Head of Programs & Social Finance, UBS (Chair)
Mara Harvey, Head of Client Services, Global Wealth Management, UBS
Nayantara Watsa, Director, Innovative Financing, Living Goods
​
​
Keynote Speech: New Leadership Models: Compassion, Competence, Confidence by Dame Stephanie Shirley CH
12.00-12.15pm
12.15-13.15pm
New Leadership Models in a New World produced by Athena40
They say that the chain of socioeconomic events that marked the first decade of the Millennium, would not have happened if women were at the helm. Because women bring compassion, patience and a collaborative leadership style, values which our world is missing. This panel will explore the ‘female’ virtues that we have seen shine over the past few months, as effective leadership practices and as such have attracted praise during the pandemic.
​
Speakers:
Elizabeth Filippouli, Founder & CEO, Global Thinkers Forum (Chair)
Rosalía Arteaga, First Female President of Ecuador
HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President, Royal Scientific Society Jordan
Lord Michael Hastings, Chancellor, Regents University London
Silvana Koch-Mehrin, President & Founder, Women Political Leaders
Professor Saskia Sassen, Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology
Tobias Ellwood MP, Member of Parliament
Rev. Mpho Tutu Van Furth - Executive Director Tutu Teach Foundation
​
Diversity as a Mindset produced in collaboration with BBC 50:50 Project
Want to reach more consumers and new audiences? Then putting diversity at the heart of your businesses mindset is crucial. Join this panel to explore how the 50:50 Project has done this in the BBC for women’s representation and how others organisations across the world - including PwC and Lansons - have joined the global partners network to do the same.
​
Speakers:
Nina Goswami, Creative Diversity Lead for BBC 50:50 (Chair)
Laeticia Lynn, Corporate Affairs Director, PwC
Jon Cronin, Head of Broadcast Content, Lansons
Leisha Santorelli, World Editor, BBC Marketplace
​
13.00-13.30pm
1.30-2.15pm
Nurturing Innovative Minds produced by Montessori Group
For educators, the COVID-19 Pandemic is a quintessential adaptive and transformative challenge, one for which there is no preconfigured playbook that can guide appropriate responses. Education leaders must swiftly design responses – and with specific contexts in mind – as the pandemic runs its course. This conversation will explore how different educational institutions and tech platforms across the globe have handled the urgent educational needs and new learning models that are emerging.
​
Speakers:
Leonor Stjepic, CEO, Montessori Group
Deema Bibi, CEO, INJAZ
Dr Radha Basu, Founder, iMerit
Stephanie Gnissios, COO, Climate Risk Services
Sarah Mintey MBE, CEO, Developing Experts
Amira El-Aghel, Trustee, Montessori St Nicholas
James Archer, Montessori Institute
Anna Schebsdat, President of Columbia Business School’s UAE Alumni Chapter
Paula Craigie, Head, Tanglin Infant School
2.30-3.15pm
Media & Trust produced by The Evening Standard
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis. It is becoming increasingly clear that people’s behavioural responses during this fast-changing pandemic are associated with their preferred media sources. The polarisation of media has been reflected in politically motivated messaging around the coronavirus by some media outlets. This resulted in different messaging around the risks of infection and behavioural changes necessary to mitigate that risk. This conversation will focus on the grave concern of waning trust in our societies -and the role of media.
​
Speakers:
Doug Wills, Managing Editor, London Evening Standard (Chair)
Rita Payne, President, Emeritus Commonwealth Journalists Association
Peter Kellner, Journalist & Pollster
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor at the Evening Standard
Heather Brooke, Author & Campaigning Journalist
​
3.30-4.15pm
Global Women of Social Impact
A woman alone has power; women, together, have impact. Raising each other up and channeling the power of collaboration is truly how women can change the equation—and have a lot more fun along the way! This panel will bring together fascinating women from around the world.
​
Speakers:
Linda Duberley, Writer & Broadcaster (Chair)
Muna AbuSulayman, Businesswoman & Activist
Shainoor Khoja, Managing Director, Better Business Enterprise (BBE)
Shamim Sarif, Author & Film Director
Yasmin Pakzad, Entrepreneur
Paola Diana, Author & Entrepreneur
Erika Ender, Founder, Fundación Puertas Abiertas
Tessy de Nassau, Entrepreneur
​
4.30-5.15pm
Ethics & Accountability in Business produced by Adoreum Partners
Impact Investing is about using your money to make a positive impact in the world whilst generating an investment return. Sometimes referred to as ethical investing, it incorporates environmental, social and governance (ESG) values into the investment process. This way we can make the world a better place, and address some of societies biggest challenges: from pandemics to climate change to gender equality. How can we achieve a mindset shift towards profiting and thriving with a social purpose?
​
Speakers:
Dominic McVey, Social Entrepreneur (Chair)
H.E. Mr Manoah Esipisu, High Commissioner Republic of Kenya to the United Kingdom
Veronica Chou, Founder & CEO, Everybody & Everyone
Max Gottschalk, Founding Partner, Ocean 14 Capital
Marcus Watson, Co-Founder, Adoreum Partners
Roksana Ciurysek-Gedir, Founder of PossibleX
​
5.30-5.45pm
Keynote Speech on "Social Entrepreneurship as a Global Imperative"
- by Jeff Hoffman
6.00-6.45pm
Kindness in Leadership in Times of Crisis
The struggle that leaders face in holding the complexity of challenging situations and the contingent nature of these characteristics in mind and in heart highlights the need for deep-seated belief in the value of kindness. Embedding this belief in practice does not take a single form, nor does it rely on a single characteristic. Instead, it is the work of integrating elements of kindness into a personal leadership strategy and an individual discipline and practice.
​
Speakers:
Dr Marc Ventresca, Professor Strategic Management, Saïd Business School (Chair)
Chris Lewis, CEO & Founder, Team Lewis
Helen Alderson, Head of Regional Delegation to the UK & Ireland, ICRC
John O'Brien, Philanthropist & Author
Akinwole Omoboriowo II, CEO, Genesis Energy Group
Shawn Ruggeiro, Executive Director, Just Like My Child Foundation
6.45pm
Exclusive Musical Performance from Erika Ender