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A Global Movement

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The Women in Tech Global Summit is a 2-day event that will be held in Paris on the 26th and 27th May 2020.

Its main goal is to open the discussion on the challenges facing women in technology today and share the success stories that have empowered women and girls around the globe under 4 main pillars: Education, Entrepreneurialism, Social Inclusion, Science and Research. We will focus on finding tangible solutions for bridging the gender gap in STEM and propose actions for decision-makers in response to today’s challenges.

The Summit will bring together 350 people from 40 countries – representatives from industry, government, academia and the non-profit sector. Each delegation will pitch the current situation of Women in Technology in their country, sharing their challenges as well as achievements.

Speakers 2020

Christyl
Dr Christyl Johnson
Deputy Director for Technology and Research investments of Nasa
USA

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem
Najat Vallaud Belkacem
CEO Ipsos Global Affairs. Former French Minister for Education, Higher Education, Women’s rights, Cities, Youth & Sport. France

Florence Mangin
H.E. Florence Mangin
French Ambassador to Portugal

Carlos Moreno
Pr Carlos Moreno
Scientific Director and Co-Founder Chaire ETI – Sorbonne Business School | Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne

Teuta
H.E. Teuta Sahatqija
Ambassador and Head of Mission at General Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo in New York

Milica Pejanovic
Prof. Dr Milica Pejanović-Đurišić
Permanent Representative of Montenegro to UN

Hussain
Hussain Al Mahmoudi
CEO of Sharjah Research & Development, Technology and Innovation Park
U.A.E.

Isabelle Magyar
Isabelle Magyar
HeForShe Summit Advisor
UN Women

Caroline
Caroline Codsi
President & Founder of Women in Governance – Canada

Carolyn Stebbings
Carolyn Stebbings
SVP RAPP & Managing Director Code – UK

Rachel Adams
Dr Rachel Adams
Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa

David Savage
David Savage
Founder & Host
TechTalks – UK

Joana
Joana Barbany Freixa
General Director of Societat Digital, Generalitat de Catalunya – Spain

Véronique Forge
Véronique Forge Karibian
CEO and Founder Business O Feminin – France

Sarah Porter
Sarah Porter
CEO & Founder of Inspired Minds/ World Summit AI – EU Parliament Advisor AI
UK

Dr Quy Vo-Reinhard
Dr Quy Vo-Reinhard
Chief Data Officer and Co-Founder of HIT Foundation & Centiva Health
Switzerland
Cheryl Razzell
Cheryl Razzell
Director of Platform and Live Operations at Polystream, UK
Imène Maharzi
Imène Maharzi
CEO and Founder Own Your Cash – France

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  • Dr. Christyl Johnson is Goddard’s deputy director for technology and research investments. She manages the center’s research and development portfolio, and is responsible for formulating the center’s future technology goals and leading an integrated program of investments aligned to meet those goals.

    Christyl Johnson joined NASA Goddard as deputy center director for science and technology on Dec. 6, 2010. In July 2012 Goddard Center Director Chris Scolese reorganized some of the responsibilities of the Goddard Executive Council, at which point Johnson assumed her role as deputy director for technology and research investments.

    Johnson came to NASA Goddard from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, where she served under the President’s science adviser as the executive director of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), which is the principal means within the executive branch to coordinate science and technology policy across the Federal research and development enterprise. She was responsible for ensuring the establishment of clear national goals for Federal science and technology investments in a broad array of areas across the executive branch, including basic science, technology, energy, environment, natural resources, and homeland and national security.

    Prior to joining the White House staff, Johnson served as the assistant associate administrator in NASA’s Office of the Administrator. In this role, she and the associate administrator provided the oversight of the agency’s technical mission areas and field center operations.

    Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from Lincoln University, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in systems engineering from George Washington University.

  • Najat Vallaud-Belkacem is a French politician, who on 25 August 2014 was the first French woman to be appointed Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Research, joining the Second Valls Government.

    Previously she was Minister of Women’s Affairs (16 May 2012 to 25 August 2014, Ayrault government and First Valls Government, Minister of City Affairs (2 April 2012 to 25 August 2014, First Valls government), Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports (2 April 2012 to 25 August 2014, First Valls government), and Government spokesperson (16 May 2012 to 31 March 2014, Ayrault government).

    Najat Vallaud-Belkacem joined research and polling firm Ipsos as CEO of its Global Affairs division in 2018. The department carries out research (on impact, public policy evaluation…) that helps international institutions, NGOs, international foundations and other actors which act in the global public interest better make decisions.

    In addition to her work with Ipsos, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem launched and co-directs the Gender Equality and Public Policy programme at the Paris Institute of Political Studies. She also heads Raison de Plus, a collection of progressive essays published by Fayard.

  • Florence Mangin is the French Ambassador to Portugal.

    She was appointed High Equality Officer of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs in 2017, and Director of Continental Europe at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs since 2015, Florence MANGIN is a diplomat with 30 years of experience. She started on economic and political issues in Southern and Western Africa, followed by 20 years dedicated to European issues, both institutional and political as well as economic and social.

    She was ambassador to the UN in Vienna in charge of cooperation in the field of security and the economy in 2009. Seconded to the Caisse des Dépôts to promote investment policies in Europe and internationally, particularly in Africa and China in 2013-2014, she was then Ambassador, Coordinator for Cybersecurity and Public Data at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • Carlos Moreno is a Senior University Professor specialised in the intelligent control of complex systems.

    Deeply committed to science, progress and creativity in all its forms, Mr Moreno strives to bring together scientific disciplines and professionals in the innovation ecosystem —from industry to start-ups —with a particular focus on a cross-disciplinary approach.

    After leading his start-up Sinovia to success, he was Scientific Adviser to the Chief Executive Officer of ENGIE INEO, ex-GDF SUEZ Group, and he provides on-going support to leaders of value-creating innovation.

    He was named Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur in April 2010. The 2019 Prospective Medal was awarded to Prof. Moreno by the Academy of Architecture, France.

  • Teuta Sahatqija
    General Consulate of the Republic of Kosovo
    New York, USA

  • Milica Pejanović-Đurišić is currently Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Montenegro to UN. Before, she served as Minister of Defence in the Government of Montenegro from March 2012 to November 2016, having a leading role in the process of Montenegro’s accession to NATO. Prof. Pejanović-Đurišić was the first Ambassador of independent Montenegro to France, Monaco and UNESCO in the period 2007-2010. From 2004 to 2006, she was Ambassador of the State Union Serbia&Montenegro to Belgium and Luxembourg. In the period 1992-2002, Prof. PejanovićĐurišić was Member of the Parliament and in one term Chairman of its Committee for Foreign affairs. She was elected Member of the State Presidency (1990-1992) at the first democratic elections in Montenegro.

    Her current engagements also include participation in the Mediterranean Women Mediators network and steering committees of a number of (cyber)security related conferences and initiatives. She is a member of the Governance Board of the Atlantic Council of Montenegro and founder of its Digital Forensic Lab.

    With the PhD in Telecommunication Engineering, Milica Pejanović-Đurišić continuously pursues her academic carrier as a full professor in Telecommunications and Wireless Communications at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Montenegro, founder and director of its Research Centre for ICT. After graduating from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Podgorica, she received first the MSc degree and then in 1987 PhD in Telecommunications at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Belgrade (Serbia). Since October 1982, she has been engaged at the University of Montenegro, where she got the title of Full Professor in the field of Telecommunications in December 1998. She also performed the duty of the Vice-Dean and the President of the Council at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.

    Prof. Dr. Pejanović-Đurišić has been cooperating with numerous universities, research centers, international and think tank organizations worldwide as a visiting researcher and lecturer. In her research work she is focused on various aspects of wireless communications, where she has achieved notable results that were published in several hundred scientific papers in international journals and international conferences, in scientific and professional papers in domestic journals and conferences, as well as in a number of books and other publications.

    Her industry experience includes being President of the Board of “Telekom Montenegro” (1999-2002), as well as President of the Board of the first Montenegriin Internet provider (2001-2002). Prof. Pejanović-Đurišić has been working as a consultant in the field of ICTs and as an expert for European Commission and ITU, participating in a number of global professional associations (IEEE, IEICE) and projects in the field of info-communication technologies (Future Internet Forum, Next Generation Internet initiative, Fed4Fire…).

    Prof. Pejanović-Đurišić’s role in fostering digital transformation of Montenegro and the region of South-East Europe has been widely recognized, through a number of initiatives focusing on development and deployment of info-communication infrastructures and applications. Experience in security and defence sectors, gained in a specific environment and time, and combined with her expertise in ICTs, resulted in active engagement of Prof. Pejanović-Đurišić in cybersecurity domain. Being currently at the UN, she is working on initiatives leading towards more safe and secure ICT eco-system, so that the conditions for the mitigation of ICTrelated security challenges would be created and benefits of global digital transformation on the international security and stability achieved.

  • Hussain Al Mahmoudi serves a dual role as the CEO of the American University of Sharjah Enterprises (AUSE) and SRTI Park. Both these entities were established through a royal decree by the Ruler of Sharjah, who also directly appointed Al Mahmoudi. Previously, he served as the Director-General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as a Member of the UAE Chamber Federation, and at GCC Chambers for eight years. He is a board member of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa). He holds an MBA from the American University of Sharjah and a bachelor’s degree in economics and communications from Seattle Pacific University in the US.

  • Since February 2017, Isabelle Michel Magyar has been part of the office of the Executive Director of the United Nations Women, as a leading program of HeForShe movement. Ms. Michel Magyar has been Vice President of Commitment and Diversity for the Schneider Electric Group, very committed to diversity and inclusion and recognized for her commitments to equality between women and men .

    She has held numerous positions, particularly in the industry: Arcelor Automotive HR, Arcelor Mittal’s Communication and Quality Director, and Change Management. She has also been an assessor for the European Foundation for Quality Management. A graduate of the Paris Political Institute, she began her career as a research engineer at the CNRS in Sociology of Organizations and Change.

  • A passionate and strategic leader, Caroline Codsi has had a successful career in the corporate world of over 25 years including the past decade in VP and SVP roles within major organizations.

    Caroline founded Women in Governance in 2010, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to encourage women to develop their leadership, advance their career and sit on boards. She dedicates her life to all matters relating to the access of women to executive roles and board positions in the corporate world in Canada as well as women’s equality rights everywhere in the world.

    Women in Governance’s programs have a deep and concrete impact for equality in Canadian society (major events, mentoring program, governance courses, corporate Parity Certification, etc.).

    A graduate in Human Resources from HEC Montréal as well as in languages and foreign civilizations from l’Université Paris-Diderot (Paris-VII), Caroline also completed the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD)’s Program at McGill. She is a Scholar, Valedictorian, Ambassador and Examiner for the ICD.

    Born in Beirut, Caroline was only 7 years old when the war started and 22 when it ended. A Citizen of the world having lived on three continents, Caroline is fluent in 4 languages and can understand 6.

    A highly sought-after speaker, Caroline is the recipient of Awards from the Quebec Business Women Network, the Arab Women Trophy and Premières en Affaires among others. She was recognized as a Top 20 Diversity Leading Figures in Quebec, Top 75 Canadian Immigrants and Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada. She is also the recipient of a Gender Equality Award by the United Nations’ Women National Committee, a Leadership Award from the Mercuriades (Quebec’s Federation of chambers of commerce) and a Leader of the decade for diversity & inclusion award from New Delhi’s Women Economic Forum. Appointed to the National Committee on Gender Equality by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, she works tirelessly in Canada and internationally on the issue of gender equality and women’s access to decision-making bodies.

  • As Managing Director of CodeWorldwide, Carolyn is strategically and financially accountable for the business. Leading from the front she galvanises teams to deliver everything from consulting on the right mar-tech and services to deliver a customer-first experience through implementation, build and marketing science and mar-tech support.

    Leading a multi-disciplined team she prides herself on an agnostic tech view enabling her to be in the moment and not driven by a sales agenda.

    She is an experienced leader with a proven track record helping businesses to leverage the right technology to enable optimal data solutions that meet today’s customer-led environments. A high performer and motivating leader with a reputation for honesty & exceeding expectations

    Her approach combines calmness and approachability with firmness and pragmatism. She is driven by a desire to find the best solution and getting the best out of the teams around her.

    She was voted in as one of the Data 100 again this year.

  • Dr Rachel Adams is a Senior Research Specialist at the Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa, and a post-doctoral researcher at the Information Law and Policy Centre, Institute of Advanced Studies, University of London.

    Dr Adams previously held the position of Senior Researcher Civil and Political Rights at the South African Human Rights Commission, from 2014-2016. Her research lies at the intersection of gender, technology, law and race. Dr Adams sits on the Independent Expert Panel of the South African Department of Science and Innovation and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Centre on Artificial Intelligence Research (CAIR), and she is a member of the Independent Advisory Group of the Surveillance Camera Commissioner for the UK Home Office.

    Dr Adams is further an Editor of the South African Journal on Human Rights. Dr Adams’ first monograph is forthcoming in early 2020 with Routledge, entitled Transparency: New Trajectories in Law. She is currently engaged in writing two further books around gender and AI, and the relationship between race and AI technologies historically.

    Her work on gender and AI has been cited in The Guardian, the New York Times and by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Privacy. Dr Adams has participated in expert consultations with the UN on various issues concerning AI, data governance and human rights.

  • David started his career as a technology recruiter and spent a decade exploring the role people play in shaping the sector.

    3 years’ ago he felt that there was a lack of content available for leaders in the space, nothing explored the challenges they face without adding an Instagram gloss to events. So David launched Tech Talks, a podcast offering honest insight and community leaders could tap into.

    Tech Talks is now a regular member of the Apple Podcast top 50 tech podcast chart, attracting thousands of listeners each month from a diverse community of tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. The series also led to David being named Computing Magazine’s Digital Ambassador of the Year 2018.
    He has a passion for tech, sci-fi, Newcastle United and truly awful films.

  • Joana is the General Director of the Digital Society in the Generalitat of Catalonia.

    She has a degree in Periodism and a Diploma in Business Sciences. Her professional career has focused on digital communication and strategic consulting and organizations. In the consultation of Sant Cugat, she has been governor of Communication, Information, City Care, Promotion of the City and Technology, and Alkalcity of Economic Promotion, Innovation, and Open Government.

  • Véronique Forge Karibian is the founder of Businessofeminin.com a digital media dedicated to empowering women in business and entrepreneurs. In 2017, she launched the Business O Féminin awards which reward female-led start-ups with an international scope. In 2020, the patron of the prize will be Virginie Morgon, CEO of Eurazeo. In October 2019, she opened the Business O Féminin club, a space enabling women professionals to attend career and entrepreneurship workshops and connect with an inspirational community.

    Véronique has a background in Press and TV journalism. She hosted « Femmes d’Exception », a talk show where she interviewed influential women such as Christine Lagarde, Simone Veil etc…She also had a programme on Africa and a weekly Morning Live.

    She is graduated from SCIENCES-PO Paris, The London School of Economics (Master in Media & Communication), ESCP EUROPE (Master in Marketing) and CITY UNIVERSITY ( Master in International Journalism)

    www.businessofeminin.com

  • Sarah Porter is CEO and founder of InspiredMinds!, a global tech strategy group across 72 countries with its base in London. Their team of tech strategists, researchers, scientists, and academics was brought together with a congruent goal of uniting emerging tech that improves and benefits the world that we live in. The group specializes in AI for good and AI for medicine, promoting fair, safe, and ethical AI.

    Sarah is a first response trauma paramedic at Volunteer 999 since 2008. She is ambassador for the Royal Marsden hospital in London, speaker for the United Nations on Lethal Autonomous Weapons disarmament, and has recently initiated the “Global AI to Cure Cancer” challenge.

    Sarah speaks regularly at large scale events on behalf of the Royal Marsden and presents the latest strategies being used via developments in genetics, stem cell research, and how powerful “big data” analysis can identify game-changing new cancer treatment, alongside the best ways of combining new anti-evolution therapies for patients.

    Sarah is also a mum of three children under 12, and a determined advocate of single working mothers, helping women to balance work and family in a highly pressurized career environment.

    She is also CEO and Founder of Ada-AI, a global non profit power group composed of the most influential scientists and technologists in Artificial Intelligence.

    Sarah specializes in ensuring that emerging technology benefits underrepresented sectors of society — particularly women. She is empowering women and girls all over the world to promote AI for good.

    Sarah is a global advocate for women’s rights and was recently awarded Female Tech Entrepreneur of the Year, following her campaign on behalf of the all-girl Afghan robotics team against the Trump travel ban.

    She is cofounder of the SaRoya Institute, a STEAM school in Afghanistan, which educates global tech leaders and reduces racial, wealth, and gender inequality. Ada-AI is currently building the first STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) school for girls in Afghanistan.

    Sarah founded the World Summit AI in Amsterdam, the world’s only industry organized Tech Summit for the entire Applied AI ecosystem. World Summit AI is underpinned by a global AI community from around the world and is organized by InspiredMinds!

    The World Summit AI community is the fastest growing AI network in the world and attracts over 68 countries and 3000–7000 attendees per annum.

    Sarah Porter has launched 21 b2b and b2c technology products in 11 countries since 1996 and has a renowned reputation for taking ideas from concept to market with subsequent significant growth globally.

    Sarah started her career as a freelance journalist and editor as health and features writer for Daily Express and BBC Radio. She continued her career as Sales Manager, Management Consultant, Managing Partner to Managing Director, and board member before she decided for a more benevolent approach with her recent accomplishments.

    Her core experience now lies in Emerging tech / Medtech /existentialism/ immortality and humanitarian first response.

  • Dr Quy Vo-Reinhard is the Chief Data Officer and Co-Founder of HIT Foundation & Centiva Health – a global blockchain-based marketplace for health data – in addition to being a globally-renowned speaker. Her life’s work is dedicated to healthcare innovations aimed at providing equal opportunities and benefits to all stakeholders.

    Moreover, Quy is an AI advisor of LAPO blockchain (Switzerland) which brings stability with traditional Swiss expertise in financial services to crypto assets worldwide. She was voted ‘The Most Influential Woman in Blockchain in Europe’ ( ‘Blockshow Europe 2018’) and received various awards through her life.

    She founded Give Him The Light, an international charitable project aims to save lives, and solve problems of relevance to humanity. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of different Vietnamese Associations globally (International Vietnamese Academics Network, Association of Vietnamese Intellectuals and Experts in Switzerland …) to promote networking, collaboration among academics professional, researchers, and university students of Vietnam origin living in Vietnam and abroad. Recently she joins AVSE Global to deliver strategy for Vietnamese government for Vietnam sustainability growth in Industry 4.0.

  • Cheryl has worked for many large organisations including the BBC, Apple, News UK and Microsoft. Her roles ranged from running their traditional IT departments to large scale digital transformation projects.

    More recently she worked for HSBC on their digital transformation enabling the use of cloud technology to increase digital journeys for HSBC’s global retail bank. She has recently joined Polystream to run their platform and live ops team. Having worked in technology for over 20 years Cheryl has been actively part of the women in tech community encouraging more women to join the industry. Having spoken at events to running her own she has faced issues herself within the industry and has been trying to work from within to make it a more appealing industry for women to join and be successful!

  • Imène Maharzi is a French based professional, who started working in the French Private Equity space 19 years ago. She is the founder of OwnYourCash.
    First as an Auditor with Arthur Andersen (Due diligence for PE firms), then as an investment professional with Butler Capital Partners (Special Situations PE fund), she had the opportunity to explore several sectors, geographies, investment sizes and targets.
    In 2013, she created Butterfly Partners, a company which invests time and money in start-ups/SMEs which demonstrate a social or environmental positive impact (Impact Investing). In 2014-2015, she took over a majority stake in a school transportation company dedicated to exceptional children (autism, Down syndrom, etc). As the CEO, she transformed a 15-year family business into a social business, resolute to trigger a positive social impact on both employees and beneficiaries, through a strong user-centric quality-driven approach.
    As years went by, it became obvious to her that men-women equality in political / judiciary rights is a mere illusion without a true economic equality. And after 20 years of entrepreneur mentoring, it was also obvious this equality does not exist in the Private Equity space: access to capital for female founders is sub-par (tbh, dysfunctional!), resulting in a massive waste of both economic and social value.
    In 2018, she created OwnYourCash, an educational platform, online and IRL, to massively train women (and men !) to become Business Angels. By opening a conversation on money, biases, and impact investing, OwnYourCash will contribute to a smoother access to capital for projects co-founded by women.
    OYC mission: foster women economic independence, condition to true men-women equality
    OYC ambition: train 2’000 women by 2020, and impulse a significant shift in the French BA market (5’000 active BA’s, 10% women)
    www.ownyourcash.fr