Global Summit of Women

03/18/2026

At Mastercard, advancing women isn’t just a commitment, it’s a strategy for real growth and lasting impact 💡

Leading this effort is Yasemin Bedir, a trailblazing force driving change across Türkiye and beyond.

Through her leadership, Mastercard Türkiye is helping women entrepreneurs access the tools they need to succeed, from finance and mentorship to digital solutions. Partnerships like the Mastercard Impact Fund initiative with Akbank are opening doors for women-owned businesses, not just with funding, but with the training and networks to truly grow.

Yasemin Bedir puts it best: when women are supported with the right opportunities, they “create value not only for themselves, but for the entire ecosystem.”

From startup programs to leadership forums, Mastercard Türkiye is building real pathways for women to lead and thrive 🌍

Want to hear more from Yasemin Bedir? Join us at the Global Summit of Women:

https://globewomen.org/globalsummit/2026-global-summit-of-women-registration/

03/02/2026

Thank you for joining the 2026 Colloquium on Global Competitiveness 'community' last week. I hope you found this roundtable informative and impactful personally and professionally. Someone told me that the gathering not only gave her some factoids, a strategy or two, but she said it also felt like a 'warm hug' that she needed at this time. Well, outside of seeing our work colleagues, I could sense new learnings being picked up. If you noticed, you were given not only national but global data at this years' forum so that you could have a wider lens on inclusion efforts outside the US.

I certainly found my own 'nuggets' from the presentations. Seeing Gad Levanon's cross tabs of education with political orientation gave me an 'Aha' moment. Michael Madovitz's accounting of the amount of drive-time to school, sports and events parents undertake gave clarity on what care work entails for every child -- on top of work at work. Edelman's trust survey surprised me with the business world being seen as more trustworthy than governments or NGOs! Kenneth Gage gave us a reality check on the 'whole government' approach to nullifying established efforts to create a level playing field.

However, I was heartened by Dr. Sally Saba MBA, Layla Ramirez and Rohini Anand PhD Anand, who give us some data-driven strategies to continue diversity work by using your own company's numbers. That new narrative we need for our work will have language that our own employees articulate as EY's video showed us and from our own customers. Yes, we have to be vigilant and do all the legal checks Jennifer Thomas alerted us, but we now have the opportunity to review, to rebuild, while keeping in mind the AI possibilities Anu Madgavkar pointed out at this gathering. I wish you all great success going forward. Feel free to call on me and your Colloquium colleagues -- that's what a 'community' is all about. See you in New York next year.

03/02/2026

This past week, an incredible group of people and talent management professionals came together to talk about navigating today’s evolving legal and political landscape, most importantly, how we keep moving forward in building equitable and inclusive workplaces.
The conversations were thoughtful, informative, and truly inspiring. It’s always powerful to see so many passionate leaders in one space, sharing ideas and learning from one another.
We can’t wait to see how you bring these insights back to your organizations, put them into action, and return next year ready to share your stories, lessons, and successes. The work continues, and we’re excited to be on this journey together!

02/19/2026

It's that time of year again! We're kicking off our speaker highlights as we gear up for the 2026 Summit in Istanbul!

You've certainly heard of Pegasus Airlines, recognized for its exceptionally young fleet and as the recipient of the 2024 Sustainability Award. We are proud to welcome its CEO, Güliz Öztürk, to our session: "Does it make a difference if a woman is in charge?"

Güliz Öztürk made history as the first female CEO in Turkish aviation. Since joining Pegasus in 2005, she has played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a charter operation into a leading low-cost carrier with a fleet of more than 120 aircraft.

Don't miss the opportunity to hear her insights firsthand in Istanbul in June 2026.

Register now (https://globewomen.org/globalsummit/2026-global-summit-of-women-registration/) and join us for what promises to be an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation.

02/03/2026

Click the video to hear President of the Global Summit of Women Irene Natividad invite you to join the 2026 Global Summit of Women in Istanbul, Türkiye on June 4-6, 2026. Click here to access the brochure:https://globewomen.org/globalsummit/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Summit-Brochure-Booklet-Jan-3.pdf

02/02/2026

Before you know it, the 2026 Summit will be here! As we start counting down, here are a few fun and inspiring facts about Istanbul:

✨ Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans two continents.
✨ Women are leading Türkiye’s startup scene, especially in fintech, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence.
✨ Türkiye’s strategic location, young population, and skilled workforce continue to attract major international investment.
✨ Women leaders in senior corporate roles are helping drive Türkiye’s technological progress.

Can’t wait to experience it all in June 2026!

To register, click here: https://globewomen.org/globalsummit/2026-global-summit-of-women-registration/

01/13/2026

It was startling to see a Washington Post article last week stating that the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission -- the nation's workplace civil rights enforcer -- posed a question on social media: "Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or s*x?" If so, the chair of EEOC indicated "You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws." (WaPo, 1/6/26) Normally, this agency is inundated with discrimination cases to review; it does not usually solicit complaints. It is indeed true that all employees -- men and women -- should be guaranteed equal access to jobs and leadership roles, but existing data shows C-suites, CEO positions, and in fact, most mid-level management positions are still held by white men in the US, with women and people of color still way behind.

01/07/2026

01/07/2026

🌍 Registration is now open for the 2026 Global Summit of Women

📍 Istanbul, Türkiye
🗓 June 4–6, 2026

The 2026 Summit theme, “Women: Building Bridges to a Bold Tomorrow,” reflects Türkiye’s unique position connecting Europe and Asia and highlights the importance of collaboration among women amid global, geopolitical, and technological change.

We are pleased to recognize Members and Partners who have already registered:

• Financi'Elles, joining as a Global Member, dedicated to accelerating women’s access to leadership roles in the financial sector.
• Club des Femmes Administrateurs Maroc (CFA-Maroc), joining as an International Partner, a leading organization promoting diversity, inclusion, and women’s participation in governance and decision-making since 2012.

We look forward to welcoming associations, institutions, and leaders from around the world committed to advancing women.

🔗 Registration details: https://globewomen.org/registration/

12/18/2025

Yesterday, Summit President, Irene Natividad gave a 'Best Mentor' award at an event of Women on Boards Turkiye. The awardee was Armagan Ozgorkey, Chairman & CEO of Ozgorky Holdings, who's also on the Board of Coca Cola Icecek. This event saluted several pairings of Mentor/Mentee from different companies, an initiative we applaud because mentors are invaluable in enabling women to reach corporate leadership faster. We also salute this Turkish women-on-boards organization, which has also provided training to create a larger pool of board-ready women. They have been instrumental in increasing their percentage or women directors from 7% some years ago to 18% -- not yet at the global average of 29% but progress nonetheless. At the Global Summit of Women, we have been tracking the progress of women's board appointments in different countries, regions, industries for 26 years now with yearly reports, and we're planning to release a special one in June prior to the Summit itself at the Istanbul Stock Exchange, where we're also leading a Market Open event.

12/15/2025

We held the 2nd Global Summit of Women Host Committee meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye today. Grateful for the dedication and teamwork of our committee members as we prepare for a successful 2026 Summit. Registration details are available here: https://globewomen.org/globalsummit/2026-global-summit-of-women-registration/

12/02/2025

It's Giving Tuesday, and we would appreciate your considering the Global Summit of Women for your 2025 contributions. For 35 years, the Summit has succeeded in bringing together hundreds of women worldwide on economic issues that expand their knowledge base, that enable them to collaborate with their peers across borders, that lead them to plan for bigger leadership roles. In this conflict-ridden times, we need the Summit more than ever to bring unity through the women who come to this global platform to learn and to be inspired.
We bring young women to be featured and to participate at past Summits for free. We'd like to increase their numbers, so they can replace us going forward to create an even bigger impact in their nations' economies. Your support for the Global Summit of Women at any level is much appreciated.

To give today, https://globewomen.org/globalsummit/2025-giving-tuesday-contributions/

Thank You!