Elisa Aichinger

Partner Deloitte Consulting

During the past eighteen months, every business has been forced to respond to changing markets and new working practices. 

Navigating uncertain times requires the courage to confront traditional perspectives and the confidence to pursue new approaches.

Diverse leadership teams enhance agility, resilience and innovation. All of these attributes are and will be crucial in tackling the challenges this global pandemic presents. 

Renate Altenhofer

Initiator Women Leadership Forum

The Fourth Industrial Revolution changes our way of life at an exceptional rate; Artificial intelligence, big data, etc. are improving women´s participation in economic life and enhancing their empowerment. Digital technologies could help women access new markets, work flexibly and access finance. It is therefore important to create an ecosystem beneficial to the development of women’s leadership and economic empowerment. This year´s forum aims to highlight women's contribution as powerful drivers of change in numerous industries, showing that positive change is possible when passion leads the way.

Christine Antlanger-Winter 

Country Director Google Austria

“Technological progress is a constant in the evolution of our work environment. Given the rapid developments in the field of AI and automation, deeply human elements of our work, such as creativity, innovation and understanding of complex relationships, are becoming more and more essential. We as women can contribute particularly to shaping a more inclusive future.” 

Eva Ayberk

New Management Expert & Consultant

NEW MANAGEMENT. JUST AGILE. NO HYPE.

Much is said about agile organizations and agile leadership as a new way forward in today’s dynamic environment. But little of it gets through in practice. Highly hyped agile transformations either get stuck or fail completely. It doesn't have to be. Because it is not far from a pitfall to a success in agility if you know the way.

In an interactive session you can benefit from my know-how and many years of experience in the practical implementation of agile transformations. And be prepared that something new can arise.

Aysegül Baykal

Deputy Director Private and Institutional Investors-CEE, Schoellerbank

In the current industry setup, women are still evaluated for promotion based on their past performance, while men with their future potential. Up until now, women worked very hard, compromised a lot compared to men to free themselves from prejudices on their ability-to-do and potential. Now world is changing; women in business creates a new market, a new channel for the world’s economy: Women get higher education, women participate more and more in the global workforce, we see more women in top executive positions or among entrepreneurs. So, for organisations/ companies, it is now very crucial to understand and satisfy the expectations of both genders to create value. And this seems only possible, if you can pioneer, prioritize and mirror gender diversity in your own company. While companies should provide women the right development opportunities to make best use of their potential; woman on the other hand should really want this challenge; she should not be shy or afraid and she should demand, get, earn what she deserves.

Loubna Bouarfa

CEO & Founder OKRA

The fourth industrial revolution is characterised by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres. 

Eva Buzzi

Managing Director Rail Tours Touristik GmbH

“Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.”

If you follow this quote of Judy Garland and focus on your personal skills and talents you will find yourself in business heaven rather than ending up "somewhere over the rainbow".

Houda Chakiri

Assistant Professor of Computer Science Al Akhawayn University 

Founder Enhanced Technologies

"Positive change is not possible without gender diversity and inclusion strategies at all organizational levels. Women lead with passion, and this is what we need now!"

Cornelia Großmann

Associate Partner Batten & Company GmbH

When an opportunity for growth arises, women tend to focus on the risks, not on the opportunities. Confidence in one’s own potential is about consciously shifting this focus and embracing the ambiguity of never being “fully ready” for the next career step.

Theresa Imre

Founder markta

“The production and consumption of food is one of our basic necessities, but our globalized economy has repressed local structured circular economies. Based on the idea of ‘from farm to fork’, markta.at connects conscious consumers with regional food producers directly and creates a path to reinvent our food systems. "

Sonya Janahi

Board Member of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce, Founder & CEO Maya La Chocolaterie 

"We are in the era of women reaching the level of progression as women today have exceeded empowerment.  The challenge which lies ahead is women supporting women to ensure securing our positions at the highest levels in all sectors as change-makers of all challenges and opportunities." 

Natascha Kantauer-Gansch

CCO Consumer A1 Telekom

“The fourth industrial revolution brings great opportunities for women thanks to technological advancements. However, these technologies, such as AI, big data, further digitization of private and professional life, need to be developed and applied in a way that actually considers female needs. It is imperative to ensure technologies empower everyone equally.”

Vera Kocsis

Sales Director – Enterprise, CEECIS & MEA Refinitiv

“In today’s volatile business reality, diversity and inclusion is more important than ever. Yet measurable progress in increasing workplace diversity and inclusion remains slow. The reasons why are as varied as the potential solutions. However, most can agree that diversity is good for business. Automation and digitalization can offer opportunities to build on the diversity of our identities and the wealth of our cultures and traditions.”

Hilda Liswani

Founder and CEO WeBloom 

Eser Sevinc Manav

Vice President Operations & General Manager Central Europe Coca-Cola 

Mario Mesquita

Chargé d’Affaires US Embassy to Austria

“The United States is committed to increasing women’s economic empowerment through investment, financing, and global economic partnerships. The digital revolution opens new windows of opportunity to spur the goal of gender equality.”

Valerie Neim

CEO of Brazza Transactions

"Leadership is not about being the best, but to make everyone else feel better.” 

Christiane Noll

Country Manager Avanade DACH

We need to use new technologies properly to support women and advance diversity. Whether it's an evolution or revolution doesn't matter. We live in an age of change. We need to drive the change to be able to shape and not be driven by it. The age of digitalization has the potential to become the age of women. We just have to tackle it.

Veronika Peshkova

UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador

The COVID-19 is becoming an unexpected accelerator of the digital transformation of industries with a risk to further increase inequalities between those who have the skills to adapt and those who do not. And the issues of gender -balanced economic development becomes extremely important.

Ulrike Rabmer-Koller

Managing Director Rabmer Gruppe

„Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our future. Joint actions have to be taken to achieve the climate targets. For me the dripple I’s - innovation, investments & information are key for a successful green transformation. By using Green Technologies and making changes within our own worlds, we can reach our goals.”

Monika Racek

CEO Admiral Casinos & Entertainment 

In the face of a global pandemic with teams working remotely, a modern leadership style is more important than ever. 

Organisations with traditional forms of leadership will never flourish in the same way as forward-thinking companies which promote a modern leadership approach. The traditional approach of being 'the boss' and exercising control, power and authority just isn't an effective way of leading, 

I am convinced that today´s leader will require key qualities like - amongst others - empathy, trust and recognition, if they want to be successful. 

Gerlie Saura 

President of PWA Professional Women's Association of Rome 

In this moment we need to advocate for all women, in all their diversity, including those women who are facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. I believe that what’s needed is a strategy that both curbs the damage that the pandemic has inflicted on women and unlocks opportunities for reimagining women’s education, employment, and entrepreneurship in the post-pandemic era. I’m personally calling on your active support to see gender equality as an integral part of the solution to the many challenges we face in terms of health, climate, economy, and fundamental human rights. 

Rui Pedro Silva

Chief Digital & Information Officer ERIKS

Over the past decade, the level of acceleration seen across many industries can't be disconnected from the level of investment taken in digitalization. That is, one of the key factors for organizations to lead the change. While years ago, tech and digital was so often dominated by men, today, we see women taking the stand and leading that change too. ERIKS Digital is proud to have women in key positions of leadership. That balance they bring, together with their gigantic talent and passion, is crucial for us to drive this change.

Kyla Tennin

World Business Angels Investment Forum G20 Partner

Smart capital is smart finance, but is different from crowdfunding, venture capitalists, angel investors, etc.  Smart finance includes receiving finances, know how assistance from the funder, mentorship from the financier, etc. Smart finance is critical for entrepreneurs to startup and even scale because most entrepreneurs carry innovation. Most significantly, innovation brings in opportunities for tax, new jobs, economic development.

Dejene Tezera,

Director,  Department of Agri-business, UNIDO

“UNIDO invests in women’s entrepreneurship development, and economic empowerment through creation and growth of women lead  Small and Medium enterprises and increasing women’s participation in high-growth industrial sectors that are traditionally dominated by men.  Digitalization and advancement of technology helps women across the globe to enhance  their roles as powerful drivers of sustainable development and economic transformation.”

Christian Vancea

Co-Founder Essentio

“We live in a globalized world where we're always learning from each other. That's why we need to be inclusive and diverse in everything we do because if we're not, then there is no room for growth or innovation.”

Sonja Wallner

CFO A1 Telekom

“Leadership is also a matter of attitude. Most women do a very good job but invest less in their self-confidence. For strengthening sovereignty we need to empowering each other and trust in what we do. We have to believe in ourselves - that's self leadership ... and self leadership is the basis for being a good leader and live good leadership.”

Claudia Winkler

Co-Founder good

"Time for discussion is over, we need to set examples, because examples shape reality."

Carina Zehetmaier

Women in AI Austria