G100: Group of 100 Global Women Leaders
Nicole Verdugo
Nicole Verdugo is the founder of Women Trade and supports Vital Voices in Chile. She is the founding partner and manager at Good Business, Business School for Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurs for Latam. In her career, she was the head of the Gender Department of the General Directorate of International Economic Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she led the negotiating teams on gender issues in bilateral and multilateral FTAs. She created the strategic line of the Women Exports Program and incorporated gender for companies led by women in international trade activities. During that period, she was the coordinator of the Technical Gender Group (GTG) of the Pacific Alliance, fulfilling the mandates of the leaders of the four countries regarding gender within the integration bloc.
Co-creator of the gender platform of the AP “Women Entrepreneurs of the Pacific Alliance” and the work program for women entrepreneurs of the AP, and the Women Export Program of ProChile, she conducted studies on the incorporation of the gender approach in public policies for FLACSO.
María Noel Vaeza
María Noel Vaeza is currently serving as UN Women Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean, Generation Equality Project Executive and Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of UN Women. She has extensive experience in global and regional leadership and management positions at the UN, including as Director of the Programme Division at UN Women Headquarters, Director of the UNOPS Global Portfolio Services Office, UNOPS Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as various assignments at UNDP. Prior to that, she held various positions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay.
Neerja Birla
Neerja Birla is the Founder and Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust (ABET), a social enterprise committed to the Spirit of Service. She is a progressive, dynamic, and inspiring leader, driven by her passions and an unwavering resolve to give back to society responsibly. She is a globally recognised sociopreneur and mental health alchemist. She has transformed her diverse passions into thriving entities, continually redefining the landscape of innovation and leadership. She is well-known for her contributions to education, mental health, and menstrual hygiene through multiple centres of excellence.
Neerja has been at the forefront of advocating for systemic change and innovation in mental health practices, driven by personal experience and a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding mental health. Under her dynamic leadership, Mpower has emerged as a revolutionary initiative that has transformed India’s attitude toward mental health by spreading awareness, alleviating stigma, and providing holistic, quality mental health care to individuals from all walks of life. The initiative has touched over 120 million lives in India.
Nigest Haile
Nigest Haile is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Accelerated Women’s Economic Empowerment (CAWEE). She is an activist in the promotion of women entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on women exporters. Nigest has 23 years of experience working in the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade and Industry, in various capacities. In 2004, she founded CAWEE, a pioneering trade promotion organization working in Ethiopia and beyond, providing promotional and capacity-building support services targeting women exporters. CAWEE was the implementing organization of the economic empowerment project of the Office of the First Lady of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE): “Connecting 1,500 Women and Young Girls to the Export Market.”
Nigest was the Lead Coordinator of this project, where grassroots women were provided marketable skills and connected to high-end domestic as well as export markets. In facilitating export markets, bringing buyers to Ethiopia, and taking trade missions of women entrepreneurs to different countries, Nigest has played a crucial role. In the past few years, she organized such trade missions to 19 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Rwanda, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Turkey, UK, and USA.
Dr. Aurora Martin
Dr. Aurora Martin is an expert in promoting equal opportunities, combating gender-based violence and discrimination, and is a senior advisor to the National Agency for Equal Opportunities between Women and Men. As a professor at the Pontifical Oriental Institute of Vatican, she has taught Gender Studies, Good Governance, Non-Discrimination, Cultural Violence, and Conflict Transformation at various institutions, including Wilmington College in Ohio, USA; the Russian Presidential Academy for National Economy and Public Administration in St. Petersburg; the University of Belgrade; Roma Tre University; Lomonosov Moscow State University; Khazar University in Baku; the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Political Science; and the European Center for Security Studies at George C. Marshall in Germany.
Her research at George C. Marshall focused on Human Security, Responsibility to Protect, and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security. She is Vice President of the International Institute for Human Security and Honorary President of Womanity for All. She has also served as a senior advisor to the National Council for Combating Discrimination.
Khosi Sibisi
Khosi Sibisi is the Founding Member and Chairperson of Women in Mining Business (WiMBIZ, SA), an organization dedicated to advancing women’s participation and leadership in the mining sector. Her contributions to the industry were recognized when she was named among the Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining by Women in Mining UK in 2018.
A seasoned businesswoman, social entrepreneur, public speaker, mentor, and coach, Khosi has built a distinguished career in corporate leadership, sustainability, and governance. She serves as a Non-Executive Director of HCI Coal and Ori Professionals and is the Chairperson of Gole VOP Trades, a company specializing in trading and bulk commodities, investing in strategic assets, and providing logistic solutions. Leveraging her extensive experience in strategic decision-making and business growth, she continues to drive impactful change in multiple industries.
Dr. Anush Gasparyan
Dr. Anush Gasparyan is a renowned expert in women empowerment from Armenia. With two decades of experience, Dr. Gasparyan is a distinguished authority on women’s empowerment, with a remarkable track record of advocacy, research, and education. Dr. Gasparyan established “Work in Equality,” a pioneering initiative dedicated to empowering individuals to recognize their rights, and supporting organizations in eliminating gender bias and creating harassment-free environments. She specializes in comparative law, bridging insights across diverse legal systems.
Her primary academic interests include women’s rights, human rights, gender discrimination. Dr. Gasparyan’s doctoral research focused on Working Women’s Rights, conducting a comparative analysis of Indian and Armenian laws. Dr. Gasparyan is also a legal scholar with an LL.B. from MYUD Institute of Law in Armenia and an MCL and Ph.D. from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, India.
Zeynep Bodur Okyay
Zeynep Bodur Okyay is the President and CEO of Kale Group of Companies in Turkey. Born in 1964 in Istanbul, Zeynep Bodur Okyay graduated from the Italian High School in 1985 and earned a degree in management engineering from Istanbul Technical University in 1989. She attended Harvard University between 1990 and 1992 and earned a graduate degree in management. From 1992 to 1993, Zeynep Bodur Okyay worked in various roles, including production, planning, and management, as a management trainee at the Çanakkale Seramik factory in Çan, Çanakkale. In 1995, she was appointed as an Executive Board Member and President of Kale Group’s marketing companies.
Since July 2007, she has been serving as Kale Group’s President and CEO. Zeynep Bodur Okyay is actively engaged in several NGOs, associations, foundations, and chamber boards. Some of her current roles include: President of the General Assembly, Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO); Vice President of the Economic Development Foundation; Board Member of the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK); Coordinating Chair of Turkey-EU Business Councils, DEIK; Chair of the Turkey-Italy Business Council, DEIK; Member of the Turkish Business and Industry Association (TUSIAD); Chair of the Ceramics and Refractories Assembly, Turkish Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB); and Vice President of the Female Entrepreneurs Board, TOBB. Zeynep Bodur Okyay assumed the Presidency of the C20 (Civil 20) Steering Committee during Turkey’s G20.
H.E. Euphrasie Kouassi Yao
H.E. Euphrasie Kouassi Yao has served as the Minister for the Promotion of Women, Family and Child Protection, and holds a UNESCO chair on their committee on Water, Women and Decision-making. She serves as special advisor in charge of gender to the Honorable President of Côte d’Ivoire. She has been a major player in the development of gender policies in Côte d’Ivoire for more than thirty-five years. She led with great success, the institutionalization of the Gender approach in Côte d’Ivoire, wrote the Gender policy of Côte d’Ivoire in 2007, thus contributing to establishing a framework favorable to the promotion of gender and the empowerment of women. At the continental level, she contributed substantially to the drafting of the African Union Gender policy (2008) and then that of ECOWAS (2009).
H.E. Euphrasie Kouassi Yao is also the National Coordinator of the Compendium of Women’s Skills of Côte d’Ivoire (COCOFCI). Implemented by the UNESCO Chair “Water, Women and Decision-Making Power”, COCOFCI is a presidential program launched on October 4, 2011, at the initiative of His Excellency Mr. Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
Marianne Andersen
Marianne Andersen has more than 25 years of international experience within the medtech industry and robotics/AI, spanning from global corporations to small startup companies. She is the founder of RoboInsights, focusing on robotics, automation, and AI, with a goal to have 50% female and 50% male speakers—and over time, 50% female participants—at technology events.
She is also the founder of High5Girls NGO, which works to get more girls aged 13-19 interested in pursuing a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics). High5Girls is also creating a global network of STEM women, all dedicated to giving back to the next generation of girls and showing them the great job opportunities within STEM.
She is the recipient of the Agnes and Betsy Award 2020, which is given to an engineer who has done something extraordinary for diversity in technology.
She is deeply committed to empowerment through innovation, upskilling, and enterprise. She has strong leadership and communication skills and is a focused, results-oriented, creative networker and team player who thrives in challenging environments and is able to manage high levels of uncertainty. A dear Soul Sister who approaches every goal with enthusiasm and energy.
Nuria Marín Raventós
Nuria Marín Raventós is the co-founder and co-president of the Alvarez & Marín Corporation business group, which employs more than 1500 people across areas such as banana exports, finance, energy, entertainment, and property development. She is also the director of the Corporación Raventós group, focusing on property development.
She was a former director of Credimujer, an associate of the World Bank. From 2004 to 2008, she served as the president of the Costa Rican University Women’s Association, affiliated with the International Federation of University Women. She co-founded and served as the first president of the Association for Leadership Boosting and Social Mobility (ALAS) from 2008 to 2014, the largest network of female leaders in the country. She resumed the presidency in 2019.
She is the co-founder and president of Balance, a national movement promoting gender equality. In 2012, she became the first female opinion columnist at La Nación newspaper and, in 2015, a columnist for Forbes CA magazine. She serves as the Costa Rican Ambassador for the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day initiative.
Dr. Hynd Bouhia
Dr. Hynd Bouhia was nominated by Forbes among the 100 most influential women in the world in 2008 and among the most influential women in Business in the Arab World in 2015, and honored as a member of the Johns Hopkins Society of Scholars in 2018. She has more than 20 years of professional experience in high-level and leadership positions, covering investments, financial structuring, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development strategies. With a PhD from Harvard University (GSAS 1998), an Engineering degree from Ecole Centrale Paris (1995), and a Master’s from Johns Hopkins SAIS (2000), Hynd Bouhia started her career at the World Bank in Washington before joining Morocco’s Prime Minister as an economic advisor.
She was appointed in 2008 as the Managing Director of the Casablanca Stock Exchange. After that, she structured and managed several investment funds for clean energy and a venture capital fund for startups. As the CEO of Strategica, she advises entrepreneurs, companies, and institutions on economic intelligence, sustainable finance, and growth strategies.
Ursula Oberhollenzer
Ursula Oberhollenzer is the Secretary General of the International CSR Dialogforum. Ursula’s career trajectory reflects her commitment to sustainability and communication. Currently, Ursula serves as the Vice President of the “Österreichischer Gewerbeverein” (ÖGV), where she has been an Expert for Sustainability from 2019 to 2023. She has been a Member of the Administrative Board of ÖGV since 2015. Additionally, Ursula is actively involved with the CSR Dialogforum, an NGO accredited and in consultative status at the United Nations, where she has held the position of Secretary General since January 2023. She oversees overall communication activities and the organization of collaborations, board members, activities, and projects.
Her educational background includes a University Masterclass in “CSR & Ethical Management” at Fachhochschule of bfi Vienna and a university course in Culture Management at the “Institut für Kulturkonzepte.” Ursula holds a diploma in Project Management from WIFI Vienna and has pursued studies at Universität Wien, specializing in French and History.
Ursula is a highly engaged professional with a strong focus on sustainability in all its aspects. Her capabilities include connecting people, projects, and ideas, demonstrating high creative and communicative potential.
Dr. Lina Anllo
Dr. Lina Anllo is the President of the World Compliance Association and Co-Founder of Business Integrity. Additionally, she leads as Director of the Annotated Criminal Law Integrity and Compliance Programs, Co-Director of the Compliance, Integrity, and Transparency Diploma at the University of Belgrano, General Director of Women Economic Forum Argentina, and President of WICCI Argentina.
A lawyer specializing in criminal law, she has experience in caring for victims of gender violence and conducts research in the area of adolescent maternity from a psychological perspective. With international experience in the US, Hong Kong, and Central America, her key focus areas include Public Policy, Diversity, Equality, and Innovation, alongside clinical and research fields. A dear Soul Sister dedicated to developing sustainable and inclusive businesses on the bedrock of trust and integrity.
Dr. Coco Wong
Dr. Coco Wong is the CEO of CEO Kids International. A passionate serial entrepreneur with expertise in the industries of education, training, entrepreneurship, event organization, public speaking, mentoring, and media, Coco graduated from King’s College London. Later on, she went to Japan to further her studies. She is known for her ability to balance work and family effortlessly.
Coco started her special events company, Codiki Special Events, in 1995, organizing events for corporates such as the Housing Authority, The Law Society, and Hong Kong University, as well as HSBC. In 1996, she founded Coco Weddings, the first wedding planner in Hong Kong specializing in weddings. Her customers included many celebrity couples in Hong Kong, members of the Hang Seng Bank family, the Maxims Group family, and China’s government officials’ families. She was the art director and designer for Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel’s weddings and events, and later she helped Maxims Chinese rebrand their venues and event services.
Ulrika Karlsson
Ulrika Karlsson is an Expert Advisor on Gender and Health to the United Nations (UN) and a Board Member of PECC at the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH). Ulrika is a Special Advisor on Health to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). She is the Former President of Women Parliamentarians in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, representing all Women MPs in 178 countries. Ulrika is also a former member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the President of the European Parliamentary Forum (EPF).
A former Member of Parliament (The Swedish Riksdag) and Partner at The Labyrinth Public Affairs, Ulrika is an experienced Health and Gender Advisor with a demonstrated history of working in the political organization industry. She served as a Member of Parliament in Sweden for 14 years and as Shadow Minister on European Union Affairs. Ulrika was also the Former President of the European Parliamentary Forum on Sexual & Reproductive Rights. She is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Reproductive Health, European Union Affairs, Legislation, and Gender Equality. She was a negotiator on the IPCI/ICPD outcome document, the Stockholm Statement of Commitments.
Dr. Meenakshi Arora Dabral
Dr. Meenakshi Arora Dabral is Managing Director and Founder of Mandala Spices in Singapore, Dr. Meenakshi is an award-winning speaker, international entrepreneur, and recognized as one of Asia’s 100 Women Power Leaders 2023 from Singapore. She is the recipient of the “Women of Excellence 2022” award at the Women Economic Forum (WEF).
Meenakshi is the G100 Global Chair of Alliances and Alumni Wing at G100, an influential group of 100 Women Leaders from across the globe leading 100 wings in diverse domains, accelerating actions for achieving gender equality.
She also serves as President of the Singapore – India Business Council at WICCI (Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
Originally from Jhansi, India, Meenakshi graduated with an English Literature degree and went on to pursue a Master’s in Filmmaking from AJK Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. She is an Associate Alumna of Singapore Management University and resides in Singapore.
Dr. Karen Lorena Bruges Solorzano
Dr. Karen Bruges is a distinguished professional with 19 years of experience, including 11 years in the corporate sector across diverse industries and business associations, and the past 8 years dedicated to the Oil & Gas sector, where she has focused on Social Responsibility in northern and southern Colombia. She has extensive experience as a trainer, enhancing leadership skills for companies and communities in Colombia, Peru, Mexico, the United States, and Chile.
As the Founder and General Director of Mujeres Violeta, Dr. Brugés has spearheaded innovative initiatives to bridge gaps through technology and innovation, based on the HESET model: Human, Economic, Social, Environmental, and Technology. Among her achievements within Mujeres Violeta are the creation of Violeta HUB, a networking platform fostering connections and resources with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; the Violeta Film Fest, an international festival promoting inclusion and solidarity through groundbreaking categories; MujeresVioleta.TV, a streaming platform dedicated to reducing social gaps; and Academia Violeta, an e-learning platform for personal and professional growth.
Claribel Aparicio ferreira
Claribel Aparicio Ferreira serves as the General Director of International Affairs at Doing Business International (DBI), Bolivia. Ranked among the top CEOs in Bolivia, she was recognised among the most Influential Women from 2022 to 2024. With over 20 years of experience in Management and Leadership, she has held prominent positions in Bolivia’s most recognized business chambers, including the Chamber of Exporters, the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM Bolivia), and the National Chamber of Industries (CNI).
An expert in Corporate Affairs, Foreign Trade, and International Relations, Claribel graduated summa cum laude in Corporate Economics from Universidad Privada Boliviana (UPB), one of the leading universities in Bolivia. She also holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from INCAE Business School in Costa Rica. She has pursued professional development at prestigious institutions such as the University of Oregon, Harvard Law School, Michigan State University, the University of Washington, the University of Miami, and the ILO in Italy, and the Netherlands.
Dr. Irena P. Radović
Dr. Irena P. Radović is Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro. Dr. Radović simultaneously holds a position as a member of the Board of Directors. Her journey commenced in December 2020 when she was appointed as a member of the IDF Board. Subsequently, she was elected to the role of CEO for a four-year term. In this capacity, she also assumes membership on the National Council for Competitiveness, the National Sustainable Development Council, and holds a position on the Executive Board of the Chamber of Commerce of Montenegro. Born in Podgorica, Montenegro, she graduated from the University of Montenegro, Faculty of Economics, in 2000, achieving first-class honors BA in International Economics and Business. She was recognized with the “19th December” Award in 1999 and the Excellence Award from the State University of Montenegro in 2000. Continuing her academic journey, she pursued an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Cambridge, King’s College, United Kingdom, during the academic year 2001/2. She also attained a master’s degree in Economics from the Consortium for Research and Continuing Education in Economics (CORIPE) in Italy, completing her studies in 2003.
Dr. Christina Boutsouki
Dr. Christina Boutsouki is a Professor of Marketing at the School of Economics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, where she also serves as the Director of Studies for the MSc in Strategic Marketing and the MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
She holds a BSc in Mathematics, an MSc in Operational Research, and a PhD in Marketing. Her research interests encompass Consumer Behaviour, Advertising, Neuromarketing, and Social Media Marketing, with recent projects focusing on humorous advertising effectiveness, gender representations in communication, minimal advertising, consumer engagement on social media, and emotional appeals in political communication.
She has co-authored books in advertising and marketing and has published extensively in leading academic journals, such as the International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Consumer Behavior, Sustainability Journal, and International Marketing Review, Journal of Promotion Management, Communication and Research Reports, International Marketing Review, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, International Journal of Humor Research, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, among others.
Dr. Celia Williamson
Dr. Celia Williamson is a Distinguished Professor of Social Work and serves as the Executive Director of the Human Trafficking and Social Justice Institute at the University of Toledo. She is also the Co-Chair of the oldest and largest academic conference on human trafficking in the world. This conference annually hosts thousands of attendees from 47 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Additionally, she serves as the managing editor of the peer-reviewed Journal of Human Trafficking and is President of the Global Association of Human Trafficking Scholars. Dr. Williamson has been named the 26th most influential social worker alive today. She has consistently received funding for her research from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Justice, the State of Ohio, and several national and local foundations.
Dr. Williamson has published numerous books and articles and remains a sought-after presenter and active advocate against human trafficking. Her additional accomplishments include being a founding member of the State of Ohio’s Human Trafficking Commission under the Ohio Attorney General and chairing the Research and Analysis Committee for several years. She is a dear Soul Sister who tirelessly transforms advocacy into action.
Dr. Maricor M. Malitao
Dr. Maricor M. Malitao is a distinguished leader and accomplished professional, currently serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Standout Group of Companies. Her remarkable passion for excellence is evident in her diverse contributions across scholastic, business, social, and ministry spheres. She is the National President of ARAL (Association for Righteousness Advocacy in Leadership) and the President of the Philippine Haggai Institute Alumni Association (Metro Manila Chapter). Dr. Malitao was also elected as the Vice Chairperson of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chamber of Commerce and Industries – Women Entrepreneurs Council (CACCI-WEC) in Japan.
Her leadership extends to the business community, where she holds various influential positions, including President of the Caloocan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Board Director of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters, Inc. (PASEI). She is also the President of the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council – DOLE – Caloocan and has held leadership roles in multiple civic and professional organizations, such as Assistant Governor of Rotary International District 3810 and President of the Rotary Club of Chinatown-Manila (Dist. 3810).
