The G100 UK Summit 2025, convened in London under the visionary leadership of H.E. Josefa González Blanco, Ambassador of Mexico to the United Kingdom and Global Chair of the G100 Wing on Diplomacy and Negotiation, brought together a powerful collective of global women leaders, diplomats, changemakers, and industry pioneers. Hosted by the Embassy of Mexico in the United Kingdom in official collaboration with the G100, the two-week dynamic programme in July, the summit reflected the shared vision of advancing inclusive leadership, solidarity, and strategic collaboration under the global theme of “Welfare, Not Warfare” — reimagining how we relate to one another and our world through genuine, generous engagement. From the historic halls of Parliament to the botanical brilliance of Kew Gardens, the summit provided a vibrant platform for connection, inspiration, and shared purpose in driving inclusive global progress through compassion, cooperation, and courage.

 

 

Held in the Jubilee Room of the UK Houses of Parliament, the summit officially opened with the G100 Awards Ceremony, coordinated by the Embassy of Mexico in the UK and supported by Mr. Dan Carden MP, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy for Mexico.

 

Hosted by Ambassador Josefa González Blanco, with opening remarks by herself and Dr. Harbeen Arora Rai, Founder of G100, and a special address by  Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, and Cherie Blair CBE KC, the event honoured distinguished women leaders from diplomacy, politics, law, entrepreneurship, and international advocacy.

 

Awardees included: Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Cherie Blair CBE KC, Sultana Tafadar, Dana Denis-Smith, Martha Delgado, Dhivya O’Connor, Daniel Amparán, and Victoria Márquez-Mees.

 

 

In partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce in Mexico (BritCham), the Embassy of Mexico and G100 hosted a high-level forum, Driving Economic Growth and Wellbeing in C-Suite Leadership, with two dynamic panels moderated by Ambassador Josefa González Blanco and MB Patricia Kelly, CEO of BritCham. Topics spanned economic transformation, wellbeing in leadership, the silver economy, and corporate inclusion strategies.

 

The forum began with welcome remarks from Dr. Patricia González, Global Chair, G100 Human Resources & Talent Development; H.E. Josefa González Blanco, Ambassador of Mexico to the UK & Global Chair, G100 Diplomacy and Negotiation; and MB Patricia Kelly, CEO of BritCham. They collectively set the tone for a day focused on bridging vision with action across economic, social, and institutional dimensions.

 

The first panel, titled “Economic Leadership and Corporate Development,” was moderated by H.E. Josefa González Blanco. It brought together influential speakers who shared insights on systemic barriers, corporate transformation, and actionable strategies for inclusive economic leadership. Martha Delgado reflected on the structural barriers faced by women in public and private leadership roles, drawing from her experience in government and her current leadership at APCO Latin America. Begoña Vizcaíno shared best practices from PwC on advancing women in leadership and addressed persistent cultural resistance and glass ceilings across global markets. Andrea Saldarriaga emphasized the urgency of closing the gender pay gap, especially in the financial sector, and outlined how her work at the Taskforce on Inequality and Social-related Financial Disclosures is supporting structural change. Rosalind Wilson, a trailblazer in male-dominated industries, spoke about proving the profitability of female leadership and highlighted the transformative power of strategic networking in helping women reach C-Suite roles.

 

The second panel, moderated by MB Patricia Kelly, was titled “Health and Wellbeing for Women in C-Suite Leadership.” It explored the multidimensional nature of wellbeing and how it intersects with leadership sustainability. María Eugenia Sidaoui spoke on the potential of the Silver Economy to leverage the wisdom and experience of women over 50 as a strategic asset to companies. Carolina Vargas emphasized the critical role of lifelong learning and the need to bridge persistent educational gaps that hinder women’s upward mobility. Blanca Estela Pérez tackled the long-overdue conversation around menopause in the workplace and presented inclusive corporate practices that honour this important phase in women’s lives. María Elena Esparza addressed often-overlooked forms of gender-based violence in leadership settings and offered practical mechanisms for prevention, response, and support.

 

The session concluded with working group roundtables led by Concepción Valadez, where participants collaborated on actionable insights, followed by a report-back session. Dr. Harbeen Arora and Dr. Vinay Rai offered the official closing, calling on all G100 leaders and partners to engage meaningfully with the Denim Club to carry the momentum forward.

 

 

On 8 July, a special evening event was held titled “Tequila Talks: In Conversation with Dr. Harbeen Arora Rai.” Dr. Harbeen shared her powerful vision for women’s empowerment, inclusive leadership, and the strength of global sisterhood in today’s world. Together, we explored themes of gender equality, innovation, and collective action that inspire and unite us — all while enjoying meaningful conversation and a taste of tequila. Founder, G100, WEF, WICCI, SHEconomy, ALL. The event took place at the Residence of Mexico with 60 attendees. Host: H.E. Josefa Gonzalez Blanco at the official Residence of Mexico. 

 

9 July – IMO Roundtable: “Women Permanent Representatives to the IMO: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in the Maritime Sector”

 

On 9 July, a Roundtable organised by the Embassy of Mexico was held at the IMO: “Women Permanent Representatives to the IMO: Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in the Maritime Sector.” The roundtable took place during the 134th session of the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The goal of the roundtable is to contribute to the advancement of diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion across the maritime sector, especially regarding the role that women have played within the IMO in favour of diversity and inclusion. To this end, it allowed Ambassadors and High Commissioners from all regions to offer brief reflections on the pressing need to continue transforming the maritime sector into a more inclusive space. Participants included: H.E. Josefa González Blanco, Ambassador of Mexico to the UK, H.E. Ximena Fuentes, Ambassador of Chile to the UK, and H.E. Linda Scott, High Commissioner of Namibia to the UK.

 

9 July, the “G100 UK Summit: Voices of Power: Women Leading the Way”

 

A diplomatic and multisectoral reception hosted by the Embassy of Mexico in collaboration with Women in Diplomacy Network and G100 took place. H.E. Josefa González Blanco extended an invitation for a special evening at the Residence of Mexico in the United Kingdom. This networking reception celebrated women’s leadership across diplomacy, business, innovation, and public life, bringing together influential voices and global change-makers committed to driving gender equality and inclusive leadership. Awardees included: Vanessa Ogden, H.E. Katerina Stavreska, Ambassador of North Macedonia to the UK, H.E. Janet Charles, High Commissioner of Dominica to the UK, H.E. Iruthisham Adam, High Commissioner of the Maldives to the UK, Fernando Sordo Madaleno, Kathy Lette, Andréa Lekare Kun, Edna García, and Dr. Fernando Gutiérrez Champion. Dress code: cocktail attire. Venue: Residence of Mexico in London. Attendance: 120. Host: H.E. Josefa Gonzalez Blanco.

 

10–18 July – Continued Engagements

 

On 10 July, a cultural event and museum visit took place at the Victoria & Albert Museum. H.E. Josefa González Blanco invited guests to a special guided tour led by design historian Florencia Denti, offering a curated experience at one of the world’s leading museums of art, design, and performance.

 

On 11 July, a Meet & Greet lunch was hosted at Masala Zone, Piccadilly Circus by Dr. Harbeen, along with restaurant founders Camellia Panjabi and Namita Panjabi.

 

On 12–13 July, one-on-one meetings were encouraged between delegates and stakeholders.

 

On 14 July, High Tea & Cocktails were hosted by Sethu Vaidyanathan at Apartment Q, 82 Portland Place, 4th Floor, London W1B 1NS.

 

On 15 July, a Conference on Civic Engagement & Collaboration took place at the University of East London, Royal Docks School of Business & Law. A pre-dinner speech was delivered by British War veteran, Simon Weston CBE. Dinner and networking followed. The event was coordinated by Dr. Doirean Wilson and hosted 70 participants.

 

On 16 and 17 July, a series of high-level meetings were led by the Embassy of Mexico in collaboration with G100. H.E. Josefa Gonzalez Blanco hosted a strategic dialogue with UN Women, represented by Tabitha Morton, Executive Director of UN Women, and Mary Connolly, focusing on shared goals around gender equality, global collaboration, and women’s leadership. In addition, H.E. Josefa hosted an elegant dinner gathering with distinguished women leaders from the arts, culture, and travel sectors. The evening provided a rich space for cross-sectoral exchange, strengthening ties and fostering future collaborations among inspiring global changemakers.

 

On 18 July, members of the G100 visited Kew Gardens. Join members of the G100 for a visit to Kew Gardens to hear from the team at Kew and enjoy a tour. The gathering at the Herbarium was profoundly inspiring. Through dialogue and interaction, the event reaffirmed our shared mission to take care of the abundance and wealth of Nature, especially through women’s leadership and international partnerships enabling a more green consciousness and global communities of support. We are deeply grateful to Judith Batchelar OBE, Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK, and G100 Global Chair of Gender-Fair & Sustainable Supply Chains, for curating this exceptional event, along with a stellar lineup of speakers, including Professor Monique Simmonds, Managing Director at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the first woman to become Deputy Director of Science at Kew Gardens. Professor Simmonds has pioneered groundbreaking research on the traditional and economic uses of plants, unlocking their potential for food, medicine, and cosmetics. We also met Richard Deverell CBE, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

 

Convenor: H.E. Josefa González Blanco Ortiz Mena

G100 Global Chair, Diplomacy & Negotiations