International Women's Forum 2019 Cornerstone Conference Barcelona
 
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
9:00 am - 3:30 pmIWF Board Meeting

Closed Meeting (Board Members Only).

9:00 am - 6:00 pmIWF Registration Desk
6:30 pm - 9:00 pmGlobal Leaders Dinner
Hosted by KPMG
La Pérgola, Hotel Hilton Diagonal Mar
(For registered Forum Presidents and
Board Directors only)

Wednesday, April 10, 2019
8:30 am - 3:15 pmPresidents' Council Meeting

La Pérgola, Hotel Hilton Diagonal Mar

(Attendance at Presidents’ Council meetings limited to: Forum Presidents, Chapter Presidents, the chosen representative of Forum or Chapter President if she is unable to attend; and, as observers, Forum Executive Directors/Administrators and IWF and Leadership Foundation Board Directors).

9:00 am - 6:00 pmPop Up Shops
9:00 am - 6:30 pmIWF Registration Desk

Ground Floor of Convention Centre.

11:00 am - 2:15 pmLeadership Foundation Board Meeting

Closed Meeting (Board Members Only).

4:30 pm - 6:00 pmSmart Cities: Spain at the Forefront

The history of Barcelona dates back to Roman times, but today it's the most wired city in the world. Here, the city of the future is not only being imagined but is being built with the Internet of Things.

Barcelona has deployed responsive technologies to monitor public transit, parking, street lighting and waste management. The result: cost savings and a better quality of life for residents.

As it collects data, the city is also taking measures to protect it, giving citizens a voice in what information and how much of it they want to share.

Learn about this sweeping transformation and how the innovations here can help shape cities elsewhere.

Welcome Remarks:

  • Marieta del Rivero, Independent Non-executive Director at Cellnex Telecom, mobile technology expert and President of IWF Spain

 

Speakers:

  • Anna Majó, Digital Innovation Director at Barcelona City Council
  • Oscar Pallarols, Global Commercial Director at Cellnex Telecom
  • Marisa Urquía, B2B Director for Telefónica Spain
 

Moderator:

  • Amanda Signorelli, Chief Executive Officer for Techweek and member of IWF Chicago 6
6:30 pm - 8:30 pmOpening Reception

Casa Llotja de Mar 

Join us as we kick off the 2019 Cornerstone Conference just steps away from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea at Casa Llotja de Mar. Celebrate the start of the conference with drinks and hors d'oeuvres at one of Barcelona's most significant and splendid monuments of Catalonian Gothic architecture.

Welcome Remarks:

  • Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona 
     

Thursday, April 11, 2019
8:00 am - 6:00 pmPop Up Shops
7:45 am - 6:00 pmIWF Registration Desk

Ground Floor of Convention Centre.

9:00 am - 9:15 amOpening Remarks
  • Deborah Shannon Trudeau, President of the International Women’s Forum
  • Ana Muñoz, 2019 Cornerstone Conference Co-chair
  • Marieta del Rivero, 2019 Cornerstone Conference Co-chair
9:15 am - 10:20 amForm and Function: The Built Environment of the Future

Plenary 1

No person is more deeply associated with Barcelona than Antoni Gaudi. His fantastical Sagrada Familia is the city's most recognizable landmark, notable for its boundary-breaking use of color and space, and its innovative engineering. Almost 140 years after the building began, it continues to amaze.

Gaudi was one of architecture’s bold innovators, along with Walter Gropius, Zaha Hadid, and Frank Gehry.

Who is breaking boundaries today? Who is working with new materials and new engineering techniques to find new solutions and create a modern aesthetic? Are they liberated from the work of their predecessors, or does it inspire them?

We meet some of the individuals injecting fresh life and ideas into architecture, look at their work, and discuss its objectives and impact.

Speakers:

  • Eva Franch i Gilabert, architect, and Director of the London Architectural Association
  • Benedetta Tagliabue, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT and Founder and CEO of Enric Miralles Foundation
  • Martha Thorne, Dean of the IE School of Architecture and Design in Madrid, Spain, and Executive Director of the Pritzker Architecture Prize

 

Moderator:

  • Jeanne Meserve, award-winning journalist and former anchor and correspondent for CNN and ABC News 
     
10:20 am - 10:40 amCoffee Break
10:40 pm - 11:45 pmCreative Cauldron

Plenary 2

What is creativity? What sparks it? Is it innate, or can it be taught? How does it spread? Barcelona is the perfect place to explore these questions, with an astonishing 11 percent of the city’s current workforce employed in the creative sector.

We’ll sit down with two “creatives” to discuss the current role of women in film, the new generation of female directors and the future of women in cinematic leadership.

Speakers:

Gale Anne Hurd, Chief Executive Officer of Valhalla Entertainment, Producer and member of IWF Southern California, IWF Georgia and the IWF Hall of Fame

Carla Simón, award-winning Film Director

 

Moderator:

Pascale Harter, Presenter and Reporter for BBC World Service 17

11:45 am - 12:30 pmBreak
12:30 pm - 2:15 pmLunch Session: Sport Shero

Luncheon Session

Playing a sport can be transformational.  Women who have competed athletically often find it builds confidence and develops skills like leadership and teamwork that are important in other contexts. 

Not only are more women taking part in sports, they are playing a larger role in governance. The most striking example is FIFA, the powerful governing body of football, which for the first time has named a woman Secretary General.  
We sit down with her to discuss the remaining barriers faced by women in sports and to talk about sport as a change agent. 

Speaker: 

  • Fatma Samoura, Secretary-General of The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) 

 

Interviewer:

  • Amanda Davies, CNN Sports Anchor
3:30 pm -5:30 pmBehind the Scenes
3:30 pm - 5:30 pmThe Gothic Quarter: Santa Eulalia Cathedral and City Hall

Nestled in Barcelona’s Ciutat Vella (Old City), the Gothic Quarter is a fascinating neighborhood steeped in history. Join us as we venture through the narrow streets and squares to Barcelona’s City Hall, located in Plaza de Sant Jaume — the same spot where kings and queens once reigned. We will also tour the Santa Eulalia Cathedral of Barcelona, a monument to Gothic architecture, with breathtaking stained glass windows dating back over 500 years.

Remarks provided by Joaquim Romañach, Project Manager of the Protocol Office for the Barcelona City Council. 

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmThe Picasso Museum

This tour is sold out. To add yourself to the waitlist, please email iwf@executivevents.com.

Explore the brilliance of Pablo Picasso through the over 4,000 works that make up the permanent collection of the Picasso Museum. The museum focuses on Picasso’s relationship with the city of Barcelona — a deep connection that was shaped in his youth and adolescence and continued until his death. Taking a step back in time, we will explore the formidable years of Picasso’s work within Catalan Gothic mansions.

Remarks provided by Emmanuel Guido, Director of the Picasso Museum. 

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmThe Gaudi Houses: Casa Batlló and Casa Milà - La Pedrera

Antonio Gaudí is one of Barcelona’s most famous names. His distinctive style and whimsical designs can be seen all over the city. Join us as we explore one of his crowning masterpieces: Casa Milà (La Pedrera – The Stone Quarry). Casa Milà is Gaudí’s last and most iconic civic work, and it has been featured in books, music videos and international films. Experience the full spectrum of Gaudí’s genius as we tour both sites. To further showcase the influential Modernism Movement and its impact on Catalan architecture, we will take you to the former residence of chocolatier Antoni Amatller, whose home was designed by one of Gaudí’s contemporaries, Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Combining the neo-Gothic style with design inspiration from around the world, Casa Amatller completes the “mansana de la discòrdia,” block of discord, featuring an array of diverse modernist styles.

Remarks provided by Marta Lacambra, Director of the La Pedrera Foundation.  

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmPasqual Maragall Foundation

At the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, researchers are not simply trying to find solutions to how we can live longer but how we can live better. Established in 2008 by the former Mayor of Barcelona and President of the Government of Catalonia, the foundation works to beat Alzheimer’s through its research and scientific activity at its Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center. Join us as we tour this globally renowned foundation and learn about innovations, medical advances and progress being made in preventive research today.

Remarks provided by Glòria Oliver, Managing Director of the Foundation. 

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmThe National Art Museum of Catalonia

Experience a special tour of the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC), one of the best and most visited art museums in Spain. Housed in the impressive Palau Nacional, the museum features Romanesque and Gothic collections considered among the finest and most complete in the world. The museum illustrates the history of Catalan art between the Romanesque period and the 21st century, across art forms. The MNAC houses the best collection of Romanesque mural painting in the world, including works from Catalan Modernism geniuses Gaudí and Casas, Gothic art, European Renaissance and Baroque painters, and stunning photography galleries. Join us for a tour of the exquisite Romanesque collection and take in the renowned city views from Palau Nacional.

Remarks provided by Pepe Serra Villalba, Director of the National Art Museum of Catalonia.  

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmThe Egyptian Museum

Experience a journey through the streets of Barcelona to discover the Egyptian Museum, the oldest and most comprehensive museum dedicated to Egypt. With a permanent collection that comprises more than 1,000 works, the museum allows visitors to experience the life and customs of Ancient Egypt, one of the most fascinating civilizations in the world. Participants will learn about the origins of the museum and be given a tour of the collection.

Remarks provided by Jordi Clos, Founder of the Egyptian Museum and the Clos Archaeological Foundation.

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmBarcelona's Opera House: The Liceu and Circulo del Liceu

Join us as we take a look behind the curtain at Barcelona’s Opera House, the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Founded in 1847, the Liceu has continued to fulfill its role as a culture and arts center for the city, featuring the world’s leading singers, ballet troupes, dance companies and operas. Step into the Círculo del Liceu, one of the oldest private clubs and a meeting place for cultural activities beyond operatic performances. Explore the rich history of the opera and its exquisite style.

Remarks provided by Salvador Alemany, President of the Gran Teatre del Liceu.  

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmRecinto Modernista Hospital Sant Pau

Take a trip back to the early years of the 20th century at the Hospital de Sant Pau, Europe’s largest Art Nouveau site. A fully functioning hospital until 2009, Hospital de Sant Pau is now a museum, cultural center and testament to the union of history and architecture in Barcelona. Join us as we explore the crowning achievements of renowned Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Catalan Art Nouveau and a marvel of historic restoration.

Remarks provided by Isabel Bassedas, Head of Venues at the Hospital de Sant Pau.  

3:30 pm - 5:30 pmSagrada Familia

It would be difficult to find a church more emblematic, distinctive and with such an extraordinary story as the Sagrada Familia. Widely regarded as Antonio Gaudí’s most important building, the Sagrada Familia embodies elements of Gothic architecture and Art Nouveau and is the epitome of Catalan Modernism. Five generations have already witnessed the temple’s rise in Barcelona, and construction still continues today. Join us on an exclusive tour of Gaudí’s tour de force, with an in-depth explanation of the symbolic meanings and trip to the museum dedicated to Gaudi’s creative genius.

Remarks provided by Verónica Cortijo, Head of Institutional Relations and Public Relations at the Sagrada Familia.

3:30 pm - 5:00 pmFerran Adria - Caixa Forum

Visit CaixaForum, a former textile Casaramona factory designed by Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch that now functions as an art gallery. Explore the museum's latest exhibits and close the visit with a conversation led by Chef Ferran Adrià. Referred to as “the Salvador Dalí of the kitchen” by Gourmet magazine, Adrià is well-known for his food experiments and innovations associated with molecular gastronomy.  

3:30 pm - 5:00 pmAdolfo Dominguez Fashion Designer

This tour is sold out. To add yourself to the waitlist, please email iwf@executivevents.com.

Join us for an exclusive fashion experience at the Adolfo Dominguez Boutique in Barcelona to explore “the story of a brand with soul.” From beginning a career in the 1980s by celebrating the philosophy of creating poetic simplicity and dressing the cast of Miami Vice and Iberia Airlines, to gracing the pages of Vogue and the Parisian runway, Adolfo Dominguez has grown into a firm with over 500 stores around the world. Behind the emblematic modernist facade of his boutique in Barcelona, history, heart and tradition are expressed through fabrics, patterns and lines. The store will be closed for this event, exclusive to the IWF conference.

Adriana Domínguez, Chief Executive Officer of the company and Adolfo’s daughter, will provide remarks before viewing the new collection. 

6:45 pmDine Around and Guest Dinner Launch

The Dine Around event creates personal and memorable environments for IWF members attending the Conference where everyone can get to know one another better and develop their circle of friendships and networks. Dine Arounds are for members only. Hosts are local members of the IWF.


Friday, April 12, 2019
8:00 am - 4:00 pmIWF Registration Desk

Ground Floor of Convention Centre.

8:00 am - 6:00 pmPop Up Shops
9:15 am - 10:30 The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Plenary 3

The next big leap in wireless technology is upon us, but who is going to get the jump? Fierce competition is being waged among telecommunications companies to gain an edge in 5G, or fifth-generation, technology. 

5G will improve the capacity and reliability of mobile broadband and is expected to unleash a technological revolution that will transform the way we live and work. 

Although it has the potential to make our lives easier and our cities more efficient, there are concerns about the cost and the societal impact. We’ll discuss the state of the race, the upsides and the potential downsides with a panel of experts. 

Welcome Remarks:

  • Enrique Fernández Puertas, Director of Digitalization and IT Architecture Strategy at Repsol

 

Speakers:

  • Laxmi Akkaraju, Chief Strategy Officer of GSMA, the trade body representing the interests of mobile operators worldwide
  • Maria Bezaitis, PhD, Senior Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation
  • John R. Fernandez, Global Chief Innovation Officer at Dentons
  • Cristina Caballe Fuguet, Director of Industry Solutions for IBM Europe

 

Moderator:

  • Hildur Eir Jónsdóttir, Assurance Leader and member of the Board for EY Spain
10:30 am - 10:50 amCoffee Break
10:50 am - 11:55 amFashion-Forward

Plenary 4

Spain is a growing force in fashion, home to Zara, MANGO and Desigual. We look at the phenomenal growth of the fashion industry and explore some of the innovative ways designers and manufacturers are making fashion more sustainable. 

Welcome Remarks: 

  • Gema Aznar, Director General of Mary Kay Spain

 

Speakers:

  • Beatriz Bayo, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at MANGO
  • Jenny Fleiss, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Jetblack and Co-founder of Rent the Runway
  • Misha Nonoo, Designer and Creative Director of Misha Nonoo

 

Moderator:

  • Maria Eugenia Girón, Executive Director of IE Premium and Prestige Business Observatory, board director, angel investor and member of IWF Spain
11:55 pm - 12:15 pmBreak | Move to Breakout Sessions
12:15 pm - 1:15 pmBreakout Sessions
12:15 pm - 1:15 pmSupply and Demand: Youth Unemployment in Europe

While Europe has recovered from the 2008 financial crisis, the employment picture remains gloomy for one group: young people. According to the World Bank, in 2017, youth unemployment in Spain, Italy and Greece was a mind-boggling 40 percent. 

The economic, social and political implications are potentially profound.  

We talk to demographers, economists and young people themselves to determine why the youngest, fittest and cheapest members of the labor market are having such a tough time finding jobs and what strategies are being utilized to help them.  

Speakers:

  • Marcel Jansen, Associate Professor of Economics at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and researcher at the leading Spanish think tank, Foundation for Applied Economic Studies (Fedea)
  • Thomas Liebig, Senior Migration Specialist and Economist in the International Migration Division at the OECD Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs
  • María José Martín, General Manager of Right Management and ManpowerGroup Solutions
  • Zuzana Vaněčková, advocate and expert on social and economic inclusion of European youth, and immediate past member of the European Youth Forum Board

 

Moderator::

  • Anne Duncan, Director at Lumiu, Vice President of the International Women’s Forum and member of IWF United Kingdom
     
12:15 pm - 1:15 pmA Deeper Dive: Sports Sheroes

Barcelona is renowned for sports. It hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics and is home to one of the world's most famous soccer teams. But Spanish women athletes have had to battle for recognition and equity. Until 1964, girls were not allowed to compete in the Spanish Athletics Championships. Until 1968, no Spanish woman had reached the final of an Olympic event. 

Times have changed. In the last two Olympics, Spanish women have won more medals than Spanish men. But women still account for only 21 percent of Spanish competitors, and in some sports, women are banned from getting pregnant. 

We consider the victories and ongoing battles and explore similar challenges faced by women athletes elsewhere. 

Speakers:

  • Mercedes Coghen, Vice President of the Spanish Hockey Federation, Executive Director of Spain Sports Global and former captain of the Spanish Women’s National Field Hockey team
  • Theresa Zabell, double Olympic champion and Founder of ECOMAR Foundation

 

Moderator:

  • Susannah Rodgers, MBE, Paralympic Gold Medalist, disability advisor and ambassador and 2016 mentee in the EY Women Athletes Business Network program
1:15 pm - 1:30 pmBreak | Move to Luncheon
1:30 pm - 3:00 pmLunch Session: Euro Vision - The Future of the Union

Closing Luncheon

The uncertainty over the terms and date of Britain’s departure, along with political upheaval in several other countries, is fanning concerns about whether Europe’s economic and political partnerships can endure. If they do not, what are the implications for trade, travel and security? 

We examine the state of play with key players on both sides of the British Channel and discuss their visions for the Europe of the future. 

Speakers:

  • Cathryn Clüver Ashbrook, Executive Director of The Future of Diplomacy Project and The Project on Europe and the Transatlantic Relationship at the Harvard Kennedy School
  • Grégoire Gathem, Associate Professor at the Universitat de Barcelona, Senior Legal Counsel at Fusion for Energy and Co-host of Europeans In on Barcelona City FM
  • Anand Menon, Director of the UK in a Changing Europe initiative and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London

 

Moderator:

  • Ainhoa Paredes, UK News Correspondent
3:00 pm - 3:20 pmBreak | Move to Town Hall
3:20 pm - 4:20 pmIWF in Action – Town Hall Session

Presented by IWF and the Leadership Foundation 

Girls and Education: Equal Access

Education is transformational. It can break the cycle of poverty and improve outcomes for economies and individuals. Research shows its effects are particularly powerful for girls. Education makes girls healthier and creates more economic opportunities, and it extends those benefits to families and communities more than when only boys are educated. This phenomenon is known as the “Girl Effect.” But 130 million girls around the world are not in school because of poverty, custom or conflict. In places like Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria, girls’ schools are under attack. 

IWF members on the stage and in the room discuss what approaches, strategies and resources can help change ideas, cultures and policies to ensure girls have equal access to education. 

Speakers: 

  • Shamim Jawad, Founder and President of the Ayenda Foundation, member of IWF United Kingdom and an IWF Leadership Foundation Fellows Program alumna

  • Totsie BJ Memela, strategist and education activist, member of IWF South Africa, IWF Leadership Foundation Board Director and a Fellows Program alumna
  • Melek El Nimer, Founder of the Unite Lebanon Youth Project and President of IWF Lebanon

 

Moderator:

  • Lisa Sepulveda, Global Chief Client Officer at Edelman 
7:00 pm - 11:00 pmFinale Dinner and Celebration

Maritime Museum.