The Next Billion: Women & The Economy of the Future Conference Announces Roster of Notable Speakers for May 7 Event

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 7, 2015 /CNW/ -- The organizers of "The Next Billion: Women & The Economy of the Future" today announced its lineup of speakers for the May 7 conference. Global leaders from the worlds of business, government, education and nonprofit will come together to discuss concrete, practical ways in which women – as consumers, employees, entrepreneurs and executives – can contribute to the continuing success of companies in the international economy.

Among the speakers scheduled to participate in the inaugural conference:

• Daisy Auger-Dominguez – VP, Talent Acquisition, Organization & Workforce Diversity, Disney ABC Television Group
• Gail Becker – President of Strategic Partnerships & Global Integration, Edelman
• Kalpana Desai – Director, Canaccord Genuity Group Inc.
• Eduardo Ferreira – Head of Inclusive Business, Itau Unibanco
• Inhi Cho Suh– VP of Strategy & Business Development, IBM Analytics
• Charles Jeannes – CEO, Goldcorp
• Honorable Khristinn Kellie Leitch – Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women
• Sharon McLeod – VP, Personal Care North America, Unilever
• Alexandre Meira de Rosa – Vice President for Countries, Inter-American Development Bank
• Nouriel Roubini – Co-founder and Chairman, Roubini Global Economics and Professor of Economics and International Business, New York University's Stern School of Business
• Harsh Saini – Senior VP, Vendor Compliance and Sustainability, Li & Fung
• Marianne Schoenig – Global (Non-US) Supplier Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Accenture
• Halla Tomasdottir – Founder and Lead Partner, Sisters Capital
• Tanya van Biesen – Co-Leader, Financial Services Practice, Spencer Stuart
• Ambassador Melanne Verveer – Former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women's Issues; Executive Director of the Institute for Women, Peace and Security, Georgetown University
• Gabi Zedlmayer – VP and Chief Progress Officer, HP

Panel moderators include:

• Bianna Goldryga, Anchor, Yahoo! News and Finance
• David Scanlan, Managing Editor, Bloomberg News Canada
• Elizabeth Vazquez, President, CEO and co-Founder, WEConnect
• David Walmsley, Editor-in-Chief, Globe and Mail

Through a series of moderated discussions, these speakers will provide crucial insights into how and why women are key to the long-term profitability and growth of businesses in the banking, consumer product, technology, and manufacturing sectors, among others. An emphasis will be placed on sharing concrete actions and policies that leading companies in these sectors have successfully used to tap the business potential of women globally.

Planned sessions include:

• Women and "the Bottom Line": Business Sustainability and Growth in the 21^st Century Economy.
• Beyond the "Micro": Women as Entrepreneurs Driving Profit and Innovation by Rethinking Value Chains.
• Driving Profit and Innovation by Rethinking Value Chains.
• Supply or Demand? Addressing the Real Obstacles to Diversifying the C-Suite.
• The Skilled Labor Force of Today and Tomorrow: Keys to Attracting and Retaining Women Employees.

"Women have the potential to drive enormous economic growth in the coming decade, and businesses need to recognize the impact they can have," said conference organizer, business owner and philanthropist Lisa Wolverton. "We are thrilled with the group we've assembled, and we're excited for them to share their insights and start a conversation around this critical issue."

The Next Billion partners include BSR: Business for Social Responsibility; the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its Multilateral Investment Fund; The United Nations Foundation; and the World Bank Group/International Finance Corporation.

The Next Billion advisory board members include:

• Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, former UK government Minister and United Nations Deputy Secretary General and Current Chairman of Europe, Middle East and Africa, FTI Consulting
• Maria Livanos Cattaui, former Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce
• Laura Gitman, VP New York, BSR
• Frank Giustra, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fiore Financial
• Canaccord Genuity Group Inc. executives
• Melanne Verveer, former U.S. Ambassador for Global Women's Issues
• William Westeringh, Partner, Fasken Martineau

Registration is open to senior executives. For more information, and to register for an invitation, please visit: www.thenextbillionconference.com or contact [e-mail].

About The Next Billion: Women & The Economy of the Future
The Next Billion: Women & The Economy of the Future conference will bring together key corporate decision-makers from North America, Europe and Latin America for a results-oriented, evidence-based dialogue on the topic of women in the global economy. Through a series of moderated discussions, the conference will provide crucial insights into how and why women are the key to the long-term profitability and growth of businesses in the banking, consumer product, technology, and manufacturing sectors, among others. The inaugural conference will be held Thursday, May 7, 2015, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150406/196899LOGO

SOURCE The Next Billion: Women & The Economy of the Future

For further information: Brenda Patterson, 440-623-9581, [e-mail], http://www.thenextbillionconference.com