Diversity consultancy INvolve has revealed this year’s Heroes Women Role Model lists, showcasing leaders who are championing women in business and driving change for gender diversity in the workplace.
This year, for the first time, the lists are global rather than restricted to submissions from Europe, the US and Canada, to feature Role Models who reflect different stories and experiences and to strengthen the cohort with increased intersectionality. This year’s lists, which are supported by Yahoo Finance, comprise three categories. They include Top 100 Women Executives, Top 100 Women Futures List and Top 35 Advocate Executives.
Overall, 13% of the Role Models on this year’s lists are from countries outside of Europe and North America, including:
- Melisa Turano, Head of Lending, Transaction Management and Mujeres al Mundo, HSBC Bank Argentina
- Richa Pathak, Group Vice President, Avigna Group India
- Masami Katakura, Chairwoman & CEO, Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC Japan
- Rachael Asonibare, Chief Information Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria & West Africa
- Ishita Dhamani, Partner, Supply Chain Competency Leader, EY ASEAN Japan
- Plaxedes Makura, Legal Manager, Disputes, Herbert Smith Freehills South Africa LLP
TRAILBLAZING EXECUTIVES
“I’m so thrilled to be celebrating this global group of trailblazing Executives, Future Leaders and Advocates for women in business. All the individuals within these lists are championing inclusion and, most importantly, leveraging their expertise and knowledge to drive inclusion initiatives and strategic change within their organisations,” stated Suki Sandhu OBE, Founder and CEO of INvolve. “It’s vital that all women within our global businesses can succeed and achieve authentically, and these Role Models are essentials drivers of change and are smashing barriers to progress to create organisations where women can thrive.”
TOP 100 WOMEN EXECUTIVES
The top 10 of the 2022 Top 100 Women Executives, include:
- Yvonne Greenstreet, CEO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
- Anne Richards, Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity International
- Michele Wee, CEO, Standard Charted Bank
- Serpil Timuray, CEO Europe Cluster and Member of Group Executive Committee, Vodafone Group
- Sharon Thorne, Global Board Chair, Deloitte
- Alisha Alaimo, President, Biogen US Organisation
- Megan Clarken, Chief Executive Officer, Criteo
- Masami Katakura, Chairwoman & CEO, EY ShinNihon LLC
- Burcin Ressamoglu, CEO, Sodexo Engage
- Mel Edwards, Global Chief Executive Officer, Wunderman Thompson
TOP 100 WOMEN FUTURES LIST
This year’s Top 100 Women Futures List, include:
- Neha Rajesh, Marketing Lead – Chrome Enterprise EMEA, Google
- Marie Hemingway, Principal Asset Management Consultant, Atkins
- Natsayi Mawere, Senior Associate, Reed Smith
- Namita Singh Thakur, Senior Manager- Global Strategic Accounts (EMEA), LinkedIn
- Tiffany Garland, US Head of Sales, Rare Disease, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
- Diana Velarde, Delivering Deal Value Director, PwC Mexico
- Lexie Toorock, Marketing Associate, Bridgewater Associates
- Farrah Ekeroth, Head of Employer Brand, EY
- Tanja Velling, Senior Professional Support Lawyer, Slaughter & May
- Suzie Nolan, Head of Property Fund Management, Aviva
Commenting on scooping the top slot in the Heroes 100 Women Future Leaders List, Neha Rajesh, Marketing Lead of Chrome Enterprise EMEA at Google, stated: “I am honoured and humbled to be featured on this list. I’ve been following INvolve Role Models Lists for a long time, and the inspiring individuals featured are real-life heroes! They push me to do more to break down barriers, to move the needle, and to further the gender diversity agenda. I am thrilled to be on this journey with other champions on a mission to drive representation in the world of technology and business.”
Women role models “are the paths of truth for young girls and women everywhere”, added Rajesh. “They live by example to show that as long as you have passion and a fire in your belly, you can be anything you want to be. Highlighting and celebrating women role models is so crucial to nurturing the future generation of talent, and inspiring women to take risks, embrace themselves and build the lives they want.”
TOP 35 ADVOCATE EXECUTIVES
This year’s top 10 of 35 advocate executives, include:
- Andrew Williams, Group Chief Executive, Halma plc
- Ronald O’Hanley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, State Street Corporation
- Simon Cooper, CEO, Corporate, Commercial & Institutional Banking and CEO, Europe & Americas, Standard Chartered
- Christoph Schweizer, Chief Executive Officer, Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
- Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Group CEO, ISS
- Luke Ellis, CEO, Man Group
- David Schwimmer, Chief Executive Officer. London Stock Exchange Group
- Claudio Gienal, CEO AXA UK and Ireland, AXA
- Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive, Diageo
- Mark Read, CEO, WPP
WOMEN IN BUSINESS
Several companies had more than one person on this year’s lists. Four of Dow’s leaders, for example, have earned recognition on 2022 HERoes Women Role Model lists. The recipients have attained success in their personal careers and have directly and indirectly used their platforms to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable business environment for women.
Jane Palmieri, President, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure; Asia Pacific Oversight; Executive Sponsor, Dow’s Veterans Employee Resource Group also secured a placed on the HERoes 100 Women Executives List. On being named again to the Women Executives list, Palmieri said: “I am honoured to receive this recognition again as a HERoes top woman leader. Being a senior executive, I consider myself accountable for driving inclusion, diversity and equity in our organisation and across the industry. Although we have made excellent progress, we need to continue supporting representation of women at all levels of leadership while promoting the benefits of more equitable systems and cultures.”
DOW’S HEROES
Howard Ungerleider, President and Chief Financial Officer; Executive Sponsor, Dow’s Women’s Inclusion Employee Resource Group ranked number 11 on the HERoes Advocates Executives List. “Being an ally has been one of the most personally and professionally rewarding experiences over the last three decades,” shared Ungerleider. “We need more allies to advocate for women across the Dow organisation and across the industry. I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition again and to be included with such talented individuals.”
Both Eunice Heath, Corporate Director, Environment, Health & Safety and Sustainability Site Sponsor; and Dow’s Global African Affinity Employee Resource Group for the Delaware Valley and Margherita Fontana, EMEAI Purchasing Director; Global Leader, Global Chair of Dow’s Women’s Inclusion Employee Resource Group, secured a place on the HERoes 100 Women Future Leaders List.
STANDARD CHARTERED BANK’S HEROES
Six of Standard Chartered Bank’s executives were also named to the 2022 Heroes Women Role Model lists for their significant contributions to creating a more diverse and inclusive business environment for women. Rachael Asonibare, Chief Information Officer of Nigeria & West Africa and Michele Wee, Chief Executive Officer of Vietnam were named as Heroes Women Executives Role Models.
Simon Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, Corporate, Commercial & Institutional Banking and Europe & the Americas and Matthew Norris, Global Head of Global Business Services made the Heroes Advocate Executives Role Model List. Additionally, O’Brien Kalumba, Director, Corporate, Commercial & Institutional Banking, Europe and Sonia Silva, Executive Director, Regional Head of Financial Market Orchestration, Europe & Americas, made thee Heroes Women Future Leaders Role Model List.
Commenting on the recognition, Melissa Soh, Regional Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Standard Chartered, said: “We are extremely proud of our colleagues across different markets for receiving the recognition. They bring a diversity of perspectives and experiences to their positions, invest in the success of others, inspire and advocate for the rest of the Bank and embody our dedication as an organisation to create an inclusive future where diversity is a strength, and everyone is empowered to succeed.”
Check out all the 2022 HERoes Women Role Model lists here.
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Check out last year’s HERoes lists here.
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