Forbes 30/50 Summit 2023

Some of the world’s most groundbreaking and innovative women gathered in Abu Dhabi at the Forbes 30/50 Summit March 7th through the 10th for a week of panels, mentorship and collaboration. The summit, which occurred in conjunction with International Women’s Day, featured legendary speakers including Hillary Rodham Clinton and Olena Zelenska. Below is live coverage of the Summit. To join the conversation on social, follow #Forbes3050 and #3050AbuDhabi.

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Day 4

Service Day At Cranleigh School

On Friday, a group of speakers and attendees gathered at the Cranleigh high school in Abu Dhabi for a morning of mentorship. Female students from the school, which has students from 77 nationalities, first heard from Forbes’ Maggie McGrath about not being afraid to be ambitious at any age.

“When someone belittled me for my ambition, their actions said more about them than me,” she said.

Forbes’ Charlotte Burney sat down with Suneera Madhani, Founder and CEO of fintech unicorn Stax, to discuss her background, overcoming anxiety and showing up for yourself. As a young woman of color with a childhood spanning from Chicago to Karachi, she said she frequently experienced people who underestimated her. Even though it’s intimidating to be in a room where no one looks like you or sees your value, “You have to make sure you’re in the room anyway,” she said. “I was rejected by 12 different banks, but if I hadn’t gone to the 13^th, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Then, Forbes’ McGrath spoke with Gamze Cizreli, the Founder and President of BigChefs Restaurant; Vivien Mao, a TV Producer at Littlefield Company; Pico Velasquez, the Founder and CEO of VIIRA; and Shannah Winthrow-Maser, an Aerospace Engineer at NASA Ames Research Center.

The panelists said that passion goes a long way in being successful. “I think it’s most important to follow what you love—then the rest comes together,” said Velasquez. And it builds your ethos, too, according to the panel. “If they’re able to see how much you care about something and hear the excitement in your voice, they’re going to be much more willing to take a shot on you,” said Mao.

Their message to the students was to never stop being a student. “Everything you learn can be used at some point,” said Mao. “It’s never just about the topic,” said Velasquez. “It’s learning how to learn and not being afraid of it.” For Winthrow-Maser, her experience at NASA has shown her that sometimes, the hardest challenges become one’s greatest success. “The things that didn’t come naturally to me at first are now the things I specialize in,” she said, adding that the focusing on the ability to adapt and cope helps build an attitude “wired for unique solutions.”

Women are often wedged between dual assumptions, the speakers noted; on one end, they are underestimated for being soft and emotional, and on the other side, they are criticized for being too forward in the pursuit of success. However, these can both be strengths, said Cizreli. “The human touch is very important,” she said. “Working on emotional intelligence is very important not just in the hospitality sector, but also for the future of business.”

After the panel, students broke into mentorship groups to engage with leaders across industries.

Day 3

A Night At Al Wathba To Wrap Up The Summit

On Thursday evening, guests caravanned to the Al Wathba desert area to catch the sunset, eat incredible local dishes, and dance. A pop-up souk was held at the space, where local craftspeople and artists sold their goods and educated guests on their work. Traditional tanoura dancers put on an incredible show before letting guests take their skirts for a spin while others had the opportunity to ride camels through the sand.

An Afternoon of Idea Forums

On Thursday afternoon, attendees dispersed around the Saadiyat Rotana for industry-specific discussions led by fellow attendees. The women met to share ideas and experiences from their work in Impact, the Creative Economy, Money and Investing, and Corporate Leadership.

Questions From The Crowd At Town Hall

Thursday opened with a town hall to engage with the crowd. Onstage was actress Catherine O’Hara; Mandana Dayani, founder of I Am A Voter; Forbes’ Maggie McGrath; Mika Brzezinki, Know Your Value Founder, Co-Host of Morning Joe, and Forbes 30/50 Summit Chair; Mo Abudu, Founder of EbonyLife, and Nazanin Boniadi, Iranian actress and activist.

The first question was directed at O’Hara, asking how she deals with anxiety. Her answer was straightforward— she has to convince herself that other people are more nervous that her. As an actor, ridding anxiety can sometimes mean getting into character.

Brzezinski said that getting into character doesn’t mean being fake, but rather, getting to a place where you can “reach who you want to be to present yourself to others,” minus the jitters and self-doubt.

The next question regarded being shamed for wanting to make a lot of money, mostly by men. It opened a broader conversation about how perceptions of ambitions in women affect their willingness to accept self-worth or express big goals. “It’s about entering the room without apologizing,” said Boniadi. “Humility is about acknowledging how far you have to go, but also how far you’ve come.”

The next person asked how the panel deals with fatigue and burnout from the physical and emotional workload. “We do have to be ten times better than everyone else on this panel today,” said Abudu. She said she faces triple discrimination as a woman of color from Africa, and that burnout is sometimes evident, but attitude is always everything. “I don’t mind being better.”

Dayani discussed her experience immigrating to the U.S. when she was a child. To learn English language and American culture, she gravitated towards sitcoms like Full House that portrayed what she thought was the perfect way to act. “I had created this perception of what I thought perfect was and I spent my entire life playing that role,” she said, but “the integrity, honesty and vulnerability of owning your story is so valuable.”

The crowd then, referencing the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic set gender progress back two decades, asked how to maintain optimistic about change. “As an activist, you couldn’t do it unless you’re optimistic. You have to wake up and know that things can change,” said Dayani. “The belief that we can do better and be better is what will carry us.”

The next question sought advice on addressing micro-aggressions in the workplace. O’Hara said that we can thank Gloria Steinem for her work specifically related to bras and clothing, which she used to be haggled about in the entertainment industry.

The consensus among the panel was to not let it slide. “I used to take it on the chin when I was a younger actress. I didn’t want to be seen as difficult but my goodness, I’ve changed,” said Boniadi.

“I had to learn to defend myself. Now, I come across as aggressive, but sometimes you have to build a wall around you so that people can’t walk all over you,” said Abudu.

The next question was met with sighs from both the crowd and panel, as if it was something that everyone had experienced come back to rear its ugly head: Women often attribute success to luck or privilege— how do we drop imposter syndrome?

“When we attribute success to luck more than skill, we devalue our work, and we signal that to others as well,” said McGrath. Boniadi said luck comes at any moment, and those who are prepared are the ones who see success. Success does not come without gratitude, the panel said, though gratitude cannot usurp acknowledgement of one’s dedication and hard work.

The crowd also asked how to avoid living in an echo chamber of our own ideas and how to make sure a message reaches new audiences. The panelists said the first step is knowing who you want to reach and meeting them where they are. Boniadi evoked Nelson Mandela’s theory of truth and reconciliation. “When you want to change something, you have to address the people who oppose you,” she said. “You have to target the people whose minds and hearts you want to change, and you can’t do that by alienating them.”

“That doesn’t mean toning down your message or going full force out for justice, it means keeping the door open so you’re not vilifying people who oppose you,” she said.

Abudu said it’s about being culturally aware, and now than ever, we have the opportunity to learn about and engage with people across the world through media and the internet to learn more about customs and values that are different from our own.

Each panelist took a stab at the final question, which asked how to deal with men who are intimidated by your power. Dayani said people who are intimidated by you believe your ability. “It deeply enriches me and makes me happier,” she said. “I feel like a vampire . If you’re making people uncomfortable, you’re doing something right.”

Abudu said similarly, “Let them be intimidated, and number two, stare them right in the eye.”

And finally, from Boniadi— “Never dim your light for anyone.”

DAY 2

A Night At The Louvre

Attendees and speakers gathered at the Louvre on Saadiyat Island for the Awards Gala, honoring several women who have dedicated their lives to advancing and advocating for the rights of women around the world.

Mika Brzezinski, Know Your Value Founder, Co-Host of Morning Joe, and Forbes 30/50 Summit Chair, and Huma Abedin, Forbes 30/50 Vice Chair and MSNBC Contributor and Author, opened the evening.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former United States Secretary of State, Senator, First Lady, Lawyer, author and activist, was invited onstage to present the Lifetime Achievement Award, which she was presented last year.

Clinton presented journalist and activist Gloria Steinem with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her fight for women’s rights that has spanned more than half a century.

Clinton then presented the Know Your Value award to tennis champion Billie Jean King for her work advancing for gender equality in sports, advocacy for the LGBTQ community and fight to end the gender wage disparity. King discussed the importance of knowing one’s value in and outside of the workplace and most important, in oneself. She also said she was honored to be sharing this week with so many of her “She-roes.”

Clinton took the stage again to present the Torch Of Freedom Award to First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska for her bravery and leadership amid the Russian invasion. Zelenska said accepted the award on behalf of all Ukrainian women.

An Iconic Conversation On Equality

To finish the day’s programming, Mika Brzezinski, Know Your Value Founder, Co-Host of Morning Joe, and Forbes 30/50 Summit Chair, welcomed Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former United States Secretary of State, Senator, First Lady, Lawyer, Author and Activist to stage for her second year at the 30/50 Summit.

They were joined by sports icon and champion of equality Billie Jean King, journalist and activist Gloria Steinem, and First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. The five women— whose influence spans nations, generations, and industries— engaged in conversations centered around the work that’s done, the progress that’s been made, and the barriers that still need to be broken.

“This is a really important moment for women in America around the world, in Ukraine, in the Middle East,” said Brzeznski. “Our next guests have dedicated their lives to advancing the cause of women around the world, and we could not be more honored to bring them together for this iconic conversation on International Women's Day right here in Abu Dhabi.”

While massive strides have been made over the past century, there has been little advancement towards equality in the past 20 years, the women said.

“I think it's fair to say that we were making slow but steady progress on a range of issues that affect women and girls. And we have been dramatically set back by by Covid, which had a disproportionate impact on women and girls around the world, and a lot of consequences such as increases in domestic violence, increase in child marriage, increase in unemployment,” said Clinton.

“I think the bottom line is we have a lot of work to do, and we can't take any of the progress that has been made for granted because with the Dobbs decision and other kinds of organized, institutional pushback, we're seeing a that a lot of what we did take for granted in terms of rights and opportunities are at risk,” she continued.

Women and children are the primary victims of conflict and of climate change. As touched on earlier in the day, the war in Ukraine and the gender apartheid occurring in Iran and Afghanistan are prime examples of the ways that war and political conflict viscerally affect the rights of women, they said.

Since the Russian invasion roughly one year ago, she, her husband, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and their staff have remained in Kyiv to fight from the nation’s capital despite the grave risk. Zelenka has overseen humanitarian aid to orphanages, families, and the elderly who have remained in her country. She started Books Without Borders, getting 260,000 books printed in Ukrainian for displaced Ukrainian children across the world, and has also created a national program on mental health and psychosocial support.

“What really inspires me is that previously it was thought that first ladies are just soft power, but we have shown that it is not just a formality. We're not just a soft force,” Zelenka said. “We can continue to change the world.”

Zelenka’s daily life has been completely altered and essentially revolves around the fight against Russia in her home country, and despite being one of the most powerful women in Ukraine, she says she views her efforts as one with all Ukrainian women.

“I don't separate myself from the rest of women— we're together. What I can say is that it is a trial for everyone, and we need to go through this experience together.”

King is a tennis champion and advocate for equity in sports and wages, LGBTQ rights and diverse, inclusive leadership. Her groundbreaking achievements make her an icon in sports and social justice. Still, decades later, she has her eyes on equal pay for women. While the wage disparity has not shrunk enough, one thing she does note is that women today are more active than ever in seeking economic opportunity for themselves and others.

“Please women, follow the money.” she said. “Because what can money do? Fantastic things in life. It gives you freedom, mobility, all kinds of things that we never dreamed of.”

Part of the battle in addressing the wage gap is addressing the imbalance in hidden labor, said Steinem. The acclaimed journalist and trailblazing feminist is known for her activism in the Women's Liberation Movement. She fought for equal rights and greater opportunities for women as the cofounder of Ms. Magazine at the forefront of feminist journalism, and is also the cofounder of New York Magazine.

“Until work is divided equally at home— that is, until men are fathers and are raising infants and little children as much as women are— then men maybe won't be able to develop their full nurturing patient selves, which of course they are. And children will grow up not thinking that men can be as loving and patient as women can, and that women can be as active and achieving in the world outside the home,” she said. “So I'm so thankful for this conference.”

Every act of support, courage and rebellion count, they said.

“Every time you stand up for yourself, you stand up for literally tens of thousands, maybe millions of people who don't have the voice or the access, the opportunity that you do,” said Clinton. “You don't have to be in the middle of a horrible war that is breaking every law there is and committing crimes against humanity to stand up and speak out and know that you're doing it not just for yourself.”

It should come easily to all of us, Zelenka said, because equality is intrinsic. “I would like us all to remember that equality is a normal thing. It's not something that we should be fighting for.”

“So it's much easier for me to speak about it because I understand that equality is normal. And I think the next step we need to make is to make sure that all women understand that it is normal, and men also.”

Three Female Founders On Doing Good For Themselves And Others

Two for-profit founders– celebrated actress Jessica Alba, the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of the Honest Company, and Suneera Madhani, the Founder of Stax– chatted with Kelly Sawyer, the Co-CEO of Baby2Baby, a nonprofit organization functioning as a for profit business, and Huma Abedin, Vice Chair of the 30/50 Summit and MSNBC Contributor and author, about why doing good and doing well are not mutually exclusive.

Alba’s business was born from necessity more so than inspiration. After a childhood rife with health issues, she was determined prevent that for her children. Her research found that most daily-use products in the United States incorporate harmful chemicals that are often banned in other nations.

“I thought, someone’s gotta do it better,” she said. “It was too hard for me to shop around this problem.” After lobbying on Capitol Hill with little success, she started her own venture to replace the products in her pantry with safer ones.

Sawyer began her organization after learning that roughly a third of families struggle to pay for diapers. Baby2Baby has since donated over 270 million critical supplies, including diapers, formula and cribs across and outside of the U.S.

“It’s really been the partnerships of women behind us that have gotten us to where we are today,” Sawyer says.

For Madhani, she hadn’t considered becoming a founder. Now, she wants to be the the norm, not the exception. So in addition to founding a unicorn company, she’s worked on bootcamps to help elevate other women into leadership and founder positions.

“Representation matters and seeing is believing,” said Madhani. The C-suite “should not belong to the pale, stale and male,” she says.

Standing Out in A Saturated Space

“I can directly get feedback from my community... and I think having that is really important for the business,” said Karen Wazen, the Founder & CEO of Karen Wazen Eyewear and the cofounder of KE Investments, who sat down with Moira Forbes, Executive Vice President of Forbes Media and Publisher of ForbesWomen.

Wazen admits that she feels much more at-home in the title “businesswoman” more than “influencer.” Still, she’s attempting to use her platform to listen to her customers instead of influence their decisions.

A Global Conversation On Rights From Three Hotbeds Of Revolt

Women around the world are fighting for their rights. These three women are leaders at the epicenter of the most crucial gender battles of the moment: Nazanin Boniadi, an Iranian actress and activist; Ukrainian Olga Kravchenko, the cofounder & CEO of Musemio; and Afghan activist Shafiqa Khpalwak.

The three women, along with moderator Alyse Nelson, the President and CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, are calling upon their lived experiences to drive change.

In the three nations from where they hail and across the world, “Women’s body and souls have become battlefields,” said Boniadi.

Earlier in the day, an open letter was released with Boniadi’s signature petitioning the global community to recognize the crisis in Iran as a gender apartheid.

“We have a legal definition for racial apartheid in South Africa, but we don’t have a legal definition for gender apartheid, and it’s a way for authorities to keep and support these entrenched systems of power in place,” says Boniadi.

Kravchenko touched on how female entrepreneurs are forging a post-conflict future. Already, Ukrainian women have built substantial communities around themselves in areas where they’ve been displaced, she says.

“I greatly believe women have different leadership styles because we lead with empathy,” says Kravchenko. “We put the people we’re working with and helping at the forefront of conversations.”

Over in Afghanistan, the Taliban have enacted 93 edicts that are suppressing the rights of women, rolling back a century of gender progress. In a country where 90% of the population is currently below the poverty line and where 2 million widows are left without a male to support them and escort them in public society, “Afghanistan is a prison for women, and not only just women, but any one who wants to have a normal life,” said Khpalwak.

Still, Khpalwak discussed with optimism that Afghan women will continue to seek and initiate conversations about their rights.

How can you help? Become a voice for others, use your freedom and influence, and make introductions, they say.

30/50 Conversation: The Business Of Influence

Gen Z is most commonly associated with the rise of influencer culture. 66-year old Lynja Davis is debunking this daily– and with 15.1 million followers, she is tapping the opportunities that exist for influencers across all generations and continents.

Davis was joined by Nina Shini, the cofounder and CEO of Social Works, an influencer agency, and Forbes’ Maggie McGrath. The two had nearly opposite journeys into the market.

Shini caught wind of the influencer economy early— nearly a decade ago— and quickly built her agency up. She was later featured on the Forbes’ Under 30 Europe 2021 list.

Davis, on the other hand, dabbled in cooking videos during the pandemic that eventually— and to her surprise— raked in millions of views. Now, she’s getting brand deals from household names including Burberry and Impossible Foods.

When choosing what brands to work with, “It has to be organic to us,” said Davis. “We’ve gotten offers for phone apps, for music, for computer games and that’s not very organic for Lynja, so we stick with food companies and sometimes brands that we can incorporate cooking with.”

Alignment is a crucial aspect of success on the back end, as well, says Shini. “For us, its always about storytelling. If the product can’t fit the narrative, then it won’t work.”

Davis was featured on the Forbes’ Top Creators list last year. The average age of the list was 31 years old, making Davis a true outlier in the industry. “I think it’s total nonsense that you have to be 33 years old to be an influencer,” she says. While some people spend their lives trying to go viral, Davis says she hardly tried at all, and chocks her success up to authenticity.

Activating Audiences To Change The Status Quo

An activist’s work is vulnerable, tiring, and sometimes, uncomfortable. We heard from Mandana Dayani, the Creator & Cofounder of I Am A Voter, and Aurora James, the Founder of Fifteen Percent Pledge and Creative Director & Founder of fashion brand Brother Vellies, on how to stay engaged with society’s most pressing issues without alienating any of their key stakeholders.

The discussion, moderated by Symone Sanders-Townsend, an author, Democratic Strategist and the Host of “SYMONE” on MSNBC, was centered on perhaps the most basic tenet of achieving goals and making change: walk the walk.

Upon founding I Am A Voter, “I did what many of us do, which is call the smartest women I know to sit in a room together,” said Dayani.

James started The Fifteen Percent Pledge in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Nearly three years later, her efforts include keeping the momentum of the initial movement going. “If you don’t have outside accountability from black women, you won’t be able to do this in the long run,” said James. The pledge audits companies, some of which are signed on decade-long contracts, quarterly to ensure that the movement doesn’t just continue, but progresses.

These days, consumers have the luxury to choose brands that align with their values. “Brands have almost become an extension of identity,” Dayani says. “If you hurt the people we love, we’re going to leave you.”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean taking a stance or acting on every single issue. Both James and Dayani emphasized the importance of picking a lane; instead of spreading thinly, committing to your strengths and tapping the network available to you will help deepen impact.

“All ships rise in time,” said James.

How To Launch A Company Without Any Outside Funding

“I debated with myself for months and months and didn’t want take leap into uncertainty,” said Under 30 alum Lauren Watkins, who founded PuraVida Foods during the pandemic.

Watkins’ road to entrepreneurship wasn’t direct, nor clear, for a while. She studied psychology and wound up in industrial sales after school. Today, her company is driving north of $25 million in annual revenue.

The Moiras On Building A Seriously Successful Career By Bringing Humor To The Forefront

Catherine O’Hara, the Emmy award-winning actor and writer, discussed her approach to turning funny into money, managing on-screen and off-screen personas, and portraying one of the most beloved characters in television history.

O’Hara was joined onstage by Moira Forbes, Executive Vice President of Forbes Media and Publisher of ForbesWomen. While she’s starred in many great films and shows, including Home Alone, O’Hara’s recent buzz has been centered around her wig-wearing, former soap-opera star character Moira Rose on the sitcom Schitt’s Creek.

For O’Hara, showbiz helped her grow a healthy relationship with failure. “I was so lucky to fail as much as I succeeded early on,” she said, encouraging people to trust their instincts and welcome setbacks.

O’Hara’s career has spanned most of her life. She says that starting off on the right foot, whether you’re entering your career or any old meeting, is important to showing up for oneself.

“Gratitude is such a better feeling than bitterness,” she says.

The Metaverse of Tomorrow

“Every time there’s a new medium, it’s an opportunity to rethink and rebuild,” says Pico Velasquez, the Founder and CEO of VIIRA. Her company helps brands and institutions build their Web3 presence through a marketplace and creative studio.

How Philanthropy Can Effectively Revolutionize Progress

“Working and doing good is not a job— you cannot apply for doing good. It’s a passion,” said Her Royal Highness Princess Lamia Bint Majed Saud AlSaud, a major philanthropic leader known for advocating for women and girls in Saudi Arabia.

She joined Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, Director of The Charles Schwab Corporation and Board Chair and President of the Charles Schwab Foundation, and Ramia Farrage, Senior Producer and Presenter of Forbes Middle East, to talk about how to make their giving more effective and groundbreaking.

From empowering artisans to increasing financial literacy to supporting educators, both women are focused on leveraging both funds and passion to make a difference.

Tastemaking And Community-Building With Ayesha Curry

Ayesha Curry, the Founder & CEO of Sweet July, sat down with Symone Sanders-Townsend, an author, Democratic Strategist and Host of “SYMONE” on MSNBC, to discuss how she’s growing her foodie empire while also uplifting an inclusive array of entrepreneurs and creators.

Early in Curry’s career, all it took was one woman to open a door to her and a decade later, she’s a multihyphenate with a series of best-selling cookbooks, in demand restaurants and her own burgeoning lifestyle brand. For Curry, if you can’t level the playing field, you have to create your own. By centering businesses owned by women and people of color, Curry creates a brand rooted in intentional equity. “It’s about telling every women’s story and every person’s story from a different angle.”

Sweet July is both a marketplace and print publication. Last year, Curry was featured on the cover of her own magazine, the third woman of color to ever achieve this.

“I didn’t realize that was the case,” said Curry, “but when some highlighted that, I became unapologetic. Now, it needed to happen.”

In addition to running several successful businesses, Curry and her husband, NFL player Steph Curry, jointly run a community-based foundation called Eat, Learn, Play in Oakland, California. Rather than starting afresh, the organization is focused on coalition building with multiple already-existing community efforts.

“It’s not about reinventing the wheel, it’s about connecting the dots,” said Curry. Her mentality across business and philanthropy is: “Be the village.”

Transforming the Face Of Storytelling

Mo Abudu, the CEO of EbonyLife Media, joined Nāyla al-Khāja, the first female film writer, director and producer in the United Arab Emirates, and Ramia Farrage, Senior Producer and Presenter of Forbes Middle East, to discuss how diversifying media leads to a more inclusive and prosperous future.

Abudu was penned by Forbes as the most successful woman in Africa. Her rationale for success is simple and straightforward: she employs more women than men. “Women need to find ways to work together.”

“Regarding conversations we have and issues we face, not much has changed— we’re still dealing with a lot of the same issues as 100 years ago,” says Abudu. “But we shouldn’t just focus on the doom and gloom of women.”

Despite ongoing disparities in the workplace, domestic violence and a lack of representation, women continue to “find strength of character to pull through and not let anything get them down by finding ways to rebrand, repackage and find a way forward,” says Abudu.

al-Khāja said she learned about brand equity early in her career. “Surround yourself with people who can elevate you, and prove to them you’re capable,” she says. al-Khāja has released two documentaries on Netflix this year, the only UAE national to achieve this regardless of gender.

The uphill battle persists, but neither is intimidated.

“We’re going to keep knocking on those doors,” says Abudu.

30/50 Conversation: Creating a Conscious Culture

Whether it’s steering them through a global pandemic or creating opportunities, the effort to be a mindful leader requires constant learning. Francine Katsoudas, EVP and Chief People, Policy & Purpose Officer at Cisco and Kike Oniwinde Agoro, the Founder & CEO of BYP Network, a London-based app for young black professionals to connect for networking and job opportunities in the U.K., sat down with Know Your Value founder, Co-Host of Morning Joe and Forbes 30/50 Summit Chair Mika Brzezinski to discuss important things to remember as leaders.

Katsoudas, who was featured on the Forbes’ 50 Over 50 2022 list, says “I find that if you’re trying to listen its should be challenging because you’re open to what you’re hearing and you’re open to having your perspective changed.”

Agoro started her network from her bedroom at 24 years old. Now, it’s working with over a 1,000 organizations, including Cisco. As an individual, founder and leader, “understand that you’re there to give,” says Agoro.

“I felt very othered and like I didn’t belong though I had the credentials,” said Agoro, who was featured on the Forbes Under 30 Europe 2019 list. “I realized something needed to change.”

“My best advice is to go for it and know that what you’re creating is needed,” said Agoro.

Innovators In Healthcare On Hacking The System

In a true 30/50 dialogue moderated by Forbes’ Maggie McGrath, an Under 30 lister was joined by an Over 50 lister to discuss ongoing innovations in healthcare.

Dina Radenkovic is the cofounder and CEO of Gameto, a fertility company, and an honoree of Forbes’ Under 30 2023 North America list. Radenkovic's startup has raised $40 million to make egg harvesting cheaper and safer by using human stem cells to mature ovaries in a lab.

Radenkovic was joined onstage by Susan Tousi, Chief Commercial Officer of Illumina, and an honoree of Forbes’ 50 Over 50 2022 list. Tousi is the first female chief commercial officer at the $34 billion biotech company. Her efforts at the company guided the team to securing an FDA emergency use authorization for a Covid-19 diagnostic test.

Both women are focused on eradicating preventable disease and creating opportunities for women to be informed on their bodies and in control of their health.

Embracing The Power Of Aging

“We need to embrace that power we have, regardless of where we sit, and make sure we’re addressing the inequalities around the world,” said Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP and an honoree of Forbes’ Over 50 2021 list.

Women around the world are living longer, working longer, and driving trillions of dollars in economic value. Yet, their contributions are often underestimated by companies and consumers.

As CEO, Jenkins leads the world’s largest non-profit, nonpartisan member organization, overseeing roughly 2,300 staff members and 60,000 volunteers. The organization focuses on services, including information and advocacy for, people over the age of 50.

By 2050, the number of women over the age of 50 will double across the world, lending enormous power and opportunity to address what’s important to them, Jenkins said.

“How do we use this power of the economic value we bring not just to the workplace, but to the economy and our homes?” asked Jenkins. For her, it’s about creating solutions that are ageless.

Causing A Racquet with International Female Athletes

For generations, female athletes have sought equal pay, fair media coverage and the opportunity to be called the greatest of all time– not just the “greatest female” competitor. Three ceiling-shattering athletes: Amna Al Qubaisi, an Emirati Formula racing driver; Zahra Lari, CEO of Emirates Skating Club and President of Figure Skating Committee UAE Winter Sports Federation; and Jessica Smith, a paralympian, author and Cofounder and COO of TOUCH, joined Huma Abedin, Vice Chair of the 30/50 Summit and MSNBC Contributor and Author, to discuss progress they’ve made and the challenges they and woman around the world still face in sports.

“I’m all about pushing myself,” said Lari. “At the time, I didn’t realize I was the first from the region.”

As the first Arab woman to compete as a Formula driver, Al Qubaisi has said she was not just figuratively, but also literally pushed off the tracks. Yet, she was captivated by the pace of the sport— she first asked her father, a racer himself, to start carting at 9 years old.

A main theme among the three women is that they’ve made a career out of proving people wrong, whether it’s debunking perceptions of gender or disability. But that fight, despite its honorable intentions, is a heavy lift.

“There was such a powerful fight that I thought I had to carry,” though it led to a rough battle with mental and physical health, said Smith. “When you’re told you can’t do something— when you’re pushed off the track or when you’re told theres no room on the ice, you want to prove them wrong,” she said.

Most women in the room, Smith said, identify with one or multiple marginalized groups. As a female athlete with a disability, her fight for inclusivity is two-fold. “If disability isn’t at the table then you don’t have diversity, equity and inclusion,” she said.

Each has had their respective battles in their sports. Lari was once deducted points for competing in her hijab. Now, that rule is gone, and she skates proudly in her headcovering.

Al Qubaisi’s motto and a reminder for us all is: “Drive like a girl.”

From Complexity to Community, Creating A Positive Impact In the Middle East

Forbes’ Randall Lane was joined by Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, the UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Dr. Judith Richter, the Founder and CEO of Medinol and one of Israel’s most distinguished business leaders and philanthropists, to discuss bridge-building across the region.

“Five years ago, you couldn’t even imagine this,” said Lane. In a region facing complex geopolitical issues, the two women onstage embody the belief that it’s always possible to build bridges.

“We built too many walls and we don’t build bridges,” said Richter, though she believes it’s not too late.

“The key essence of bridge building is that it’s possible to do,” said Al Hashimy. “A lot of things seem insurmountable but there are ways around it.”

For both women, their greatest mentors were their mothers, who taught them to move with their hearts forward and their minds open to learn every day. “The heart is the same across every bridge,” said Richter.

Regarding optimism, the two women say not only is it easy to find, but it’s necessary.

“I can’t afford not to be optimistic because I have children,” said Al Hashimy. “We have to believe we can do things in a better way.”

Misty Copeland On Breaking Barriers And The Beauty Of Mentorship

In our first chat of the day, professional ballerina Misty Copeland sat down with Huma Abedin, Vice Chair of the 30/50 Summit and MSNBC Contributor and Author, to discuss the ways in which going against the grain gave her success.

Copeland in 2015 became the first black woman to be promoted to Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre in the company’s 75-year history. In the eight years since, Copeland has started her own foundation to increase diversity in classical ballet, written eight bestselling books and upped her philanthropy in the U.S.

With so many “firsts” in the room, Copeland touched on the importance of her mentor, Raven Wilkinson, another groundbreaking woman of color and ballerina. Copeland strives to “be a vessel and a voice for the people who got me here,” she said.

Abedin described Copeland as an “ambassador of ballet for the masses.” Her love for ballet began at a community center basketball court. Now, with her new foundation, she hopes to give children access to classical dance in a way that’s more expressive and focused on their communities. With free after school ballet classes across the Bronx, children are given tools to explore the world of art.

Opening Remarks

This year’s Summit is featuring legendary speakers from Hillary Rodham Clinton to Gloria Steinem, roundtables and exclusive networking opportunities, community service and cultural experiences.

From a radical march for rights to vote and equal pay in the early 20th century to today, the fight for equality is ongoing and growing for women around the world. Even so, the UN still anticipates that it will take 200 years from today to achieve pay equity around the world.

“The greatest promise and potential is you,” said Forbes’ Maggie McGrath. McGrath was joined onstage by Mika Brzezinski, founder of Know Your Value, Co-Host of Morning Joe and Forbes 30/50 Summit Chair; and Huma Abedin, Vice Chair of the 30/50 Summit and MSNBC Contributor and Author.

Attendees at this event– which hail from 50 different countries– have founded billion dollar companies, gotten patents, opened soup kitchens, worked to get more women elected, and so much more.

Growing up in Saudi Arabia, Abedin said her two parents “believed ambition was not a bad word.”

Between so many cultures and differences among lived experiences in the same room, “What we have in common is far greater than what divides us,” she says.

Today’s event was paved by the generation of women over the age of 50 and will serve to inspire the younger generation, said Brzezinski.

“When I started my career, I thought I had a shelf life at age 40, if i was lucky,” said Brzezinski. Now, just shy of 56 years old, she is “more confident, successful and happy” than she has ever been.

“I never felt that time was on my side so I spent most of my life rushing against a fake deadline,” said Brzezinksi. So the message today? You have time— more time now than ever— to achieve in this life.

DAY 1

Opening Night At The Presidential Palace

Attendees gathered at Qasr Al Watan, the Presidential Palace, for the summit’s opening gala.

“Everyone here is turning International Women’s Day from a hashtag to a vehicle for action and mentorship that will echo around the world,” said Forbes Chief Content Officer Randall Lane.

Summit Chair Mika Brzezinski said this week will yield “a truly powerful and transformative set of conversations on how we can all succeed more, lift each other up more, and push the limits of age, opportunity and happiness.”

Guests roamed the palace, listened to live traditional music and were treated to a light show on the palace’s facade.

A Toast To Under 30 Europe 2023

Rochelle Niemeijer, the cofounder and chief scientific officer of rapid diagnostic test company Nostics, sat down with Forbes’ Charlotte Burney to discuss being featured on the Under 30 Europe 2023 list, which was announced earlier today.

Niemeijer was featured on the Science & Healthcare list. She says the Netherlands-based medtech startup has raised $7.5 million to build new diagnostic tools that can quickly identify the bacteria or virus that is causing an infection and help doctors make better treatment decisions.

Kicking off the week at Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Rotana hotel, the two discussed what it means to be featured and Niemeijer’s next steps.

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