SANJIT “BUNKER” ROY, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, BAREFOOT COLLEGE TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT GLOBAL DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP EXCHANGE
GDLE to host Second Annual Symposium, Opening New Markets, in partnership with NYSE Euronext, Ibis Communications and Racing Toward Diversity and
Presented by Pitney Bowes
on February 6, 2013
Event sponsors include NYSE Euronext, AT&T, General Motors, Toyota, Fox Audience Strategy, Hewlett Packard
(New York, NY) – The Global Diversity Leadership Exchange (GDLE), a prestigious executive forum focused on diversity and inclusion strategies to support business objectives in emerging markets, has announced that Sanjit “Bunker” Roy, founder and director, Barefoot College, and senior advisor Meagan C. Fallone, will deliver the opening keynote address for its second annual symposium themed, Opening New Markets, to be held on February 6 at NYSE Euronext in Manhattan.
The highly anticipated GDLE event, comprises C-level executives from blue-chip, multi-national companies and direct reports in business development; diversity and inclusion; finance; human resources; investor relations; marketing; operations; social media; and corporate social responsibility. Government officials are also invited to attend. Through keynote speakers, market case studies, social media and talking circles attendees will acquire innovative and actionable strategies for: building global brand recognition; creating new and sustainable markets; anticipating and meeting customer needs; strengthening the supply and distribution chains; and sourcing the best talent in the world.
Sanjit “Bunker” Roy will deliver keynote remarks to set the tone for the 2013 GDLE emphasis on business opportunities in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries. Roy was identified by The Guardian, in 2008, as one of the 50 environmentalists who could save the planet; and by Time magazine, in 2010 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for educating the rural poor in India. He established the only fully solar electrified Barefoot College in the deserts of Rajasthan, India more than 40 years ago. Working from the premise that traditional knowledge and practical skills of the poor are more important than paper degrees or qualifications, Professor Roy has provided a path to empowerment and sustainability by training more than three million people (now in 68 countries) in skills including solar engineers, teachers, midwives, weavers, architects and doctors.
Two sessions offered during the Global Diversity Leadership Exchange include: Emerging Markets: Perception vs. Reality, an examination of trends and leading indicators for positive ROI in emerging markets. Panelists include: Manish Choudhary, vice president, Pitney Bowes R&D and India Operations; Erika Karp, managing director, head of Global Sector Research, UBS Investment Bank; and Timothy E. Lee, president, International Operations, General Motors. Alicin Reidy Williamson, principal, The Raben Group, will moderate.
The Accelerating Emerging Markets session will be moderated by Javier Palomarez, president & CEO, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and includes: Paul P. Andrews, head of International Division, FINRA;Cristina Mancini, SVP, Worldwide Marketing, 20th Century Fox Television Distribution; Deepa Purushothaman, principal, Deloitte Consulting, LLP; Scott Smith, head of HR Operations, AT&T; and Brian Tippens, director of Energy & Sustainability, Hewlett Packard.
Michelle Greene, head of Corporate Social Responsibility, NYSE Euronext; Nancy Minchillo, Global Supplier Diversity Director, Hewlett Packard; and Christine M. Tricoli, senior vice president, Global Talent Management, NYSE Euronext are also on the event agenda.
“We are excited to present our second annual Global Diversity Leadership Exchange at NYSE Euronext—the nexus of world commerce” says MaryAnne Howland, CEO and co-founder of the Global Diversity Leadership Exchange and president and CEO of Ibis Communications. “This event would not be possible without the tremendous support of our returning sponsors, Pitney Bowes, Toyota, AT&T and HP and our new ones, GM and Fox Audience Strategy. We also thank all of our speakers who are leading this very important dialogue here, in their companies, and around the world.”
Sheryl Battles, vice president of Corporate Communications for Pitney Bowes noted, “Leveraging diversity and inclusion is a business imperative in today’s borderless, global marketplace. At Pitney Bowes, we believe that our diverse workforce and inclusive culture gives us a competitive advantage in serving our customers worldwide. That is why we are proud to sponsor this important discussion about the role of diversity in global commerce at the second annual Global Diversity Leadership Exchange.”
Fields Jackson, publisher, Racing Toward Diversity, and social media maven best known by his Twitter handles @fleejack and @race2diversity will lead a global social media team from inside the room, inviting everyone who participates from anywhere in the world to send in their questions using the hashtag #Global Diversity. Questions from the Twitter and Facebook feed will be asked directly to the panels in real time. “We also encourage participants to follow on Twitter and Facebook all of the companies involved who will be actively blogging while the conversation is taking place,” says Jackson.
The 2013 GDLE is a partnership with NYSE Euronext, Ibis Communications and Racing Toward Diversity and is being presented by Pitney Bowes. Event sponsors, to date, include: AT&T, General Motors, Toyota, Fox Audience Strategy, and Hewlett Packard.
Visit www.ibiscommunications.com/events.html to register for the Opening New Markets symposium. Pre-registration is required and open until January 31. The conference begins at 8:00 am with continental breakfast, registration and tours of the NYSE trading floor, including the opening bell, and concludes at 3:30 pm. For more information about conference sponsorships, call MaryAnne Howland, Ibis Communications, at (615) 777-1900. You may follow the conference on Twitter using #globaldiversity.
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ABOUT GDLE
Global Diversity Leadership Exchange, LLC, was launched February 1, 2012 by MaryAnne Howland, CEO, Ibis Communications and Fields Jackson, Founder & CEO, Racing Toward Diversity magazine to serve as a catalyst for innovative ideas and solutions among C-Suite level thought leaders who recognize the bottom line value of diversity and inclusion in the global economy. For more information about GDLE, follow us on Facebook @ Global Diversity Leadership Exchange.