WomenCorporateDirectors Convenes Peer Community of S&P 500 Women Directors

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "Women on the boards of S&P 500 companies are a powerful catalyst for change – in corporate culture, in attracting and promoting diverse talent, and in shifting larger perceptions around the pipeline of qualified women for board service. WomenCorporateDirectors and sponsor KPMG LLP have really taken the lead in creating a community for women directors of the S&P 500," says Susan C. Keating, CEO of WomenCorporateDirectors Foundation (WCD).

"We convened this special group of peers for the purpose of exploring how the largest companies in the world are readying themselves for the future," says Kapila Anand, retired partner, KPMG LLP, WCD lead director, and a director on several public company boards.

Capacity attendance
More than 60 women directors serving on S&P 500 boards gathered on October 3 at the WCD S&P 500 Director Summit, which took place at the Harvard Club in New York City. Reaching capacity attendance, the Summit was WCD's third to date and featured an expanded program from previous years.  

First on the agenda was a conversation with Amazon and Starbucks director Roz Brewer, who is also COO and group president of Starbucks, followed by a discussion moderated by Anand, director of Elanco Animal Health, Extended Stay America, ESH Hospitality and Omega Healthcare Investors, and featuring Lynda Clarizio, director of CDW Corp.; Peggy Foran, director of Occidental Petroleum and chief governance officer of Prudential Financial; and ExxonMobil and Procter & Gamble director Angela Braly, who is also director of Brookfield Asset Management and Lowe's.

The dinner included opening remarks from Lynne Doughtie, chairman and CEO, KPMG LLP, and a discussion on the future of media by Viacom director Deborah Norville, who is also the anchor of Inside Edition, and chairman of The New York Times Company, Arthur O. Sulzberger, Jr.

Discussions at the Summit revolved around how boards are facing increased challenges in this disruptive environment. "This is a critical conversation, and I am really pleased that this summit gave women directors an opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences, and seek answers to the most crucial issues impacting companies today," said Doughtie.

High engagement and demand for more connection points
"The level of director engagement was remarkable, and participants tell us they are eager for more," says Keating. "Given popular demand, we already have plans in the works to convene the group again in early October 2020."

Expanding peer director communities
The S&P 500 Director Summit is part of WCD's plan to expand its peer communities and opportunities for them to convene. Additional peer group communities include directors of private and family businesses, board members in specific industries, members of certain board committees, and aspiring directors.

Focusing on the Future
WCD's annual Global Institute, its largest gathering of the year, will be sponsored by WCD's Global Lead Sponsor, KPMG LLP and hosted on site at Goldman Sachs in New York City, June 9-11, 2020. The Institute's theme – "Emerging Global Trends Changing Business Models and Boardrooms" – will continue the important discussions around the "future-ready" board.

Earlier in 2020, WCD will hold its Americas Institute February 10-11 in Miami, with the theme "Focus: How Culture, ESG, and Technology Are Radically Changing Board Agendas." Registration for the Americas Institute is open, and on the agenda are topics ranging from how to incorporate ESG into business models to the challenges around cashless commerce to combatting AI-enabled "deepfakes" and other technology that erodes trust.

For more information, please contact Suzanne Oaks Brownstein or Trang Mar of Temin and Company at 212.588.8788 or [email protected].

About WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc. 
The WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc. (WCD) is the only global membership organization and community of women corporate directors. A 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, WCD has 79 chapters around the world. The aggregate market capitalization of public companies on whose boards WCD members serve is over $8 trillion. In addition, WCD members serve on numerous boards of large private and family-run companies globally. For more information visit womencorporatedirectors.org or follow us on Twitter @WomenCorpDirs, #WCDboards.

SOURCE WomenCorporateDirectors Education and Development Foundation, Inc.

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http://www.womencorporatedirectors.org

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