Sponsored Content by 50/50 Women on Boards
On November 12, 2024, 50/50 Women on Boards hosts a pivotal networking event in its continued mission for gender parity in corporate leadership. The 50/50 Women on Boards Austin Conversation will be a transformative event, bringing together female leaders and experienced corporate directors for strategic networking, mentorship, and empowerment.
50/50 Women on Boards, founded in 2010, has led the charge in advocating for gender balance and diversity on corporate boards. Their efforts have not been in vain. The mission is working as recent data reveals women now hold 30% of board seats across the S&P 500, a significant increase from just 18% five years ago.
While this progress is worth celebrating, there is more work to do. This is why The Austin Conversation is happening. It aims to accelerate progress by providing a unique platform for women to gain insights, make connections, and chart a clear path to the boardroom.
Attendees will hear from a distinguished panel, including moderator Ryan Patel, a board member of the Mastercard Innovation Collective Advisory Board, and Jocelyn Moore, an independent board director with experience across various sectors. These accomplished executives will share their experiences and offer valuable advice on navigating the complex world of corporate governance.
Continued valuable insights will come from several breakout sessions with Director Coaches. Here, attendees will receive personalized guidance from current board members, so they learn how to tailor their career approaches, accelerating their path to board seats. This golden opportunity will prove invaluable for women looking to elevate their career journey by entering a space that needs more of them—corporate boardrooms.
This is not an event to casually network and do more of the same. Women are ready and have been for a long while to show how much their knowledge and leadership are needed in spaces that underserve them. Research has consistently shown that diverse boardrooms deliver much better business outcomes.
According to Bloomberg, companies with gender diverse boards deliver 2-5% higher annual returns than companies with fewer women.12 More women in boardrooms, greater business returns.
The Austin Conversation is not just about filling quotas, ticking boxes, and avoiding negative press. It’s about creating real opportunities for women, opening doors that too long were closed or slightly ajar, and making meaningful connections, with a supportive community of women leaders.
The Austin Conversation gives women reason to be optimistic. There are no platitudes and no hyperbole. Here is a place of deliberate action with the goal being more women in board seats and a defined path to get them there. This is a concerted effort to break down barriers, challenge norms, and create opportunities for talented women to lead at the highest levels of business.
For any woman in Austin with aspirations of board service, this is an event you can’t miss. If you’re not in the Austin area, tickets are still available and if you can’t make it, sponsorship is another option. Be part of a movement that is reshaping the corporate landscape and paving the way for a more equitable future. Wonderful change starts with one conversation.
