Why have women entrepreneurs, managers, civil society leaders, academics and artists from all over the world come to Dauville to meet for three days in a conference centre? Talking to the participants as they queue up for their badges shows a universe of women leaders who deeply believe in the value of this event for them personally and for their organisations.

They are here to find inspiration and share experiences with their peers from all corners of the world. Elizabeth Pastore-Reiss from the consultancy Ethicity sums it up saying the Forum provides a global vision on sustainability built on women’s concern about what kind of world future generations will inherit from us. Elene Chatillon, a young consultant at McKinsey, is here to meet amazing women and participate in a strong debate on trust in business and society. For Florence Lenne from Aeroports de Paris, the Forum creates a space for reflection and exchange, networking and even making new friends.

The Forum as an opportunity to network with inspiring women is a key motivation for the participants. They come here to gain energy, ideas and new relationships and hope this will help them change their organisations to the advantage of other women as well as men. Some of them are senior managers who have been charged by their organisations with the responsibility of improving talent through diversity. Erika Pulings leads talent management and diversity policies at Dexia. She is here to share best practices with other leading organisations on how to improve diversity and attract talent. This is important for all businesses, but in the financial sector in particular. Yolanda Conyers from Lenovo also believes in the importance of winning diverse talent for her organisation. For Lenovo, sponsoring the conference is an opportunity to reinforce its commitment to diversity and networking with women leaders who share the same vision.

For many of the participants, this is the first year they attend the Forum. This shows how a long way the Forum has gone to establish its reputation as a source of inspiration and ideas for women leaders from all over the world. On its first day, the atmosphere of the event is filled with energy, confidence and interest to learn from each other. It is the women leaders who create this atmosphere and they want to carry it with them and bring it out into the world on leaving Deauville.

Picking up the badge and the delegate’s package:

First coffee and networking:

Making our way to the main hall for the opening session (the big portraits are by painter Titouan Lamazou):

Everything is ready in the main hall, attendees walk in, the cameraman checks his material. The third Women’s Forum will be on in a few minutes:

First speaker, giving the welcome address: the Forum’s founder Aude Zieseniss de Thuin: