Women of the Renaissance
Women leaders from across the world have been invited to share their experiences in support of The Leadership Renaissance — a global inquiry into leadership in the digital age, created for a future where credibility, responsibility and trust matter more than ever.
Real Change Begins with Real Leaders.
Real Change Begins with Real Leaders.
FOUNDING DIRECTORS
LISA TSE
Founder & President The Sorority,
Special Advisor UN Women UK
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Founder & President Saviesa Think Tank
Croatia 🇭🇷
LEONOR DIAZ ALCANTARA
women leaders
Women leaders from across the world have been invited to share their experiences in support of The Leadership Renaissance
Founder Ratchet, Former Creative Director BBC
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Katherine Nathan represented the BBC as a Creative Director in North America, Australia, Singapore and South Africa. Katherine founded RATCHET in response to the changing needs of customers and the way we consume content today.
KATHERINE NATHAN
“Redefining the type of leadership needed today to navigate these times is a journey that requires a great deal of honesty.“
COO Ora Hospitality
Egypt 🇪🇬
Sonja Vodusek has over twenty-five years of international leadership experience in the luxury hospitality sector. A graduate of the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, Australia, her career included management postings on three continents.
SONJA VODUSEK
“Authenticity in leadership is no longer a nice-to-have. It is becoming a defining business advantage. The leaders who leave a lasting legacy will be those who balance performance with conscience and progress with integrity.”
Ambassador
Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Croatia
Switzerland 🇨🇭
Beatrice Schaer is the Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Croatia.
beatrice schaer
Google Global Business Organisation Leadership Development
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Daniella Freeman leads Google's Global Business Leadership Development and Coaching strategy.
Daniella has designed and implemented large-scale system wide transformation impacting thousands of leaders worldwide.
As a Leadership Coach, Daniella has a proven track record of taking organisations from dysfunctional to exceptionally performing during periods of technological disruption. She provides leaders with the practical strategies needed to foster resilience, navigate complex systems and manage critical personal and AI-driven transitions, guiding them as they land, transform or exit roles and evolve their impact.
daniella freeman
Deputy editor-in-chief, Austrian Broadcasting, ORF
Austria 🇦🇹
Inka Pieh is an Austrian journalist and media leader. Since 1 December 2023, Pieh has been Deputy Editor-in-Chief in the ORF Newsroom’s Newsteams leadership, where she co-leads planning and production of breaking news and multimedia content across radio, TV, online and social media platforms. She also serves as news chief for Ö3 and participates in projects on verification and emerging technologies.
inka pieh
Head of Philanthropy UN Women UK
Italy 🇮🇹
Mafalda Borea is a Portuguese-born global leader in sustainability, gender equality, and social impact. She is Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy at UN Women UK, where she leads strategic collaborations to advance gender equality and empower women. Mafalda also serves as Global Head of Partnerships & Institutional Relations at E-GAP, focusing on smart cities and renewable energy solutions, and is Founder and Chair of Sustainable First™, a platform promoting sustainable tourism aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
MAFALDA BOREA
tracey woodward
Board Advisor, Brand Creator, Beauty & Wellbeing ExpertUnited Kingdom 🇬🇧
Tracey Woodward’s worked with some of the biggest brands in the beauty industry, from Aveda to running Urban Retreat at Harrods. She is an experienced CEO with a demonstrated history of working in the Beauty and Wellness Industry.
dr sarah peers
President, International Network of Women Engineers & Scientists
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Sarah Peers is President of INWES, the global federation representing women in STEM across more than 60 countries. She serves the 2024–2026 term following long-standing leadership within the organisation.
Chair, Impact Europe
Switzerland 🇨🇭
Leslie Johnston is Chair of Impact Europe, the leading European network for philanthropy and impact-driven organisations. She is also Chief Executive Officer of the Laudes Foundation, where she leads large-scale systems-change initiatives across labour rights, climate and sustainable business.
leslie johnstone
ahlya rafique fateh
CEO & Luxury Brand & Strategy Consultant, Former Managing Editor, Tatler & Launch Lead for Vogue RussiaUnited Kingdom 🇬🇧
Ahlya’s career began in publishing as Managing Editor of Tatler and part of the launch team for Vogue Russia. She is a British–Pakistani woman bringing a cross-cultural lens to brand building — one that values diversity, heritage, and modern storytelling.
suwarti warti
Ambassador
Embassy of Indonesia in the Republic of Croatia
Indonesia 🇮🇩
Suwartini Wirta is Indonesia’s Ambassador to Croatia, presenting her credentials in 2022. She is a senior career diplomat within Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Her previous postings include Vice Consul at the Indonesian Consulate General in San Francisco and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indonesian Embassy in Ottawa, alongside senior leadership roles within the Ministry.
Founder AW Marketing & Communications
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Alison is a creative and innovative senior Marketing leader with 20+ years experience in brand development, marketing and communications across the luxury hospitality and travel industry. Her experience includes senior roles at Jumeirah, The Doyle Collection and The Dorchester Collection.
alison wheatley
Anna Kimber obe
Deputy Governor and Head of Operations, Tower of LondonUnited Kingdom 🇬🇧
Brigadier Anna Kimber OBE joined the British Army at a time where joining the Women’s Royal Army Corps was the only option open to her. If she wanted to have children, she would have been expected to leave the Armed Forces.
By the time she moved on to take up her current role as Deputy Governor & Head of Operations with the Tower of London, Anna had seen drastic and meaningful changes for women in the armed services take place.
yolande waldock
General Manager, Toyota Motor Corporation Australia
Australia 🇦🇺
Yolande Waldock is General Manager at Toyota Australia, bringing extensive expertise in the automotive sector. Her background encompasses brand management, sales strategies, and marketing communications, cultivated through diverse leadership roles within Toyota and Lexus.
Chair, Emeritus Australia & New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan, NED,CEO Melanie Brock Advisory
Japan 🇯🇵
Melanie Brock is one of Japan's most respected APAC specialists. She uniquely combines practical commercial business leadership and language skills to consistently deliver on business, regulatory and partnership outcomes for Japanese and foreign corporations both on global and domestic levels.
Melanie has an excellent network in Japan’s corporate, political and government sectors - her network of senior Japanese politicians and executives is unique. Melanie has a media prolife regularly featuring in the Nikkei, Australian Financial Review and the ABC giving her an unparalleled media network.
Melanie is Chair Emeritus of the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan having completed over six years as Chair. Melanie is a mum and a grandmother of three and has lived and worked in Japan for 30 or so years.
melanie brock
Valasia Iakovoglou
Director of the Ecotourism Sector of the UNESCO Chair Con-E-EctGreece 🇬🇷
Valasia Iakovoglou holds leading positions such as: Director of Ecotourism Sector of the UNESCO chair Con-E-Ect; Executive Board of Directors of Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network Global (GCSAYN) in Africa and “General Secretary” of associations such as the “Association of Inter-Balkan Woman’s Cooperation Societies (AIWCS)” of UNESCO Center. She has more than 25-yrs of international research and teaching experience as an Ecophysiologist/Silviculture expert in seedling production and Restoration/Conservation of Ecosystems with emphasis on Biodiversity under the challenges of Climate Change.
"Being a good scientist is hard, being a good person is harder."
Imrana Jalal
Special Project Facilitator, Asian Development Bank
Phillipines 🇵🇭
A lawyer by profession, Imrana Jalal was formerly a Commissioner of the Fiji Human Rights Commission, and the Fiji Law Reform Commission. She is the author of Law for Pacific Women and architect of the Family Law Act 2003 which addressed children's needs and removed systemic legal discrimination against women.
She is a founding member of the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team which in 1998 received the UNICEF Maurice Pate Award for its cutting edge work in women’s rights. She has also served as a barrister and solicitor in the Attorney General's Office of Fiji, as Public Legal Advisor, and has been an advisor to various UN agencies.
“Leadership qualities that were once dismissed as “soft” such as empathy, listening, and emotional intelligence are beginning to be recognised as equally valuable.
This project is capturing all the nuances of women’s leadership styles demonstrating how critical it is to change the shape and form of leadership, to make it more responsive to humans living in a vastly turbulent world.”
Director of Programmes, ICFA
Luxembourg 🇱🇺
Morgana is Senior Programme Manager at the International Climate Finance Accelerator. Before joining Accelerating Impact, she spent ten years as an impact finance consultant, supporting the strategic design and implementation of impact funds, refining impact management frameworks, and supporting funds in their ongoing management and operations. She has been an active member of the Luxembourg sustainable finance ecosystem since 2013.
“The original Renaissance challenged the idea that truth belonged to established authorities. Our own era faces a similar test. If we are serious about a new renaissance in leadership, we must interrogate the systems that shape power and lead our institutions through a reformation that rewards questioning rather than punishes it.”
Morgana Bourggraff
Vali Marszalek
GCNC Board Chair, UN Global CompactCroatia 🇭🇷
Vali is a Director and Board Member with deep expertise in social impact, governance, and sustainability reporting, specialising in EU regulatory implementation.
She helps organisations turn complex sustainability requirements into clear strategies, strong governance structures, and credible disclosures.
Orla constant
Relationship Director, Centrepoint
United Kingdom 🇬🇧
Orla Constant is Relationship Director at Centrepoint, the UK’s leading charity supporting homeless young people. With a background in PR and marketing, she brings a strategic and communications-led approach to building and nurturing partnerships with donors, corporates and key stakeholders.
Orla plays a vital role in driving awareness, engagement and long-term support for Centrepoint’s work. Passionate about creating meaningful collaborations, she is dedicated to helping transform the lives of vulnerable young people. Her work supports Centrepoint’s mission to end youth homelessness, ensuring more young people have access to safe housing, education and opportunities for a more stable future.
CEO Tech Mindset Africa
Kenya 🇰🇪
Joan Mbesya is CEO of Techmindset Africa, an organisation dedicated to sensitising, educating and empowering communities across the continent through accessible AI education. Under her leadership, Techmindset Africa has trained over 700 students across six countries and supported the incubation of more than 10 AI-driven projects.
Joan is passionate about using technology to address Africa’s economic challenges, with a focus on equipping young people with practical, future-ready skills. Her work is driven by a belief in AI as a powerful tool for inclusive growth, and a commitment to creating opportunities that enable Africa’s next generation to thrive.
Joan Mbesya
carol constant
CEO of WhomLabsCzechia 🇨🇿
Carol Constant is the founder of WhomLabs, an organisation dedicated to transforming how executive and board-level hiring is approached.
With a corporate background in Learning & Development and Human Resources, she has worked with Fortune 500 companies across six countries and three continents.
Through this experience, Carol observed recurring challenges at senior levels, including misaligned leadership teams, disengagement and costly conflict. In response, she founded WhomLabs, with headquarters in Prague and Lausanne, to address these issues at their source. Her work focuses on improving leadership alignment and decision-making by rethinking how organisations identify and appoint senior talent.
"I am honoured to take part in The Leadership Renaissance, a timely global inquiry into women, leadership and authenticity in the digital age.
At a moment when visibility is constant and trust is fragile, this initiative offers a valuable space for senior women to reflect deeply on how authenticity shapes our authority, responsibility and lasting impact. I am proud to lend my voice to a conversation that seeks not only to examine leadership, but to reimagine it for a better future."
Yasemin Arhan Modéer
CEO Altitude Meetings
Sweden 🇸🇪
Yasemin has many years of experience organising and leading meetings and conferences of different kinds. Her work focuses on social impact, societal challenges and cross-disciplinary dialogue, with particular emphasis on climate and democracy-related issues.
She is often a moderator and facilitator for conferences and forums exploring topics such as innovation, societal growth and entrepreneurship, smart city development and the SDGs. Yasemin is known for creating thoughtful, engaging spaces that bring together diverse perspectives to address complex global challenges.
CEO Zagreb Tourist Board
Croatia 🇭🇷
Martina Bienenfeld is CEO of the Zagreb Tourist Board, where she leads the strategic development and international positioning of Croatia’s capital as a cultural and tourism destination.
With extensive experience in tourism, branding and city promotion, she has played a key role in shaping Zagreb’s identity on the global stage.
Martina is known for her innovative approach to destination marketing, combining heritage, culture and contemporary experiences to attract diverse audiences. Her leadership focuses on sustainable tourism growth, strengthening Zagreb’s visibility, and creating meaningful connections between the city and visitors from around the world.