The Changemakers Forum
Choose to Challenge: Celebrating the Global Opportunity for Change
In the wake of a turbulent year, it’s time to talk about change. Political crises, health crises, wars of trade and weapons, the dismantling or abandonment of international agreements and conventions — our world is in repair mode. This is the time to work together: it’s the time for women to expand their global roles, and for all of us to create an inclusive, problem-solving way forward.
The iConnections Changemakers Forum is a platform for change, where guest speakers will debate with hosts and answer questions from our membership community.
We are inspired by this year’s International Women’s Day theme: Choose to Challenge. We choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements, as well as challenge gender bias, against the backdrop of investment.
Our sessions and fireside chats will focus on the themes below:
Choosing to Challenge
As part of this year’s International Women’s Day theme Choose to Challenge, we’ll highlight the ways that investors and allocators can choose to challenge gender inequality and discrimination, and how to encourage others to join them.
Investing in Changemakers
How can investors and managers further the cause of women’s equality around the world, and why should they make it a priority?
Operating as a Changemaker
Change emerges from leadership. From CEOs, COOs, CFOs and beyond, how can our senior leaders take the bold decisions we need to progress as an economy of equals?
Making Tech Equal
The technology sector’s dizzying rise has led to some fundamental questions over inclusion. We invite senior female leaders to reveal the nature of the challenge in tech, and what they are doing to make change happen today.
Charities for Change
As institutional investors, Charities and not-for-profits have a responsibility to their cause, but how can they use their power to further change in women’s equality at the same time? Are the two always mutually compatible, and how can we balance the needs of women with the stated aims of the institution?
Our Speakers
Monel Amin
CEO, Dilligence Vault
Diana Arakelyan
Chief Marketing Officer
Karey Barker
Founding Managing Director, Cross Creek
Ron Biscardi
CEO, iConnections
Amy Chen
CIO, Smithsonian Institution
Sarah Clatterbuck
Senior Director of Engineering, Google
Helen Czerski
Oceanographer, physicist and television presenter
Tilly Franklin
CIO, Cambridge University
Karina Funk CFA
Portfolio Manager & Chair of Sustainable Investing, Brown Advisory Group
Miriam González Durántez
Vice chair, UBS Europe, Partner, Cohen & Gresser LLP, Founding Member, Inspiring Girls Charity
Jennifer Heller
President & CIO, Brandywine Group Advisors
Laurie Katz
Partner, GoldenTree Asset Management
Marissa King
Professor of Organizational Behavior, Yale & Author of Social Chemistry
Kim Lew
CEO, Columbia University
Reena Lalji
General Counsel, Wilshire Associates
Susan Liautaud
Professor at Stanford & Founder & Managing Director of Susan Liautaud & Associates
Gurpreet Manku
Deputy Director General & Director of Policy, BVCA
Ana Marshall
CIO, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Laura McGee
CEO, Diversio
Rahul Moodgal
Co-Chair, iConnections Investment Institute, Partner, Parvus Asset Management
Michelle Noyes
Managing Director & Head of Amercias, AIMA
Dr. Ruth Owen
CEO, Leonard Cheshire
Eugenia Planas
Head of Digital Services, The Bank of England
Jennifer Prosek
Founder & CEO, Prosek Partners
Sandra Robertson
CIO and CEO, OU Endowment Management
Shelley Rosensweig
Partner, Investment Management & Private Equity, Haynes and Boone
Vania Schlogel
Managing Partner & Founder, Atwater Capital
Ted Seides
Co-Chair, iConnections Investment Institute, host of Capital Allocators podcast
Tiffany Sprague
International Development Consultant, UNDP
Dr Tara Swart
Neuroscientist & author of best-selling book ‘The Source’
Agenda
10:00am (ET)
Choosing to Challenge
Moderated by: Rahul Moodgal, Co-Chair, iConnections Investment Institute, Partner, Parvus Asset Management
Speakers: Amy Chen, CIO, Smithsonian Institution, Kim Lew, CEO, Columbia University, Ana Marshall, CIO, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Sandra Robertson, CIO and CEO, OU Endowment Management
2:00pm (ET)
Ted Seides Fireside chat with Karina Funk
Moderated by: Ted Seides, Co-Chair, iConnections Investment Institute, host of Capital Allocators podcast
Speaker: Karina Funk CFA, Portfolio Manager & Chair of Sustainable Investing, Brown Advisory Group
10:00am (ET)
Making Tech Equal: Leadership, Inclusion, and the Culture of Change
Moderated by: Victoria Turk Senior Editor, WIRED
Speakers: Sarah Clatterbuck, Senior Director of Engineering, Google, Eugenia Planas is the Head of Digital Services, The Bank of England, Haiyan Zhang, Chief of Staff, Xbox, Microsoft
. 
In Partnership with:
2:00pm (ET)
Diana Arakelyan Fireside Chat with Dr. Tara Swart: Neuroscience and Leadership
Moderated by: Diana Arkelyan, Chief Marketing Officer, iConnections
Speaker: Dr. Tara Swart, Neuroscientist & author of best-selling book ‘The Source’
10:00am (ET)
Operating as a Changemaker
Moderated by: Jennifer Prosek, Founder & CEO, Prosek Partners
Speakers: Karey Barker, Founding Managing Director, Cross Creek, Laurie Katz Partner, GoldenTree Asset Management
12:00pm (ET)
Making Tech Equal
Moderated by: Monel Amin, CEO, Dilligence Vault
Speakers: Laura McGee, CEO, Diversio, Vania Schlogel, Managing Partner & Founder, Atwater Capital, Barbara Turner, CEO, Marcho Partners
2:00pm (ET)
Fireside Chat with Marissa King and Ron Biscardi on Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection
Moderated by: Ron Biscardi, CEO, iConnections
Speaker: Marissa King, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Yale & Author of Social Chemistry Decoding the Patterns of Human Connection
In Partnership with:
10:00am (ET)
How Trade Bodies See the Challenge Ahead
Speakers: Michelle Noyes, Managing Director & Head of Amercias, AIMA, Gurpreet Manku Deputy Director General & Director of Policy, BVCA
2:00pm (ET)
Choosing to Challenge: Lessons from Science, Academia and Philanthropy
Speakers:
Helen Czerski, Oceanographer, physicist & television presenter, Miriam González Durántez, Vice chair, UBS Europe, Partner, Cohen & Gresser LLP, founding member, Inspiring Girls Charity, Susan Liautaud, Professor at Stanford & Founder & Managing Director, Susan Liautaud & Associates
In Partnership with:
10:00am (ET)
Shelley Rosensweig Fireside Chat with Reena Lalji
Moderated by: Shelley Rosensweig Partner, Investment Management & Private Equity, Haynes and Boone
Speaker: Reena Lalji, General Counsel, Wilshire Associates
12:00pm (ET)
Charities and Non-Profits for Change
Moderated by: Rahul Moodgal, Co-Chair, iConnections Investment Institute, Partner, Parvus Asset Management
Speakers: Tilly Franklin, CIO, Cambridge University, Dr. Ruth Owen, CEO, Leonard Cheshire, Tiffany Sprague, International Development Consultant, UNDP
2:00pm
Ted Seides Fireside Chat with Jennifer Heller on How the World’s Elite Money Managers Lead and Invest
Moderated by:
Ted Seides, Co-Chair, iConnections Investment Institute, host of Capital Allocators podcast
Speakers: Jennifer Heller, President & CIO, Brandywine Group Advisor
