WIMBIZ hosts Chimamanda Adichie, Saraki, others at 21st annual conference

Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a non-profit organisation, has announced Chimamanda Adichie, an award-winning author; Osaretin Demuren, Guaranty Trust Bank’s first female chairman; and Bukola Saraki, a former Senate president, as confirmed speakers at its forthcoming 21st annual conference.

The conference scheduled to hold in-person and online in Lagos on November 3-4, 2022, is themed ‘Firing Forward: The Future in Focus’, according to a statement on Thursday.

According to Hansatu Adegbite, executive director of WIMBIZ, the organisation has developed valuable partnerships over the years and is operating with a leaner structure as a result of the era of the leadership transition of the organisation.

“Partners such as sponsors, donors, media partners, stakeholders as well as WIMBIZ associates, and life members are critical to the continued vision attainment of the organization,” Adegbite said.

She said over the past 20 years, key learnings from past conferences on diverse gender-focused initiatives, cutting across business, economy, social sector, politics, and equal opportunities had helped in inspiring more women to attain leadership positions as well as build key partnerships.

“Which is why as always, this year’s speakers have been carefully selected based on asset-enhancing strategies they have to share with the delegates for collective nation-building, while the theme aptly speaks to a new era with a fired-up mission,” she said.

Cecilia Bolaji Dada, commissioner of the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and other notable and important people in the society, will also be speakers at the event, according to the statement.

It said in addition to keynote presentations, delegates would participate in WIMBIZ’s signature debate, deep dives, plenary sessions, and afterparty.

The statement said: “Registration is ongoing on the WIMBIZ’s conference website https://wimbizannualconference.com/ with additional details rolled out consistently on its social media platforms.

“The conference is the leading gathering of female business owners, private sector professionals, public sector leaders, and social sector practitioners worldwide.

“Over 15,000 women have been delegates at the conference since 2002. Past speakers include Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of Nigeria’s Vice President; Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization; Babatunde Fashola, former Lagos State Governor; and Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel Prize for Literature recipient.”