COPYRIGHT © 2025 50/50 WOMEN ON BOARDS
Join us at the 2025 Global Summit, where influential board directors and global leaders convene to shape the future of corporate governance.
We’ll focus on critical issues impacting boardrooms globally, from geopolitical risk and shifting supply chains, governing data and emerging tech, to activist pressure, and the future of boardroom resilience in an interconnected world.
This year’s theme: Corporate Governance for a Changing World.
Rodger Baker is the Executive Director of the Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics at RANE, a global center of excellence for geopolitical intelligence and analysis. The Stratfor Center for Applied Geopolitics identifies, develops, and strengthens best practices in geopolitical analysis and offers tools, methods, and training to organizations and individuals as they integrate geopolitical factors into their business practices. Mr.Baker is one of the world’s leading experts on North Korea and has dedicated extended periods of time living and working in and around the Korean peninsula. His core emphasis is the multidisciplinary approach to geopolitics and the evolution of international relations to develop mid- and long-term forecasts to assist companies, governments and other globally engaged organizations make informed decisions.
Titi Cole is an experienced Board Director, Financial Services C-Suite Executive, and Global business leader. In her last role at Citigroup, she was the CEO of Legacy Franchises and a member of the Executive Management Team where she managed and successfully divested the international consumer banking division with over 70,000 employees in 14 countries. Ms. Cole is known for her expertise in transforming large publicly traded financial institutions to deliver innovative solutions that drive growth. She is recognized in the financial services industry as a dynamic leader and for her skill at leading high performing teams and delivering business results in fast-paced environments. She has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services, payments, and professional services industries including six years at McKinsey & Company. Ms. Cole earned a Bachelor of Economics degree from University of Ibadan and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. She serves as Executive Director of Development for the Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation, a non profit focused on improving awareness, support and health outcomes for people living with Sickle Cell disease. She serves on the Boards of Citigroup, ( NYSE: C ), and Datadog ( NASDAQ: DDOG) a leading provider of cloud monitoring and security solutions. She is also a Board Trustee at CARE USA, and the Queens University of Charlotte and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, CFR and The Executive Leadership Council, ELC.
Mia Mends, a global transformation executive and trailblazer, is known for her purpose-driven leadership, strategic turnarounds, and unique human touch.
As CEO of C&W Services, Mia oversees integrated facilities services across the United States, including Puerto Rico, and Canada. She leads approximately 14,000 team members serving clients across various industries, setting the company’s strategic course for profitable growth and innovation amid an ever-changing landscape.
Hired in June 2022, Mia leads a major facilities management corporation and subsidiary of Cushman & Wakefield, the global commercial real estate firm generating over $10 billion in annual revenue with 50,000 employees in 60 countries. She is a member of its Global Management Team. With over 20 years of experience in P&L, Transformation, and Operations, Mia has spearheaded complex initiatives in multiple global organizations. She’s worked at Citibank, the Ritz Carlton, United Airlines, and Noventis, the payments company.
Before joining C&W Services, Mia spent a decade in senior leadership roles at Sodexo, the food services and facilities management company headquartered in France. She started at the multinational organization in Brazil, overseeing sales in eight Latin American countries while learning Spanish and Portuguese. Her other positions at Sodexo included Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of North America and Global Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. She was also CEO of Inspirus, a Sodexo-acquired employee engagement SaaS company, and CEO of Impact Ventures, leading SodexoMagic, a joint venture between Sodexo and Magic Johnson Enterprise.
Mia is an H&R Block corporate director, sitting on its Audit Committee. She also serves on the board of EMERGE, a non-profit that helps low-income students enter top colleges. Passionate about the development of girls and women, Mia founded a nonprofit organization, Seven Sisters to Sisters, and has been involved with the Girls Empowerment Network and Girls Inc.
She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wellesley College, where she is a member of its Business Leadership Council. As part of her Harvard fieldwork, Mia co-authored a case with Oprah Winfrey that’s been incorporated into the business school’s curriculum.
Breaking barriers throughout her career, Mia hopes her milestones will inspire others. She was a featured trailblazer in the book Women Mean Business: Over 500 Insights from Extraordinary Leaders to Spark Your Success. Mia has also been named one of the Most Powerful Women in Corporate America.
Born in Ghana, Mia is trilingual and speaks Fante. She remains committed to running a multinational company that ties profits to purpose and strives to uplift society.
Ike Harris is a senior operating executive with over 30 years of experience in the technology industry. He has spent over 18 years in executive leadership roles at ZT Systems, Cisco Systems, and Hewlett-Packard, including nine years based in Hong Kong and Taipei, Taiwan.
Ike currently serves as an Independent Board of Director for Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LITE) and is a member of the Compensation Committee and Enterprise Risk Management Workgroup. He also serves as a board director of Trajectory Foundation, and on the Advisory Board of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Capital Area Chapter. In 2020, he was recognized by Savoy Magazine as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America.
He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium) School of Applied Economic Sciences, and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from Loyola University Chicago.
Gabrielle Sulzberger is a seasoned financial executive with extensive experience assisting public and privately held companies in consumer products, retail, financial services and life sciences. Gaby has helped companies globally navigate disruption and transformation, execute major M&A transactions, and engage with shareholder activists. She brings deep corporate governance expertise through her work with public and private company boards, and has helped numerous companies as they transitioned from private to publicly listed. Given her decades of experience in social impact investing and governance, she is also considered an expert with regards to sustainability.
Ms. Sulzberger is a Partner at Centerbridge Partners, where she focuses on both the health care and financial services sectors. She is also a Senior Advisor at Teneo, where she supports the firm’s global sustainability practice. Gaby has over 20 years of private equity industry experience, and also has served as CFO of several public and private companies, including Gluecode Software, a venture-backed open-source software company which was sold to IBM, and Crown Services, a California based consolidation of commercial contractors.
Ms. Sulzberger has extensive public and private company board experience in a broad range of industries, and currently serves on the board of Mastercard, Eli Lilly, and two private company boards, Acorns and AUX Money. Ms. Sulzberger served as Chairman of the board of Whole Foods through the company’s sale to Amazon, and over her 15 years of service chaired both the audit committee and governance committee. In addition to her current boards and Whole Foods, Ms. Sulzberger has served on seven other public company boards: Cerevel Therapeutics (audit committee chair), Warby Parker (governance committee chair), Brixmor Property Group (governance committee chair), Teva Pharmaceuticals, Stage Stores, IndyMac Bank, Bright Horizons. She has served on numerous private company boards.
Gaby is Chairman of the Board of Sesame Street Workshop, and a Trustee of the Ford Foundation, where she chairs the finance committee, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she is chair of the diversity committee. Gaby was a Co-Founder of the Black Trustee Alliance, and Chairman of the Board of TimesUp, an advocacy organization for women in entertainment and media. Ms. Sulzberger received her B.A. from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. She received her M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and J.D. from Harvard Law School and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, and a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute.
Sita Lowman serves as an independent Board of Director at Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC), a 5.4B+ market cap publicly traded Investment and Insurance Private Mortgage Insurance company. Sita chairs the Business Transformation & Technology committee and is a member of the audit committee of MGIC. Sita recently served as an independent Director at One Stop Systems, a publicly traded provider of high-performance edge computing used for defense, artificial intelligence (AI), and finance applications. Sita was the Chair of the Compensation committee and a member of the Audit & Risk committee at OSS. At OSS she was involved in the selection of a new CEO and a part of a complex change in the financial and reward metrics for the company. Functional expertise she brings to a board include global complex general and product management, global operations, market expansion and M&A.
Sita is a known as digital leader driving digital business transformation. Her expertise for identifying market trends, for overseeing multi-national diverse teams to react to these trends, and for leveraging partnerships to operate globally make her frequently called upon. She is a go to leader to turn around failing businesses. Her over 20 years as a complex P&L leader in Fortune 100 companies serving large enterprises across multiple industries and her expertise in cyber, cloud/SaaS, e commerce, data analytics, risk management, CRM/ERP, and business continuity uniquely qualifies her to oversee digital business transformation. She brings valuable technology, product strategy, M&A and B2B sales insights to the boards she serves. She is known as a leader capable of driving consensus on complex problems, helping to simplify them into actionable concepts, and for being decisive when required.
Sita was most recently a global Vice President and General Manager at DXC Technology, a 14B+ Revenue publicly traded IT services company. Sita managed a global complex P&L which she grew 30%+ YoY for the last several years. Her customers and partners were some of the largest enterprises in the world. Her P&L responsibility covered all aspects of the business from strategic planning, sales, engineering, product management, marketing, delivery implementation, and on-going support. She led a global team of over 2000 individuals across 10+ countries. Prior to DXC, Sita held General Manager roles at HP Enterprise (HPE), Nortel Networks and Texas Instruments (TI) Defense Group (acquired by Raytheon) where she also managed a global P&L. She began her career at TI as an Electrical Engineer building electronic subsystems for various military systems. She transitioned from engineering to procurement to business development and ultimately to product marketing and general management.
Sita earned a BSS of Electrical Engineering at Auburn University. Sita was proudly appointed to various Leadership programs at TI, Nortel, HP and DXC. Previously she served as the President of the Naval Academy North Texas Advisory Board and as a member of the Auburn University Wireless Engineering Advisory Board. She currently serves as an advisor with San Diego based Launch Factory, an incubator that launches and supports the growth of new businesses. Sita is also a mentor for several start-ups in the San Diego area. Sita is the membership chair of the San Diego chapter of WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD), a member of Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA) and also serves as a mentor for foster care children in need. Lastly, Sita is an avid pickleball player and loves outdoor bike riding.
Ann Sarnoff is a pioneering entertainment industry executive with over 30 years’ experience in senior leadership positions at some of the world’s most valuable and recognized media companies, including Warner Bros., the BBC, Viacom and Dow Jones.
Sarnoff was most recently Chair and CEO of Warner Bros. and the WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group. In this role, she was responsible for guiding all of WarnerMedia’s entertainment-focused teams as they worked individually and collaboratively to produce content across all genres and formats for wholly-owned and third-party platforms around the world. Under her purview were the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, HBO and HBO Max, the Warner Bros. Television Group, DC Comics, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, WB Animation, Turner’s entertainment networks, Harry Potter’s Wizarding World and Consumer Products and Experiences.
Sarnoff became the first female Chair and CEO of a major studio when she joined Warner Bros. in 2019. Prior to joining Warner Bros., Sarnoff spent nine years at the BBC where she was President, BBC Studios Americas, led the creation of the streaming service BritBox, and oversaw the BBC Worldwide’s Global Production Network.
Sarnoff’s previous positions include President of Dow Jones Ventures, COO of the Women’s National Basketball Association, COO of VH1 and Country Music Television, and EVP of Nickelodeon.
Sarnoff holds a BS from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She serves on the boards of PayPal Holdings, Inc., Cineworld Group plc and WTA Ventures (the commercial arm of the Women’s Tennis Association). She also serves as Vice Chair of the boards of The Shed and Georgetown’s McDonough School of
Business and sits on the board of the Motion Picture and Television Fund.
Mr. Hari Panday is a financial executive, independent corporate director and subject matter expert in corporate governance. He has spent over 40 years in the financial services sector in Canada and USA, along with being an external auditor with PwC, and an IT auditor roles. He founded ICICI Bank Canada as its first President & CEO and a first director. He also served with HSBC Bank Canada and Bank of Montreal.
He has served on corporate boards as a Board Chair and has chaired the full range of board committees, including Audit and Finance, Governance Regulatory and Nominations, HR, Risk, and special committees dealing with CEO recruitment, business combinations (M&A) and director offboarding.
Presently, he advises corporate boards on governance matters and designs and delivers customized board education programs. He is serving on two boards: the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and Meridian Credit Union (approximately $30 Bn in assets). On both these boards he is the Chair, Audit & Finance Committees. At the OSC, he also serves on its Risk and Governance & Nominations committees. At Meridian, he also serves on its Nominations Committees. He has served on over ten corporate boards, including a bank, securities firm, a stock exchange, an insurance company, mining exploration company, an administrative authority for the province of Ontario and several prominent not-for-profit boards.
He teaches corporate governance at York Univ. in a graduate program and has authored on Cross-border Corporate Governance. As an Honorary Colonel, for fourteen years has been serving in the Canadian Army and is a recipient of the Canadian Forces’ Decoration (CD), a medal awarded to recognize long and exemplary military service. He has a Fellowship from CPA Canada (FCPA, FCGA), he is a certified director in Canada (ICD.D) and in the USA (NACD.DC). His many other volunteer services in support of physically disabled persons, arts and culture and trade organizations were recognized with the award of The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Nithya B. Das serves as the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer for Diligent. Nithya is responsible for leading Diligent’s global legal team and overseeing the Diligent Institute, the modern governance think tank and global research arm of Diligent.
Nithya also serves as a member of the board of directors and the compensation committee at Outbrain Inc. (Nasdaq: OB), a leading technology platform that drives business results by engaging people across the open internet. Additionally, Nithya serves on the Executive Board of TechGC.
Nithya was previously the chief operating and chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Olo (NYSE: OLO), an enterprise SaaS platform for restaurants, where she led the company through an IPO and transformation to a multi-product platform company. She served as the company’s founding general counsel and also oversaw its people and culture, strategy and operations, corporate development, partner ecosystem, and shared technology teams. Prior to Olo, Nithya served as chief legal and people officer at AppNexus, an enterprise advertising technology platform, where she led the company from start-up to global enterprise platform including leading its IPO process and ultimate acquisition by AT&T. Nithya previously served as an attorney at Goodwin Procter LLP in the technology companies practice and was a founding contributor of Founder’s Workbench, the first online legal resource for the startup community.
Nithya is a recipient of the National Organization for Women’s Women of Power and Influence Award, the American Bar Association’s Legal Rebel recognition, and a passionate advocate for women in leadership, DEIB, and ESG.
Nithya holds a degree in Business Administration from the SC Honors College at USC and a J.D., cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School. She lives in Hoboken, NJ with her husband, two daughters, and her labradoodle.
David Cahoy is a senior managing director of the firm’s strategic advisory practice where he focuses on shareholder activism / raid defense, public company M&A and corporate governance issues.
Notable transactions include the sales of Whole Foods, CoreLogic, GrubHub and Aerojet Rocketdyne, the contested acquisitions of Celgene by Bristol Myers and IAA by Ritchie Bros, the separations of Becton Dickinson’s Biosciences and Diagnostics business and Lockheed Martin’s government services business, both via RMT. The hostile raid defenses of Qualcomm, Ducommun, Lifeway, Circor and CoreLogic and activism defenses of Nestle, Emerson, Yelp, Vodafone, Centene, NRG, Henry Schein and Phillips 66 among others.
Prior to joining Evercore, Mr. Cahoy was a vice president in J.P. Morgan’s industrials group.
Mr. Cahoy earned a B.A. in economics from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.
Suresh is a dynamic former GE executive-turned-entrepreneur who exemplifies a wide range of inspiring business leadership, technology insights, and deep understanding of commercializing innovations for lasting impact and transformational economic growth. Over a period of 45 years, he grew up in top business and research organizations like British Aerospace (UK), GE Global Research (NY), GE Energy (Atlanta), NASA Langley, and Georgia Institute of Technology (part time ‘Innovation Fellow’ @ Center for Distributed Energy, Strategic Energy Institute, and other IRIs), wherein he also had the opportunity to successfully run several global operations and P&Ls. Subsequently, he stepped out of his corporate shoes to launch and successfully grow six startups in last twenty years. Thus, Suresh inherits a remarkably unique 3600 practical experience of what it takes to commercialize ideas and deep tech (including digital technologies like AI, sensors, environment and cyber security) from Universities or any Industrial R&D system into marketplace.
Rachael Coffey is a transactional partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Rachael focuses her practice on advising public and private companies as well as private equity clients on a broad range of M&A transactions, activist defense and other significant corporate matters. Her extensive experience also includes representing boards of directors and special committees in contested situations. Rachael has been recognized by Law360 (2021) as a “Rising Star” and by The Deal as one of its “Top Women in Dealmaking” (2021) and a “Rising Star” (2020) among M&A lawyers. She is also recognized by The Legal 500 United States for her work on Corporate/M&A.
Allison Wein is a corporate partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Allison focuses her practice on mergers and acquisitions and other significant corporate matters. Her experience spans the range of M&A activity, including significant cross-border and contested transactions and activism defense. Allison was named a “Rising Star” by Law360 in 2020, recognizing her as one of five outstanding merger and acquisition lawyers in the nation under the age of 40. Lawdragon recognized Allison as one of “500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers” in 2025. In 2019, she was named an M&A “Rising Star” by The Deal in The Dealmaker Quarterly. Allison has also been recognized for her work in mergers and acquisitions by IFLR1000 and Lawdragon and for her transactional work in the technology industry and the media and entertainment industry by The Legal 500 United States and The Hollywood Reporter.
Byron Loflin is the Global Head of Board Advisory at Nasdaq where he leads the governance team in driving board and governance effectiveness. Byron founded Center for Board Excellence (CBE) in 2010 and was CEO until it was acquired by Nasdaq in 2019. Prior to CBE, Byron was the CEO and president for two private companies between 1992-2009. Byron is the architect and developer of a governance platform and tools used by thousands of board members globally.
Along with speaking on and teaching corporate governance effectiveness, Byron has co-authored the book CEO Ready with Mark Thompson and being published by Harvard Business Review, November 2025. The book draws insights from their over 25 years of experience with board dynamics including CEO succession. Byron is a graduate of James Madison University (BA) and Harvard Business School (OPM) and an active learner with several HBS Executive Education Certificates including Havard’s Board Effectiveness program.
Recently published:
Driving Excellence: Redefining AI Governance videocast with Steven Wolfe Pereira, July 2025
“Trust and the Interplay of Confidence and Accountability”, International Banker February 2025
“Enterprise Risk Management for Next-Gen Boards”, Nasdaq January 2025
In an era of rapid transformation, corporate boards must navigate complex challenges to remain resilient, effective, and forward-thinking. The 50/50 Women on Boards Global Summit will explore key governance strategies, addressing pressing issues such as activism, reputation management, and the evolving role of board leadership.
Begin your day with breakfast and curated table conversations to connect with leaders and corporate directors.
Discover the latest research shaping boardrooms worldwide, setting the day for strategic insights and learning.
This keynote will equip directors to think globally about risk through the lens of geopolitical foresight, cross-border tensions, and long-term instability. Learn how boards can strengthen oversight and guide enterprise-wide resilience by anticipating disruption and embedding a proactive risk culture in a changing world.
As global disruptions reshape business models, this panel will explore how boards can navigate the practical complexities of trade, tariffs, and supply chain shifts across regions. Panelists will share how directors are guiding companies through regulatory changes, sourcing challenges, and new market risks, while seizing opportunities for growth and operational agility.
As shareholder activism intensifies, boards face mounting pressure to defend strategy, protect corporate reputation, and engage stakeholders with clarity. This panel brings together accomplished directors to explore how boards can respond effectively while maintaining credibility, board alignment, and stakeholder trust. Hear real-world insights on navigating activism in today’s high-stakes, high-visibility environment.
Join us in celebrating the 2025 cohort of 50 Women to Watch for Boards and meet these exceptional women poised for board leadership.
Inside the Boardroom: Resilience Planning in Action
This interactive session places directors inside the boardroom during moments of disruption. Through tabletop exercises and real-world scenarios, participants will explore how boards can apply structured frameworks to assess geopolitical risk, anticipate threats, and make decisive decisions under pressure. Designed as a classroom-style session, this breakout provides practical tools to strengthen oversight and build a proactive board response strategy in an increasingly uncertain world.
Tactics that Work: Case Studies in Navigating Shareholder Activism
In this tactical, director-focused session, participants will engage in case-based exercises to dissect real campaigns and pressure scenarios. From activist letters to proxy fights, explore how boards can craft strategic responses that reinforce governance integrity, protect corporate reputation, and align with long-term priorities. Walk away with actionable tactics and frameworks to strengthen board preparedness in the face of growing investor scrutiny.
Your First Board Meeting: A Director’s Playbook
Designed for aspiring and newly appointed directors, this session offers practical guidance on how to step confidently into your first boardroom. Learn what to expect in early meetings, how to contribute with purpose, and how to quickly build credibility and trust among seasoned peers. Gain insight into board dynamics, unspoken protocols, and the critical questions new directors should be ready to ask and answer.
Boards are no longer observers of emerging technology; they are stewards of how it’s governed. This panel goes beyond awareness to examine how directors can structure oversight, define accountability, and measure governance effectiveness in AI, data use, and digital innovation. Panelists will share practical strategies for building governance systems that ensure transparency, ethical decision-making, and responsible innovation at scale.
As the national conversation around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) shifts, and in some cases faces legal and political challenges, boards are being called to thoughtfully assess how DEI fits into governance strategy. This session explores how directors can engage in intentional, informed discussions about the risks and benefits of DEI, and how these efforts intersect with fiduciary duty, legal compliance, and long-term business goals. Panelists will share insights on how boards can evaluate, refine, and lead DEI initiatives with integrity, transparency, and accountability.
Join us for drinks, continue conversations, and make connections with peers, board directors, and distinguished speakers in support of your board journey.
Begin your day with curated breakfast conversations designed to accelerate your board journey
Access to all keynote sessions, research insights, and expert panels on global markets, innovation and technology, reputation management, and board strategy in an era of disruption
Dive deeper and hone your strategic focus with three panel discussions tailored to your board objectives and goals
Enjoy a catered lunch and connect with peers, sitting directors and corporate leaders
Meet the 2025 cohort of board-ready women leaders
The Future of Boardroom Influence: An intimate conversation on emerging governance trends and the evolving role of directors in shaping business and society
Hosted drinks and small bites to close the day with inspiring insights and new connections
Visit our registration page HERE to register for the event.
Please contact our Events Team at events@5050wob.com.
Every individual registration includes:
We recommend business attire. There will be a step and repeat for photo opportunities and a photographer on site.
Venue: 48 Wall St.
Location: Lower Manhattan, Financial District, New York City.
There will be an area to store bags or luggage but please note there is no coat-check or attendant.
Charging stations will not be available and we recommend you bring a portable charging block if you anticipate needing to power your phone or computer.
Be the first to know about our programs, initiatives, and events!
COPYRIGHT © 2025 50/50 WOMEN ON BOARDS
This keynote will equip directors to think globally about risk through the lens of geopolitical foresight, cross-border tensions, and long-term instability. Learn how boards can strengthen oversight and guide enterprise-wide resilience by anticipating disruption and embedding a proactive risk culture in a changing world.
As global disruptions reshape business models, this panel will explore how boards can navigate the practical complexities of trade, tariffs, and supply chain shifts across regions. Panelists will share how directors are guiding companies through regulatory changes, sourcing challenges, and new market risks, while seizing opportunities for growth and operational agility.
