Women in Food & Agriculture Summit

With 300+ participants

The insight of 35+ speakers

Our Advisors’ input to build our exceptional 2-day agenda

Women in Food and Agriculture (WFA) is the international initiative promoting inclusion and diversity in the food and agriculture industry and supported by the leaders of the sector, such as our advisory board companies including Nestlé, Carrefour, Metro & more. Read more about the initiative here.

The WFA Summit is your opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals facing similar challenges, and a unique chance to grow and be inspired.

2023 dates and info coming soon!

Countdown to the Summit

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AGENDA

PRE-EVENT:
28th Nov 2022

MAIN EVENT:

29th Nov – 2nd Dec 2022

Schedule is in CET time zone throughout

Monday, 28th November 2022

Welcome, Virtual Meet and Greet Session

Wherever you are in the world, join your fellow attendees and speakers in a global call for breakfast, lunch or dinner and a chance to break the ice ahead of the WFA virtual festival.

4:00 - 5:00
4:00 - 5:00

WELCOME

Tuesday, 29th November 2022

In Focus:

Discover Food and Ag & Supercharge your career and business

The global food system employs more than 1 billion people worldwide. It is a widely diverse sector that encompasses people from every discipline from science to sales, manufacturing to marketing, farming to food and everything in between. Whether you want to understand how to enter this most vital part of the world economy, what your peers are working on in your part of the eco-system and boost your efficiency or what it would mean to work in a different part, this is the day for you.
2:00 - 2:05
2:00 - 2:05

OPENING REMARKS

Jamie Chadwick, News Director, URNER BARRY

2:05 - 2:25
2:05 - 2:25

KICK OFF KEYNOTE

Exploring challenges and uncovering opportunities in the Food and Ag industry whilst driving sustainability.

Christiane Lambert, President, COPA; President, FNSEA

2:30 - 3:15
2:30 - 3:15

Join the conversation! Each session has a topic for discussion and a host who will present some key thoughts before guiding attendees through the session, splitting the virtual room into smaller breakouts or using the roundtable format so you can hear and be heard.

Duration– 45 minutes. Pre-booking is required.

OPTION 1: PRACTICAL NETWORKING GROUP FOR NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK AND INDUSTRY EXPLORERS

Examine challenges, understand latest developments, routes and solutions with your peers in sector specific networking groups on:

  1. Arable production
    Allister Phillips, Founding Partner, Seeds and GM Traits Industry Analyst, AgbioInvestor
  2. AgTech
    Ciaran Black, Independent Strategy and Business Innovation Consultant, Alltech


OPTION 2: PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS TO ADVANCE YOUR PERSONAL SKILLS

Discuss challenges, learn practical techniques and equip yourself with latest solutions in:

  1. How to be a strong and efficient communicator
    Lee Ann Jackson, Head of the Agro-food Trade and Markets Division, OECD's Trade and Agriculture Directorate, World Trade Institute
  2. How to deliver better presentations effectively
    Lynda McDonald, Project Manager for Dairy Development, Tetra Laval
  3. What you need to know when making the move from studying to your first role
    Mac Marshall, Vice President, Market Intelligence for the United Soybean Board (USB) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)
  4. Networking for success – How to be a better networker
    Jane Craigie, Co-founder, International Rural Youth Project


OPTION 3: PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS TO ADVANCE YOUR BUSINESS

Discuss challenges, learn practical techniques and learn from examples, farmers and food business leaders sharing what works well, what not in:

  1. How to steer your business well in the current environment (the supply issues and inflation on fertilizers, energy, feedstock)
    Dimy Doresca, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Iowa; International Business Specialist and Consultant, and an International Trainer in Entrepreneurship
  2. Trading, managing volatility pricing and mitigating risks coming from supply chain disruptions in Ag
    Paulina Lescano, Agronomic Engineer
3:25 - 3:40
3:25 - 3:40

FIRESIDE CHAT WITH A GRADUATE

Nana Adjoa, CEO, Guzakuza in conversation with the graduate Isabel Cole, National Supply Chain Assistant, Aldi and Hayley Wilson, Development Account Manager, Finsbury Food Group

3:40 - 3:45
3:40 - 3:45

CLOSING REMARKS OF DAY 1

Wednesday, 30th November 2022

In Focus:

Overcome Obstacles in the Industry

Now let’s focus on you and your career. Join your peers to explore key networking tips, develop your personal brand, increase your confidence and visibility, overcome imposter syndrome, advance your career and much more.
2:00 - 2:05
2:00 - 2:05

OPENING REMARKS

Jamie Chadwick, News Director, URNER BARRY

2:05 - 2:45
2:05 - 2:45

PANEL DISCUSSION

Navigating majority dominated spaces

How it feels to navigate being an only or minority: hearing experiences and sourcing inspiration

Moderator: Laura Boaca, Portfolio Manager, Farmers Weekly

Gift Udoh, Founder, Norina Farms 
Mariana Vasconcelos, CEO, Agrosmart
Sapphira Waterson, CEO, MDS
Leticia Gonçalves, President of Global Foods, ADM

2:50 - 3:35
2:50 - 3:35

PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS AND ROUNDTABLES

Time to join the conversation! Each session has a topic for discussion and a host who will present some key thoughts before guiding attendees through the session, splitting the virtual room into smaller breakouts or using the roundtable format so you can hear and be heard.

Duration– 45 minutes. Pre-booking is required.

  1. "What happens when they find me out?" - what to do when imposter syndrome takes hold
    Caroline Jackson Levy, Organisational Behavioural Psychologist and Consultant
  2. Transcending burnout: creating a new roadmap for flourishing again
    Sandy Hansen-Wolff, Former President and Owner, AgVenture Feed & Seed
  3. How to manage your perimenopause and menopause symptoms at work
    Dorcas Barry, People Science Lead, Inclusio
  4. How to shatter the glass ceiling and discover your leadership style for success
    Jacqui Green, Founder and Director, Viridis Associates
  5. Elevating the role of ag through shared values – the key to connecting with consumers
    Leah Dorman, Director, Communications & Consumer Engagement, Phibro Animal Health Corporation
3:45 - 4:00
3:45 - 4:00

GUEST ADDRESS:

Turning problems into opportunities

Addressing the challenges of working in the ag & food industry and how to overcome them

Emily Norton, Head of Rural Research, Savills UK

4:00 - 4:05
4:00 - 4:05

CLOSING REMARKS OF DAY 2

Thursday, 1st December 2022

In Focus:

Creating your belonging

Whether you are a leader, a DEI representative or a co-worker, building a truly inclusive culture is paramount. And to understand, we need to discuss issues that might be tricky at times to vocalize but therefore even more important to spend time focusing on.
2:00 - 2:05
2:00 - 2:05

OPENING REMARKS

Jamie Chadwick, News Director, URNER BARRY

2:05 - 2:45
2:05 - 2:45

PANEL DISCUSSION

Create belonging - building and embedding a truly inclusive culture, adding purpose, improving promotion processes and management training.

Moderator: Jamie Chadwick, News Director, URNER BARRY

Ebony Webber, Chief Operating Officer, MANRRS
Nadine Küster, General Secretary, Danone D-A-CH
Vaughn Brown, leader over Talent Acquisition and Recruiting, Subaru of America
Dimy Doresca, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Iowa; International Business Specialist and Consultant, and an International Trainer in Entrepreneurship

2:50 - 3:35
2:50 - 3:35

PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS AND ROUNDTABLES

Time to join the conversation! Each session has a topic for discussion and a host who will present some key thoughts before guiding attendees through the session, splitting the virtual room into smaller breakouts or using the roundtable format so you can hear and be heard.

Duration– 45 minutes. Pre-booking is required.

  1. Be an attractive employer – how to achieve diverse and inclusive recruitment
    Ebony Webber, Chief Operating Officer, MANRRS
  2. Unconscious bias - how to identify and eliminate
    Heidi Robertson, Group Head of Diversity & Inclusion, ABB
  3. Combating overrepresentation – how to achieve a truly diverse workforce all the way to the top and create psychological safety
    Jessica Teo, Global Head of Human Resources, Louis Dreyfus Company
  4. Equality v’s equity – how to run truly inclusive teams and adapt your management and leadership techniques to a wide diversity of employees in Food & Ag to excel in the business
    Christopher Bylone van Sandwyk, 2022 Top 15 Champion of Diversity
  5. Talent retention – how to keep minorities in food and ag
    Leanne Mair, CEO and Founder, Benefactum Consulting
3:45 - 4:00
3:45 - 4:00

SPOTLIGHT ON MENTORSHIP

Don’t take just my word for it – do it! Testimonials and Q&A

Clare Fahey, Global Brand and Strategic Projects Manager, Alltech in conversation with Milly Fyfe, Digital Marketing Expert

4:00 - 4:05
4:00 - 4:05

CLOSING REMARKS OF DAY 3

Friday, 2nd December 2022

In Focus:

Future of Food and Ag

Get clarity on the latest trends, challenges and opportunities affecting global food systems today. Uncover best practices in Ag and Food to help you develop your company’s approach in making food systems more inclusive, resilient, equitable and sustainable.
2:00 - 2:05
2:00 - 2:05

OPENING REMARKS

Jamie Chadwick, News Director, URNER BARRY

2:05 - 2:35
2:05 - 2:35

PANEL DISCUSSION

Sustainability and Climate change in Food and Ag. What can we learn from global perspective, what worked in the past and where the industry is heading now?

Moderator: Jamie Chadwick, News Director, URNER BARRY

Geeta Sethi, Advisor and Global Lead for Food Systems, World Bank
Ponsi Trivisvavet, CEO, Inari
Lee Ann Jackson, Head of the Agro-food Trade and Markets Division, OECD's Trade and Agriculture Directorate, World Trade Institute
Patrick Holden, CEO, Sustainable Food Trust

2:40 - 3:25
2:40 - 3:25

PRACTICAL CASE STUDIES AND ROUNDTABLES

Time to hear from examples that worked and join the conversation! Each session has a case study for discussion and a host who will present the study before opening up for questions from audience.

Duration– 45 minutes. Pre-booking is required.

  1. Disruptors and latest tech innovations in the industry
    Claudia Rössler, Director, Agriculture Strategic Partnerships, Azure Global, Microsoft
  2. Reducing agricultural hazards, low yield and post-harvest losses for agricultural workers in rural communities
    Gift Udoh, Founder, Norina Farms
  3. Rewilding -how to use transformative technology in marketing strategy. Using ESG in your marketing
    Caroline Keeling, CEO, Keeling
  4. Sustainability in agriculture: Helping farmers produce more food with less impact 
    Petra Laux, Head CP Business Sustainability and Pamela Gonzalez, APAC, Head of Asia Group/APAC, Syngenta
3:25
3:25

END OF THE FESTIVAL

BOOK NOW

Coming Soon!

SPEAKERS

Ruth Kimmelshue
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Ruth Kimmelshue
President
Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health
Margot Slattery
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Margot Slattery
Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion
ISS World Services
Máximo Torero
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Máximo Torero
Chief Economist
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Gunhild Stordalen
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Gunhild Stordalen
Founder and Executive Chair
EAT Foundation
View All Speakers

More speakers to be announced soon!

PARTNERS

ADM
DAnone
FAMI QS WFA Partner
WFA Partner Phibro Animal Health Corporation
Syngenta
Schuttelaar
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The Women in Food and Agriculture brand, founded in 2019, is part of the Mintec group