The Global Banking Alliance for Women and NatWest, part of the Royal Bank of Scotland, are pleased to announce the theme for this year’s Annual GBA Summit: Catalysing Growth in the Female Economy: Leveraging the Power of Connection. Mark your calendars for this one-of-a-kind conference, which will be held in London from November 14-16.
The GBA’s flagship event, the Annual Summit is the only conference that focuses exclusively on how financial services providers can capture the world’s fastest growing market – the female economy. Leaders from truly customer-focused banks, insurance and card companies will gather to share key insights on delivering to the Women’s Market. This cadre of professionals will be joined by UK and global policymakers, development finance institutions and other stakeholders, who will discuss how to scale this approach beyond the GBA footprint. This combination makes the GBA Summit the go-to for commercial solutions to women’s full financial inclusion.
GBA research launched at the 2016 Summit revealed that women want and actively seek out connections, not only with financial services providers, but also with potential business associates and others in their ecosystem who can help them grow their wealth. During this year’s Summit, we will focus on how financial services providers can tackle this need and support women with a number of innovative financial and non-financial solutions.
Recognizing these trends, NatWest provides these opportunities for connection through its innovative Women in Business program—making it the premier bank for women business owners in the UK. The Women in Business program provides women entrepreneurs support with everyday business needs, including advice from financial and business specialists; links to relevant local organizations, professionals and strategic partners; access to best-in-class business incubators; and information on pertinent educational and networking events and awards.
As this year’s hosts, NatWest will open their doors to share details of their strategy for women business owners, both in best practice panels and through field visits to eSpark incubators and Drummonds Private Bank. This will be combined with Women’s Market insights and frank discussions from GBA’s 50-strong membership. Key focus areas will include:
- The financial services customer experience in 2030
- Disruption that enhances the value proposition for women
- Building customer networks that work for women
- The business case for insurance for the Women’s Market
- Financing different stages of the business lifecycle: the role of alternative lenders
- Achieving gender parity in the workforce
- Recruiting Women’s Market Champions and Ambassadors
The Summit will kick off Nov. 14 with a Master Class hosted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), showcasing case studies both from EBRD client banks and GBA members. This will be followed by a Policy Forum at the Houses of Parliament on Key Enablers of Women-Led SMEs in the UK, a working session with the Women and Enterprise All-Party Parliamentary Group looking at policy interventions that have unlocked financial access for women entrepreneurs in the UK. The day will conclude with a special cocktail reception at the Palace of Westminster.
Following two days of results-focused best practice sessions Nov. 15 and 16, participants will be offered a place at an all-day training at the Saïd Business School, Oxford University, on gender intelligence as the bedrock to supporting a Women’s Market strategy, courtesy of the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
Almost 200 people from 80 organizations in 45 countries gathered at last year’s Summit to discuss Women’s Market best practices, exchange information and ideas, and make new connections of their own. We expect the attendance and outcomes of the 2017 Summit to be equally impressive. Registration for this year’s Summit will officially open next week. GBA members, please keep an eye on your inboxes for your link and code to register.
For more information and a look at the proceedings from our previous Summits, visit the GBA Summit hub. For more information on the NatWest Women in Business program, click here.
