Agenda 2030: unleashing the potential of women entrepreneurs

After four years at the Banco Espírito Santo, Alexandra Almeida felt a strong desire to go ‘international’ again, and joined the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Portugal. Having previously worked in New York City and London doing macroeconomic analysis, financing large EIB projects was a natural progression for her. Her proudest achievements include financing initiatives to accelerate the green transition, improve mobility in Portugal and modernise schools. She also leads a pioneering work programme to increase access to finance for women-owned, women-led and women-supporting enterprises in developing or emerging countries.

Rym Ayadi’s fields of expertise include international financial systems, financial markets and institutions, global financial regulation, governance and consumer protection in finance, and socio-economic development and foresight in economies in transition. Her current research focuses on the redesign of a global stable, sustainable and inclusive financial system that better serves economic and societal long-term objectives with a particular emphasis on the diversity of corporate and business models. Ayadi is an expert-level member of several committees at both the European Commission and the European Parliament, and the founder of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) and the Euro-Mediterranean Network for Economic Studies (EMNES).

In addition to her marketing, sales and strategic management experience in several multinationals, Itir Aykut has been an entrepreneur as a partner in her own right, with her company, GEMINI Tourism running international meetings and conferences. She has also co-established and partnered in two other SMEs, namely Tokyo Restaurant & Sushi Bar and Shark Advertising. Her current endeavour, Aykut Investments is the result of collecting all of her businesses – Aykut Foods, Aykut Property, Aykut Atelier and Aykut DMC – under one roof. As a result of this considerable experience, she has built up an array of expertise in different sectors pertaining to Turkey’s economic interests.

Lieve Creten started her career with Deloitte in the Audit Department, which took her across the Atlantic Ocean and had her working on a variety of assignments in the USA, mostly for P&G in Ohio. Creten has a wide experience in Transaction Services, including bid support, (vendor) due diligence, M&A negotiations, deal structuring, post-acquisition and merger integration services. Creten serves both Private Equity and corporate clients providing acquisition and vendor advice, often on a cross-border level. Although Creten worked in a variety of industries, she developed a focus on the Healthcare the consumer goods and the building materials sector.

Taking over Kesennuma Knitting in 2013, Tamako Mitarai wanted to go beyond business, and create bonds between consumer and producer. To that end, when the company launched its first product it was priced at around ¥150,000 (around €1250), in order to properly compensate the knitters for their long hours of labour. Moreover, the profile of the knitter is posted on the company website, so buyers truly understand that they are buying the fruit of another’s labour, and not just a product. Mitarai now hopes to embed Kesennuma Knitting in Japanese consumer conscience for generations to come.

An expert on social entrepreneurship and new development models, Bouchra Rahmouni works in one of the largest think tanks in Morocco, and one of the most important in Africa. A prolific writer, she writes about geopolitics and women entrepreneurship. Her “Femme et entrepreneur, c’est possible!”, has served as a guide to motivate women to start and run businesses. Rahmouni regularly lectures in world forums and within prestigious institutions and universities in France, Hong Kong, the United States, South Korea, Lebanon and Switzerland.

Krystel Sil Sikana could never be accused of having too narrow a focus. As well as her current organisation cube4steam, which advocates for STEAM-talent development among the African diaspora in Belgium and on the continent, she is also the founder of HISHI, aimed at youth empowerment and skilling in the diaspora and in Africa. Alongside this, Sil Sikana is an Ambassador of the Africa 35.35 awards, which recognise inspiring young African/Afro-descendants aged 18 to 35 who have made outstanding achievements in their communities. The awards have grown beyond Francophone Africa, and recognise young people from a wide variety of fields.