Empowering Entrepreneurship
Challenges and Successes of Female Entrepreneurs.
Join us for an enlightening evening hosted by Women in Digital Switzerland (WDS) and Women In International Trade Organisation (OWIT), featuring insightful discussions with distinguished speakers Hulya Kurt, Nadia Mojahed, Virginie Staub, and Inna Malaia. Explore the challenges and successes of female entrepreneurship through their personal stories and professional experiences. Learn about overcoming obstacles, the importance of networking, and strategies for effective self-promotion and online presence. This interactive panel will provide a framework for success and a dynamic networking wheel, designed to empower and inspire. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with fellow professionals and discover key takeaways that can boost your entrepreneurial journey.
Join us to expand your network and gain valuable insights into the entrepreneurial landscape!
Speakers
Nadia Mojahed serves as the Geneva Chapter Lead, a role she embraces out of a strong belief in knowledge sharing and empowering women. With over 15 years of experience, she has been instrumental in driving the growth of both international and local businesses through Digital Marketing and SEO services. Nadia was recognized as one of Switzerland’s top women in Tech to follow in 2022 by #Girlsintech. She also conducts regular community workshops focusing on SEO and web development. For more information on these workshops and to join, visit SEOTRANSFORMER.
After 32 years of working within a multinational company, where Hulya Kurt occupied middle management and senior roles, led many transformation programs on a global level. In addition, created the Diversity and Inclusion and was part of the Global Steering committee, establishing initiatives fostering inclusivity and women’s advancement, she chose to follow her passion of becoming a coach, mentor and workshop facilitator. Hulya motivates and empowers company management teams and their employees to move forward in their professional life. Additionally, she specializes in growth management with young adults and teenagers, assisting them through anxieties, fears, and internal roadblocks. Moreover, Hulya is for more than 10 years involved in OWIT, as a corporate sponsor, as volunteer and in different VP roles, as President of OWiT Lake Geneva and in her current role, President of OWIT International. Women’s economic empowerment is extremely important to her for having an impact on the society, on our young generation and creating a better world.
Virignie Staub is the founder of Women Impact, a private Women’s Business Club for Executives and Entrepreneurs, based in Geneva. With a background in sales, Virginie has demonstrated leadership qualities in the Luxury sector, where she has held several positions of responsibility, notably in ‹Maisons› such as YSL and Firmenich. Her entrepreneurial spirit and cross-functional strategic vision led her to set up an air freight transport company, and then a new ‹Epicerie Fine› business unit at Novae Restauration. Networking and customer relations are second nature to her, and she lives them with a win-win mindset. Her clear and inclusive way of communicating enables her to adapt to different socio-professional contexts, and to unite teams in a collaborative way. Creative and passionate, she has a keen sense of human contact. She also has a strong taste for sharing and enjoys passing on her skills and inspiring other women.
Inna Malaia is a visionary leadership expert with a focus on human empowerment and self-leadership. She has a notable track record in Europe, where her customized capacity-building programs at Bevel World Company have made significant impacts. In 2022, she launched a program aiding the integration of displaced Ukrainian professionals in Europe. Inna is deeply committed to advancing soft skills, female leadership, and positive change, often speaking at major conferences and educational events. She has over 15 years of experience in strategic marketing within the international FMCG sector, holds a Master’s in International Business Administration from Kyiv National Economic University, and has received management certifications from prestigious institutions like London Business School and IMD. Inna’s speeches blend inspiration with practical strategies, empowering her audience towards achieving excellence.
Jeanette Potts will be the moderator for this event. She grew up in Dublin and moved to Paris age 20. Her studies and career then took her to Germany, London and Switzerland. She has held marketing roles in Top Fortune 500 companies including JOHNSON & JOHNSON, KRAFT/MONDELEZ GILLETTE and P&G. The combination of brand building and collaborating with agency partners allows her to have a solid understanding of the client and agency partner relationship and a ‹one team› approach. This led to a move over to agencies, as consultant with NESTLE, helping to transform the shopper experience on Amazon and eRetailer platforms and also with MERKLE -DENTSU in the consumer goods and luxury space. Jeannette has been a member and volunteer with WDS for the past 5 years and is active within other organisations. She believes in the power of networks to create a more positive and connected community.
Sanaz Javadi, the keynote speaker of this event, is an esteemed international lawyer, lecturer, and mentor with 20 years of experience in collaboration with UN agencies, the EU, and the Swiss government. Based in Geneva, she holds a Master’s in Intellectual Property Law and an LLM in International Trade Law, currently pursuing doctoral research. As VP of Partnerships at OWIT, she advances women’s economic empowerment. Sanaz mentors women entrepreneurs for UN Women and advises at WIPO. Recognized as a leader in new leadership by Female Factor and named Woman Leader of the Years 2023 and 2024 by Diversin, she is a change-maker in intellectual property and youth empowerment.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the following sponsors for their invaluable support and contribution to our event.
OWIT, or the Organization of Women in International Trade, is a global network dedicated to advancing women’s economic empowerment and fostering international trade opportunities. With chapters spanning the globe, OWIT provides a supportive community for women in business, offering networking events, educational resources, and advocacy initiatives. By connecting professionals, sharing knowledge, and promoting inclusive trade policies, OWIT empowers women to succeed in the global marketplace.
Pulse Incubateur HES is the catalyst of innovation within HES-SO Ge. Their campus is a launchpad for young entrepreneurs from the six universities of applied sciences of Geneva, where innovative ideas take flight and entrepreneurial spirit is fueled. There, they don’t just dream about the future; they craft it, empowering emerging talents to drive meaningful change.
WDS is a community of modern leaders who leverage collaboration and elevate diversity to advance careers and create business opportunities in the Swiss digital economy. By leveraging the power of our community, Women in Digital Switzerland (WDS) advances careers, supports organizational transformation leaps, and creates business opportunities in the Swiss digital economy and beyond. Be part of the change. Become a supporter. If you are passionate about expanding and bringing WDS community together and creating insightful events in Geneva, get in touch with us via our website. We are currently looking for Chapter Leads in Geneva.
WDS events are open to all. We strive to foster inclusive spaces for individuals of all genders and backgrounds who want to join our community, support our mission, and share a passion for digital innovation.
Entrance to this event is free. However, any donation helps us to run the organization and to continue to hold these insightful events. For a free ticket, you should type 0 into the donation field. Thank you for your support!
Limited seats available, please secure your tickets before they are gone! Prepare to be inspired and empowered.
