Almost 500 guests showed up in support of this event that raised more than HK$700,000, which will go towards improving the lives of women in Hong Kong
When? March 3, 2023
Where? Diamond Ballroom, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong
Who? Fiona Nott, Angelina Kwan, Dr Angélica Anglés, Gigi Chao, Susanna Ip, Jen Flowers and Joanna Hotung
Here’s what you missed:
The Women’s Foundation (TWF) organised its International Women’s Day lunch in person for the first time in four years. Held within the opulent Diamond Ballroom at The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, the event celebrated success stories of women in male-dominated fields under the theme “The Outliers—Groundbreaking Women”. Attendees included industry titans such as Angelina Kwan, TWF board chair and managing director of Stratford Finance Limited; Joanna Hotung, founder and CEO of KG Group; and Regina Ip, member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong. Representatives from leading companies such as MTR, J.P. Morgan, Meta and Financial Times also attended to show support.
As the guests sat down for a sumptuous lunch, LOUDER Global founder Yamilette Cano kicked things off with a welcome note, followed by a powerful opening speech by TWF CEO Fiona Nott. “In many ways, all women are outliers”, she said. “So, we make our own path and forge our own legacy. And in the process, we reimagine what’s possible for our world.”
The panel discussion that followed perfectly illustrated Nott’s point. The three panellists—all gender-equality champions in their own field—were Dr Angélica Anglés, planetary scientist and astrobiologist; Gigi Chao, Cheuk Nang Holdings vice-chair and LGBTIQ advocate; and Lily Cheng, Hubel Labs founder and public board director. Moderated by Damien Mooney, managing director of BlackRock, they discussed the challenges of cultivating female legacies in male-dominated spaces.
Between inspirational stories and laughs from the audience, Chao wondered what loving your job really meant, and what sacrifices were worth this love. Anglés shared anecdotes about her colleagues not taking her seriously because she “likes to dress up” and play piano in her free time. Cheng discussed how we can embrace humility and change the system to make it more conducive for raising a family. It was followed by a sharing session in Cantonese by Betty Hon and Susanna Ip—both participants in TWF’s social media marketing skills training programme—and Connie Cheung, TWF’s programme director.
On top of listening to these inspiring panel discussions, guests also took part in a silent auction that raised funds of more than HK$700,000. It’s almost certain that TWF member Jen Flowers’ burpees on stage motivated the audience to help the charity reach its target. The proceeds from the auction will go towards supporting the organisation’s goal to improve the lives of women in Hong Kong through mentoring programmes and other initiatives.
As far as events go, this International Women’s Day luncheon was one for the books.
