The final event of the year was a grand success and we are also proud to announce that PWA exceeded its target of raising €500 for the Fondazione Risorsa Donna.

The evening started with an aperitivo and, as the prosecco flowed, so too did conversations and holiday greetings. It didn’t take long for the Osteria to know that PWA was in the house and at one point it appeared that other diners also wanted to join our party! As our guests arrived, each was asked to play Secret Santa and put their gift at a place setting. Everyone would be taking home a little something, and judging by the tokens we saw unwrapped, the members are a generous lot.

Taking their places at tables scattered with glittering stars and golden leaves, guests savoured the delicious dinner provided. Antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci all went down well, while interspersed among the courses was the main entertainment of the evening – the fundraiser.

During the aperitivo, we had been cajoling, persuading and coercing guests into contributing and that they did. We had set a target of €500 for our fundraising objective and we beat it, well and truly. As a result of our guests’ generosity, we will be giving Fondazione Risorsa Donna (<www.fondazionerisorsadonna.it>) €620: big thanks go out to everyone that participated by donating cash or gifts.

The foundation will be using this money to support their mission: to remove the social and economic obstacles that limit women’s participation in society and the economy. They do this by helping develop and support a culture of entrepreneurship for women through micro-credit financing programs.

The evening’s success would not have been possible without the very generous support of many companies. Please see below our roll call of fame.

Finally, at the end of the evening, Kimberly Covington’s beautiful voice was joined by those of PWA members and the Osteria staff as we sang Christmas carols and bid our guests goodbye. We then sat back and looked around the empty restaurant and agreed that the last event of 2005 was a success. Thank you to everyone involved who made it such an enjoyable evening.

The PWA Holiday Party Roll Call of Fame

Our very great thanks are extended to the following companies for their generous donations towards our fund-raising effort:

• AMC (<www.it.amc.info>) – porcelain tea set
• Apliaz Group, Residence La Splaza (<www.mci-spa.it>) – week accommodation at Montecampione ski resort
• Campari (<www.campari.it>) – Glenfiddich Special Reserve single malt whiskey and Château Lamargue, Grand Reserve
• Creature (<www.guest-square.com>) – designer fashion handbag
• Donna International – voucher for haircut, style and color
• Erica Lucchi, artist (<www.nevertheless.it>) – still-life oil painting
• Franzi 1864 (<www.franzi1864.it>) – luxury leather handbag
• International Accounting Solutions (<www.accounting-solutions.it>) – Veuve Clicquot champagne gift sets
• Kashmir Indian Take Away – voucher for Indian food
• Kimberly Covington, international singer (<www.kimberlycovington.com>) – Kimberly in concert, Live dall’Auditorio di Milano compact discs
• La Flute (<www.laflute.it>) – bottle of Jean Charles Milan Brut Cuvée de Réserve
• MTV Italia (<www.mtv.it>) – 2 tickets to Supersonic concert featuring James Blunt
• People Restaurant (<www.peoplerestaurant.com>) – gourmet dinners for 2
• Ryder & Associates (<www.ryderassociates.com>) – executive coaching sessions
• Salone Franco Diligenti – custom package of beauty treatments for face, body and nails
• SunRe8 (<www.sunre8.com>) – weekend stay at Milan bed and breakfast
• Tiffany & Co (<www.tiffany.com>) – sterling silver necklace
• Villa Magnolia (<www.bbvillamagnolia.it>) – weekend stay at Milan bed and breakfast

Rita Fintoni and Rebecca Loades
Networking Directors

Goodbye 2005 and hello 2006; and what a year 2005 was! Let’s start the new year by reflecting on the past so that we can focus on the future.In January of last year we officially joined EuropeanPWN. Membership enables all of us to extend our professional networks beyond Italian shores and presented opportunities to streamline some of our administration. In addition, by adding our voices to the chorus supporting the professional advancement of women, the essential messages that (unfortunately!) still need to be heard will reach an ever-widening audience.

In April, we unveiled PWA’s new visual communications package including our enhanced website. Thanks to the professional services generously donated by PWA member Marina Wolny and Conte Oggioni Partners, our public image now reflects more accurately the professional, international organization that we are.

The current PWA board began its term in July 2005. During our first months in office, we have introduced new events and conferences, all designed to provide more opportunities to connect with the wider Milanese community. As Muriel Chen notes, “we cannot discover new oceans until we have the courage to lose sight of the shore”.

Despite the new PWA calendar not officially starting until September, we did organise a final cocktail in July. This, and subsequent networking aperitivi, have been well-attended and their success has assured them a place in our calendar going forward.

Since September, we have extended speaker meetings by 30 minutes. This gives you more opportunities to interact with our presenters, which this fall featured successful entrepreneur Margaret Milan and prize-winning journalist Lucia Vastano. We moved the aperitivo from the hotel bar area to the restaurant to provide more space and a more substantial buffet to fortify you beforehand. And speaking of sustenance, we continued the popular speaker dinners with a presentation in October by laughter consultant Gianni Ferrario. These improvements have stemmed from the PWA member survey completed in July 2005 as well as the event evaluation feedback received throughout the year.

As part of our commitment to EuropeanPWN, we made some changes and these started in September. These have included:

• Changes to the membership year so that it runs from January to December
• Introduction of an online reservation and payment system to make joining PWA and participating in PWA events easier and more convenient
• A reduction in the annual fee, from €115 to €100!
• Changes to the board term to align it with the membership year. The new board, to be elected in spring 2006 will serve a term of September 2006 to December 2007.
• Extended the corporate membership program to welcome members from IBM Milan, Deloitte and Alcatel. The program allows companies to demonstrate their commitment to the careers of their women employees through PWA membership.

We were also pleased to introduce a number of new services and benefits during November and December. Our Professional Services Board was launched, allowing members to post descriptions of their services and website links on that section of our website. At the same time, we added the Professional Services table to our events where the activities of members can be promoted to both members and guests.

To stay in touch with members we have introduced an electronic newsletter, also available in pdf format, that gives you easier access to additional information links. A regular column in the newsletter – PWA “Success Stories” – has been introduced; if you have a success to share, please let us know. In addition, not only have we finalized our new professional colour brochure, reflecting the new image introduced in the spring, we have also introduced a new “Frequently Asked Questions” section on the website.

At this year’s holiday party at Osteria del Binari held in December, we are proud to have raised over €600 for a very worthy charity. The funds will be donated to Fondazione Risorsa Donna (www.fondazionerisorsadonna.it), an organization that seeks to develop and support a culture of entrepreneurship for women through micro-credit financing programs.

So with all that has happened in 2005, what’s in store for 2006?

Our first special event is a conference organized via a joint collaboration between the Gruppo Donne Manager of Manageritalia Milano and PWA, to be held Thursday, January 26. Entitled “Work Smarter, Not Harder”, its aim is to set the stage for change in Italy by sensitizing managers to the importance of a healthy work/life balance. Entrance is free for PWA members and includes a buffet lunch – more details are available on our website. Through this and similar events we are actively increasing the awareness and influence of PWA Milan within the local business community.

Our regularly scheduled events include a speaker dinner on January 18, where author, trainer and personal-finance consultant Robert Gignac will help us learn how to take hold of our finances and fill the future with riches. Reserve your seat now, as space is limited! The following Wednesday, January 25, will feature our monthly networking cocktail at Cantine Montegrappa. At our speaker meeting on February 8, we will hear Margaret Heffernan, CEO and international best-selling author of The Naked Truth: A Modern Woman’s Manifesto about Working and What Really Matters, on “Power and Ambition”. Check the calendar for updates and further information.

PWA is growing and evolving to accommodate our members’ ever-changing needs based on the feedback we receive from you. Please send your suggestions on how we can bring PWA even further into the forefront as the premiere network for professional women in Milan.

Welcome to 2006 and we wish you a very happy and successful year ahead.

PWA Board of Directors

I want to write a success story but I don’t have one to write yet.I am happy for those who have made their success story happen through PWA: I wish I was one of them. I am still struggling to make mine happen, often wondering why I haven’t yet. So many nagging questions inside me: Am I not good enough? Is there something wrong with me that I am not aware of? Am I not working hard enough? Am I simply unlucky?

But at the speaker dinner in January, I met another member who is trying to establish her career and – like me – not seeing results as quickly as she’d like . Yet another member told me that she didn’t like her colleagues – neither do I! It made me feel so much better to know that I am not the only one not happy with her current situation. I always knew it, but it certainly helped to hear it from others, to remind me that I am not alone.

We all join PWA for networking and self-improvement. Some members have had amazingly fast and tangible results while others of us are still “works in process”. I congratulate those who are doing well, but I also want to say to others, “you are not the only one – keep coming to PWA. Let’s support each other more to go further!” Don’t be shy about letting people know that you are looking for a new or different job, or that you are seeking potential customers for your business. Be specific with your networking requests and never miss the opportunity to promote yourself and what you have to offer. You never know what the person to whom you are speaking might suggest or who they might know.

If you are a new member and you find it difficult to meet other PWA members (who seem to know each other well and are happily chatting to each other), challenge yourself! At the next PWA event, put out your hand and introduce yourself to the first person you see. Or find a board member and introduce yourself and ask her who else is there that you should meet. Or look for me and tell me that you are taking me up on my offer to aid you in your networking quest. I’ve been through it before myself as a new member and will be glad to help.

Always remember – you are not alone. Keep coming to PWA – you cannot expect opportunity to come to you if you don’t put yourself out where it can find you. Keep talking about your projects and dreams – nobody can help you if they’re unaware of what you are trying to achieve. Ask for help – but don’t forget to offer it as well. We all have skills and knowledge that are useful to others and sooner or later you will be repaid in kind when you least expect it.

Amy Juan
PWA Member

Irene Peter, an American writer, once said that “just because everything is different doesn’t mean that everything has changed”. PWA in 2006 is different from PWA in 2005, just as each year PWA should, and does, change so that it can develop and better serve members. However, what doesn’t change is the community of English-speaking women who live, work or study in the Milan area. You, they, are our foundation.Unfortunately, changes aren’t always greeted warmly nor do they always proceed smoothly. There are lessons for us all to learn when change occurs; yet change remains good and necessary if we are to adapt to the world we live in and succeed, rather than cling to the past and remain stagnant, or even be left behind!

I would like to share a story about Chiyoshi Misawa, founder and president of Misawa Homes, the largest homebuilder in Japan. At least once a decade Mr Misawa “dies”. At the time of each death, everyone in the organization receives a formal announcement that is intended to make them rethink how and why they do things. By doing this, change is encouraged and out-of-date assumptions and policies are prevented from becoming entrenched.

To employees resistant to change, he has a simple response. “That was how things were done under Mr Misawa. He is now dead. Now, how shall we proceed?”

While PWA certainly isn’t dead, maybe we should consider issuing Mr Misawa’s notice. Parallels can indeed be drawn with our own evolution as an association striving to remain relevant and proactive. I hope you will join me in saying, “now, PWA, let’s proceed”.

Rebecca Loades
PWA Board Member

Are you aware of the new law that allows you to designate a percentage of your Italian federal income tax to a charity of your choice?As an individual payer of Italian federal income tax (IRPEF), you are probably aware that you may opt, as in past years, to designate otto per mille – 0.08 percent – of your 2005 tax-year liability to the state or to one of the six religious organisations listed on your tax form, without incurring any additional amount due.

Starting this year, however, you may also designate an additional cinque per mille – 0.05 percent – to any of the non-profit groups on the “approved” list created by the Agenzie delle Entrate. The current list of non-profit groups awaiting approval can be found at www.agenziaentrate.gov.it. The final approved list will be posted there by 10 March 2006.

PWA encourages you to take this opportunity to financially assist a worthy cause without taking an additional centesimo out of your pocket. We are happy to see that Fondazione Risorsa Donna, the charity for which we raised funds at our Holiday Party, is among those listed and we look forward to seeing the confirmation of their eligibility within the next days.

Whichever deserving group you support, please don’t let this opportunity slip away. Make a note of the name and codice fiscale of your chosen eligible beneficiary, add this information to the specified portion on your tax form with your signature, and by doing so, send your tax money to the people you believe will use it wisely and well.

Michel Rapazzini, Chartered Accountant
& Maria Lassila, PWA Vice President

On 8 February 2006, the Commissione Lavoro della Camera (the Italian Parliament’s Labor Review Board) amended the federal law to provide for maternity leave coverage through INPS for dirigenti (dirigente is the highest contractual hiring level in Italy and generally refers to senior- or executive-level managers). This may sound like an innocuous change, but what does it really mean for women? For those of you who’ve never taken maternity leave under Italian law, let me give you some background. In general, Italian maternity law has been fairly protective of women employees – 5 months paid leave at 80% of the base pay was paid by INPS (and generally the company contributed the remaining 20%), with the guarantee of returning to the same position or one of equal level of responsibility. Not a bad deal over all, unless, of course, you were a dirigente…Before February 8, any maternity leave time taken by a dirigente was fully paid by the employer. This meant that the company continued to pay at least 80% of the salary (many companies paid 100%) for the five months of maternity leave. Think about it – what do most companies do when a female employee goes on maternity leave? They hire a temporary replacement to fill in for that period. Where do they get the funding to pay for the temp? From the savings generated by the salary they’re NOT paying to the woman on leave. But in the case of a dirigente, in order to bring in someone to cover a managerial role, a company would incur an incremental expense: they would pay the salary of both the dirigente on leave AND the salary of the temporary manager.

What was the result of this situation? One more reason NOT to hire/promote a woman, particularly a woman of child-bearing years, to a dirigente position in the first place.

When managers of human resources, hiring and finance look at a woman applying for a job, the first thing they see is cost, the second is lost work time, and last but not least, the skills that the woman will actually bring to the firm. Forgive my cynicism, but I’ve lived it myself. When I first arrived in Italy in 1999, I interviewed for a dirigente position for which the job description read like a photocopy of my CV. But the divisional director interviewing me wasn’t really interested in my skills. He wanted to know more important things: how old was I? when was I getting married? how long did I plan to wait before having children? As an American who started her career under the protection of the US Equal Opportunities Act, I was outraged and insulted by these questions, which unfortunately are standard and completely legal under Italian law. Fortunately, the British hiring manager WAS interested in my skills, and so I was indeed offered the job.

Ironically, the Italian manager for whom I worked at that company and who saw me through 2 of my 3 pregnancies was also willing, without ever questioning my commitment or ability to perform, to hire me for a key position in his new company just this last September. This was after I’d spent a fruitless and very depressing year searching for a new dirigente position. The low point of that job search came when the human resources manager from a company that espouses “Employee Work/Life Balance” as part of its corporate image asked me “But don’t you think a dirigente position would be too impegnativa for a woman with three children?”. Needless to say, I was NOT offered that job.

I’m not the only one who’s had this type of experience. Recently a friend of mine was promoted to dirigente after several years of performing the same work for which other MEN in her company already had the title. What took so long in her case? Well, she did take two maternity leaves in the course of three years. And, strangely enough, she was promoted to dirigente shortly after it became clear to her company that she was done having children. Coincidence? Possibly, but it might just have been part of an overall cost-saving plan.

Of course, each woman has her own perspective, and each company shapes that perspective through their human resources policies. One Italian dirigente and PWA member I spoke to told me that this law will have little impact on her company because that corporation already has true equal-opportunity hiring and promotion policies and that female dirigenti were supported and encouraged to return to full-time work because they already represented an “investment” on the part of the firm. Another saw this new law as a positive change for the next generation of female managers ready to take the step up to dirigente level.

Yes, we still need to work on convincing companies that women have the commitment to reach the highest levels of corporate management; however, this change in the law means that the Italian government recognizes the issue and is now working to eliminate the barriers that keep women from reaching those levels. That, in itself, is a very positive sign for women at all levels of business in Italy.

Lynn Chasson
PWA Board Member

I’ll start my story with a confession – I went to the speaker meeting on February 8 with the idea that I was going to hear yet another woman lamenting the fate of women in business, for all the usual reasons (they aren’t taken seriously, they aren’t promoted, they aren’t paid fairly, they can’t delegate, etc.). Shortly after Margaret Heffernan began her presentation however, I realised that she had a different approach to these and many other issues. Her lively way of telling her many stories, recounting her various professional lives, soon had me involved, as I recognised some of the obstacles she had faced as ones which I had also experienced, especially as she described and focused on the mindsets we get ourselves into.Over the last few years, I have often found myself remembering (and quoting!) a saying I once heard from an American colleague, “it’s not the reality that counts, but people’s perception of the reality”. I’m convinced there’s a lot of truth in this, and that it is these mindsets, or perceptions, which can make us react, often negatively, to the behaviour of others, or even not react at all. Worse, they can obscure our own perception of the attitudes we think others (bosses, peers and our own staff) have towards us. Why? Because they lead us to think that others perceive us in a different way than they actually do, and we act accordingly. And as Margaret pointed out, we women tend to undervalue ourselves, our skills, our special qualities, and often think therefore that others don’t see or appreciate these qualities either. In my career at various multinational companies, I’ve noticed that men, on the other hand, are very good at selling themselves, and even overestimate their abilities when there’s credit to be taken for a good job done, or a promotion on offer.

Anyway, you must be wondering by now what my success story is! Well, it happened just recently, when I was offered a promotion, which was a fairly big step up from my position as Financial Director for a small security company. . I’d managed to convince myself that now, as I had several (perceived!) problems and weaknesses, it was better to stay in my small provincial backwater, be content, and live life as it was. This, despite having studied for many years (at night, at my own expense) to obtain the qualification of Certified Accountant, and despite having built up good experience over many years travelling the world as an Internal Auditor.

Until that is, a new Group President arrived on the scene, declaring that there were too many companies in the group, the approach to the customers was all wrong, and that revolution was mandatory. My boss was named Country Manager for Italy, and asked me to take on the job of Division Manager, Internal Services and Support. This meant putting four companies together in one new building, and giving full support in Finance, IT, Legal, Logistics, Building Management, etc., to five other Business Divisions. Needless to say, my mind immediately went into panic as it flooded with all the (perceived!) problems and weaknesses I thought would prevent me from succeeding in such an important and demanding role. What do I know about putting companies together? Legal and tax issues! It’s been years since I studied any of that (or anything else for that matter!). Horrors, I’m professionally obsolete! My staff are already overloaded, I’ll have to do it all myself! The job will involve travel. My husband, who is wonderfully supportive, is disabled and needs my help, we’re alone here with no family etc., etc. I’m too distracted! There surely were other, better, more reliable candidates in the other companies. In other words, I had a full-blown attack of fear of failure!

Well, my boss was really amazed – he said, the reason he was sure I would be successful and wouldn’t let him down was indeed because, despite my (perceived!) problems, I have always taken on challenges with great courage and determination, have always delivered convincing presentations on time, impressed senior management, was a good change-manager, and generally got things done! (My reasonable English skills were incidental). Well, what could I say? My husband also told me I had to be crazy to question the opportunity I’d been striving for all these years. Both said, who cares if you don’t have perfect knowledge to do what will be asked of you? Who does? That’s what consultants are for. Go for it. And I did. Now I’ve been asked to appraise new companies for potential acquisition.

So, my success story is that I finally realised, and accepted, that our perceptions of ourselves are not always how others see us, and if we let them, our mindsets can prevent us from going for it when the opportunity finally comes. And so we stay in our little backwaters. Sure, the problems haven’t gone away, but I’m learning to pay more attention to my perceptions. When in doubt, ask! And don’t let an opportunity pass you by for fear that you won’t succeed – you’re probably better qualified and more capable than you allow yourself to admit.

Lorraine Martin-Reeve
PWA Member

I bumped into PWA by chance. I was surfing the web looking for information on networking, which I believe to be a useful resource for job searching.I consciously chose to work in consulting more than 6 years ago: I wanted to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible, I wanted to change frequently, I wanted to travel, I wanted to stimulate my brain. About a year ago, I realized that I was ready for a change: to make the move from consulting to a company position. I wanted to be in charge and to make decisions. I was tired of simply suggesting and then waiting, and hoping that someone would follow my recommendations!

I was struggling to find a new job and nothing seemed to work. I was aware of the importance of relationships and I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle: an international environment in which to compare myself and find inspiration from different attitudes towards life, relationships, work, and open-minded people that were accustomed to dealing with change.

When I came across the PWA website, I read the contents quickly. It sounded interesting, so I decided to attend an event as a guest. It turned to be Margaret Heffernan’s speech which really electrified me. “This is great! Inspiring, ironic, dramatically real, this is exactly what I am looking for”, I thought. In front of me there was this great woman who had built up a great career while successfully overcoming challenges that all of us may encounter sooner or later. And she was still human and even making mistakes! Her message to me was: it’s tough, you’ll make the wrong choices sometimes, you’ll act badly sometimes, but if you are true to yourself and to your values you can reach your goals and change things for the better.

I joined PWA in February and now, 7 months later, I can attest to what PWA means to me and how it has influenced my professional and personal life.

My primary driver to PWA was looking for a new job. I was interested in others’ suggestions and experiences on professional improvement and career growth. I knew that in my search something wasn’t working, but I couldn’t pinpoint what – CV, past experiences, positions I was applying for? Through PWA I had the chance to meet many people – face to face as well as online – willing to help me improve my search and pushing me to think and act positively.

Once my objectives were clarified, I became very proactive and started making full use of all network resources. I visited the EuropeanPWN website a lot: I looked at the forum almost every day in particular for job postings and applied for a couple of them. It didn’t immediately lead to interviews, but I received some very good suggestions on my CV format and content. I found an advert on Monster and since a PWA member was working for them, I wrote her an e-mail asking about the position and the company itself.

Valerie Ryder suggested that I look for headhunters in the members’ directory on our website to ask for advice. I did, and my e-mails led to a chat with a headhunter that quickly turned into an interview and now might even turn into an offer. But that’s not all. As I wanted to personally contribute to the association, I recently started collaborating as a volunteer with the PWA board and met a member working in a complementary industry, which quickly turned into various concrete business opportunities.

What I really want to stress about my experience is the unqualified support I received from all the people I contacted within the PWA and EuropeanPWN. They actually helped me focus on the “what” and “where” of my search. I am looking for a BIG change and it definitely requires some serious thinking: most of the time, smart questions coming from smart people help you to define and clarify your own ideas.

My secondary – but no less important – driver to join PWA was the opportunity to meet people, women willing to grow professionally and in most cases with international backgrounds. And I did have the chance to meet a lot of interesting people: every time I attend a PWA event, I meet someone new or get to know better somebody that I’ve met previously. What I find really great is that you feel people are willing to tell their stories and experiences and listen to yours; they are willing to help and are enthusiastic about participating and making this association grow.

In the end I would say that PWA has positively influenced the way I perceive myself as a professional and as a human being, bringing new challenges and interests as well as new friends. After searching without results for some time, I was quite frankly a bit depressed. Things changed when I had the opportunity to meet people who have their own success stories to tell, a lot of good hints and lists of “dos and don’ts” to share and who are truly available and willing to help.

Even if PWA is not where I find my new job, it has certainly helped me to regain my enthusiasm and my belief that I will achieve my objectives. It’s only a matter of time and commitment.

Monica Pesce
PWA Member

A big welcome back to all of you who spent your summer holidays elsewhere, as well as those who, like me, enjoyed the gloriously empty Milan of August.As the new PWA board is officially in place and working toward organizing events for the term, I’d like to point out a couple of changes – compared with the last PWA year – that are based on feedback received from members throughout the year as well at the General Assembly held in May. Looking at our calendar, you will see that we’ve returned to the practice of scheduling events on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, except where bank holidays interfere and in the month of September, when we have traditionally delayed the first meeting after August so that as many members as possible are back from wherever summer took them.

The speaker meetings held at the Starhotel Rosa will be held on the third Wednesday of each month, while the networking aperitivi will be held on the first Wednesday. This year, the aperitivi will be held at one central location every month at Centro Svizzero, Via Palestro 2, off of Piazza Cavour in the bar on the fourth floor, La Terrazza.

Soon we will be sending out a survey asking you for your opinions on PWA events. Please take the time to answer, as we will be taking into account your opinions as we continue to tailor our program.

One objective we as the board agree upon unanimously – we’d like to motivate our members to personally participate in helping PWA deliver what matters most to all of us. What part will you play?

Maria Lassila
President, PWA

Inspiring. This is how Valerie Ryder defined the W.I.N. Conference to me. My curiosity grew as I found out more: the program sounded really interesting and it would be held in Rome – an exciting location that was also easy to reach.Having done little else but work for the last six years, this couldn’t have come at a better time as I was planning to make some changes in my life. Plus, I needed to make time just for me: to think, to meet new people, to learn, to become inspired. With that in mind I signed up for the conference. It turned out to be an experience that not only changed how I looked at business but also how I relate to other women. I would like to share just some of the key learnings I brought home.

During the opening ceremony, Kristin Engvig, founder and CEO of W.I.N., shared networking tips that can be effective in all aspects of our lives:

• Be open to learn (and learn to be more open)
• Be willing to connect
• Be quick to contribute
• Be ready to help others
• Be ready to take risks
• Commit
• Be prepared to have fun and expect magic

Change was a central theme and was no better echoed than in a speech by Jordy Kool from HP in which he quoted Charles Darwin: “It is not the strongest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change”. This is a key message for the 21st century as we, as women, have a natural aptitude for change.

I discovered how important women are in making consumer decisions. In recent years the number of wealthy women has increased dramatically in comparison with their male counterparts. Why, then, do most companies still not take into account our needs when they develop and market their products? This is an interesting issue for those among us who work for such companies: how can we persuade them that they should intelligently recognize that gender differences are relevant?

A wide variety of workshops provided invaluable opportunities to interact, exchange ideas and meet extraordinary people, including Maryann Valiulis, a bright funny woman who I like immediately and whose workshop, “Women and Ambition”, I attended. I’m confident that she and I will collaborate a great deal in the future.

The conference is an eye-opening experience that will enable you to learn new ways of doing old things and overcoming difficulties. Should you go? If you are willing to connect with other women, are prepared to give and to take and want to commit and take some risks, then it will make a difference. The exuberance and passion at W.I.N. is highly contagious.

By attending the conference I started an important journey to better understand my inclinations and priorities are. I want to grow, to focus on my future goals and improve my abilities to reach them. W.I.N. provided an inspirational setting and highly useful tools for doing just that.

I would like to close quoting something I heard during the Gala dinner. It sounds funny but still is something we should really remind ourselves more often: “Remember that there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women”.

 Monica Pesce