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The Digital Leap to Gender Equality
Monday 10 Apr | 12.00 - 14.00
Join us for a thrilling celebration of female empowerment to round off the BCCJ's International Women's Month. Topics of discussion will include the obstacles faced by women in the tech and IT industry, the significance of education, digital upskilling, and AI's role in effecting change in the gender-biased environment, with a focus on Japan.
Location
Price
Members: ¥7,000
Non Members: ¥8,500
Written by Sarah Backley
Bridging the gender gap through innovation, technology and education
This lunchtime event will bring together prominent industry leaders, experts, and professionals from Japan and the UK to discuss the latest advancements and trends in the field of technology and IT, with a specific emphasis on gender equity, inclusivity, and the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the industry.
The utilisation of technology holds the potential to enhance gender equality and address the needs of women, as well as other marginalised groups, by incorporating them into the technology landscape. However, the exclusion they face comes with a hefty price tag. According to the UN Women’s Gender Snapshot 2022, the lack of digital representation for women has cost low- and middle-income countries a staggering $1 trillion over the past decade, a figure that is projected to reach $1.5 trillion by 2025 if not addressed. In a study conducted in 51 countries, 38% of women reported experiencing online violence, highlighting the need for a solution to this issue. The digital revolution presents both opportunities and challenges, as it threatens to maintain existing patterns of gender inequality. Women are being left behind due to the digital gender divide and increasing disparities in digital skills and technology access. To ensure a sustainable future, inclusive and transformative technology and digital education is imperative.
In Japan, only 17% of STEM graduates at the tertiary level of education in 2019 were women, according to the OECD, compared to the average ratio of 32% across 36 surveyed countries. Closing the digital talent gap and creating new opportunities for female talent development, particularly in the IT sector, should be a top priority for Japanese executives.
Join us for a thrilling celebration of female empowerment to round off the BCCJ’s International Women’s Month. Topics of discussion will include the obstacles faced by women in the tech and IT industry, the significance of education, digital upskilling, and AI’s role in effecting change in the gender-biased environment, with a focus on Japan.
Speakers
Masako Mori, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Women’s Empowerment
Below is Mori-san’s career to date:
1995 Registered as a Lawyer
2003 Visiting researcher at the School of Law of New York University
2004 Representative of Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) at UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
2005 Deputy Director, Credit System Office Planning and Coordination Bureau, Financial Services Agency
2007 Elected as member of the House of Councillors (1st term)
2012 Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment and Child-Rearing, Consumer Problem, Special Secret Protect
2013 Elected as member of the House of Councillors (2nd term)
2016 Chairperson of the Japan-Finland Parliamentarian Friendship Association (2016 – Present)
2017 International Association of Emergency Manager (IAEM) Professional Development Certificate Program
2019 Elected as member of the house of Councillors (3rd term)
Minister of Justice (2019-)
2020 Deputy Secretary-General, the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, and Chairperson, Special Committee on Promoting Women’s Active Participation
2021 Special Advisor to the Prime Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment & LGBT (- Present)
Below is Mori-san’s career to date:
1995 Registered as a Lawyer
2003 Visiting researcher at the School of Law of New York University
2004 Representative of Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) at UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)
2005 Deputy Director, Credit System Office Planning and Coordination Bureau, Financial Services Agency
2007 Elected as member of the House of Councillors (1st term)
2012 Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment and Child-Rearing, Consumer Problem, Special Secret Protect
2013 Elected as member of the House of Councillors (2nd term)
2016 Chairperson of the Japan-Finland Parliamentarian Friendship Association (2016 – Present)
2017 International Association of Emergency Manager (IAEM) Professional Development Certificate Program
2019 Elected as member of the house of Councillors (3rd term)
Minister of Justice (2019-)
2020 Deputy Secretary-General, the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, and Chairperson, Special Committee on Promoting Women’s Active Participation
2021 Special Advisor to the Prime Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment & LGBT (- Present)
Rika Nakazawa, Group Vice President of Connected Industry & Sustainability for Americas, NTT
Rika is a senior leader, angel investor, best-selling author, and frequent public speaker on technology-powered business transformation across multiple industries. She is Global Vice President within NTT’s New Ventures & Innovation team where she is building Agile Co-innovation practices for emerging technologies like 5G, Edge and IoT. In her additional role as Head of Sustainability for Americas at NTT, Rika is driving NTT’s sustainability ambition in operations while also orchestrating the go-to market for NTT’s climate-positive solutions across their portfolio of digital infrastructure solutions. In 2022, Rika was awarded “Power 70” recognition for the Women of Channel awards with The Channel Co’s CRN network.
Trilingual in Japanese, German, and English, Rika grew up in Japan and moved to the US to attend Princeton University. Rika has since worked internationally for over two decades in senior executive roles in strategy, business development, consulting, and marketing with Fortune 500 companies – Accenture, NVIDIA, Capgemini, Sony, American Express – and Silicon Valley startups. She is a Digital Transformation veteran and has served on multiple start-up boards in Next-Generation Computing, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and AI ecosystems. Rika is currently board chair at STRIDES AI – a social impact venture that is accelerating bringing gender diversity to the C-suite and boardroom and is the best-selling author of “Dear Chairwoman”, featuring the trials and triumphs of global women corporate board leaders. Her next book will focus on the intersection of ESG, Digital Innovation and the Pandemic, called “The White Swan”.
Rika is a senior leader, angel investor, best-selling author, and frequent public speaker on technology-powered business transformation across multiple industries. She is Global Vice President within NTT’s New Ventures & Innovation team where she is building Agile Co-innovation practices for emerging technologies like 5G, Edge and IoT. In her additional role as Head of Sustainability for Americas at NTT, Rika is driving NTT’s sustainability ambition in operations while also orchestrating the go-to market for NTT’s climate-positive solutions across their portfolio of digital infrastructure solutions. In 2022, Rika was awarded “Power 70” recognition for the Women of Channel awards with The Channel Co’s CRN network.
Trilingual in Japanese, German, and English, Rika grew up in Japan and moved to the US to attend Princeton University. Rika has since worked internationally for over two decades in senior executive roles in strategy, business development, consulting, and marketing with Fortune 500 companies – Accenture, NVIDIA, Capgemini, Sony, American Express – and Silicon Valley startups. She is a Digital Transformation veteran and has served on multiple start-up boards in Next-Generation Computing, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, and AI ecosystems. Rika is currently board chair at STRIDES AI – a social impact venture that is accelerating bringing gender diversity to the C-suite and boardroom and is the best-selling author of “Dear Chairwoman”, featuring the trials and triumphs of global women corporate board leaders. Her next book will focus on the intersection of ESG, Digital Innovation and the Pandemic, called “The White Swan”.
Dr. Naoko Ishii, Professor & Executive Vice President, University of Tokyo
Naoko is a professor and executive vice president at the University of Tokyo, where she is also an inaugural director for the Center for Global Commons. Under her vision, the Center for Global Commons has been collaborating with reputable international research institutions in the area of sustainability, and launching projects with Japanese businesses focusing on energy transition, food systems, and circular economy.
Before joining the university in 2020, she served as CEO and Chairperson at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) between 2012-2020.
Naoko entered Japan’s Ministry of Finance in 1981, working mostly for the international finance and taxation. She also worked for IMF as economist for Kenya, Uganda and Kyrgyz Republic, World Bank as country director Sri Lanka and the Maldives. She served as Deputy Vice Minister of Finance from 2010-2012.
She holds a B.A. in economics and a Ph.D. in international development, both from the University of Tokyo, and has published several books among which two were awarded academic prizes.
Naoko is a professor and executive vice president at the University of Tokyo, where she is also an inaugural director for the Center for Global Commons. Under her vision, the Center for Global Commons has been collaborating with reputable international research institutions in the area of sustainability, and launching projects with Japanese businesses focusing on energy transition, food systems, and circular economy.
Before joining the university in 2020, she served as CEO and Chairperson at the Global Environment Facility (GEF) between 2012-2020.
Naoko entered Japan’s Ministry of Finance in 1981, working mostly for the international finance and taxation. She also worked for IMF as economist for Kenya, Uganda and Kyrgyz Republic, World Bank as country director Sri Lanka and the Maldives. She served as Deputy Vice Minister of Finance from 2010-2012.
She holds a B.A. in economics and a Ph.D. in international development, both from the University of Tokyo, and has published several books among which two were awarded academic prizes.
Andrijana Cvetkovikj, President & CEO of BrioNexus, Co., Ltd. / BCCJ Executive Committee Member
Andrijana Cvetkovikj has a Doctoral Degree from Nihon University, an Executive MBA from the Fox School of Business, Temple University, and a Master’s Degree in Cinema and Media Studies from the National Academy of Theater and Film Arts of Sofia, Bulgaria. A native of Macedonia with fluency in Japanese, English, Macedonian, Serbian, and Russian, she spent 18 years in the USA, and Japan.
Cvetkovikj was the first resident Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia in Japan from 2014 to 2018. She was also the Head of the Digital Diplomacy Unit (2013-2014), and the Head of the Public Diplomacy Unit (2018) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia.
Cvetkovikj is now the President & CEO of BrioNexus, Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based consultancy firm, and a Founder of a non-profit organization Ambassadors of Change.
She is a member of the Worldwide Women Corporate Directors Organization (WCD) and the recipient of the Inspiring Women Worldwide Award for 2022.
More information on Cvetkovikj’s career to date can be found HERE
Andrijana Cvetkovikj has a Doctoral Degree from Nihon University, an Executive MBA from the Fox School of Business, Temple University, and a Master’s Degree in Cinema and Media Studies from the National Academy of Theater and Film Arts of Sofia, Bulgaria. A native of Macedonia with fluency in Japanese, English, Macedonian, Serbian, and Russian, she spent 18 years in the USA, and Japan.
Cvetkovikj was the first resident Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia in Japan from 2014 to 2018. She was also the Head of the Digital Diplomacy Unit (2013-2014), and the Head of the Public Diplomacy Unit (2018) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Macedonia.
Cvetkovikj is now the President & CEO of BrioNexus, Co., Ltd., a Tokyo-based consultancy firm, and a Founder of a non-profit organization Ambassadors of Change.
She is a member of the Worldwide Women Corporate Directors Organization (WCD) and the recipient of the Inspiring Women Worldwide Award for 2022.
More information on Cvetkovikj’s career to date can be found HERE
Notes
Meal:
Please indicate any specific dietary requirements at the time of booking. (Deadline for special menu requests: March 30 17.00)
Cancellation policy:
For reservations after Tuesday, April 4 17.00, there will be no refunds on cancellations. No-shows will be charged.
We can not accept cash at the door.
お食事について：
アレルギー、ベジタリアン等、特別なお食事を必要となさる場合には、３月３０日までにお願いいたします。なお、当日の変更はお受けできません。
申込みとキャンセル・お支払い：
お申し込みと同時にご送金をお願いいたします。締切り日４月４日（火）17.00
以後のキャンセル・返金はお受けできませんので、ご留意ください。お名前の変更のみ、お受けいたします。
締切りまでにキャンセルのご連絡なく、当日欠席された場合にも、参加費はお支払いただきますので、ご協力をお願いいたします。
当日のお支払いは固くお断りいたします。
