Dear Women of the NETWORK,

I thought June was a busy month with two events from The NETWORK. Then September started just the same, and now October actually reminds me of life in Luxembourg before Covid. With everyone having multiple events to choose from every day, we must choose wisely which events to attend for maximum benefit.

At The NETWORK, we’ll continue to invite you to events intended to connect, empower and engage women.

In October, our event Empowering Women on Boards with Rita Knott is about helping women get ready to join the Boards of Directors.

The timing of this event couldn’t be better as, for the first time in twenty years, we have a clear deadline and clear percentages for action towards a true women presence on the board of directors. Maybe a little bit of history would help here:

• 12 July 1982 - European Council resolution on the promotion of equal opportunities for women talks specifically about “the need to promote the employment of both men and women in all sectors and occupations and a more balanced representation of women at different levels of responsibility at both national and Community level….”
• 7 June 2022 - DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on improving the gender balance among directors of companies listed on stock exchanges, and related measures
  • “Women on Boards” Directive aims to introduce transparent recruitment procedures in companies so that at least 40% of non-executive director posts or 33% of all director posts are occupied by the under-represented sex by 30 June 2026

If discussing equal opportunities and coming up with measures and deadlines took two decades, the conclusion is very easy; the progress on this matter was too slow and asked for more concrete action.

Luxembourg is among the EU states taking this very seriously. In February 2021, Luxembourg’s Ministry of Equality between Women and Men announced that a percentage of 41.19% of women representing the State have been reached in the public sector.

The NETWORK aims at creating understanding and readiness for women to continue this positive trend also in the public sector.

October is also Pink Month - the month of Breast Cancer Awareness. In October and throughout the year, people wear pink ribbons to honour survivors, remember those lost to the disease, and support the progress we are making together to defeat breast cancer.

As with every year, we support Luxembourg Think Pink and encourage our members and friends to participate in the Race For The Cure.

This year the event takes place on Sunday, 23rd October. You can sign up for a team or individually via this web page https://www.raceforthecure.eu.

The registration fee is €20 per person. They encourage everyone to wear the same t-shirts they had last year, although there will be some RFTC t-shirts for sale at Echternach Lake.

As I stated earlier, October is a busy month, so cannot end this message to you without mentioning “The Arch Summit 2022 – Innovation with impact” event is back on the 26-27 October, bringing together industry leaders and tech enthusiasts to discuss the power of technology that positively impacts society and our planet.

On 26 October, our members and friend are invited to specific women networking event from 15:30-16:30, together with the newly launched LUX WMN - Book Tickets (archsummit.lu).

What else can I say? In Luxembourg, you have an incredible choice of events daily. The NETWORK invites you monthly to network, connect and feel empowered.

Choose wisely, and I am looking forward to networking with you!

Yours in Networking,

Mariana Florea
President. The NETWORK

About this event

Fact: Luxembourg has 22% women on Boards.

Women and girls are key agents of development and change. Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is vital to building fair, inclusive, prosperous, and peaceful societies everywhere.

Studies have shown that companies with women on boards of directors have a greater corporate social responsibility, higher board attendance and awareness. Yet, the valuable potential of women is still being underused on many boards of directors. How can we increase the proportion of competent and dedicated women on the boards of directors of companies to bolster its effectiveness?

Rita Knott, Managing Director of the International Female Board Pool Initiative in Luxembourg, will share her observations and learnings accompanying many female board candidates over the last 11 years.

This interactive workshop will guide you towards the first or next steps in your search for a suitable board mandate, whether on a commercial, public or non-profit board.

WHAT 

Empowering Women on Boards

WHEN

Wednesday, 19 October @ 19:00 CEST

WHERE

Arendt & Medernach SA

41 Avenue John F. Kennedy 

2082 Luxembourg

WHO

Rita Knott

What’s your background? (Where you grew up, your career, how you got to Luxembourg, etc.)

I am American. I grew up in New Jersey, about 20 miles from New York City. I studied at Rutgers University, getting a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science. I later studied for a master’s degree in International Relations at New York University. My career goal was to be a policy analyst in Congress.

Immediately after college, I began working for a U.S. Senator but not in policy. I got a role as a junior press coordinator. It was exciting and fun. I liked it a lot and learned that I could be good at writing. I moved to the private industry, where I began a long career in internal communications. Ultimately, I came to Europe with my then-partner, first living in Berlin and then in Amsterdam. Our relationship ended, but I had made up my mind to stay in Amsterdam. After a short return to the U.S., I sought an opportunity in The Netherlands and was hired by SES in The Hague. After about 14 months in The Hague, I was reassigned to Luxembourg, where I have been since 2019.

What are your duties as Communications Director of The NETWORK?

In my role at The NETWORK, I ensure that our organisation has visibility in Luxembourg. As Communications Director, I lead a team of enthusiastic and energetic women volunteers who advance the organisation in two key areas. We promote monthly events, focusing on our four pillars—Networking, Personal Growth, Philanthropy, and Professional Development. This includes using our social media networks and local media. My team also promotes our partnerships with other local groups.

What do you see as some areas for growth within the organisation?

We definitely have an opportunity for more members. We always welcome new members, especially young women starting their careers, women rejoining the workforce, and recent arrivals in Luxembourg. Our organisation is active and very connected to the international community in Luxembourg.

How do you appeal to new members, especially younger women, to join The NETWORK?

As I said, The NETWORK is a great place for women starting their careers as we are tapped into the local business and international communities. Additionally, we share hiring information in our Facebook group and during events. Moreover, in 2021, we piloted a very successful mentoring programme, which is quite helpful for young members.

Tomorrow Street’s flagship tech event will return on 26-27 October, bringing together industry leaders and tech enthusiasts to discuss the power of technology that positively impacts society and our planet.

Network with industry leaders, corporate decision-makers, scale-ups/startups, government officials, and major investors as they discuss their journeys and share a vision for the future.

Held in Luxembourg at the heart of Europe, the two-day event focuses on exploring next-gen technology innovation and enabling new business opportunities. This year the organisers are offering free entrance to members of The NETWORK. If you want to join, follow the link here. You can see the full agenda here.

Become a part of The NETWORK, a Community Women Helping Women.