EVENT RECAP | Portrait of unstoppable Women, 12 March

On March 12th, the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce organized the event  “Portrait of Women in China, a Celebration of Women Leadership” at the Showroom in Shanghai. With the presence of its remarkable speakers and the participation of almost 50 guests, it was a moment to celebrate powerful women with powerful stories uncovering lessons learned and insights into their journeys.

The evening started with a warm greeting by the Consul General at the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai, Tiziana D’Angelo. She underlined the importance of the feminine presence in business and made a few interesting considerations about the role of women's leadership in politics, an area where women are still unrepresented.

Among the roundtable speakers Cristiana Barbatelli, CEO of Barbatelli & Partners Management Consultant Co. Ltd, Delia Giangregorio, Chief Strategy Officer, GBMax, Eugenia Valente, Vice President, Asia and ANZ FPT Industrial, Fiat Powertrain - Iveco Group and Antonella Viero, Strategic Advisor, OTB Group, and the moderator Giada Piccinini, CICC Board Member & Head of Shanghai office, Senior Tax Advisor GWA.

Not only politics but also the corporate world still sees a differentiated presence between men and women, nevertheless, the number of women in senior leadership has grown in the last few years. All speakers agreed that in their lives they all faced challenges, often related to the environment to which they were exposed, but also found inspiring mentors that pushed them to grow in their careers.

“Do you think women need to act like a man at work to succeed?”

This is a question that opened a nice discussion in the roundtable, which created the context to talk about the importance of the dichotomy of men and women in business and how different approaches represent an opportunity for enrichment.  

Moving forward, the conversation shifted to the expectation for the future of the Speaker’s Industry in China. The speakers made some insightful considerations, confirming that even in the last few years steps ahead were made, there is a long way ahead.

The last reflections regarded the combination of personal and working life. There was a consensus on how there is always a need for compromises but how following a career does not always mean sacrificing personal goals.

The CICC would like to kindly thank all the speakers, the venue The Showroom and those who attended this event.