50/50 Women on Boards™ Announces its 2026 Global Summit Speakers

Corporate Directors, CEOs, Investors, and Governance Leaders Convene discuss The Future Board Agenda: Reforming Corporate Governance

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- 50/50 Women on Boards™, the leading global nonprofit advancing the business case for diverse boards, today announced featured speakers for the 2026 Global Summit, including leaders from Chevron, Civeo Corporation, e.l.f. Beauty, General Motors, MSCI, United Airlines, TrueBlue and WD-40 Company.

The 2026 Global Summit will take place on September 17, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ET at 48 Wall Street in New York City.

The Summit follows the morning's Breakfast of Corporate Champions, where more than 290 S&P 500 and Fortune 1000 companies will be recognized for having at least 40% women directors on their boards. From there, the conversation will shift from recognition to responsibility as corporate directors, CEOs, investors, governance leaders, and aspiring board directors examine this year's theme, The Future Board Agenda: Reforming Corporate Governance. Discussions will focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, geopolitical uncertainty, CEO succession, shareholder expectations, and other emerging governance priorities.

"As the responsibilities of corporate boards continue to expand, directors are expected to oversee an increasingly complex landscape of risks and opportunities," said Heather Spilsbury, CEO of 50/50 Women on Boards. "The Global Summit brings together today's most respected public company directors and governance leaders to share practical insights that help directors prepare for what comes next."

Topics and speakers to date include:

Keynote: Governing What Comes Next

• Baroness Dambisa Moyo of Knightsbridge, Member of the House of Lords; Principal, Versaca Investments; Board Director, Chevron, Condé Nast, and Starbucks

The Global Reality Check: The World Has Changed. Has Your Board?

• Hema Widhani, Chief Brand, Experience & Marketing Officer, Edward Jones; Board Member, AAR Corp. (moderator)
• Jan Elizabeth Tighe, Retired Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy; Independent Director, General Motors, Goldman Sachs, Huntsman Corporation, and MITRE Corporation
• Laysha Ward, Board Member, United Airlines Holdings, Inc. and MACRO
• Douglas Peterson, Former President and CEO, S&P Global; Executive Chairman OneChronos; Board Member Morgan Stanley

Risk, Resilience & Reputation: AI, Cyber and the New Oversight Standard

• Sonita Lontoh, Board Member, Sunrun, TrueBlue; Partner, Alpha; Advisor, Sway Ventures, Responsible AI Institute
• June Yang, Board Member, UiPath, NetApp, and MSCI
• Steven Wolfe Pereira, Chief Executive Officer, Alpha

The Future of Leadership: Succession & Power Transfer in Public Companies

• Gloria Lin, Senior Managing Director, Evercore (moderator)

Breakout Session: Board Composition and Succession Strategy 

• Gloria Lin, Senior Managing Director, Evercore
• Suzan Morno-Wade, Independent Director and Compensation Committee Chair; Latham Group, and Veritiv Holdings

Breakout Session: Capital, Growth & Long-Term Value

• Lori Keith, Portfolio Manager, Parnassus Investments; Board Member, e.l.f. Beauty
• Diana Glassman, Stewardship Director, EOS at Federated Hermes Ltd; Board Member, Helix Energy Solutions

The Global Debate: Public Trust — When Should Boards Speak?

• Kimberly Petillo-Décossard, Co-Head, Global Mergers & Acquisitions and Partner, White & Case (moderator)
• Dr. Sylvia E. Johnson, Board Member, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board
• Ed Magee, Independent Board Director, WD-40; Chair, NACD Nashville
• Michael Montelongo, Board Member, Merlin, Inc., Civeo Corporation, and Monarca Food Solutions

2026 sponsors include: United Airlines, Equilar, First American Title, Mastercard, White & Case, Edward Jones, Evercore, Riveron, Genworth | CareScout, and S&P Global.

Registration and sponsorship opportunities for the Breakfast of Corporate Champions and Global Summit are available at 50/50 Women on Boards Global Summit Week webpage.

For the most up to date information, check here.

About 50/50 Women on Boards (50/50WOB)

50/50 Women on Boards™ (50/50WOB) is the leading global nonprofit advancing the business case for diverse boards. Through research, education, and advocacy, 50/50WOB cultivates a pipeline of board-ready candidates and engages the companies and governance leaders who shape board appointments and succession planning. Since 2010, 50/50WOB has published its Gender Diversity Index™ and research reports tracking the composition of Russell 3000 company boards. The organization's educational programs, Global Summit, and strategic convenings provide aspiring and experienced directors with the insights, networks, and resources to advance their board journeys. For more information, visit www.5050wob.com.

SOURCE 50/50 Women on Boards