Breaking the All-White, All-Male Panels

SINGAPORE, March 29, 2019 (Newswire.com) - All-white, all-male panels still abound despite the strides made over the past years on bringing diversity and inclusion in various industries. Earlier this year, the Singapore government revised the Code of Corporate Governance aimed at requiring the disclosure of diversity initiatives, in a bid to promote gender diversity in the workplace. Singapore is also the forerunner in the region in promoting diversity.

Unfortunately, with over 2,000 conferences, forums, and summits occurring in the country, all male, and sometime all-white panels still exist. Criticism fielded by organizers that women speakers only talk about their gender issues is refuted by Chris J Reed, the founder of Rock Star Keynote Speaker.

“Women speakers do not only talk about their gender-related experiences, they have a wealth of experiences from holding leadership roles in the manufacturing, tech, trade, information media and telecommunications, mining, health, education, and other industries. We need to bring more women speakers to provide alternative perspectives,” said Reed.

While the thrust is to have more women speakers on stage, the new speaker bureau is also taking on up-and-coming male speakers into its roster. “To have true diversity, we need different nationalities and different perspectives. Conference attendees can benefit from having varied speakers with differing opinions to generate robust discussion, to increase attendance, and to encourage innovation,” added Sheila Berman, the Marketing Director of Rock Star Keynote Speaker.

Launched in January 2019, the bureau has quickly expanded to include speakers based in the Asia-Pacific region, North America, and Europe. Majority of the speakers in the current roster held C-level positions in various industries including Tech, Media and Communication, Education and Training, while others are emerging thought leaders, published authors, or industry disrupters.

“All male panels will not disappear overnight. It requires event organizers and decision-makers to be conscious of their speaker line-up, and to look beyond their usual male network,” said Reed.

Rock Star Keynote Speaker is looking for global women speakers who are experts in their fields, and aspiring, undiscovered male and female speakers who are thought leaders, innovators, or disrupters in their industries.

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Source: All Black Ventures

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