Angela Baker runs Corporate Responsibility at Qualcomm, the company that transforms how the world connects, computes, and communicates. Baker oversees a portfolio of programs that empower people through technology and training, including Qualcomm® Wireless Reach™, a strategic initiative that brings wireless technology to underserved communities globally. To date, Wireless Reach has partnered with 650+ organizations in 119 programs in over 45 countries and has reached over 20 million beneficiaries.
The portfolio also includes Qualcomm’s numerous STEM engagement programs that are inspiring the inventors of tomorrow and Qualcomm’s Sustainability and Reporting ESG efforts, which includes the development and publication of the annual Qualcomm Sustainability Report. Previously, she served as an advisor to Secretary Hillary Clinton in the Office of Innovation at the United States Department of State, where she worked on foreign policy goals connected to the 21st Century Statecraft agenda through bilateral and multilateral engagement with strategic partners on technology and development issues.
Cherie Blair, Founder Cherie Blair Foundation for Women Leading Queen’s Counsel, wife of the former British Prime Minister and committed campaigner for women’s rights, Cherie Blair CBE QC set up the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women in 2008 to help women build small and growing businesses in low and middle income countries so that they can contribute to their economies and have a stronger voice in their societies.
Cherie is actively involved in the Foundation, generously and tirelessly giving her time and resources to ensure its success. Travelling internationally to visiting projects, donors and attend conferences, our founder is an ambassador for women entrepreneurs everywhere, encouraging other non-profits, corporations and governments to do more to support women business owners. Cherie was awarded a CBE in the 2013 New Year’s Honours List for services to women’s issues and to charities in both the UK and overseas.
Nicola Mendelsohn
- CBE, VP EMEA, Facebook
Nicola Mendelsohn is currently the Vice President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa for Facebook. A role she has held since 2013. She serves on the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Council, The Mayor of London’s Business Advisory Board, and in September 2014 she became a nonexecutive director of Diageo. She and her husband are also co-presidents of the charity Norwood.
In 2015 she was awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the creative industries in the UK. From 2012-2018, she was the co-chair of the Creative Industries Council alongside Secretaries of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and BEIS – a joint forum between the UK creative industries and government. In 2019, Nicola founded and launched the Follicular Lymphoma Foundation, a charity focused solely on raising funds to help the thousands of people living with Follicular Lymphoma to live well and get well.
Prior to joining Facebook Nicola worked in advertising for over 20 years, beginning her career at Bartle Bogle Hegarty then moving to be deputy Chairman of Grey London. In 2008, she became partner and executive chairman at the advertising agency, Karmarama. Prior roles include: first female President of the IPA (the advertising industry trade body), Trustee of The White Ribbon Alliance, Chairman of Women’s Aid Development Board and President of the Women in Advertising and Communications London club (WACL). She was also a Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Her greatest joy in life comes from her husband Jon and her four children Gabi, Danny, Sam and Zac.
Sanda Ojiambo
- incoming CEO and Executive Director, UN Global Compact, UN Global Compact
Sanda Ojiambo is the Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact. Launched in July 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is the Secretary‑General’s strategic policy and advocacy initiative calling for the alignment of business operations and strategies with 10 universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. It also motivates companies to integrate the SDGs into their core business strategies and operations.
With more than 10,000 corporate participants and other stakeholders from over 160 countries engaged through 68 country networks, the Compact is the largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative in the world. Endorsed by chief executive officers, it is a practical framework for the development, implementation and disclosure of sustainability policies and practices, committing businesses to sustainability and shared responsibility for achieving a better world.
Ms. Ojiambo, brings 20 years of experience to lead the UN Global Compact. She has served as Head of Sustainable Business and Social Impact, Safaricom Plc, Kenya since 2010. Ms. Ojiambo was also the Senior Manager of Safaricom and MPESA Foundations, Kenya from 2008 to 2010, during which she led the implementation of several public-private partnership initiatives between Safaricom and UN organizations.
Throughout her career, she has cultivated and managed relationships with key business entities and civil society organizations, including her capacity development work in Somalia with UNDP and CARE International.
Ms. Ojiambo holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Development from McGill University, Canada.
Olu is the CEO and Founder of Synergy Solutions, a specialist management consultancy practice, focussed on helping companies stay at the forefront of evolving technology and the ever-changing world of customer expectations, whilst remaining resilient and futureproofing their business.
As a senior leader and seasoned professional with over 20 years’ experience, leading businesses through change, transformation and migration into digital environments, Olu has assisted a range of companies from start-ups, through to high growth scale ups to FTSE listed companies both in the UK and Internationally to embrace digital technology, safely, whilst remaining resilient and responsive to the rapidly changing environment. Olu has deep international experience, assisting enterprises to turnaround their failing operations through to putting in place infrastructures to support growth initiatives and introduce digital innovation. She has extensive business experience having had the opportunity, through both her own business and other executive level positions to shape the strategy for a wide array of businesses and introduce digital technology, providing a range of companies with the opportunity to speed up response and enhance the quality of that response, which she believes to be vital in the delivery of an agile business.
Olu is highly committed to assisting organisations to become resilient and future proofed. In addition to running a business, Olu is a mother to two wonderful children and is passionate about growing the impact of digital technology in underserved communities.
Wendy Teleki
- Head, Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) Secretariat, The World Bank
Wendy Teleki is Head of the We-Fi Secretariat. Housed in the World Bank Group, the Secretariat is dedicated to advancing the global agenda on women entrepreneurship through learning, advocacy and partnerships. It also supports the We-Fi Governing Committee in the allocation and supervision of We-Fi funding, in collaboration with Implementing Partners and other stakeholders. Ms. Teleki joined We-Fi in May 2019.
Prior to that, Ms. Teleki worked with the International Finance Corporation leading numerous activities and initiatives focused on small and medium enterprise development in emerging markets around the world. This included several blended finance, investment and advisory programs, including IFC’s We-Fi program and the Global SME Finance Initiative. Ms. Teleki has an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School of Business and an MA in International Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
