Yahoo Finance has unveiled its list of 100 INvolve Heroes 100 Executives Role Models that champions women in business and driving change for gender diversity in the workplace. Serpil Timuray from Turkey who is the CEO of Vodafone Group Europe Cluster is ranked in the top 5.
The Heroes Women Role Model Lists supported by Yahoo Finance showcase leaders who are championing women in business and driving change for gender diversity in the workplace.
All of these women are making an impact within their own organization and industry, while also being a champion for inclusivity and removing barriers for others within their own country and beyond.
Serpil Timuray from Turkey who is the CEO of Vodafone Group Europe Cluster is ranked in the top 5. Serpil has championed the development and rollout of specific apps and services to support women in markets where Vodafone operates – such as the domestic violence app, and drove a target of connecting an additional 20 million women in Africa and Turkey, achieved four years ahead of schedule.
Here is the top 5 executives who’ve made an impact in their field:
1) Yvonne Greenstreet, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Chief Executive Officer
As CEO at Alnylam, Yvonne has advocated for the development of measurable benchmarks to hold the company accountable, leading a cross-functional global team to create an action plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that after establishing a set of guiding principles to inform their work, it led to Alnylam’s first-ever Corporate Responsibility Report for 2021.
Alnylam is committed to supporting women in the office and at home and creating a work environment that allows staff to balance work and family. Alnylam’s Employee Resource Networks (ERNs) enable global networking, education, advocacy on gender diversity, and promotion of equity and inclusion both internally and externally.
In 2021, the company initiated The Athena Project, which focuses on enhancing women’s leadership skills at the Director and Senior Director levels. As a board member of the Biomedical Science Careers Program, Yvonne advises and supports initiatives to provide academic opportunities to underrepresented individuals.
2) Anne Richards, Fidelity International Chief Executive Officer
As the Chief Executive of Fidelity International and Chair of Fidelity’s Global Operating Committee, Anne is responsible for setting the firm’s corporate and strategic initiatives with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion.
Under her leadership, Enhanced Parental Leave Policy was introduced, allowing fathers/secondary carers to take equalised paid leave as mothers/primary carers regardless of sexual orientation or working location. Another policy provided all employees with caring responsibilities with up to five additional days paid leave per calendar year.
In 2020, Fidelity achieved their target of 30% women in global senior management roles and set a new target to achieve 35% women in senior roles by December 2023. Under Anne’s leadership, Fidelity also piloted a female leadership program which resulted in a direct increase in female recruitment to senior roles in India, and expanded the firm’s successful New Horizon Returnship Program.
3) Michele Wee, Standard Chartered bank (Vietnam) limited CEO
Michele’s organization has 70% female representation with 45% in leadership roles. As chair of the Vietnam’s people’s agenda, the focus on DEI, CSR and New Ways of Working resonates across the organization of 1550 employees that participated in 30 events through the year.
More broadly, Michele is also senior Bank sponsor of SCB’s global coaching program – IGNITE that target mid-level females as they progress their leadership journey. The program has coached 650 females (21% of total female population) across 53 countries.
For the Vietnamese community SCB’s commitment of female empowerment through various local partners NGO’s, Chambers of Commerce, clients and vendors impact ethnic minority students to executive / entrepreneurs providing thought leadership, toolkits and financial education that augments female participation in society and business. Michele is vocally advocates for all DEI through media and panel discussions and is recognized by Top 100 women in Fintech 2022 and Heroes for the 2nd consecutive year.
4) Serpil Timuray, Vodafone Group Plc CEO Europe Cluster and Member of Group Executive Committee, Vodafone Group
Since 2014 Serpil has chaired Vodafone’s global Inclusion for All Committee, which has led a pioneering agenda towards colleagues, customers and communities to improve diversity and inclusion.
Serpil has championed the development and rollout of specific apps and services to support women in markets where Vodafone operates – such as the domestic violence app, and drove a target of connecting an additional 20 million women in Africa and Turkey, achieved four years ahead of schedule.
In March 2020, Serpil led the development and launch of Vodafone’s #ChangeTheFace initiative – a call for action based on ground-breaking research into the lack of racial, gender, age diversity within the technology industry. This evolved into the #ChangeTheFace Alliance where leading global tech companies and organisations collaborate on accelerating diversity and equality in the technology sector. In February 2022, Serpil received the Diversity In Tech Outstanding Achievement Award at Mobile World Congress.
5) Sharon Thorne, Deloitte Global Board Chair
Sharon has spent over three decades on boards and held several executive roles including Deputy CEO of Deloitte North South Europe. She actively promotes and is a sought-after public speaker on diversity and inclusion, mental health/wellbeing, and sustainability. Sharon works with Deloitte’s leadership to set and meet ambitious goals for the representation of women in leadership globally.
She is an advocate for allyship and sponsorship in the workplace, for example through her involvement with Deloitte’s Women in the Boardroom report. Sharon established Deloitte’s UK diversity networks in 2007, and champions the Deloitte Global Gender Balance network, the Deloitte UK Neurodiversity network, and the Deloitte Global LGBT+ network. She personally sponsors and mentors several people, and actively participates in external forums such as The 30% Club.
Sharon regularly meets with groups of women at Deloitte and externally to share her experiences, understand theirs, and encourage them to pursue their career ambitions.