Shearman & Sterling celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday, March 8 with a hybrid event hosted by the FinTech Foundry, Diversity & Inclusion, WISER and Alumni Relations.

In line with this year’s United Nations theme for International Women’s Day, “DigitALL: Innovation & Technology for Gender Equality,” the event featured two panels that delved into the digital gender divide and how it creates challenges and opportunities for women, the global economy and overall productivity.

The first panel was an engaging discussion which explored the rapid technological advancements that are changing the way we work. Other topics included digital trends, gaps and advantages for women in industries like academia and the broader technology sector as well as actionable tips for advancement in these fields.

The speakers and moderators for this panel were:

• Gillian Emmett Moldowan, Partner, Compensation, Governance & ERISA; Member, Women’s Initiative for Success, Excellence and Retention (WISER), Shearman & Sterling
• Geline Midouin, Co-Executive Director & Chief Operations Officer, Shearman & Sterling
• Meredith Williams-Range, Chief Client Strategy & Growth Officer, Shearman & Sterling
• Joy Heath Rush, Chief Executive Officer, International Legal Technology Association
• Tieisha Smith, Head of Tech Partnerships, Acceleration & Culture Transformation, TIAA

The second panel dealt more specifically with issues of the gender divide within FinTech as well as the blockchain and crypto industries. Though the number of prominent women in these fields has steadily improved, significant gender gaps persist. Other topics included the contributions women have made to FinTech, along with the path forward for women leaders in the space.

The speakers and moderators for this panel were:

• Jennifer D. Morton, Partner, Financial Institutions Advisory & Financial Regulatory; Co-Head, FinTech Foundry, Shearman & Sterling
• Cassandra Cuellar, Partner, Emerging Markets; Member, FinTech Foundry, Shearman & Sterling
• Sarah Biller, Co-Founder, Fintech Sandbox
• Shelley Eleby, Head of Marketing, Electronic Trading, Bank of Montreal