CGC | Nairobi Celebrates the Global Women on Boards Graduation at CGC | Paris

Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi partnered with LeadWomen Sdn Bhd - Malaysia and Women on Boards - Kenya for the 2021 - 2022 Global Women on Board (GWOB) Leadership program cohort. The GWOB is an initiative initiated by Leadwomen and Women on Boards, and its main objective is to prepare women for international board directorships. The six-month modular program is hosted across East Africa and Malaysia. It allows participants to appreciate the best practices of corporate governance, leadership and dynamics in boardrooms in a cross-cultural setting.

The GWOB Leadership program is also ideal for those seeking an understanding of directors' duties, roles and responsibilities, as it covers the critical elements of corporate governance, essential financial understanding, board's role in strategy and risk. The program also provides a good appreciation of board cultures and dynamics, which is further complemented by sharing the real experience of an international cohort.

Upon completing this year's modular, the Director of CGC | Nairobi - Dr. Murugi Ndirangu, attended the graduation ceremony at CGC | Paris to expand the program within the network and continue deepening relations and partnerships in this newfound initiative. During this modular period, Nairobi Center had located and connected a pool of Columbia faculty members who have a profound interest in women empowerment issues and, more so, those who are interested in seeing more women on boards in developing and emerging economies. Their contributions during the modular's period included those from Dr. Patricia Angus of Columbia Business School, who reviewed and evaluated the assessment questionnaire that assessed the participants' board readiness at the program's start. Dr. Angus also gave a remarkable induction of the program that allowed the participants to understand the expectations and goals for the program; Professor Rita McGrath of Columbia Business School also delivered an extraordinary module on strategic thinking when approaching board matters, and Dr. Susan Blaustein from Columbia's School of Professional Studies delivered a special talk during the graduation ceremony on Sustainability with a focus on women as the social pillar who drive sustainability today.

Columbia Global Centers | Nairobi is in the process of signing the Global Women on Board Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LeadWomen Sdn Bhd - Malaysia and Women on Boards. Within the Global Centers network, CGC | Paris has expressed interest in joining the initiative, with the invitation now being extended to all the other global Centers. The GWOB Leadership program is exceptional as it produces women with distinct qualifications and competencies who will initiate much-needed change worldwide and provide progressive, innovative solutions for boards globally. The program is currently accepting applications for the 2023 cohort. 

• To apply for the program, click this link
• To learn more about the program, click this link