Young Women Step Into Leadership in UK Embassy’s ‘Leader for a Day’
On 7 March, the British Ambassador Faye O’Connor hosted the third annual ‘Leader for a Day’ at the Residence. The competition pairs young women with top professionals, aiming to spark leadership skills and push gender equality at the highest levels.
Men Join the Push for Equality
This year’s event embraced the broader theme of #EmbraceEquity by including male leaders. Gender equality, organisers stressed, requires everyone’s effort. Big names like the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mayors of Montevideo and Rocha, CEOs, academics and journalists all signed up to take part.
Minister Pablo Mieres and UN Women’s Magdalena Furtado were proud guests. Past winners also returned to share how the day changed their outlook.
The Power Pairings
The participating young women shadowed some of Uruguay’s finest leaders:
- Florencia González Mendiburu with Carolina Cosse, Mayor of Montevideo
- Laura Storoszczuk with Mariana Chilibroste, Co-founder of Sellin
- María Antonella Trucillo with Silvia Emaldi, President of UTE
- Analía Reyes with Geoffrey Fichte, CEO of HSBC Uruguay
- Camila Carvalho with Pablo Mieres, Minister of Labour
- Camila Fernández Spokojny with Pilar Moreno, Associate Professor at UdelaR
- Avril Perna with British Ambassador Faye O’Connor
- Avril Suvelza with Journalist Blanca Rodríguez
- Ana Laura Peralta with Diego Sayanes, CEO of Grupo RUA
- Agustina Nacimiento with Alejandra Silveira, AstraZeneca’s Logistics Manager
- Romina Werner with Alejo Umpiérrez, Mayor of Rocha
- Aitana Ordóñez with Canadian Ambassador Isabelle Valois
A Day of Insight and Inspiration
The day gave the young leaders a hands-on look at leadership and its demands:
- Breakfast with Blanca Rodríguez and companion Avril Suvelza
- Official ceremony at the Presidency meeting President Luis Lacalle Pou and Inmujeres director Mónica Bottero
- Networking lunch with British company execs including HSBC’s Geoffrey Fichte and board member Isabelle Chaquiriand
- Visit to the British Embassy to meet staff and learn about diplomacy
- Radio Sarandí interview about the contest and the significance of International Women’s Day for the UK
- Chat with women’s team of Montevideo City Torque football club discussing careers and the future of women’s football in Uruguay
- Evening cocktail at the Peruvian Ambassador’s Residence
‘Leader for a Day’ continues to empower young women and spotlight the need for real gender balance in top roles – and this year proved everyone has a part to play.
