The TalentNomics Conference experience is one of the best conferences I ever attended. The logistics were excellent from the reception at airport, accommodation in the symbolic environmentally sustainable complex, on-time start of all the sessions, including the opening session and the agreeable conference venue with high quality food and beverages.
But it was the profile of attendants that made it very special. To get a Cabinet Minister at the opening recounting his positive experiences of inclusive talent usage and committing to even more vigorous transformation of the energy sector to unleash the energies of women and poor people, was remarkable. The audience profile was also an amazing testament to inclusion. We had great local and international professionals as well as practitioners in education ands civil society who brought young women I to the room as active participants in the conference. There was also a significant level of participation by men in key positions in the private sector and civil society who brought valuable insights as men in the discussions, including the need to have even more men to help refocus their views on the value of gender equality as a business and national development imperative. This profile of participants was essential to the exceptional success of the conference. Credit must also go to the organisers for their choice of speakers, facilitators of panels and selection of themes. It all came together in an inspirational way.
I left the conference inspired to bring the idea of TalentNomics to my country and continent to enable us to escape the inertia of under-performance of our economy and social development. It was a privilege to connect with such powerful inspirational women and men.
