Countess of Wessex in North America
The Countess of Wessex was in New York and Toronto last week in her role as a global ambassador for 100 Women in Finance which supports her wider work on gender equality. The goal of 100 Women in Finance is to encourage more women to go into the field by creating more accessible pathways into the career.
Beginning in New York, Sophie joined a panel at 100 Women in Finances first impression event which brought together young girls between the ages of 12 and 18 as well as industry professionals to encourage young girls to pursue careers in finance. Although women make up half of those employed in finance, only 12.2% of CFO positions are held by women globally according to catalyst.
The Countess then joined a breakfast meeting at Winston & Strawn that included both men and women who are working to achieve gender equality in the workplace. Sophie went on to meet representatives from the awareness campaign who are empowering faith leaders to help become peacemakers in their communities. The Countess has been working with communities around the world to include women and faith leaders in peace conversations.
Before heading to Toronto, Sophie attended the 18th annual 100 Women in Finance Gala Dinner where she spoke about the importance of visibility. Being able to see more women and role models in all areas, including finance, encourages young girls to pursue careers in areas they may have not previously considered.
The Countess of Wessex continued on to Toronto where she visited Toronto Western and Toronto General Hospital in her role as patron. Both Hospitals specialize in cardiology and the treatment of strokes, Sophie first visited in 2005. The Countess of Wessex was shown some of the cutting edge technology that the hospital is developing including the first robot assisted brain surgery.
During her second day in Toronto, the Countess of Wessex attended the 100 women in Finance business breakfast. She took part in a Q&A with young girls and discussed the development available to young women as they embark in their careers. Sophie then met with participants in the Duke of Edinburgh awards to see how education can help young people reach their full potential.
Before returning to the U.K. the Countess of Wessex met with the Governor General of Canada, Julie Payette. The Governor General is the Queens representative abroad and carries out ceremonial duties on behalf of the monarch.
The Countess of Wessex has been undertaking many more responsibilities both at home and abroad on behalf of the crown. It has been fairly typical for working members of the family to increase their workload once their children are a bit older and in school full time which means it is likely we could continue to see in an increase in the Countess of Wessex's workload. xx