On September 12, 2024, at the Greenberg Traurig offices in Downtown Miami, the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual Women On event, part of an initiative launched in 2019 with a clear purpose: promoting professional capacities and skills, enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of businesses, and ensuring equal opportunities for women in leadership positions. 

This year’s focus was centered on exploring gender equality from both corporate and legal perspectives, featuring two insightful panels: Corporate Diversity: Integrating Policies for an Inclusive Workplace and Women in Law: Breaking Barriers Through Legislation and Leadership. The event provided a platform for meaningful discussion on how organizations and leaders are driving change, as well as the persistent challenges women face in their careers.

Corporate Diversity: Integrating Policies for an Inclusive Workplace

The first panel, moderated by Yosbel Ibarra, Co-Managing Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, delved into the various corporate policies and strategies leading companies are implementing to foster diversity. Panelists shared practical steps their organizations are taking to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into their business models and company cultures.

Nagidmy Marquez Acosta, Chief Content Officer at ¡HOLA! Americas, opened the discussion by emphasizing that diversity is not merely a goal but a necessary tool to attract and retain talent. “We need diversity; we need people from different countries and backgrounds,” she said. For Nagidmy, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment has proven effective—her team has maintained a retention rate of 90% over the past five years, with those who left moving on to better opportunities.

An important voice on this panel was Mariana Seixas, Director and Senior Counsel at SoftBank Investment Advisers. Seixas highlighted the critical role diverse leadership plays when evaluating investments in startups. As someone who leads cross-border transactions in Latin America, including landmark deals like the $1 billion acquisition of Pismo by Visa, Mariana noted that SoftBank actively seeks diversity within startup leadership teams. “Diverse leadership is a key factor when looking to invest in high-growth companies,” she said. Her insights reflected the importance of aligning capital with values of inclusion, ensuring that investments not only yield financial returns but also contribute to the broader goal of creating more equitable business environments.

Brenda Henderson, Senior Sourcing Analyst at PNM Resources, highlighted that concrete actions, such as mentorship and sponsorship, are crucial in promoting diversity. Her organization’s Diverse and Small Business Programs play a vital role in supporting diverse enterprises in New Mexico and Texas. She also addressed the importance of male allies in advancing gender equity, especially in male-dominated industries like supply chain management. In her words, “Involving male business leaders is key to fostering diversity in such environments.”

The panel also explored the role of sponsorship in professional growth. Brissa Quiroz, Director of Accessibility Education at Microsoft, shared her personal journey, where sponsorship played a pivotal role in her rise to a leadership position. “Sponsorship goes beyond mentorship. It means advocating for someone when they are not in the room,” she explained. Brissa has consistently advocated for more resources in education, particularly to support historically underserved communities such as Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

A recurring theme throughout the panel was the importance of making DEI a mission, not a mandate. As Nagidmy noted, “Diversity efforts succeed when they are embraced as part of the organization’s core mission.” The panel concluded with a call for continued action—ensuring that diversity becomes deeply ingrained in organizational culture and that leaders lead by example to drive change.

Women in Law: Breaking Barriers Through Legislation and Leadership

The second panel, “Women in Law: Breaking Barriers Through Legislation and Leadership,” moderated by Dr. Maria Ilcheva, Research Professor at Florida International University, explored the intersection of gender equality, the legal profession, and legislation. The discussion started with a global comparison of gender inequality, using the Gender Inequality Index, where countries like the U.S. (ranked 44), Spain (ranked 15), and Denmark (ranked 1) were highlighted to provide context. Dr. Ilcheva linked this to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5: Gender Equality, framing the challenges women face within a global perspective.

Panelists shared their personal experiences of breaking through barriers in the legal world, emphasizing the need for mentorship and sponsorship to ensure that more women reach leadership positions. Ines Bahachille, Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel at Mondelēz International, stressed the importance of both. “We need to look for women in our organizations and not only be mentors but sponsors. You need to talk and support them,” she stated.

The conversation also addressed the three biggest equity challenges women face in the legal field: representation, pay equity, and systemic bias. Carol Barnhart, Corporate Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and board member of the Spain-US Chamber of Commerce, shared insights from her extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions. Recently named Co-Chair of the Miami Corporate Practice, Carol emphasized that while challenges like pay equity and representation persist, a strong organizational culture can overcome these obstacles. “With the right culture in place, we can ensure that everyone has a path to leadership, even in traditionally male-dominated fields,” she noted. She also highlighted that once companies see how diversity positively affects the bottom line, they are more likely to take action. “When diversity starts to impact the P&L, that’s when organizations truly start moving the needle on inclusion and equity,” Carol added.

Juan Enjamio, managing partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP’s Miami office, offered insights into how organizations can institutionalize DEI. He pointed out that legislative measures, such as gender equality laws, are essential in motivating companies to focus on equity. However, he emphasized that corporate efforts need to go beyond compliance and actively integrate DEI into everyday business practices.

The discussion also touched upon how ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks incorporate equity and representation within their social and governance pillars. Marcia Narine Weldon, General Counsel at Avatar Buddy and Women’s Fund Miami-Dade, underscored the importance of aligning equity goals with ESG frameworks. “We see equity considerations being operationalized in ESG frameworks, but we need to ensure that organizations are held accountable for their DEI goals,” she remarked.

Key Takeaways: From Insight to Action

Throughout both panels, a common theme emerged: the importance of taking action. As Brissa Quiroz noted, “It’s not enough to talk about diversity; we need to implement concrete steps, like sponsorship, mentorship, and inclusive policies, to drive real change.” Panelists agreed that empathy, valuing diverse talent, and leading by example are essential to creating an inclusive workplace where women can thrive.

A poignant conclusion from the panelists was the encouragement to engage in difficult conversations about gender equity. Ines Bahachille urged, “Don’t be afraid to speak up and have difficult conversations. You might assume people won’t understand you, but many will—and you need to raise your voice.” She added the importance of supporting other women in these efforts, reminding the audience that solidarity is key to breaking down barriers.

As the event drew to a close, it became clear that while challenges remain, events like Women On provide valuable spaces for leaders to share strategies, experiences, and tools that can drive real change. As all the panelists emphasized, the journey toward gender equality in both corporate and legal fields requires commitment, collaboration, and a willingness to lead with empathy.

Thank you to our partners!

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of our host, Greenberg Traurig, and our media partners Iberia and ¡HOLA!. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Iberia for providing a round-trip ticket to Madrid, awarded during the cocktail hour, and to ¡HOLA!, who covered the event with interviews of attendees and panelists, capturing the highlights and key insights shared throughout the discussions.