IRENE Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women, a 25-year-old institution, is in town in connection with the APEC Women’s Forum that takes place this week. She is an American citizen of Filipino descent who has been a pillar of the feminist movement in the United States as well as served in government positions as a presidential appointee. She is also Chair of the International Corporate Women Directors, a worldwide association of women CEOs.

One of the advocacies of the Global Summit of Women, which is a yearly gathering of top women in business, politics, arts, education, non-governmental work as well as world institutions like the United Nations, Central Banks, humanitarian organizations, is the inclusion of women in governing boards of these agencies and organizations, including governmental bodies like legislatures, executive agencies, the judiciary. The International Corporate Women Directors is an implementing arm.