The 4th Annual Spirit Forward Summit Powered by Bacardi Breaks Down Barriers and Promotes Inclusivity
CORAL GABLES, Fla., September 27, 2019 – Yesterday marked the 4th annual Spirit Forward Summit, powered by Bacardi, which brought together current and future female change-makers for a day of speeches, panels and activities aimed to empower and educate women who are passionate about shattering stereotypes. This year’s theme, “Be You, Be Better” inspired individuals across industries to identify their authentic self and engage in thought-provoking discussions on topics such as inclusivity, paying it forward, financial empowerment, and more. As female leaders continue to break down barriers in the face of adversity, Bacardi is giving them a platform to share their voice.
More than 500 female and male trailblazers gathered at the Spirit Forward Summit at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, which serves as Bacardi’s Women in Leadership marquee program of the year. With speakers from all over the country, thought provoking conversations and clear call to action moments, some highlights from the day included:
- Keynote speaker and author of A Year of Positive Thinking, Cyndie Spiegel opened the day with a resounding talk on Personal Branding, encouraging women to home in on what makes them unique so that they can stand out amongst the noise.
- Head of Global Reflections at Bacardi, Paula Glickenhaus, moderated a panel on Diversity, which included leaders across industries such as Global Talen Management & Inclusion Leader, Demetha Sanders, and Senior Director, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Citrix, Scott Ballina. Panelists championed the importance of an inclusive environment and the impact on work culture when everyone feels that they can bring a sense of who they are to the workplace.
- MSNBC Journalist and Author of Perfectly You, Mariana Atencio closed the summit with a powerful speech reminding the audience that being a powerhouse means always being unapologetically, and perfectly, you.
- Regional President at Bacardi in North America, Pete Carr, spoke to the audience about how Bacardi believes that empowering women and having women in leadership, makes companies better, and creates a richer and diverse environment that leads to better thinking and stronger performance.
- The day also included a Bar Spar boxing break, meditation session by Elena Brower, and power sharing breaks, along with stalls from local female entrepreneurs in the summit’s marketplace.
In true Bacardi style, following the summit, guests were invited to enjoy a cocktail reception that put the spotlight on local female mixologists and brand ambassadors.
Click here for images from the event.
About Bacardi Women in Leadership
Family owned Bacardi Limited, believes in building a business that reflects and supports the communities it serves. Bacardi believes that globally reflective teams are good for business; they make innovation possible, outperform the competition and enable organizations to be more impactful. The Bacardi Women in Leadership initiative was founded with the mission of unleashing the potential of current and future female leaders and is part of the Bacardi Global Reflections Program focused on 4Gs: Gender, Geography, Generation and Growth. The Spirit Forward Summit Miami is the marquee event for Bacardi Women in Leadership which also produces the Spirit Forward Summit London and the Spirit Forward Series, a more intimate traveling program crafted specifically for the hospitality and spirits industry. Learn more: https://www.bacardi-women-in-leadership.com/
About Bacardi Limited
Bacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi Limited brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka, PATRÓN® tequila, DEWAR’S® Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin, MARTINI® vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES® 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON’S® Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN® elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF® vodka.
Founded more than 157 years ago, in Santiago de Cuba on February 4, 1862, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 7,000, operates more than 20 production facilities, including bottling, distilling and manufacturing sites in 11 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter @BacardiLimited or Instagram @BacardiLimited1862.
For press enquiries, please contact:
Karuna Advani
Bacardi Limited
Global Corporate Communications Manager
E: kadvani@bacardi.com
T: +1 (786) 264-8233
Jessica Merz
Bacardi Limited
Global Corporate Communications Director
E: jmerz@bacardi.com
T: +1 (786) 264-8119
