Fortune recently announced several of the confirmed speakers for the Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, D.C., October 13 – 15.
The three-day event will bring together the most influential women in business, from Fortune 500 companies and notable startups, alongside select leaders in government, philanthropy, education, sports and the arts. Centered around this year’s theme, “Leading in a Dynamic World,” attendees will engage in agenda-setting conversations led by Fortune’s award-winning journalists, as well as candid off-the-record sessions and a gala dinner at the National Cathedral.
Words from the CEO
“Fortune’s Most Powerful Woman summit is more important than ever,” said Fortune CEO Anastasia Nyrkovskaya. “Bringing together the world’s most influential women, at this time and in this city, is the perfect moment for dialogue about the pace and future of meaningful progress in business and our world.”
Speakers
Attendees will hear from several women of the 2025 Most Powerful Women in Business List, including Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS Group Holdings; Beth Ford, CEO of Land O’Lakes; Dame Emma Walmsley, CEO of GSK, Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co.; Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy; Lynn Martin, President of NYSE Group; Toni Townes-Whitley, CEO of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC); and Livia Chanes, CEO of Nubank Brazil.
Additional confirmed speakers
- Shannon Clark, Head of Defense Growth, Palantir
- Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Transport and Minister of Internal Trade, Government of Canada
- Yanela Frias, Executive Vice President and CFO, Prudential Financial
- Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO, U.S. Ski & Snowboard
- Ellie Mertz, Chief Financial Officer, Airbnb
- Carolyn Sakstrup, Executive Vice President, Chief Growth and Generosity Officer, Thrivent
- Kecia Steelman, President and CEO, Ulta Beauty
- Karla Valas, Head of Private Wealth Management and Executive Services, Fidelity Investments
- Libby Wadle, Chief Executive Officer, J.Crew Group
Guest appearances
Day One will include a special guest appearance by Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co., who will discuss the current geopolitical and economic landscape, as well as the company’s approach to supporting the progression of senior women.
Day Two features Rare Beauty founder Selena Gomez and Chief Impact Officer Elyse Cohen. They will discuss how Rare Beauty challenges traditional beauty standards, supports mental health through the Rare Impact Fund and balances profit with purpose by building a values-driven, inclusive brand.
Fortune Editorial Director of Most Powerful Women Ellie Austin added, “The MPW community is a peer group like no other and, as a result, the conversations and connections forged at the Summit lead to real change. Sometimes that’s a new business partnership or a discussion that makes women in the audience think differently about the way they lead.”
Summit programming
The Summit’s programming is created by a mix of top editorial talent at Fortune and respected outsiders. Fortune Editor in Chief Alyson Shontell will join Summit co-chairs: Ellie Austin; Most Powerful Women Editor Emma Hinchliffe; Leadership Editor Claire Zillman; Senior Writer Sheryl Estrada; and guest co-chair Karen Lynch, former President and CEO of CVS Health.
The 2025 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit is presented in collaboration with Premier Partners Deloitte, Doordash, Heidrick & Struggles, Insigniam, Novartis, Thrivent, Workday and Fidelity. The Summit’s Partners include Braze, Guild, Johnson & Johnson and Philip Morris International.
For more information, including the full agenda and speaker list, visit the event website here.
Fortune Most Powerful Women began as a list in 1998 and the annual summit convenes top women in business—along with select leaders in government, philanthropy, education and the arts—for connections and wide-ranging conversations that inspire and deliver practical advice. For more information, visit the conference website here and follow Fortune MPW on Instagram and LinkedIn.
About Fortune
Fortune is a global multi-platform media company built on a legacy of trusted, award-winning reporting and information for those who want to make business better. Independently owned, Fortune tells the stories of the world’s biggest companies and their leaders. They also highlight a new generation of innovators who are moving business forward. Digitally and in print, Fortune measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks and holds companies accountable in regions around the world. Its iconic rankings include Fortune 500, Fortune Global 500, Most Powerful Women and World’s Most Admired Companies. Fortune builds world-class communities by convening industry thought leaders for exclusive summits and conferences. This includes events such as the Fortune Global Forum, Brainstorm Tech and Fortune Most Powerful Women.
Check out our article Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking to learn valuable tips for becoming more confident on the stage.
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