The Women's Forum Asia is an interesting topic for Lafarge as a worldwide company where we highly value cultural diversity. In China, we have women staff with very high potential.

Bruno Lafont

CEO of Lafarge Group

Sodexo feels deeply sorry for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake a few days ago. As an immediate response, Sodexo has donated 1 million yuan to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation.

Globally speaking, among our 15,000 employees in 500 sites of 24 cities, women contribute 40 per cent of our management. At the executive level, the percentage is 30 percent and in the top 200 managers, that's 15 per cent. We set an objective to raise it to 23 to 25 in the next few years.

Michel Landel

CEO of Sodexo

There is a need to balance the conventional business model that is predominantly male. This gathering of women can be a powerful force. The solidarity demonstrated by them is sure to make an impact upon society.

Dominique Heriard Dubreuil

Chairman of the board, Remy Cointreau

I think the time has come for the world to get to know the new generation of Chinese women who are increasingly self-confident, economically-independent and progressively happier than ever before.

Zhang Lan

President of South China Beauty

In a society where labor work no longer plays a dominant role, women, who are better at skills and communications, are having more and more advantages.

In 2008, we are hoping to make women constitute half of our employees. And as our society is becoming more culturally diversified, we are hoping to increase the percentage of overseas employees to 20.

Pan Shiyi

Chairman of SOHO China Ltd

I see in China, probably since 1949, we have the policy of "women hold the half sky". It is very promising in China.

Chinese women are soft inside and tough outside. I think we do have great policy support female workforce.

Alexandra L. Lan

Co-founder at Human Capital Executive Search Consultants

Mostly in China, in corporate environment, everybody is fairly used to women being a major workforce.

But when you look at the top leadership of China, either politically or economically, you still find few women. Women tend to always be in middle management.

It is important for men in China to understand that to have women in the boardroom and at the strategic decision making level adds a whole new element and option to what we can do.

Hung Huang

CEO of China Interactive Media Group

Today is a wonderful day for me. Because it is the first day of the women's forum here, concretizing our dream. We have more than 670 delegates from 35 countries. Asia represents 75 per cent, and 65 are from China.

Isabelle Fernandez

General Manager Asia, WEFCOS Exhibition Service Co Ltd, who holds the Women's Forum For The Economy & Society

I'm personally interested in learning more about the emerging, developing nations like China and India, and the role of women in that development process. The forum has so far been a fascinating experience for me.

Aster Angagaw

Senior Vice-President, Strategy, Planning & Quality, Sodexo

The forum is of strategic significance to China and we, therefore, are all looking forward to welcoming more delegates from around the world to the Women's Forum Asia in Beijing in 2009.

Alexander Wan

President, China CEO Roundtable and Special Advisor, Women's Forum Asia

(China Daily 05/16/2008 page10)