The brouhaha over CES’s all-male keynote speaker lineup has prompted a heated discussion not only on Twitter, but also within the company. Senior execs at the social network, especially CMO Leslie Berland, have hammered the Consumer Technology Association for not featuring any women in its top slots in January 2018 (or the year before). While CES organizers have been hinting at an update to the speaker list, Twitter has announced an all-women lineup at its own event on January 10.
Twitter traditionally sets up an invite-only venue at the Cosmopolitan hotel, about 2.5 miles from the Las Vegas Convention Center. Meanwhile, the Consumer Technology Association points out that it will feature about 275 women speakers and panelists at other CES events in January.
Running from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Twitter’s event, called #HereWeAre, will bring together “accomplished tech leaders and entrepreneurs to share their stories and ideas for pushing the industry forward,” says the social network. Attendance will be by invitation only, but Twitter will livestream the event from the @TwitterWomen account. It’s a continuation of #SheInspiresMe sessions Twitter has hosted at events like South by Southwest and the Cannes Film Festival, discussing how women can be empowered to achieve more in technology, business, and the arts.
Twitter’s CES speaker lineup features six women, three of whom have been named Fast Company’s most creative people: Boff, Bryant, and Warrior.
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- Linda Boff, CMO of GE
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- Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls Code
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- Morgan DeBaun, cofounder and CEO of Blavity
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- Myrna Soto, corporate SVP and global CISO of Comcast
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- Kara Swisher, cofounder and executive editor of Recode
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- Padmasaree Warrior, CEO of NIO
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