Monday, March 16, 2026: SSOWomen's Day & Site Tour
Sponsored by PwC
SSOWomen's Day
8:20 am - 8:50 am
Registration
8:50 am - 9:00 am
Chairwomen’s Opening Remarks
Deborah Kops -
Principal,
Sourcing Change
Liz Evans - Principal, PwC
9:00 am - 9:30 am
Interview | The Road Not Yet Taken: Navigating Non-Linear Career Paths in Shared Services & GBS
Jules Andrew -
Chief Business Services Officer,
Colgate Palmolive
Amy Wang - Head of Human Resources and HR Shared Services, Americas, Mercedes-Benz North America Corporation
Not all careers move in a straight line, and in Shared Services, that’s often where the real growth happens. Join us for an eye-opening interview with an executive who has successfully navigated roles in a BPO, consultancy, and traditional GBS, building a toolkit of skills that work anywhere. From recognizing transferable strengths to embracing career pivots, attendees will learn how to evaluate their own capabilities, spot the right opportunities, and adapt for success in new environments. Whether you’re considering a move into a different sector, exploring cross-functional roles, or simply curious about what else is possible in the Shared Services universe, this session will help you to see the possibilities your career path might be hiding in plain sight.
Amy Wang
Head of Human Resources and HR Shared Services, AmericasMercedes-Benz North America Corporation
9:30 am - 10:00 am
Presentation | From GBS Leaders to Enterprise Shapers – Building the Next Generation of Female Leaders in Enterprise Transformation
Women are already doing the hard work of enterprise transformation—running complex GBS operations, fixing what’s broken, and delivering results under pressure. The real question is: why are so few of these leaders shaping the enterprise agenda?
This session challenges the “great operator” ceiling and explores how successful GBS leaders have stepped into true enterprise-shaping roles. Through real stories of women who moved from trusted executors to strategic decision-makers, we’ll unpack what actually made the difference—visibility over humility, sponsorship over self-reliance, leveraging AI as strategic insight accelerator rather than a barrier, and stretch ownership over safe progression. Expect a candid conversation on what organizations must change to build a stronger female leadership pipeline and what women leaders must stop waiting for. Walk away with practical, actionable insights on elevating impact, accelerating the next generation of female leaders, and ensuring women are present where enterprise transformation decisions are truly made.
Sponsored by: PwC
10:00 am - 10:10 am
Short Transition Break into Interactive Discussion Groups
Connect with amazing women in shared services! Join our interactive discussions, share your stories, and learn from others. It's a chance to build your network and gain fresh perspectives.
SSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:10 am - 10:40 am IDG #1 Second Acts: Reinventing Your Career in Mid to Senior Leadership Amber Kempton - SVP, Enterprise Business Operations (QTC), CDW-G
SSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:10 am - 10:40 am IDG #2 The Art of Self-Advocacy: Asking for Promotions, Pay, and Projects Stephanie Ernsting - Sr. Director of HR Shared Services - North America, Amcor
SSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:10 am - 10:40 am IDG #3 Career Exit Without Culture Exit: Staying Connected to Your Industry Community While Making Space for New Leadership Jo Anne Dimitriou - Former Head of Shared Services, Air Force Service Center
SSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:10 am - 10:40 am IDG #4 Industry Surfing: How to Transfer Your Skills from Role to Role Joya Carmichael - Chief Administrative Officer, The MLC
10:40 am - 10:45 am
Transition Break into Next Interactive Discussion Groups
SSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:45 am - 11:15 am IDG #1 Second Acts: Reinventing Your Career in Mid to Senior Leadership Amber Kempton - SVP, Enterprise Business Operations (QTC), CDW-GSSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:45 am - 11:15 am IDG #2 The Art of Self-Advocacy: Asking for Promotions, Pay, and Projects Stephanie Ernsting - Sr. Director of HR Shared Services - North America, AmcorSSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:45 am - 11:15 am IDG #3 Career Exit Without Culture Exit: Staying Connected to Your Industry Community While Making Space for New Leadership Jo Anne Dimitriou - Former Head of Shared Services, Air Force Service CenterSSOWomen's Day Interactive Discussion Group
10:45 am - 11:15 am IDG #4 Industry Surfing: How to Transfer Your Skills from Role to Role Joya Carmichael - Chief Administrative Officer, The MLC
11:15 am - 11:30 am
Networking Break
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Panel | Lessons Learned: Senior Leaders Share Their Career Journeys and Advice
Sanjay Thirumalai -
Chief Global Delivery Officer,
Stout
Vandana Khanna - VP, Digital Finance Transformation, MetLife
Jazmin Alvarado - VP, Global Services, Grupo Bimbo
Gillian Barton - VP, Global Delivery Operations, OTIS
Rina Desai - VP, Strategic Planning, Panasonic North America
What does it really take to build, and sustain, a successful career in Shared Services & GBS? In this interactive Q&A, executives with 20+ years of experience pull back the curtain on their professional journeys, revealing the pivotal moments, biggest challenges, and surprising turning points that shaped their paths.
Along the way, they’ll share stories of the mentors, sponsors, and allies who changed the course of their careers, and the lessons they wish they’d known earlier. From navigating industry disruptions to making tough career decisions, this is your chance to hear the unfiltered wisdom of leaders who’ve been there, done that, and are still driving impact today.
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Panel | The Future of Leadership: Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Shared Services
Elizabeth Carter -
CEO,
Aappeal LLC
Mercedes Sullivan - EVP of People, Culture, and Communications, McKinley Companies
Erin Vincent - VP, Sonoco Services (GBS), Sonoco
Shared Services is a field where women make up a large portion of the workforce , yet executive roles are still disproportionately held by men. When you look deeper, the representation gap grows even wider for women from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. In this forward-looking discussion, a diverse panel of emerging leaders will explore the intersection of gender, race, and other identities in Shared Services leadership. From identifying where biases appear in talent pipelines to creating mentorship and sponsorship models that work across differences, this session offers both a candid look at the challenges and a blueprint for change. Because in the end, overcoming these barriers benefits everyone in the Shared Services community
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
Presentation | Adaptive Leadership: Thriving Through Change and Uncertainty
Amy Bare -
Sr. Director, Global Business Services Strategy & Global Delivery Network,
Kimberly-Clark
Kim Greenwood - Sr. Director of Global Business Services, Kimberly-Clark
In Shared Services & GBS, change isn’t the exception, it’s the constant. From shifting business priorities to new technologies and economic uncertainty, leaders are expected to navigate disruption without losing momentum. But thriving in this environment requires more than just flexibility, it demands the ability to stay calm under pressure, make clear decisions, and inspire your team to do the same. This session explores the core skills of adaptive leadership, from boosting team morale during turbulent times to turning challenges into opportunities for added value. You’ll learn practical strategies to keep your team engaged, focused, and performing at their best, no matter what changes come next.
Amy Bare
Sr. Director, Global Business Services Strategy & Global Delivery NetworkKimberly-Clark
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Keynote | Leading at the Top: Insights from a C-Suite Executive
Maria Janssen -
Chief Transformation Officer,
Allianz SE
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Lunch for SSOWomen / Takeaway Lunch for Site Tour Participants
Site Tour
12:45 pm - 2:15 pm
Site Tour Registration Opens
2:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Discover the Siemens GBS Organization Evolution
Siemens Global Business Services transformed from operating as an internal shared services entity to a customer-centric organization driven by digitalization and customization is a success story with over 20 years of experience. As business dynamics shifted and customer expectations evolved, we at Siemens GBS recognized the need to keep up with modern expectations and transform our processes to better serve our customers. We enable Siemens AG units worldwide and external customers to accelerate their business transformation into a sustainable and digital future. Its portfolio comprises services driven by expertise and the latest technology – with a strong focus on innovation and digitalization in areas like business administration, human resources, supply chain management, sales, marketing, and engineering. Our core business focuses on these strategic areas:
- Business Solutions Services
- Engineering Services
- Hire to Retire Services
- Opportunity to Cash Services
- Purchase to Pay Services
- Project Services
- Record to Report
