Listening to the discussions and debates at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month has been quite revealing in terms of seeing how some of the biggest decision-makers, opinion-formers and market-shapers see the future of business. One interesting speech came from business magnate Jack Ma, the executive chairman of Alibaba, one of the world’s most influential l e-commerce businesses. He was talking about what makes his own businesses successful and what sets them apart from the competition, saying: ”If you want your company to be successful; if you want your company to operate with wisdom, with care, then women are the best. 37% of senior management in Alibaba are women. Part of the 'secret sauce' of our success is because we have so many women colleagues.” The core message from Davos this year has been one of recognising the critical role played by women, and particularly women entrepreneurs, in driving a new socio-economic future in the world. Canadian leader, Justin Trudeau, used the platform to launch a series of new women led initiatives, including the publication of an important report on the future of business from the Canada-US Council for the Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs.

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