Every year on 8 March women from all walks of life are celebrated on International Women’s Day. It is a day where their achievements, and the contribution they make to society, are recognised and lauded. The theme for 2015 is ‘make it happen’ and Chevening is using this as an opportunity to showcase some of its alumnae who are the personification of that theme.

Chevening Alumnae making it happen

Wang Lili, Vice President, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (2005-)

China Chevening Scholar (1994/1995), MBA (International Banking and Finance), University of Birmingham

HE Hala Bsaisu Lattouf, Minister for Social Development, Jordan (2007-2011), and Managing Director of AYA Consultancy for Development (2011-)

Jordan Chevening Scholar (1988/1989), MSc International Finance and Accounting, London School of Economics and Political Science

Sweta Mangal, Co-founder and CEO of Ziqitza Health Care Limited, India (2007-)

India Chevening Fellow (2007), Gurukul Programme in Leadership and Excellence, London School of Economics and Political Science

Delmaude Ryan, Minister for Education, Health and Social Services and Deputy Premier, Montserrat (2014-)

Monserrat Chevening Scholar (2008/2009), MA International Development: Public Policy and Management, University of Manchester

Denisa Sarajlic-Maglic, Deputy Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia & Hertzegovina (2012-), and Director of Political Department of Governance Accountability Project

BiH Chevening Scholar (1995), BA Political Science, University of Wolverhampton

Laura Alonso, MP for Buenos Aires, Argentina, (2009-), and former director of Argentine chapter of Transparency International

Argentina Chevening Scholar (2000/2001), MSc Public Administration and Public Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science

Chevening Alumni Alliance

The Chevening Alumni Alliance, launched in 2014, was established with the aim of maximising opportunities for the global network of 43,000 Chevening Alumni to make high-impact and long-lasting contributions to public good. The Alliance is run by its board, with Laura Vanessa Munoz and Cynthia Vega playing leading roles in progressing the organisation:

Laura Vanessa Munoz, Communications and Project Coordinator for Novus

Mexico Chevening Scholar (2006/2007), MA International Public Relations, Cardiff University

Laura’s motto of ‘spreading good ideas and connecting people’ fits her strong background in communications, public relations, project management and engagement. She is a believer in community action and has been a trustee of Misión México, a charity that supports the sustainability of a children’s refuge in southern Mexico. In 2012 Laura co-founded BritMex an initiative that aims to ensure that future and current generations of leaders, entrepreneurs from Mexico and the UK have an opportunity to meet, co-create, and learn from each other. 

Laura is working on the second edition of her book ‘Public Relations in the age of Sceptics’.

Cynthia Vega, Director of Client Consulting at Nielsen

Mexico Chevening Scholar (2006/2007), MA International Relations, University of Nottingham 

Throughout her professional career Cynthia has worked as a business consultant in the public and private sector. Her expertise in new technology business development, digital advertising, e-commerce and marketing effectiveness has seen her published in various sector magazines.

In her free time, Cynthia enjoys developing projects that foster multicultural relations and social entrepreneurship. She is currently president of the Mexican Talent Network UK.

We are proud of all our alumni who carry Chevening values with them through their careers, and on this day, we take special delight in recognising and applauding just some of the many women associated with Chevening across the world who work tirelessly to bring about positive change. We hope that the trail they are blazing will empower the next generation of young female leaders to ‘make it happen’ on an even bigger scale in the years to come.