Good morning! Donald Trump appoints a chief of staff, San Francisco’s mayor loses her re-election bid, and women ponder the election results this week. Have a relaxing weekend.
– Ready to answer. In the days since Donald Trump won the presidency, women leaders have had to take this outcome into account: processing their reactions, talking with their teams, and strategizing for what comes next. The CEOs and founders of the biggest tech companies — including Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai — have publicly offered their congratulations to Trump, and are said to have spent the past weeks and months Flirt with him backstage. I have yet to see a similar congratulatory message from a major female CEO; GM President Mary Barra, for example, is finally here to publish X Day in July to wish Trump a speedy recovery after the assassination attempt, but he has not posted a statement since Tuesday.
However, women leaders outside the Fortune 500 are beginning to pool their ideas and calls to action. Melinda French Gates, who endorsed Harris, books That “nothing ends here.” “Over the next four years, we will see heroic action across our country… and I am committed to being part of that effort,” she said.
Others, with expertise ranging from women’s health to community building to the future of Silicon Valley, shared their responses to the election result:
Di Poco is the founder of WIE Suite, a membership community for women. She also organized the group Harris Foundations In the period leading up to the elections.
Women have a great deal of unrealized power and influence. And what we saw in the elections and reflected in society is a very fragmented use of that power. We have to learn to unite, work together and redouble our efforts towards where to direct that power… We need to redouble our ambition and lead with conviction. Above all, we use our voices. I completely understand that we have shareholders, investors, or customer bases that don’t want us to be political, but if we don’t speak up for other women, then who? … Community works when you are united by a common idea. Goal and respect the other’s point of view. Now is not the time to blame and point fingers. It is time to listen and rebuild.
Leslie Feinzaig, founder of early-stage venture capital firm Graham & Walker, launched Kamala’s venture capital funds, a group she mobilized after a handful of high-profile investors He supported Trump. It is not defined as a democracy but as an independent.
If I had to guess, venture capital would do just as well under the new administration, as I think we would have done very well under Harris. Our mission is to make money for our investors, and that hasn’t changed. Venture capital firms have been co-investing with each other all this time. But while we come to work as venture capitalists, we come to the voting booth as citizens. In this aspect, our values and priorities differed.
I think it’s important to listen and address the deep partisan divide. The values that bring our pledge together – pro-business, pro-American Dream, pro-entrepreneurship, pro-technological, pro-democracy, pro-dialogue – transcend any single candidate, any single moment, and even any single party.…I have no regrets.
Dina Shaker of Lux Capital is an investor in women’s health companies like Maven, which has already dealt with the instability of abortion bans from state to state and the rulings and legislation surrounding fertility treatments and IVF. Her wallet advises:
The best advice I can give is to stay focused and channel any anger and frustration into action and implementation. The needs of women and families do not change with the political tides. Women make up 50% of the population and pay 80% of health care dollars – a pressing need and market opportunity. Our portfolio companies have persisted through management changes, leveraging innovative technology to provide critical care when it is needed most. What is also encouraging is that more investors are seeing capital deployment as a mechanism for action.
Jessie Draper, founder of Halogen Ventures, urges people who support women to shift from politics to the private sector, or what she has begun to call “Plan B.”
Invest in women. Invest in childcare. Invest in women’s health. Put your money into the business and position yourself as a female leader. We need more voices, more female role models, and more female CEOs especially in publicly traded companies. If you are a leader of any kind, you have a platform. Women make 80% of purchasing and healthcare decisions. If you want to see change, invest in women.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
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Also in the headlines
Trump first. Donald Trump appointed Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff. Wells ran Trump’s campaign, and will be the first woman to hold her next position. New York Times
-Next in SF. San Francisco Mayor London Breed lost her race for re-election. Breed became mayor six years ago and was the first black woman to hold the position. After leading the city through the pandemic, she was defeated by Danielle Lowry in a tough race centered around the city’s homelessness problem. CBS News
– On the phone. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, discussed trade, energy, defense and Ukraine with Donald Trump in… described as “Excellent phone call.” Von der Leyen said she looked forward to addressing geopolitical issues with Trump and strengthening EU-US relations. She’s not the only one talking to Trump, he was. Chat with other world leaders After his victory.
– No, no, uh uh, and also no. Interest in the 4B movement — where women refuse to date men, have sex with men, marry men, or have children until there is gender equality — is growing among American women on social media platforms like TikTok. After Donald Trump was elected, he was there He increases In Google searches for 4B, which began in South Korea in the 2000s. Wired
Movers and shakers
Sunshine Health, a managed care organization, was named Charlene Zane President and CEO. Most recently, she served as interim president of the company and was previously chief product officer.
Sustainable Power, a sustainability-focused asset management firm, was appointed Delia Cristea As head of operations. Christia is a partner and general counsel at the firm.
PosiGen, a provider of renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions, was appointed Jane Pierce As head of operations. Previously, she was the company’s senior vice president of operations.
ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, was named Samantha Maltese Chief Marketing and Brand Officer. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Brand Officer at Sesame Workshop.
Avantor, a company that provides products and services to the life sciences industry, was appointed Mrs. Louise McCain To its board of directors. McCain was the CEO of BTG.
Genezen, an organization has been appointed to develop and manufacture gene therapy contracts Pam Stetkiewicz To its board of directors. She is the COO of Arbor Biotechnologies.
The United Way of New York City, a non-profit organization targeting low-income New Yorkers, was appointed Lorinda Martinez, Christine Sobhaniand Kate Woolley To its board of directors. Martinez is associate vice president of real estate at Fred Frank, Sobhani is a senior partner at Kingsley Gate, and Woolley is managing director of the IBM ecosystem.
On my radar
How America embraced the war between the sexes The New Yorker
I went to Kamala Harris’ concession speech, and this is what I heard from Black women luck
Democratic women see country ‘not ready for a woman president’ POLITICO
Parting words
“We’ve fought long and hard, and we have a bigger battle ahead of us — but I know this: We will win the fight for reproductive freedom in the long game. We were built for this.”
— Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill Johnson After the elections
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