Bank of America and Vital Voices Invest in Emerging Women Leaders in South Africa Through Global Ambassadors Program

CAPE TOWN, South Africa - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Today Bank of America and Vital Voices convened a mentoring forum in Cape Town, South Africa, to develop a global action plan to engage the international community in increasing the number and impact of women leaders as decision-makers. The effort is part of the Global Ambassadors Program, a Vital Voices and Bank of America partnership, which mobilizes accomplished professionals as mentors for talented women leaders in developing countries.

The forum in Cape Town from June 26 to 30 brings five Global Ambassadors (mentors) and more than 20 international women leaders together to advance the dialogue on the value and impact that women's leadership will have in the discussion around the post-U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These goals, which range from dramatically reducing poverty to providing universal primary education, are top priorities agreed upon by all the world's countries.

The five mentors participating in the South Africa event are Wendy Luhabe, co-founder, Women Investment Portfolio Holdings; Inez McCormack, founder and advisor, Participation and the Practice of Rights; Denise Menelly, operations executive, Global Commercial and Corporate Banking, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Jennifer Taylor, chief operating officer, Asia Pacific, Bank of America Merrill Lynch; and Ann Veneman, former executive director, U.N. Children's Fund and former Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture.