Commissioner Roswall's speech at the Women in Leadership Annual Gathering

European Commission -Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's speech at the Women in Leadership Annual Gathering Brussels, 22 May 2025 Thank you to Women in Leadership, thanks Thaima, and a very good afternoon to all of you. Thanks for inviting me. And let me first of all share with you how inspired I felt when I entered the room and saw all these dynamic ladies. I have been a European Commissioner for 6 months and before that a national politician for many years. I started my career as a lawyer in private practice. I have done many different things over the years, but there is one thing I have come to really value. Whether you work in the private or in the public sector – having a network matters. Networks bring a sense of unity, they provide contacts, new career opportunities. Sometimes they offer a shoulder to cry on. And networks can open doors that we thought were closed to us. I understand that your network is very cross-cutting. It's not about women in tech, or women in law, or women in finance. Instead, you bring together women from all walks of life - the public sector, the private sector, academia and think thanks. Your membership is as diverse as our Union. I also know that you have a talent programme, supporting future female leaders. And I am happy to see so many young faces in the audience. Let me now turn to the topic of your programme today – Europe in a changing world. I am the Commissioner for environment, water resilience...