How can leaders remain diligent in the face of rapidly changing workforce? How can you maintain awareness in so many different spheres of influence?

1. YPS
Young Professionals Summit at the 11th Transatlantic Forum
March 18–20, 2016, Brussels, Belgium
Hosted by The German Marshall Fund
E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY
Each year the Young Professionals Forum (YPS) is held concurrently with the German Marshall Fund’s Transatlantic
Forum in Brussels, Belgium. The Summit brings together a select group of young people, ranging in age from 18 to
35. The purpose is to dialogue about transatlantic relations from a “millennial” perspective. Over time, and with True
Blue Inclusion’s counsel, a collective of these young people called the Transatlantic Inclusion Leaders Network has
evolved. Members come from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, and takes time apart from others to reflect as a
group.
The three days of intense and varied discussions produced a remarkable array of facts, ideas, opinions and conclusions.
Three significant questions surfaced for examination:
• How can leaders remain diligent in the face of a rapidly changing workforce?
• How can one maintain awareness of technology trends, regardless of sector, to stay on top of continuous,
inevitable digitization?
• What will a more digitized, automated job market bring and mean for the world’s workforce?
The full exchange of dialogue around these three questions – and many others – is detailed and explored in this
report.
True Blue Inclusion 301 Tingey Street SE, PH 33, Washington, DC 20003 • www.trueblueinclusion.com True Blue Inclusion is a WBNEC certified
woman-owned limited liability corporation, incorporated

2. The True Blue Inclusion Young Leader Value Framework
True Blue Inclusion actively encourages it member companies to nominate and send junior-level leaders to the Summit.
Individuals from Intel and EMC participated in 2016. The menu of positive values and experiences for people selected
is substantial:
• Connect with a global network through break sessions and workshop activities.
• Build knowledge of diversity and talent development abroad.
• Gain insight on how to build a more inclusive and accommodating workplace.
• Balance innovative thinking with realistic barriers in and outside the workplace.
• Network with industry and government leaders from around the world.
• Engage in discussions on leadership development for the future.
A hope is that this element of participation continues and expands in any and all upcoming Young Professional Summit
events.
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2016
Preparing the workplace for emerging leadership
The first morning of the Young Professional Summit began with a panel spotlighting the refugee crisis in Europe before
opening up to another panel that would appeal to any diversity professional. The second discourse of the day, called
“Disrupting the Workplace: Investing In and Retaining Talent,” brought together a fairly mixed contingent of political,
nonprofit and corporate leaders. The discussion was an examination of the workforce as it is now and the direction it will
go in the future. The main question: what can we do now to shape an inclusive workforce for everyone in the future?
It began with Anne Marie Slaughter, President and CEO at the New America Foundation, who stated “our paradigm of the
workforce is still industrial.” She explained that the transition to the industrial society was massive and that “the
transformation…to the digital age will be just as large.” Slaughter further expanded, saying the industrial revolution made
work a “place we go; in the future it will be a thing we do,” highlighting a shift in the importance of the long sought after
work/life balance. This also highlighted the prevalence of teleworking in the future. One will no longer “need to be
present for work.” It is Slaughter’s worry that this culture shift, along with a more automated workforce, will further leave
underrepresented groups out of the picture, specifically women. It is her belief that efforts to keep women included and
growing in the workforce will lead to greater diversity all around.
Slaughter also challenged the young people in the room to “think about working at the ages of 80 or 90.” As medical
advancements continue to be made, the trend of an aging workforce will only continue. In the meantime, companies like
Deloitte are focused on how to keep the large number of millennials in their offices engaged. “Talent is critical for us,”
said Roger Dassen, Global Vice Chairman, Risk, Regulatory and Public Policy at Deloitte. There may be a growing trend
of very old employees but many “young people aren’t always planning to stay for life.” This new mindset and approach
to career building requires fresh ways to engage millennial employees. This generation, which Dassen deemed “unique,”
presents challenges in recruitment and retention. On top of that, “35% of jobs” that exist today won’t exist in the not-so-
distant future. This also means traditional education systems are no longer viable, as they prepare students for
disappearing jobs. Young professionals want to know that their work is in line with their values and is sustainable.
Through surveys and leadership programs like Deloitte University, Deloitte is working to stay ahead of the trends and
tendencies among their youngest workers.
After each panelist had an opportunity to introduce themselves, they dove into a discussion to further consider just how to
“disrupt the workplace.” In Slaughter’s eyes, real workforce transformation begins at home. She believes that we have to
“change the roles of men” as well as women to reach parity. There needs to be balance.

3. This shift is not really possible without mindfully made changes within organizations. “If you only have white men in a
company, they’re looking for their own parallels,” said Said Abdu, Swedish Center-Right Liberal Party politician and a
Member of the Swedish Parliament. Sweden’s government, however, is an example of an organization striving to bring
gender balance. “Sweden is a front runner when it comes to diversity and inclusion,” the moderator, Madeleine Goerg,
Program Officer at GMF, pointed out. Unfortunately, not many European nations have followed suit in being so
purposeful in their gender parity goals. The U.S. is not excluded from this. And because the business world and
governments have their own unique structures, one cannot necessarily take what Sweden has done and apply it to their
organization.
As these changes are made, it is also imperative that all organizations prepare for a more technologically advanced
workforce. These preparations need to ensure that, as jobs become more automated and the fields that are familiar to all
disappear, that certain underrepresented groups do not also disappear completely from the workplace.
Carlton Yearwood addresses breakout group, covering their group Inter-Cultural Development Inventory, IDI
Diversity, Inclusion and Real World Practicality
The young participants were next asked to break out into smaller groups, joining workshops that they had chosen weeks
in advance. True Blue Inclusion’s Principal, Carlton Yearwood, led a workshop on inclusive leadership with a group that
had been administered the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) to when they chose the session. He had the
participants look first at the group’s overall assessment score before they looked at their own individual scores, but the
workshop was focused on discussing the group’s results.
Yearwood opened up the workshop with a conversation on what diversity is and why it is important. All of the young
people in the room came from nonprofits and government offices predominantly in Europe, with a few American
representatives. Yearwood provided a unique perspective as an American from the private sector: “The idea of developing
intercultural competence is important at [True Blue Inclusion],” he explained. Then he challenged the group to consider
the mono-cultural versus the intercultural mindset. The purpose of the IDI is to see which mindset a person, or in this case
a group, leans more to. Before considering the results, Yearwood told the group that they could “not use it to make a
decision about people” or oneself. The IDI is “about development” and encourages an attitude of growth rather than
acceptance. The assessment allows people to hold a mirror to themselves with a critical eye. Now, the people in the group
can compare their “perceived orientation” and their “developed orientation” and decide to ignore it or work on the

4. elements that need growth. Understanding one’s reaction to differences can help in determining how they will work
within a diverse environment, what Yearwood terms “the mix.”
This exercise is a reminder that it is important to think beyond just diversifying the workplace. It is a bout utilizing “the
mix” in a way that leads to cohesiveness and greater innovation. The work of unlearning bias and being adaptive is not
easy, but the rewards are great. One has to remember though, that the success of the diverse workspace depends on a
mutual exchange. “It’s all about authenticity,” said Yearwood. If one allows others to be authentic and comfortable in
sharing their ideas, everyone in the group can begin to have that same level of comfort and feel free to be themselves.
Trevor Gandy, Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Culture Officer at Chubb, participated in the opening presentation
adding, “[you] can’t have success without some level of inclusion.” The process of problem solving and brainstorming
becomes more “complex” but it is a process that allows for the best ideas to come forth. “Perspective sharing across
communities drives social change,” Gandy said. But how does one move past their biases, especially if they are based on
personal experiences? One participant suggested that “we have to find ways to look back and forgive after negative
experiences.” This is true, but does not negate the discrimination that takes places due to stereotypes or ignorance.
Concluding with an introduction into diversity, inclusion and the IDI, Yearwood began to explain the IDI a bit further
before discussing the results. The IDI examines a participant’s perceived orientation (how adaptable they think they are)
and their developmental, or actual, orientation. Looking at the group results, there was a large gap between the two
scores. One participant reacted to this revelation by saying that the group “may have a high, glowing idea of where things
are in terms of inclusivity, [but] there’s a lot more to work on.” If this group of participants were working in the same
office together, it would be highly beneficial to create a development plan. Although this is not the case, Yearwood had
the larger group break into three smaller groups to create development plans for 30 minutes, to get a sense of what it
meant to identify areas of growth and to take action.
When the groups came back together for a larger conversation, some of the insights and solutions that they came up with
included:
• There needs to be “as many opinions to gain strength from as possible;”
• Being in the “learning mode” leads to more conversation but it takes time and practice to get there;
• It is important to actively engage people in conversation and to be an active listener;
• If possible “live in or immerse yourself in another language and culture;” • Be aware of the importance of diversity
and recognizing cultural differences’
• Find ways to integrate activities and actions to change behavior.
The results of the small group discussions pointed to an understanding of necessary internal and community work that
needs to be done for all encompassing inclusivity. They also saw that this process could not be a quick fix which many
organizations, both private and public, seek. This work is a long, challenging endeavor, but can be done with support and
dedication.
With these realizations in mind, each participant paired off to talk with each other about their individual results before
Yearwood closed the workshop and thanked everyone not only for participating, but for being very curious and engaged.
Rejoining the greater summit, everyone had an opportunity to get a glimpse of what each workshop covered. The other
workshops included:
• “Amping up your empathy for decision making,” which introduced participants to design thinking, and the process
of meeting a person where they are and empathizing with them to create solutions.
• “Building your public persona” challenged everyone to consider the differences between their public images and
their personalities as well as their persona and their anima.
• The “Power Simulation” seemed like the most active workshop, and they recalled the simulated general election
that occurred despite many differences and arguing in the room.

5. Trevor Gandy True Blue Inclusion member and Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Culture Officer at Chubb
A young American man spoke about the Power Simulation workshop saying “3 out of the 4 of us in the group were
American, and though we may be the loudest, we’re not always the most qualified.” This realization joined many others,
as each young professional was asked to consider how what they learned in the workshops could apply to their real lives.
The first full day of the Young Professional Summit concluded with a session called “Rethinking Strategies for a
Changing Security Landscape.” The panelists discussed how current events were shaping tactics for the future. Panelist
Ambassador Sorin Dumitru Ducaru, Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges at NATO, stated that
“cyber defense is the fastest growing domain at NATO.” The demand for security in this space is very high and the needs
are always changing as technological capabilities rapidly change. Leading in this development is the United States and it
is because of this that panelist Julianne Smith suggested that “spreading U.S. capabilities and resources is important.” She
also added that “the EU is at risk of unraveling” and that the American support should be utilized to prevent this from
happening. Hanna Hopko, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Parliament of Ukraine, expressed a desire for
“more U.S. presence in Baltic States and the Ukraine.” This presence could create a strong front in the face of aggression
from Russia, which threatens to weaken the European Union through control of the vulnerable Eastern states. Though
professionals who monitor this aggression and the state of the EU are often hoping to be one step ahead of the enemy,
Smith admitted that one “couldn’t think strategically” when planning because there is always a new event to disrupt
carefully constructed plans. It is because of this that the EU seeks certainty in the alliance and military support of the U.S.
SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016
The power to move the world forward
Day Two of the Young Professionals Summit began with a topic near and dear to the hearts of many D&I professionals:
innovation. The panel, titled “The Global Race for Innovation: the Tortoise and the Hare?” analyzed Transatlantic tactics

6. to increase problem solving and productivity. Similar to Friday’s first panel, the focus was on the inevitable increase in
the digitization of the workforce and the need for reform based on this trend.
Presently, there is a great imbalance in the potential for innovation as the “brain drain” from Europe to the U.S. continues.
With that drain of intelligence, capital is also drained and that is bad for the EU’s economy. But the U.S. sells itself, as it
always has, as the land of opportunity. This “phenomenal marketing” still works, to the detriment of the EU.
This highlights a great deal of internal work that needs to be done in Europe to increase investment in “innovation,
education and infrastructure.” What investment is done in Europe is not always supporting Europeans. As Videesha
Kunkulagunta, Principal at Redstone Digital pointed out, “Berlin has a soft spot for U.S. investors.” How can the same
level of trust and confidence be given to and from European investors? When it comes to investing, Europeans are not
always quick to the draw. Kunkulagunta added “It’s difficult if money goes into entrepreneurship with true understanding
of the market.” So European investors can be very cautious and this can provide an opening for American investors to
swoop in and take advantage of a profitable opportunity. This is not always the case, but the successes of U.S. investors in
this scenario mean lost profit and growth opportunities for Europe.
In order to remedy this, European markets need to be more future oriented. As mentioned earlier, investment in education
and infrastructure could make a huge difference. But now is the time to also invest in building a workforce that can easily
adapt with advancing technology.
The panel gave way to a Question & Answer session. Setting the tone, the second panelist stated “If I compare Europe to
the U.S., in the U.S. people believe tomorrow will be better and in the EU we believe our best day was yesterday. That’s
why we heavily regulate,” and that heavy regulation is also a key factor in the low investment and innovation across
Europe. “Small companies are the future; let’s not strangle them,” the panelists added, citing the U.S.’s startup culture as
a prime example of this.
Dr. James Manyika, Director of McKinsey Global Institute, encouraged the attendees to consider Silicon Valley instead of
allowing policy and regulation to hinder small businesses and startups in Europe. The companies there “engage quite
proactively with policy makers,” he said. Building this relationship can help in driving innovation so that there are no
surprises when it comes to regulation, and so that policymakers are aware of the products and technology that companies
want to distribute.
It is clear that a culture shift is needed in the EU in order to maintain economic strength in the future. A culture shift that
has been frighteningly apparent is “the rise of populism,” or right-wing rhetoric and organizing, highlighted by a
participant. They also added that “we want more surveillance” when it comes to fighting terrorism abroad, but “we close
on ourselves” and fail to properly monitor the potential for more homegrown terrorist activity. Panelists and participants
went on to discuss how “aristocratic” the environment in Europe can be, maintaining hierarchies that keep strict class
divisions and how “rigid” establishments like schools can be, making it difficult to build a culture where innovation is
celebrated.
Diversity and inclusion drive innovation, and it is clear that focusing on this could be of great benefit to European
companies. At the same time, a number of underlying issues also need to be addressed, and building a culture of
creativity, openness and innovation could be a project that the EU undertakes with the support of U.S. companies and
organizations.
Identifying Hopes, Frustrations and Realities

7. The next panel provided an opportunity for the young professionals to hear from their peers. Earlier in the day, the
Summit participants voted on people that
they wanted to hear from and those with
the highest votes participated in a
moderated panel called “Engaging a New
Generation of Transatlanticists to Think the
Unthinkable.” Moderated by Nik Gowing
from the BBC, the panel was actually
based on an article titled “Think the
Unthinkable” that he had written and asked
YPS participants to read. He started off by
declaring that “every day is an
overwhelming day,” citing the increasing
prevalence of cybersecurity, invasions and
wars. He wanted to get a sense of how
young leaders think about the world’s most
pressing issues and what they plan to do as
they become more established in their
careers. Gowing introduced the panel topic by asking “what’s your problem?” using research to discuss the frustration
that young, bright leaders have with “conform[ing] to get to the top.” This frustration is warranted, as in this age of rapid
change, “conformity that gets you qualified to get to the top is now the conformity that makes you disqualified to work
in this new normal.” Though innovation was not a key word used in this introduction, Gowing certainly implied in his
statement “conformity often allows solutions to whither rather than grow.” Along the lines of the workshop hosted by
Carlton Yearwood, this revelation implied the importance of authenticity as well. It is no longer productive or profitable
to encourage rising leaders to mold themselves into mini versions of the current leaders in organizations. This continued
trend, this push to maintain comfort and a status quo, are what lead once highly esteemed companies to “die a slow
death.”
Gowing pointed to three areas to be discussed during the panel:
1. The need to think differently and be bold about it
2. Examining a new state of war
3. Countering arrogance and ignorance in thinking about the unthinkable
With these three posits to the panel, he began the discussion. Erwan Katter, Chief of Staff at Meridiam Infrastructure in
Paris, was not interested in continuing the “narrative” of innovation that was prevalent during most of the discussions.
Said Katter, “we should be looking at what’s happening to the people suffering from the effects of this growth and
innovation.” Growth and progress are not processes that naturally lead to an equal distribution of opportunities unless they
are purposely developed to be more inclusive. When talking about innovation, does the discussion indicate innovation that
benefits everyone?
Creating pathways to opportunities in the face of great change requires extensive planning and solid leadership. Sarah
Anthony, Commissioner of Wayne County in Michigan’s 3rd district, began saying “If you’re a good leader, you can
adapt to those things,” or be flexible in times of change with a willingness to take action. She pointed to the
ineffectiveness of leaders in Flint, MI as an example of what not to do. “There was someone at some level who said
“something is wrong with the water” Anthony said, “and arrogance kept a solution from happening.” Now the failure of
leadership in Flint is recognized internationally and people in the community continue to pay the price.
The conversation continued, highlighting frustrations with the ways in which companies and organizations are
functioning. In the opinion of many of the room, it seems that those established in these organizations are fixed on the
present and on continuing with the status quo, while technology is rapidly changing the way that the world works. “Most
companies are not equipped to address the speediness of this event,” panelist Karlijn Jans, Chair of the Dutch Atlantic
Youth Association, said in regards to the fast innovation. While many organizations are thinking about change in terms of
their products and how they market them, Jans suggested that everyone “should think about reforming so our institutions
Rosalind (Roz) Hudnell VP, Worldwide Corporate Affairs & President of the Intel
Foundation, Intel and True Blue member is flanked by panelist after a lively
dialogue session.

8. are ready to address current and future events.” David Lowe, another panelists and MPA Candidate at the London School
of Economics, agreed saying that institutions are “really hanging on and trying to convince [them]selves that the methods
of the past will work” in the future. He added that this was especially the case for more rigid organizations like banks.
Many others of the young attendees opened up, expressing anger about the current situations in Europe like right wing
populism and the refugee crisis, which they said was due to “leaders fail[ing] by not preparing for such…crises.” Other
participants, while sympathetic to this frustration, cautioned everyone to be thoughtful when it came to addressing those
in power. “If we want to be engaged, we have to be careful with the language we use,” they said. There were others who
pointed out that it was easier said than done for a person to hold on to the ideals they had when entering the workforce,
and as they climb to leadership. It can be very easy to get comfortable. Another attendee added that “Not all millennials
are cut from the same cloth…young people in leadership don’t always create forwardthinking solutions.” In the end, it is
these generalizations that can create some of gridlock in intergenerational communication.
The heated panel ended with a reminder that critical discussions are needed amongst and between those in power and
those looking to become leaders. On a very practical note, one of the young leaders stated “we need to be realistic about
how much we have to assimilate to systems in place, and it’s easy to say we’ll change everything,” but more often than
not it just doesn’t happen. This of course did nothing to diminish the passion or drive anyone in the room had to make
real, lasting changes, but it was a reminder that there would have to be a great deal of diligence to push past traditional
barriers.
While the larger YPS group had a break before the next panel, the TILN participants stayed in the room to reflect on what
they had heard so far and apply it to the work they are doing. David John facilitated the group, beginning by saying that
there is “a lot of new knowledge here, and a lot of power. He asked everyone to create “one week” and “one year” goals.
After taking some time to write them down, each person was asked to share them. Some of the goals were:
• Be brave
• Run for office
• Bring more Native [Americans] to this event
• Create an inclusive meet-up in electorate
• Get more involved in organizations
• Set up exchange between women in Europe, the U.S. and Africa
• U.S/U.K. Election team to keep Trump out of office
• Connect the TILN network with other networks
As each goal was read, the group gave affirmation in some way to everyone, through words and sounds. Johns wrapped
up the circle by reminding everyone to recognize their own talent, utilize the network and “be kind” to themselves. He
then gave the TILN participants an opportunity to share their own words of encouragement. The first person cited what he
had learned during Carlton Yearwood’s workshop the day before, saying “I’ll be true to myself, and I know you’ll also be
true to yourselves.” More participants offered uplifting statements before Johns invited the True Blue Inclusion team to
offer their own words of encouragement. Catherine Smith, CEO of True Blue Inclusion, began saying “support each other
and make each other laugh.” Carlton Yearwood followed, reminding everyone not to “forget what it was like to be
ignorant and don’t forget what it’s like to be hungry.” Lastly, Roz said “Leadership is about decisions” and “most
decisions are made in collaboration with other leaders who make decisions.”
With these words in mind, the TILN group and all the YPS participants headed over to the site of the Brussels Forum to
listen in on the final sessions of the day.
9Riding the waves of inevitable transformation
The YPS attendees made their way to the Steigenberger Hotel to participate in Saturday’s final Brussels Forum session.
Called “Technology and Digital Transformation,” it was opened by a Dr. James Manyika, who had spoken during one of

9. the earlier YPS panels. He set the tone, giving the audience a sense of what the future workforce will look like. He
encouraged everyone to think about what the biggest shift will be and where it will happen. Dr. Manyika highlighted six
key shifts that have happened and that are to be expected:
• Shift East and South: how the centers of economic power began in Central Asia, shifted to Europe and the
Americas, and are now returning back to Asia, as well as Africa and Latin America
• Shift to cities as engines of growth: cities are currently considered in terms of livability when their needs to be
more of a focus on their rising role in economic growth
• The shift from young to old: aging and its impact on the global labor supply, productivity and growth
• Shift to a larger and different consuming class: rapid growth of consumption, especially in developing regions
• Shift to a more digital economy: there is a wide gap between sectors of economies that are already very digitized
and those that are not; it’s only getting larger as time goes on
• The shift to digital globalization: an evolved version of traditional globalization, this is a rapid, electronic exchange
of culture, information and goods (e-commerce)
Similar to earlier conversations that the YPS participants took part in, this conversation is a speculation on what the state
of the global workforce will be as technology advances and jobs become more automated. It is already happening, so the
time to think about how society needs to adjust is now.
After taking time to elaborate on each of these different shifts, Dr. Manyika asked the audience to share which ones they
think will be “the most challenging to
navigate.” The top two were:
1. Greater gender parity
2. Shift from young to old
There was a tie between three other categories in third place. This concern in regards to gender and age within the
changing workforce is a reflection of the conversations that the young professionals had at their own sessions. With this in
mind, the panel on the topic of “Technology and Digital Transformation” began and Steve Clemmons, Editorat-Large at
The Atlantic, moderating. He once again brought up the recurring belief that there was a great deal of “resistance” to the
digital revolution in Europe. In response to this indication of fear or uncertainty, Carlo D’Asaro Biondo, President of
EMEA Strategic Relationships at Google, was adamant that this was the wrong view to take, saying that “it is what we
make of technology that matters, not the technology itself.” It needs to be treated as something that can be used effectively
to create positive change, something that people have control of. Those who openly embrace digitization find themselves
at a great advantage. Their willingness to innovate and connect will only put them at the forefront of the changing
economy. Said Biondo, “technology…allows sectors to merge and blur.” This collaboration will transform the workforce
in a way that has never been seen before. As was stated many times throughout the day, many young people are preparing
for jobs that will no longer exist by the time they join the labor force. This merging is a signal of that impending reality.
YPS participants compare notes and respond to a survey as part of an interactive dialogue
session

10. How can diversity leaders prepare for such a shift? By being proactive and creating plans for their organizations with this
transformation in mind. There will have to be a new vision of inclusiveness in the not-so-distant future. To gain some
insight on what this might look like, Clemmons invited Rosalind Hudnell, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Intel and
the young professional she had nominated to join her, Linda Qian, Executive Communications Manager for the Corporate
Affairs Group at Intel, to speak. “We’re having a very privileged conversation,” said Hudnell. “There are millions who
don’t have access” to the technology that is needed to advance. This is a reminder that, especially for D&I leaders, that
pipelines are not likely to develop in underrepresented communities if they don’t have the resources to succeed. There
needs to be a focus on investment in those communities. Qian added “if we don’t close the gap in tech, we won’t be
successful.” It’s not unusual for people in the field of diversity to have an eye towards the future. This is how they will
ensure that the same people who are typically left behind in such progress get a fair chance.
While this may seem daunting, it’s still a hopeful approach compared to the dismal futuristic illustrations of a large
workforce and very few jobs available. “There will be jobs,” said Clemens Betzel, Head of Government Affairs Europe at
Siemens, “if we do our job right and we move out of the old industries and embrace the new.” Now more than ever,
nations need to push forward towards greater digitization or risk being left behind. This spur towards the future will most
likely be led by companies. The President of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, stated from the audience that “the European
environment is hindering progress in the digital world.” This is causing a great deal of alarm, especially amongst young
people who are concerned about their futures. It may be these same young people who usher along Europe into the digital
age and keep them amongst the world’s most competitive economies.
With these thoughts in mind, the session closed and the participants broke into groups to attend different dinners that had
more intimate and detailed discussions. One of these dinners, hosted by Hudnell, focused on what can be done to get
youth interested in the STEM fields.
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2016
The last day of the Brussels Forum included all of the YPS participants along with the other attendees. The final day is a
half day, meant to encourage participation and insight from a more intergenerational audience.
The session, called “Degrade and Destroy: Countering Terror Abroad,” took place in the tense atmosphere of Brussels, a
city with the highest number of ISIS recruits. Salah Abdul Salam, one of the shooters during the November 2015 Paris
attack, had just been captured by police not too far from where the Forum was being held on Friday. Because of this, the
discussion began with an update on the situation, and the assurance that the man was in custody and set to be interrogated.
While these conversations usually take a more militaristic bent, this one was more focused on the reasons why young
people all over Europe are attracted to terrorist groups like ISIS and how to stem the tide early. It’s “not sufficient to just
use military and intelligence to fight terrorism,” said Didier Reynders, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime
Minister for the Kingdom of Belgium. “We need a comprehensive approach.” The panelists also contemplated how to
build trust with communities where these young people are coming from. One suggestion Reynders had was to “work
with local Imams in Europe” as well as with “Muslim celebrities.” He added that “Islam is being hijacked by a group
based in hate and exclusion.” The question is how does one build trust in immigrant and minority neighborhoods in their
countries? On a bigger note, what is being done to help members of these communities feel included every day? While
there are those who feel comfortable being amongst those who reflect their language and culture, it is no secret that many
of the people who are not native to these European nations, or who are first generation children, feel isolated. This
isolation can breed the anger and lost sense of identity that drives people to extremism.
While data and its use have been a large part of the discussions at the Forum, it’s important to note that technology has
been a driving force for terrorist groups. It has proven difficult to make headway with so much to work and few resources
to interpret or de-code the information. “How do we take out the one [piece] of data that we need?” asked General Gratien
Maire, France’s Vice Chief of Defense. In the end, the panelists agreed that the best approach now is the most
humanitarian one, which could also turn out to be the most preventive one as well.

11. A slight shift in the topic and panelists allowed the participants to delve more into the ways to address terrorism in their
nations. The real issue according to the new group, is “bringing young people together and engaging with them.” Farah
Pandith, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relation stated that “1/4 of the world is Muslim.” At the same
time, Muslims leaving in regions where Islam is not the dominant religion are finding themselves in the midst of an
identity crisis. Though much of the focus has been on Europe, where the connections between communities there and ISIS
are deeper and closer, this is certainly an international issue. “The U.S. has struggled to find tools to engage communities
that need help [as well as] the young people living in them,” said Nick Rasmussen, Director of the National
Counterterrorism Center. “We understand the problem, we just need a toolkit.” The important thing to remember is that
working in underserved and isolated communities, regardless of the reason, must be done in a collaborative way. Working
to understand the issue from residents’ point of view is the best way to start. From a D&I point of view, Jean-Louis
Bruguière, the former Head of the Counterterrorism Section in the Paris High Court, reminded everyone that one “cannot
make a neighborhood without a mix of people.” This mix of people is not just ethnicity or race, as is typically the
foundational thought, but also a mix of generations. It is young people who are more often being swept into this
extremism. They are “connected to the world,” said Bruguière and therefore are connected to the ideas that appeal to them
and their low sense of self. “We need to open the mind of young people,” he added. But how does one do that in a way
that also lets them know that they belong? Can work be done to benefit Western nations who feel threatened by terrorism
while also, genuinely, making sure that young people from all different backgrounds feel welcomed and safe in their
home countries? This will need to be tackled, and sooner rather than later. This is a job that experts in diversity and
inclusion can address both in the private and public sectors.
The Brussels Forum closed out on a hopeful note
despite the topic, and GMF President Karen
Donfried, acknowledged all who had helped make
the event possible before thanking all of the
participants.
What’s next?
Since the last Brussels Forum in 2015, True Blue
Inclusion had been working closely with the
German Marshall Fund to start an experimental
initiative the following year. Many of the
participants at last year’s YPS were pleased to have
the private sector perspective on diversity that True
Blue Members Trevor Gandy, Senior Vice
President and Deputy Chief Culture Officer at Chubb; Rosalind Hudnell; and Janice Little, Vice President, Diversity and
Inclusion at McKesson, brought to their discussions. True Blue Inclusion CEO Catherine Smith was eager to take this a
step further, inviting Members to select young, up and coming leaders in their companies. Both Hudnell and Jackie Glenn,
VP, Global Chief Diversity Officer at EMC, selected young professionals to join them this year. Linda Qian, mentioned
as a commenter during one of the second day panels, and Calli Pappas, an HR Business Representative at EMC. Rather
than going through the application process as all YPS attendees must do, these two young women were selected by
prominent leaders in their companies to add their voices to the conversation.
In connecting with the women after the Forum, both heartily agreed that this experience was invaluable. Qian admitted
that she had “no expectations” prior to attending the Summit, and that she “knew [she] wasn’t going to be the primary
audience, but still appreciated the experience.” Pappas had similar thoughts, saying that many people “get caught up in
[their] own work” and many are working in “global companies” with “no global context.” She believes that an experience
like this is necessary for young professionals from the private sector, especially if they plan to work in an international
capacity. Both Qian and Pappas were excited to get insight on the world that was very different from what they encounter
in their everyday work. The policy-based conversations, while not familiar to either of them, were very interesting to them
and they were able to make connections between what was discussed and the work that they do. But they also viewed it as
a mutual exchange. Said Pappas, there were “a lot of people in the world of politics, but corporations have a lot impact” as
well. Because of this, she and Qian believe that more young people from the business world should attend the Summit.
YPS attendee raises question during one of the many dialogue sessions with world
leaders and business executives

12. While their experiences were positive overall, Qian and Pappas both felt that more preparation would be helpful and that
connecting with the other private sector attendees in advance of YPS could help them build a more supportive contingent.
Though one had “found the YPS very welcoming” and appreciative of her corporate insights, the other “found it difficult
to build relationships” with the other young professionals who seemed to know each other or have much more to connect
on.
With these reflections in mind, the True Blue team is determined to continue working with GMF to strengthen and grow
this initiative so other young, private sector professionals can participate in the Young Professionals Summit. For next
year, working with Members to select up –and-coming leaders earlier will be crucial, so that they can connect and build
relationship before attending. There will also be a more formal and structured preparation process so that chosen attendees
feel ready to contribute.