J.P. Morgan launches innovative female talent development program at Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society.

J.P. Morgan, in partnership with the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society, launched the ‘Rising Talents’ program, an innovative strategic initiative designed to identify and recognize exceptional young women. The program aims to create an international network of talented young women from the worlds of business, politics and academia.

To open the organization’s third annual meeting in Deauville, France, the Forum announced the first cohort of “Rising Talents,” a group of 20 women, including two from JP.M. organ: Melissa Smith, an executive director responsible for the Chemical, Healthcare, Rail and Retail sectors in Debt Capital Markets; and Marina Flindell, an executive director in the Special Credit Group.

"At J.P. Morgan we are committed to investing in, and advancing female talent,” said Isabelle Seillier, head of Investment Banking in France. “We do this by developing opportunities for future leaders and supporting events such as the Women's Forum and the Rising Talents program.”

“The Women’s Forum openly acknowledges the huge and often untapped potential of women to shape the economies and societies of today and the future,” said Carol Lake, head of IB Philanthropy and Diversity for EMEA. “We are honored to partner with the Women’s Forum in launching the Rising Talents program, which will help to identify the female leaders of tomorrow.”

Founded in 2005, the Europe-based Women’s Forum looks at new approaches to global issues facing women. Earlier this year, The Financial Times described the Forum as one of the five most important forums in the world dealing with issues of the economy and society.

The 20 Rising Talents were chosen by a committee of representatives from the Forum, J.P. Morgan and Egon Zehnder, the executive recruiting firm, on the basis of the passion, leadership and commitment they have demonstrated in their fields and their contribution to the wider community.

In addition to the networking opportunities afforded at the meeting, each of the 20 Rising Talents was given the opportunity to submit a proposal for a charitable organization to receive a donation from the firm. The winning charity was 'The Place2Be' — a London-based organization that provides therapeutic and emotional support to children in schools throughout the U.K.