22ND NOVEMBER 2022, PHILADELPHIA – A 48-hour non-stop summit is an ambitious endeavor even for veteran event organizers. However, last weekend, a group of students from the University of Pennsylvania and The Wharton School accomplished this impressive feat through their Global Gamechangers Summit 2022.
The Global Gamechangers Summit 2022 sets the precedent of how executives, entrepreneurs, and academicians come together to share their insights with youngsters eager to shape global industries. Streamed live from November 19th to 21st, the summit amassed 2,000 students from universities across 41 countries.
With six tracks ranging from Finance & Venture Capital, People & Networking, Technology, Entertainment & Media, Entrepreneurship and Global Issues, the summit featured over 50 distinguished speakers from organizations such as Visa, Goldman Sachs, Lionsgate, Burger King, Google, TikTok and S&P Global Ratings.
José Cil, CEO of Restaurant Brands International sharing on ‘Plant-Based Options for Our Guests’ at the Global Gamechangers Summit 2022.
Many proud, prestigious Penn alums returned to share with students how they paved their careers and recent breakthroughs in their industries. “One particular area that is exciting about the work we have done is our plant-based offering at Burger King. Today, Burger King is a global plant-based leader in the restaurant industry. In fact, we currently offer plant-based products in almost 70 countries (65% of our business) around the world,” said José Cil at the summit, CEO of Restaurant Brands International, home to beloved global restaurant chains including Burger King®, Tim Hortons® and Popeyes®.
Other renowned speakers at this summit include Emmy-nominated and Bafta-Award-winning producer Marc Lorber. Recounting one of the most valuable lessons he learned during his early film experiences, Marc shared, “I had an opportunity to work on a John Sayles film in Indiana called Eight Men Out. I said to the producer, ‘Do you think I could ask John Sayles a question?’ He said, ‘Sure. Let me talk to him.’ So we had lunch, and he let me ask him (John) everything, mainly about how to start in filmmaking.” The Senior Vice President of International TV Co-Productions and Acquisitions at Lionsgate added, “Ask questions. The worst they can do is say no to you. And the best they can do is sit down and talk with you, give you some advice and make a connection for you.”
Marc Lorber, Senior Vice President of International TV Co-Productions and Acquisitions at Lionsgate, shared on ‘Getting Started in the TV & Film Industry’ at the Global Gamechangers Summit 2022.
The main organizer of the summit, Ascendance Social Enterprise Link Club (ASELxPenn) from the University of Pennsylvania, also garnered support from renowned Wharton clubs. These co-organizers include Wharton MUSE Marketing, Wharton Undergraduate Business Sports Club, Wharton Retail Club, Wharton Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Club and Wharton Undergraduate Media and Entertainment Club. In addition, Penn Rotaract, QS, Ascendance, and Wharton Interactive were also co-organizers who provided resources and expertise to execute the event successfully.
“This is no ordinary conference,” said the ASELxPenn Club President and sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, Harsha Ravindran. Looking to impact her generation outside of the Penn community, the 20-year-old undergrad and social entrepreneur go on to address the summit’s diverse delegates in her opening remarks.
“Our club aims to connect world-class expertise and experiences to young entrepreneurs and students from across the globe. Then, they can tap into these resources to grow their careers and ventures. So, let’s enjoy the next 48 hours of the summit and make the most out of it!”
President of Ascendance Social Enterprise Link Club (ASELxPenn) during her closing speech to the 2,000 students who attended the summit.
With free admission for all delegates to foster inclusivity, the summit was sponsored by Plabable, Fortis Life Sciences, Passport Springs, M31 Capital, Digital Alpha Fund, The ORCA Network, Singapore Management University, Alwyn Capital, and Clipboard Health. In addition, proceeds from this summit were channeled to the non-profit, Dynamic & Creative Minds Association to equip marginalized high school students with entrepreneurship and financial literacy programs.
We commemorate the efforts of these Penn and Wharton students to provide equitable opportunities to students worldwide through this enriching summit.
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The Global Gamechangers Summit 2022 was organized by the Ascendance Social Enterprise Club (ASELxPenn) from the University of Pennsylvania. ASELxPenn is a student organization focused on providing global resources, expertise, and networks to students who wish to impact the world by developing self-sustaining social enterprises. For those who wish to contact ASELxPenn, drop your email to aselxpenn@gmail.com or harsha02@sas.upenn.edu.
