MetLife's Third Annual Triangle Tech X Conference Highlights Issues for Women in STEM in Asia and Beyond

MetLife, one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management, hosted the third annual Women in Tech conference, MetLife Triangle Tech X, virtually from October 26-27, 2021. Titled "Women and STEM ? Harnessing the Great Reevaluation", the two-day conference involved discussions with MetLife board members and executives and thought leaders from organizations such as Cisco, Dell, Microsoft, Red Hat, Thrive Global, Black Girls CODE and more. The conference addressed both near- and long-term solutions for employers to develop, support, and sustain the female workforce, and provide women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with key learnings and actionable insights for career empowerment.

Siyi Sun, senior vice president & general manager of MetLife China and Elena Butarova, senior vice president and head of Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nepal & Vietnam, MetLife spoke at one of the panel discussions alongside Nuria Garcia, regional president of EMEA, MetLife and Susan Podlogar, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, MetLife as moderator. The discussion examined some of the barriers facing women in Asia and other parts of the world, as they reevaluate their careers in the wake of the pandemic and explored real stories of supporting and encouraging women trying to navigate a career in STEM.

Drawing insights from the recently launched MetLife 2021 Women in STEM Study, the panel reemphasized that employer-offered benefits and programs play a critical role in ensuring that women succeed and feel supported, particularly related to the retention of women in STEM fields.

Sun said that COVID-19 has made recruiting talent more difficult in China and retaining them even more challenging. She shared policies and success stories of working mothers, saying that flexible work arrangements, including working hours and working from home, as well as leadership and peer support at MetLife enable women to balance between family and career. Sun added that a nourishing environment is key to growth and MetLife's distinct culture that promotes self-development and encouragement is the reason behind her success of growing from an actuary to now the General Manager of China.

Butarova added that understanding the cultural barriers of female employees and encouraging a career that allows both vertical but horizontal growth also contribute to MetLife's high retention rate. She said she believes employers should ensure that women are inspired and empowered to grow their career through opportunities that help to forge a path forward.

To watch the full panel discussion, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UAEHxQaVMw

About MetLife

MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets and holds leading market positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit: www.metlife.com