
2023 LGBTQI+ APAC Forum: A Day of Transformation

July 11 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Ritz Carlton, Bangalore (India)
Asia Pacific’s premier LGBTQI+ workplace inclusion event, Out & Equal’s 2023 LGBTQI+ APAC Forum, is returning to an in-person gathering this year with an even wider geographic reach and an agenda designed to incorporate more diverse perspectives from across the region. Hosted in partnership with Pride Circle, Out & Equal’s “A Day of Transformation” aims to convene top LGBTQI+ and ally workplace inclusion professionals to learn from each other and grow into even more transformative and impactful leaders through trailblazing discussions, peer-to-peer workshop sessions centering on best practice development, and once-in-a-lifetime networking among key business leaders and influencers. The Forum will feature speakers from across the region, including China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and more.
Out & Equal’s LGBTQI+ APAC Forum comes at a momentous time in the region. While there is no one “APAC” identity, we know that businesses do coalesce around regional strategies and there is great richness in sharing across experiences. Businesses across Asia Pacific are blazing a path of inclusion and innovation through commitments and actions being taken both inside and outside their walls of operations: from supporting marriage equality in Japan, Taiwan and India (the world’s second most populous nation), to rolling out trans and nonbinary inclusion practices in the Philippines, and beyond. APAC Forum aims once again, through interactive workshops, inspirational storytelling, and peer-to-peer education sessions, to harness the power of these efforts into a collective strength and united vision for a more inclusive future for LGBTQI+ talent, for the organizations that employ this talent, and for communities broadly.
Out & Equal’s LGBTQI+ APAC Forum will leave participants with:
- Concrete skills in the necessary work of internal persuasion and storytelling for change;
- Practical toolkits for LGBTQI+ workplace inclusion and belonging practice implementation; and,
- Ample networking opportunities.
Who should attend:
- Executives
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) and HR practitioners
- ERG leaders
- Change-makers from across the region
Our power as a global community comes from our ability to transform individual experiences into collective strength and innovation. Together, we will create workplaces where LGBTQI+ employees and allies belong, thrive, and contribute to greater impact on the world.
The event will be conducted in English. Registration for the 2023 LGBTQI+ APAC Forum is required. Due to limited space, we encourage you to register as soon as possible.
Keynote Speakers

Zainab Patel
She/Her
Petitioner for the Indian Supreme Court NALSA Case on Transgender Rights and for the Indian Supreme Court Marriage Equality Case

Utkarsh Saxena
He/Him
Petitioner and Lawyer for the Indian Supreme Court Marriage Equality Case
Speakers

Curtis Baker
He/Him
Regional Inclusion & Diversity and Employee Experience Lead, Asia, Dow

Dhritisha Bhagawati
She/Her
Senior Program Manager, Pride Circle

Erik Day
He/Him
Senior Vice President & General Manager, Global Small Business, Dell Technologies

Weena Ekid
He/Him
Vice President, Corporate & Investment Bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Deena Fidas
She/Her
Managing Director, Chief Programs and Partnerships Officer, Out & Equal

Charlene Liu
She/ Her
Co-Founder, Diversity & Inclusion Consulting (DNIC)

Srini Ramaswamy
He/ Him
Co-Founder, Pride Circle

Jeiz Robles
She/Her
Asia Pacific Marketplace Diversity Leader, IBM

Priyanka Shetty
She/Her
Associate Director – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Pride Circle & Rainbow Bazaar

Ramkrishna Sinha
He/Him
Co-Founder, Pride Circle
Registration related questions contact: registration@outandequal.org.