Cost:

FWA Members: $45  |  Non-Members: $60 

 

Registration closes at 11:59 pm EST on Jan 25, 2025.

 

Description: 
 

The Financial Women’s Association (FWA) invites you, under the high patronage of Mr. Cédrik Fouriscot, Consul General of France in New York, to an exclusive event featuring three accomplished French business leaders who have reshaped industries, driven innovation, and championed equity, sustainability, and empowerment. This inspiring evening is an unparalleled opportunity to hear their stories, learn from their experiences, and connect with a vibrant community of professionals dedicated to advancing women in finance and business.

 

Meet Our Distinguished Speakers:

 

Nathalie Gerschtein – Transforming the Beauty Industry

As the first woman to lead L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division in North America, Nathalie oversees a portfolio of globally recognized brands, including L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, and Garnier. With over two decades of leadership experience across Europe, Asia, and North America, she has driven innovation, sustainability, and growth in the beauty industry. A recipient of the Women’s Leadership Achiever Award, Nathalie is a passionate advocate for empowering women in leadership.

 

Cecilia Kushner – Shaping Equitable Urban Futures

As Chief Strategy Officer, Cecilia leads transformative projects that foster equitable development and economic success in New York City. With a decade of experience in public sector roles, including the NYC Economic Development Corporation, Cecilia’s work has redefined how infrastructure, transit, and community development programs shape thriving, inclusive cities. Her journey from France to New York underscores her commitment to impactful urban strategy and leadership.

 

Chloe Vichot – Empowering Leaders and Driving Sustainability

Chloe is a Certified Professional Coach and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in finance and a passion for sustainability. As the founder of two sustainable food startups—Ancolie and Fresh Bowl—Chloe has innovated plastic-free dining solutions in New York. She also empowers minority-owned businesses and women navigating significant life transitions, combining professional expertise and personal resilience to inspire others.

 

This one-of-a-kind event will offer inspiring stories on how these leaders overcame challenges and shattered international barriers in their global industries. They will share from their experiences the lessons of resilience, leadership and career advancement while building businesses and fostering innovation. (Scroll down for complete bios from each of the speakers.)

 

After the panel discussion moderated by Annette Stewart, FWA President, please join us for a networking reception to connect with FWA members and other professionals dedicated to empowering women and advancing leadership within the financial community.

 

 

Thank you to our sponsors, ORCOM US and Transatlantique Private Wealth.

              

 

Bios: 
 

Nathalie Gerschtein, President, L’Oréal Consumer Products Division, North America 

 

Nathalie Gerschtein leads thousands of diverse and talented L’Oréal employees who are passionate about embodying L’Oréal’s global purpose: to create the beauty that moves the world. She is the first woman to lead L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division (CPD) in North America.

 

As president of the largest division in the L’Oréal Group’s North America Zone, Nathalie is responsible for accelerating growth, innovation, and sustainable practices across its mass market portfolio of brands and product categories from skin care and makeup to hair care and hair color in the United States and Canada. This extensive portfolio includes some of the most trusted and iconic brands including L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, Garnier, and NYX Professional Makeup, in addition to Essie, Thayers Natural Remedies, Carol’s Daughter, and Softsheen-Carson.

 

Nathalie began her career with L’Oréal through the company’s management trainee program. Two decades later, Nathalie has led a variety of businesses within the L’Oréal Group across Europe, Asia, and North America. She has played a pivotal role in transforming the beauty industry, including her notable contributions at L’Oréal India and then L’Oreal Thailand, first as Consumer Products Division general manager and then as Country Manager and CEO. 

 

In her most recent role as president of CPD USA, Nathalie spearheaded the acceleration of the Division, driving continued outstanding momentum and gaining market share in L’Oreal’s number one subsidiary.

 

In 2022, Nathalie was awarded the Women’s Leadership Achiever Award by Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW), a renowned international organization that acknowledges and celebrates the most accomplished female executives in the beauty industry. She is the first non-American leader from L’Oréal to receive this prestigious award in the USA. She also serves on the organization’s Board of Directors. 

 

Nathalie also sits on the Board of Directors for DermTech, an American publicly listed biotech company with a mission to transform dermatology – a natural fit for a professional deeply committed to transforming skincare and improving people’s lives.

 

Through an appointment by the French Prime Minister, Nathalie has also been serving as a French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEF) since 2016. 

 

Nathalie is a graduate of HEC School of Management in Paris, the London Business School, INSEAD’s senior executive leadership program, and Harvard Business School executive education program. 

 

She currently resides in the New York City area with her husband and daughter. 

 

 

Cecilia Kushner, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, New York City Economic Development Corporation

 

Cecilia Kushner is the Chief Strategy Officer, a role in which she leads multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects and programs focused on developing emerging sectors equitably and building neighborhoods of economic success. Prior to her current role, Cecilia spent over a decade working for the City on a range of infrastructure, transit operations, land use, and community development programs and policies, most recently as the Executive Vice President for Planning and NYC Ferry at NYCEDC, and earlier at the Department of City Planning in the Brooklyn, Resiliency, and Executive Offices.

 

Prior to immigrating to New York City in 2005 from France, Cecilia lived in London for two years, working on economic analysis for historic preservation. Cecilia received her bachelor’s degree from La Sorbonne and holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from the Bartlett School of Planning at University College London, and a master’s degree in city planning from Hunter College, where she has taught planning as an adjunct. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children.

 

 

Chloe Vichot, Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Board Member, Serial Entrepreneur, Environmental Activist

 

As a Certified Professional Coach (CPC), Chloe empowers leaders in minority-owned and sustainability-driven companies while also supporting women through significant personal transitions. As an executive coach, she helps leaders scale their businesses and tackle complex challenges, drawing on over a decade of experience in finance and her background as the founder of two sustainable food startups in Manhattan. In her role as a life coach, Chloe offers empathetic and actionable guidance to women navigating challenges such as infertility, achieving work/life balance with young children, or embracing separation with pride. Having recently experienced her own divorce, she combines personal insight with professional expertise to help women approach life’s obstacles with strength, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.

 

Entrepreneurship is second nature to Chloe, who has successfully launched two startups. Ancolie, her sustainable restaurant that opened in 2016, earned a four-star rating from the Green Restaurant Association, standing as a pinnacle of sustainable dining in New York City. In 2018, Chloe co-founded Fresh Bowl, a trailblazer in plastic-free vending machines for fresh and healthy food. These ventures showcase her unwavering dedication to innovation and sustainability in both the culinary and business realms.

 

With over a decade of experience in finance as a derivatives salesperson at esteemed institutions—including Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Societe Generale, and BNP Paribas—Chloe provides practical strategies and insights to help entrepreneurs thrive in a dynamic business landscape.

 

Originally from Paris, Chloe holds a Master’s in Finance from Sciences Po Paris and a Degree in Business Administration from University Paris Dauphine PSL. An active member of the CCE (Conseillers du Commerce Extérieur de la France) since 2017, she currently oversees the Dreamstart project, aiding French entrepreneurs in bringing their companies or products to the US. Chloe also serves as the President of the Dauphine Foundation USA in New York. Residing in Chelsea with her two kids, she enjoys exploring the world, skiing, and indulging in her passion for cooking.