The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) presented the inaugural SIGA Leadership Award to Shelley Zalis, Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient, during the SIGAWomen Lounge hosted at the Roberto Cavalli Boutique in Cannes.
The distinction recognises Shelley Zalis’ outstanding global leadership and her pioneering contribution to advancing gender equity, inclusive leadership and meaningful cultural change across business and society.
As Founder and CEO of The Female Quotient, Shelley Zalis has built one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to advancing opportunity in the workplace and women’s leadership. Through a global community spanning business, media, technology, government and culture, The Female Quotient has become a catalyst for dialogue, collaboration, and action, creating opportunities for women to lead, influence decision-making, and accelerate systemic change.
The award was presented by SIGA Co-Founder and Global CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros during an inspiring fireside conversation on leadership, governance and gender equity. The discussion explored the importance of courageous leadership, cross-sector collaboration and the role that both Sport and the creative industries can play in shaping a more inclusive and responsible future.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros praised Shelley Zalis for her visionary leadership:
“Shelley Zalis embodies the kind of courageous, values-driven leadership the world of Sport needs more than ever. Through The Female Quotient, she has shown that cultural transformation begins with leadership, that diversity strengthens governance, and that inclusion is not an aspiration but a competitive advantage. It is a privilege for SIGA to recognise her outstanding contribution and to stand alongside leaders who are helping build a more inclusive, ethical and sustainable future”.
Receiving the distinction, Shelley Zalis said:
“I am truly honoured to receive the inaugural SIGA Leadership Award. At The Female Quotient, we believe that expanding opportunity is not only the right thing to do, it is the smartest investment we can make in our future. Real change happens when leaders come together to challenge outdated norms, open doors for others, and build cultures where everyone can contribute, grow, and thrive. I am grateful to SIGA for this recognition and for its leadership in advancing integrity, inclusion, and positive change across the global sports industry.”
The SIGA Leadership Award recognises individuals whose leadership has created lasting impact by advancing integrity, inclusion, ethical governance and positive societal change. Through her work with The Female Quotient, Shelley Zalis has become one of the most influential global advocates for women’s leadership, inspiring organisations and leaders across sectors to build more equitable and inclusive workplaces.
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ABOUT SIGA
SIGA is the world’s leading organisation for Sport Integrity. We are creating a whole new landscape for the sports industry by delivering independent global rating and certification for world Sport to ensure it is governed and operates under the highest integrity standards: The SIGA Universal Standards.
Funded by our Members, SIGA is a non for profit global independent organisation with one aim: To ensure the sport industry is governed under the highest integrity standards so that the values of sport are protected.
SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
SIGA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, as a non for-profit association, and comprises of the following continental subsidiaries: SIGA AMERICA, SIGA EUROPE and SIGA LATIN AMERICA.
For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com and FAQs.
To contact SIGA, please email: comms@siga-sport.com.