From Hong Kong boardrooms to virtual catch-ups with colleagues around the world, Ken Janssens reflects on a week of connection, evidence and shared purpose as Open for Business looks ahead to its 2026 strategy.
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I joined Open for Business at the end of the summer, and it’s since been a busy but exciting whirlwind. In the first few months, I’ve attended the UN General Assembly in NYC, met with partners in Seattle during the Out & Equal summit, and this week travelled to Hong Kong to launch our latest research and meet with senior business and civil society leaders to discuss how it can be best put to use locally.

Open for Business is a coalition of global businesses making the economic case for LGBT+ inclusion. Before becoming CEO, I served as Treasurer on the Board — and even before that, co-authored our first Investor Guide to LGBT+ Inclusion. My professional roots are in data and leadership: I spent 25 years at JPMorgan Chase, where I was Chief Data Officer, before co-founding Windō, a startup using data to help young professionals find employers aligned with their values. That experience reinforced a belief that drives all my work: data, when humanised and shared, is one of the most powerful agents for social good.

Monday

We start the week with our all-staff meeting — a vital moment of connection for a global team spread across London, New York, Geneva, Nairobi and Bangkok. These sessions are about more than logistics; they’re about staying in sync across time zones and ensuring every voice is heard.

We celebrate recent successes: participation at ILGA Europe’s conference in Vilnius, the Thomson Reuters Trust Conference in London, and our Nairobi convening with the British High Commission. Each event amplifies our central message — that inclusion isn’t just a moral imperative, it’s an economic advantage.

Later in the day, I meet Hong Kong-based contacts ahead of our upcoming leadership dinner. We’ve just finalised our latest report: The Economic Case for LGBT+ Inclusion in Hong Kong, produced with business and civil society leaders from the region. It shows how advancing inclusion could strengthen and future-proof Hong Kong’s competitiveness and global reputation.

Tuesday

The day starts early with a call to London to connect with our Chair and Vice-Chair. These regular check-ins are energising — we reflect on recent milestones, from Out & Equal to ILGA Europe, and focus on converting momentum from our tenth-anniversary year into our next decade of impact.

Later in the morning I meet with the Communications team online to review my introduction for this month’s corporate-partner newsletter. We discuss the success of recent events and a few upcoming media opportunities. The team brings a thoughtful mix of creativity and discipline – a combination that keeps our message fresh and focused.

Then it’s time to fly to Hong Kong. A long flight, but a welcome pause for reflection.

Wednesday

I am now on Hong Kong time, and start my day by meeting with our Head of Southeast Asia. Steph is Bangkok-based, originally from the Philippines, but has flown over to Hong Kong to join me for the leadership dinner tonight.

Steph updates me on the wider progress of our Southeast Asia programme, which she has led since the end of last year. In September 2024, Open for Business launched its flagship report, The Economic Case for LGBT+ Inclusion in Southeast Asia. This report had six focus countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. To launch it, two colleagues spent a week in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore at various conferences and events, presenting and discussing the findings with business, policy-makers and civil society. As Head of Southeast Asia, Steph’s role is to help activate the research and use it to advance LGBT+ rights within the region.

After our catch up, I head back to the hotel to check emails, listen to a podcast and slowly start to get ready for dinner.

That evening, at our Hong Kong leadership dinner, I’m reminded again how powerful these conversations can be. Around the table, we explore opportunities, challenges and next steps — grounded in shared evidence and mutual respect. We close with a commitment to reconnect soon to keep the momentum going.

Thursday

An early gym session helps me focus for the day ahead. Over breakfast, Steph and I debrief from last night’s dinner, mapping out next actions and clear ownership within the team.

Later, I prepare for a virtual meeting I have with a prospective corporate partner. They are from the technology sector and became aware of our work after seeing media coverage of our flagship City Ratings research. This ranks 149 global cities according to both LGBT+ inclusion metrics and economic performance indicators, and we often hear from partners that they consult it when looking at potential new office locations.

The meeting is encouraging. We align on priorities, identify regions of shared interest, and schedule an in-person coffee in London to explore partnership potential.

Before closing my laptop, I take a walk through the city and pick up souvenirs for my husband — and our dog, Jonas — before heading to the airport and board the flight back to London.

Friday

Once back in the UK I take a couple of calls with colleagues in London and Geneva to hear updates on their weeks.

I meet with our Communications Director for an update on our Winter Social, taking place at the end of November. We discuss event structure, attendees and speakers. He also runs me through some prospective media opportunities, as well as our social media content for the coming week.

After a very busy week, I’m able to close my laptop at a reasonable hour. I pour a glass of wine and get ready for a weekend of beach walks, a stop at a favourite gastro pub and squeeze another gym visit in —recharging so we can turn more evidence into action on Monday.

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