Davos Excludes Half the World as Women Miss 30% Level

Manhattan investment banker Jane Gladstone unwrapped the eyeshades for her 10:45 p.m. Swiss International Airlines AG flight to Zurich last January, and then didn’t sleep a wink.

In the next seat, she discovered, was Michele Burns, chief executive officer of Mercer, a Marsh & McLennan Cos. consulting unit, and a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. director. Gladstone had called Burns seeking to meet at the World Economic Forum’s gathering in Davos, Switzerland, where they were both headed. They talked through the night about the mergers market and job growth.