IWD2021: Meet the women in leadership across the Unstereotype Alliance

Heide Gardner, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, IPG

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

The entire ecosystem is changing, even on the content creator side thanks to technology that makes it possible to amplify the talent and perspectives of women from under-represented cultures, racial and ethnic groups, castes and socio-economic backgrounds.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

The pipeline of talent is there, and excuses are being taken off the table for our industry in particular. For us the future does not have to be so far away for us, and I’m optimistic that we can see pictures of a new normal for leaders and creatives coming into focus on the horizon, and it will become abnormal to see only token representation of women and people of color across the globe.  

Gráinne Wafer, Global Brand Director Guinness, Diageo

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

It is clear that our work is not done. We are making good progress but it is too slow, and we are still not seeing enough women in creative leadership positions in the industry. As clients, we play a big role in setting out a bolder ambition, and simultaneously holding the tension and supporting the industry in making the interventions required to achieve that goal.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Trust in your ability and your power to create a more progressive industry and society. Don’t hold anything of yourself back. Say yes to opportunities. Ask for opportunities. Make opportunities—for yourself and for others. Pay it forward. Be kind to yourself if things don’t work out quite as you hoped and most importantly, have fun and find joy in whatever you do!

Dr. Nadia Bastaki, Vice President of Medical and CSR Strategy, Etihad Aviation Group

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?  

Women leaders need to do more to shift gender stereotypes in advertising and media content. Organisations that have female experts or women in male dominated roles should take ownership to drive change and breakdown barriers by putting them forward for media campaigns and interviews.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Ending stereotyped representations of women starts from the top and can be driven by female leaders to give future generations of young girls greater confidence, and inspiration to do more. 

Aline Santos, EVP Global Marketing and Chief ED&I Officer, Unilever

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

We need to be hyper conscious in every decision we make. Every brief we write, every casting decision we make, every director we choose can help to change the narrative and open doors for the next generation of future female leaders. That change starts with us!

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

We rise by lifting others. So, don’t just focus on your own career path, think about the exceptional women who you can empower along the way. 

Michele (Mitch) Oliver, Global VP Brand and Purpose, Mars

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

When your job is to create what people see on their screens, your responsibility is to open people’s minds to a better future. To normalize. To challenge stereotypes. To offer a vision of a world where we are accepted as leaders, as workers, as parents, as who we are and who we can be.

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Be visible. Be demanding. Be supportive. Be yourself. 

Miki Oikawa CEO, POLA Inc.

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

By communicating content that is based on real-life experience, we hope to increase the influence of the advertisements themselves, connecting that to the empowerment of women worldwide. In Japan, because the total number of female leaders is still small, it is especially important to communicate content from women.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Ceilings do break and walls can be torn down. By raising your voice to say, “We can do it!” and through continued action, possibilities will expand. Have confidence! 

Lindsay Pattison, Chief Client Officer, WPP

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

Our industry has the power to shape how people see themselves and inspire them to action. We have a responsibility to ensure that we are celebratory, diverse and inclusive in our work so it reflects women’s full potential.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

You don’t have to act like a man or change your way of working to fit in. Bring your whole self and be really clear and firm in your perspective. 

Dr. Rebecca Swift, Global Head of Creative Insights, Getty Images

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry? 

In a phrase, we bring empathy. Which I admit almost sounds like a gender stereotype, but I’ve experienced first-hand that as more women have gained leadership positions in our industry, robust discussions about the representation of race, ethnicity, disability, age, body size and the LGBTQ+ community are happening with greater intention, plus, tangible improvements are being made in terms of gender identity and representation. Female creative leaders are fearless in raising the need to bring a diversity of perspectives to decision making because we thrive during periods of change, and have seen how everyone can benefit from it. More perspectives = more creativity. 

Kay Aoki, Head of Marketing Asia Pacific Japan Corporate Executive, SAP 

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

Businesses today are fundamentally different, and constantly changing. By having the diversity in marketing leadership, you bring diversity in thought, which enables your messages to appeal to a wider customer base. Diverse leadership is also the key to flourish the agility and creativity to lead the advertising industry one step beyond the current changes.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

I would like to ask you to invest your time to help the next generation female leaders-to-be. Mentor them, build their confidence, and secure their backs to reach out for roles they might not think they are yet qualified for. Until people naturally begin to understand the purpose and importance of diversity and inclusion, it is up to us female leadership to ensure that gender equality and women in leadership does happen.

Elizabeth Mokwena, Africa Marketing Director, Unilever

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

Female leaders in the advertising industry are shattering stereotypes, by showing what most women have always known: that creativity and leadership are not a birth right for only one gender; or one race group.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Other women leaders are not your competition, but your allies. Being the 'only/first' women is just a reminder of the work ahead of us.

Oya Ünlü Kızıl, Corporate Communications and External Affairs Director, Koç Holding

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

The advertising industry has a powerful influence on how people perceive and behave. Avoiding gender stereotypes and depicting women in decision-making positions is at the core of driving positive social change through communications.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Speak up, stand out and challenge gender stereotypes. You can drive social change and shape the future for all by the decisions you make, content you create and words you write.

Elda Choucair, COO, Omnicom Media Group MENA 

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

In advertising, media and beyond, women in leadership positions bring diversity in perceptions, opinions, experiences and perspectives. This is an essential step to more creativity, innovation and disruption, away from a monolithic and codified view of our societies. Advertising has a key role to play in offering the world a better reflection of itself and as an industry we can only start from within. It’s about giving everyone a chance to be heard and shine, irrespective of their gender and without any bias. You never know where the next breakthrough idea will come from. Half the world is female, shouldn’t every organization eventually reflect this plain and simple truth? 

Ayşen Akalın, Vice President at Turkish Advertisers Association, Director of Media Buying and Planning, Eczacıbaşı Holding, IAB TR Chairperson 

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

Children and young people learn from what they see more than what we say. It is the responsibility of women leaders to be the right role models for them and to raise their awareness. As we said in our communication campaign as a sector that is the creator of advertising, which is the content to which the society is exposed most frequently and intensely, "When ads change, society changes".

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Gender equality is not a choice, it is a necessity and it is an issue that concerns not only women but all humanity. Our effort is not just for today. We must work with the awareness that we will affect the future of our children and even our grandchildren.

Patricia Corsi, Global Chief Marketing and Digital Officer, Bayer Consumer Health

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

Greatness in advertising comes from bringing differences, not consensus, to the discussion and decision table, and having women at the table is a fundamental part of achieving it.

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

Women are 50% of the population, and just by simple maths not having women influencing the advertising industry is a missed opportunity to serve the people we work for. 

Akane Yoshida, Chief Executive Officer, PwC Advisory LLC

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Speak up about what you think is right. That's the starting point. Keep learning, so that you can always say the right thing with confidence.

Carol Hutchinson, GM, Global Advertising Creative, Microsoft

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

We are in a unique position to impact the communications and stories that people see every day. We have to look at our work as an opportunity to open minds and break stereotypes through diversity in the stories we tell and in the people telling them.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

Focus on your own compass and not someone else’s. We all come from different backgrounds and define success in our own way. Your definition of success may look different than what society thinks it should today and it should. Lean in, lean out and reprioritize as needed to chart your own course.

Mie-Leng Wong, Head of Global Brands, Mondelēz International

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

Women play a vital role in the future of advertising by creating space for expression and emotions and enabling sincere dialogues with consumers.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

My advice to female leaders: “Jump, and a net will appear”. Dare to take risks and trust that people will be there to support you.

Zeynep Dipçin Akdoğan, Vice President of Marketing, Eti Gıda

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

Even though the ratio of women in advertising industry in Turkey is substantial, unfortunately the same cannot be said for executive positions. I believe we are beyond the awareness raising stage on this matter. Now, we need to take action. In this context, women who already occupy leadership positions have important roles to play. We need to convey existing experiences, and provide support to women on the track to leadership. We need to enable them in their endeavors, and reinforce their confidence.

Hiroko Ohmura Operating Officer, Deputy Executive General Manager of Brand Development, Yamaha Corporation

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

The more women leaders there are, the less gender bias there will be in the way the world itself is viewed and portrayed.

How do you and other women leaders drive change?

It is not just about being a leader and role model but about creating a workplace that tackles the unique challenges of women. It is about understanding individual realities, diversity and leading to an inclusive environment that results in greater satisfaction and output alike. 

Sherine Moneim, Strategy Director Beauty and Personal Care, Unilever MENA, Turkey and Russia

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

Advertising can be a powerful force in driving cultural change. Even though the role and value of women has seen a large shift in the last two decades, advertising has failed to keep up and continues to show outdated gender-based stereotypes.

Miwako Kaneko, General Manager, Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Dept., MS&AD Insurance Group Holdings, Inc.

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

When we, as a female spokesperson, deliver our message to society, it clearly shows the company’s diversity in leadership positions. The company positions itself to be fair to everyone. The company’s attitude reflects all communication messages. It drives diversity and inclusion initiatives and motivates employees, finally.

Stacey Grant, CMI Director, Unilever Africa

What do you see as the advertising industry’s role in paving the way for more women in leadership positions globally?

Advertising shapes so much of what people believe—about the world, about each other and even about ourselves. In this sense, advertising can literally determine both what we believe we can become, and what we eventually do become. And so portraying women (and all people) in advertising in a way that celebrates our diversity and our strength, and that inspires us to believe the best about ourselves and each other, is an incredibly powerful way to build a world that truly is more inclusive, more equal and more progressive.

Kumiko Shirai, Corporate Officer, NihonUNisys

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

The biggest barriers to promoting gender equality and empowering women are unconscious bias and gender-based separation of roles. These issues require the understanding of the principles of human behavior, and cannot be solved by one company or sector. We can work with various stakeholders to use the power of advertising to make these issues visible for changing people's behaviors and even traditional customs and cultures. 

Leyal Eskin Yilmaz, Vice President, Unilever Home Care Business Turkey

What impact do women leaders have on the advertising industry?

We have the power of deciding what message to give, and our messages have the power of changing the world. Let's be aware of our power and use it wisely.

What advice would you give to the next generation of women leaders?

We are told to be very strong to look after ourselves, as no one else will be there to do this. Now, I believe that there is another way: Be stronger to look after each other, girls.