What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
A chance to celebrate just how far women have come in the last 100 years. This is a great opportunity to enhance our worth and for women in power to showcase their personal growth.
Women are powerful creatures and we are often the mentally stronger of the sexes.
Quote: “Every man needs a woman when his life is a mess, because just like the game of chess, the Queen protects the king.” – Unknown
As a career women yourself, do you feel you have had to fight harder to get where you are today?
Yes I do – as a full time working parent, I find it hard to balance the happiness of bringing up my son and giving 100% to him as well as my job & my team. I often spend evenings working into the night to make my career a success. But it’s important for my son to know that his mummy is successful and for him to be proud of me. Flexible & remote working are a godsend when it comes to balancing my life! When he is tucked up in bed, I can carry on, get the job done whilst enjoying a well-earned glass of wine.
How do you feel the media and creative industry treats women?
Having worked with many large global media organisations over the years, it has been amazing to see how many of these have been working tirelessly on the Gender Pay Gap to ensure that equality & diversity are at the forefront of their hiring strategy. A lot of the major projects they have been working on, more so in 2017, were solely based on Gender, Equality, diversity and Inclusion. I think historically in many businesses, men have usually been the ones at the top, but this is changing and at such a speed! It’s wonderful to see, and about time too.
What would you like to see companies do to make give more gender parity?
I am already seeing a huge shift in the leadership teams of many of our clients, global restructures at executive level to realign at the top, this is an excellent way to shift the “old boys club” mentality that a lot of media businesses have historically had. Bring in powerful ambitious women who are going to bring a new dynamic to the strategy and will no doubt deliver it in a positive and productive way!
What advice would you give to women ambitious for a great career?
I would give the same advice to anyone – male or female, It’s about equality right? Work hard, aim high, put the effort in and don’t be afraid to aim higher than you think you can achieve. Women, especially working mothers, I find, give a lot more as they have a lot more to prove, I know! I’m doing it now.