What do you get when you invite six of ad land’s most powerful women into a room to talk candidly about what it means to be a woman in the industry?
It might sound like the start of a riddle. After all, coordinating the diaries of six CEOs and senior leaders is no small feat.
Amazingly, Mediaweek managed to do just that.
In the aftermath of International Women’s Day, the Newsmakers podcast brought together a group of Omnicom’s most influential female leaders for an unfiltered conversation about leadership, change and the realities of navigating advertising’s power corridors.
The line-up includes Laura Nice, CEO of PHD; Jo McAlister, CEO of Initiative; Liz Wigmore, Managing Director of Hearts & Science; Sian Whitnall, CEO of OMD; Sue Squillace, CEO Mediahub; and Stevie Douglas-Neill, CEO of UM.
Throughout the discussion, the leaders touch on everything from quotas and industry accountability to leading with what some describe as “feminine energy”.
The result is a conversation that is frank, funny and, at times, deeply reflective.
More than symbolism
For Nice, International Women’s Day still holds value – but only if it sparks bigger change.
“I think the symbolism is actually important,” she says. “So I still think having a moment in time is great because it actually enables us to pause and have a celebration.”
But celebration alone isn’t enough.
“But if you only have a celebration, then it is just symbolic, and it’s not actually having that meaningful impact.”
Nice argues progress requires tackling broader structural issues, not just workplace policies.
“Thinking about how we’re actually looking at systemic issues… because if you just focus on what’s going on in the workplace, a lot of it actually comes from home.”
That also means recognising realities beyond the office, particularly for women returning to work.
“Sometimes it’s just about having that inclusive and honest conversation… especially with mothers returning to work.”
Why progress still feels slow
-McAlister says the industry has moved forward – just not fast enough.
“We’ve seen change, but it is slower than what we would hope,” she says.
Real progress, she argues, must go beyond HR initiatives.
“It’s not an HR policy that can change… it has to be either industry-wide.”
Leadership accountability remains key.
“As female leaders, CEOs, I think that should always be part of our agenda… being accountable and really transparent about it.”
Leading with empathy
For Wigmore, leadership style shapes culture.
“I probably lead with slightly more feminine qualities, which are empathy and collaboration,” she says.
“My approach to many decisions is empathy-led – holding the tension of the person, the business and the situation in equal stead.”
“It’s a superpower”.
A conversation worth hearing
Across the full Newsmakers episode, the women share candid views on leadership, progress and the future of advertising.
They’re reflective, occasionally disagree – and offer a rare glimpse into how adland’s next chapter may be shaped.
You can check out the latest episode of Mediaweek’s Newsmakers wherever you get your podcasts.
Main image: L-R: Stevie Douglas-Neal, Laura Nice, Sue Squillace, Sian Whitnall, Jo McAlister, Liz Wigmore. Source: Mediaweek