Women leaders share their vision for gender equality in A&M and media workplaces

At 24, with seven years weaving through the professional world from an eager intern to a full-time correspondent, I have made an observation that feels both personal and profound: the difference it makes when women create space for one another. This isn't mere bias; it's a pattern that has shaped my career trajectory since I was 18.

As a Correspondent now, my role demands that I consistently reach out to industry leaders for interviews and features, who might never respond. I remember those early rejections — how each "no" felt like a personal failure, feeling perhaps I didn't belong here after all. Deadlines loomed while my confidence crumbled beneath them.

Then, I found something that I can only describe as a lifeline. The women around me — my manager, whose eyes held belief when mine couldn't, and colleagues who understood without explanation — created a circle of support that has changed everything. Their words aren’t just encouragement; they help me believe in myself during moments of self-doubt. With each rejection I face today, I find myself turning potential setbacks into stepping stones.

The phrase "Women Support Women" often circulates on social media, but I have felt its power in rooms where women navigate challenges with a grace that doesn't sacrifice strength, with an intelligence that makes space rather than claims it all. Watching them, I have glimpsed possibilities for my own future I couldn't have imagined earlier. Their example offers a blueprint for someone like me, still carving out my professional identity.

This mentorship effect is particularly potent when witnessing women in leadership positions. I am not alone in this observation — statistics validate this experience. 43% of women believe their professional success would accelerate with a workplace role model, while 57% consider having relatable role models crucial to achieving career success.

The business case for women's leadership extends beyond individual experience. Organisations with at least 30% women in leadership positions are 12 times more likely to rank in the top 20% for financial performance. Given these compelling statistics, I wonder why the advertising, marketing, and media industries continue to show such slow progress in female leadership representation.

India's media and entertainment sector reflects this contradiction. A report reveals that women hold only 12% of director and CXO positions across 25 leading media and entertainment companies in the country. Globally, the picture isn't much brighter; the 3% Movement found that women occupy just 29% of leadership roles in advertising agencies. While these numbers are an improvement from years past, the pace remains slow.

Research consistently shows that women leaders excel across critical metrics, including relating, self-awareness, authenticity, systems awareness and achievement. Yet, according to the World Economic Forum, at our current rate of progress, achieving full gender parity will take until 2158, roughly five generations from now.

This timeline highlights the urgency behind International Women's Day 2025's theme, ‘Accelerate Action.’ Observed annually on March 8, this year's focus emphasises the need for swift, decisive steps toward gender equality. It calls for increased momentum in dismantling systemic barriers and biases that women face across both personal and professional domains.

Like me, leaders in the advertising, marketing, and media industries are advocating for concrete actions rather than symbolic gestures. As we approach International Women's Day, industry leaders share what ‘Accelerate Action’ means to them and the strategies they believe will create more meaningful opportunities for women in our field.

Edited Excerpts:

Megha Tata, Strategic Advisor/ Independent Director

Whilst there are more women in the workforce in our industry ( Advertising, Marketing and Media), there are few and far between women in CXO roles. As the theme 'Accelerate Action' suggests, we need more action than words to make it happen. The industry needs to go beyond just lip service and actually work towards consciously giving women the opportunity to lead organisations. Let’s not just say it needs to be done..DO IT!

Nazneen Joshi, Senior Vice President - Business & Strategy (West), RepIndia

From my perspective, ‘Accelerate Action’ in the advertising, marketing, and media industries means actively dismantling the systemic barriers that hold women back and taking tangible steps toward equity—not just talking about change but making it happen now. Accelerating action means ensuring more women hold decision-making positions where they can shape narratives, policies, and workplace cultures. The gender pay gap remains a harsh reality. True action means transparency in pay structures, active rectification of wage disparities, and creating pathways for financial growth for women at all levels. From a storytelling point of view, accelerating action means actively creating, supporting, and funding content that represents women as multifaceted, powerful, and autonomous individuals — not just as caregivers, love interests, or side characters. 

Most importantly, accelerating action means implementing and enforcing strong policies that protect and uplift women, ensuring they can thrive without compromising their well-being. Lip service isn’t enough. Agencies that claim to support women must back it up with measurable, data-driven commitments — whether that’s hiring practices, leadership representation, or investment in infrastructure that nurtures, protects and prioritises women in the workplace. ‘Accelerate Action’ means moving beyond performative feminism and into bold, measurable change. It’s not about celebrating women for one day; it’s about reshaping an industry that still has a long way to go in ensuring true equity.

Sheena Kapoor, Head Marketing, Corporate Communications & CSR, ICICI Lombard

Accelerate Action' means moving beyond symbolic progress to create measurable change. India's women's workforce participation has risen about 19% from 2018 to 2024, encouraging progress, but meaningful gender parity remains generations away without deliberate acceleration.

In marketing and media, women now comprise roughly one-third of India's workforce, yet a significant leadership gap persists — with women occupying less than 30% of C-suite roles despite evidence that gender-diverse leadership drives stronger financial performance.

The single most powerful action our industry must take is supporting women in scaling to leadership positions. Throughout my career, from the Times Group to ICICI Lombard, seeing women in leadership roles has been sparse, especially in business-facing positions, with more women typically in enterprise roles.

True acceleration requires moving beyond conversations to comprehensive actions. We must create clear pathways to leadership, not just entry-level representation. The marketing industry has both the creative capacity and moral responsibility to lead this change — setting standards that other sectors can follow.

Sheetal Vanwari, CMO, Awfis Space Solutions Limited

‘Accelerate Action’ demands that we not only challenge the status quo but actively redefine it. It’s about dismantling outdated stereotypes in marketing, creating equitable career pathways, and fostering workplaces where diverse voices are not just heard but also valued. It’s about fostering inclusive leadership, closing gender gaps, and creating environments where women can thrive and lead without barriers. For too long, marketing and media have been both a mirror and a mold — reflecting societal norms while also shaping them. It’s time we recognise the enormous responsibility we hold in crafting narratives that empower rather than limit. 

Today’s consumers, especially younger generations, expect brands to stand for something meaningful. They engage with content that reflects their realities, aspirations, and values.  When we showcase women as leaders, decision-makers, and changemakers, we create more inclusive storytelling and build stronger, more authentic connections with audiences. But representation alone is not enough. To truly accelerate action, we must go beyond the screen and into our boardrooms, ensuring that women are not just featured in campaigns but are leading the strategy behind them. One critical action the industry must take is ensuring that women are not just included in marketing and media but are actively empowered to shape narratives, strategies, and business decisions.  This means providing equal opportunities, advocating for pay equity, and fostering workplaces where diverse voices are heard and valued. If we truly want to accelerate action, we must move from intent to impact.

Somasree Bose Awasthi, CMO, Marico Limited

To me, 'Accelerate Action' in the context of our industry means expediting the pace of progress for women's growth in this domain and improving women’s representation in leadership roles. We need to acknowledge and support strategies, resources, and initiatives that positively impact women's advancement, but on merit. Very important today for women in marketing and advertising to constantly upskill themselves and tap into trends to be innovative and strategise what works best for their brands. By doing so, we can break down significant barriers to gender equality and create a more inclusive workplace based on merit. 

We must recognise the powerful impact that media and advertisements have in shaping perceptions. The industry should create more opportunities to harness advertising and media for social good and progress. Diverse perspectives and voices are crucial in creating a more just society, ultimately setting off a positive cycle of change. Breaking gender stereotypes and redefining roles is a collective responsibility in this industry that can help pave the way for a better future.

By stepping forward in solidarity, we can collectively #AccelerateAction and create a more equitable industry for women to thrive

Umma Saini, CCO, Schbang

Accelerated action is possible when DEI is a systemic pursuit. Make diversity an organisational priority. Equitable hiring with equal pay is just the tip of the iceberg. There needs to be enablement structures, empowerment and sponsored opportunities for ensuring success, taking into account the biases that women uniquely face and backing it with actions to supersede it. The industry needs to provide equal urgency to non-sexual harassment cases that also affect women on a large scale, as proven via various research papers and data. That's going from conversation to action.