IWD Voices: Ida Mak – ‘Senior Leaders Have a Responsibility to Look Beyond the Handbook’

Why It Matters

The interview underscores how authentic, empathy‑driven leadership can reshape advertising culture and accelerate gender equity at the highest corporate tiers, influencing both talent pipelines and brand narratives.

Key Takeaways

• Empathy positioned as strategic leadership advantage
• Fairness requires contextual, not purely procedural, decisions
• Mid‑career support outpaces C‑suite female representation
• Dove Real Beauty exemplifies lasting authentic women portrayal
• JOMO encourages sustainable, focused creative work for women

Pulse Analysis

The 2026 International Women’s Day theme—Rights, Justice, Action—resonates strongly within advertising, an industry that both mirrors and molds societal norms. Ida Mak argues that senior leaders must champion narratives that portray women in full complexity, moving beyond token representation to stories that empower. By foregrounding traits traditionally labeled as feminine—empathy, intuition, vulnerability—brands can forge deeper trust with consumers, turning inclusive storytelling into a competitive advantage rather than a compliance checkbox.

Beyond storytelling, Mak points to a structural disconnect: while policies now better support working mothers, women remain under‑represented in C‑suite roles. She contends that senior executives need to look past static handbooks, adopting a real‑time, empathetic approach to fairness that considers individual circumstances. This proactive stance not only improves talent retention but also diversifies decision‑making, driving innovation and aligning companies with evolving stakeholder expectations.

Cultural trends such as the rise of JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) and the enduring impact of Dove’s Real Beauty campaign illustrate a broader shift toward authenticity and well‑being. JOMO encourages creatives to prioritize depth over constant output, a mindset that benefits women balancing professional and personal demands. Meanwhile, campaigns that celebrate real bodies demonstrate that genuine representation can sustain brand relevance over decades. Together, these signals suggest that advertisers who embed empathy, contextual fairness, and authentic representation will lead the market as consumer expectations continue to evolve.