Interview with Kelly Byrne, Chief Growth Officer @ Atterley
Q: What do you think the future holds for women in marketing?
A: Hopefully the same that it would for men. I sincerely hope that after the last two years, most companies are fully embracing flexibility in the workplace which will open up more opportunities for working mums by allowing both parents to be around to be caregivers. It’s a balancing act for all but importantly this greater flexibility we are now experiencing allows parents to support family AND personal needs better.
Q: What do you think is the biggest obstacle for women today?
A: I think inherently women are always a few steps behind because naturally as child bearers, once physical recovery has taken place, most women take time off to look after their little ones. If a woman has a few children then that’s a few years out of their career which in most cases makes it harder to catch up to male colleagues who are zooming ahead on the professional ladder, likely a few pay rises ahead, the benefit of time allowing them a promotion or two more. I’d love to see a more embracing attitude to true shared parental leave, and this being normalised. I don’t think it really is.
Q: How has the industry changed for the better over the last 10 years?
A: Shared parental leave, more embracing attitude to flexible working to make it work for families, greater understanding and respect for what women can bring to the workplace in terms of attitude and impact
Q: What’s your favourite thing about being a woman in your industry?
A: Being a role model. I want my girls to see how important having a career is in terms of personal reward and growth. I love standing side by side female colleagues, mentoring and challenging them and seeing their development journeys.
Q: What makes women really great at marketing?
A: I don’t think being a woman makes you any different at marketing than a man, that’s not determined by sex. I think we perhaps bring different things to the table, a different style of communication, potentially a more empathetic approach that possibly creates a different end outcome.