In commemoration of International Women's Day on March 8, we present these IESE interviews with top women leaders in which they touch on topics of importance and relevance to women today.
Shelly Lazarus: Women's Journey to the Top
Speaking at IESE's New York Center, Ogilvy & Mather ad exec Shelly Lazarus recalls that when she joined her agency in the 1960s, there were no women executives who had not started out as secretaries. She opted to get an MBA in an effort to avoid getting typecast. Commenting on the tendency of some women to leave business because they don't believe they can juggle it all, she urges them to stay in the game and work for change instead. Women can advance to positions of influence once they understand the power they actually have and ask for what they need. Watch video.
Patricia Francis: How the Economy Impacts Women
Patricia Francis, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, considers the impact that the global economic crisis is having on women, and highlights the positive effect that the presence of more women on boards can have on corporate governance. In order to reduce poverty in the world today, she says that we need to study how the economy affects women, as it is often women who feel the effects of poverty most. Watch video.