In the creative industries, people are the product. A state of play that makes talent the engine of businesses, yet also a truth which makes the lack of diversity, particularly at a leadership level, an acute cultural and commercial challenge.

If who makes the work shapes the work, then the IPA Agency Census data that shows 75% of creative leadership roles are held by men is worrying reading.

The 2024 Census revealed there is still a long way to go to smash the glass ceiling. The Census revealed that the number of women in the C-suite has increased year-on-year. Women account for 39.9% of individuals in C-suite roles, up from 37.9% in 2023. Women occupy 39% of C-suite roles in creative and other non-media agencies, up from 38% in 2023, and 41% in their media agency counterparts, up from 37.7% in 2023.

The Census revealed a 19.7% gender pay gap in favour of men over women. The size of the gender pay gap has increased from the 15.2% reported in 2023. As the cost of childcare and commuting continues to rise, this data point underlines another way in which return to office mandates disproportionately impact women.

These proof points show the extensive challenges women face in the creative industries; the playing field is not level. 120,000 women have left the creative industries over the past two years, according to preliminary data from Major Players 2025 Salary Census.

Arguably with an industry narrative rooted in ‘talent pipelines’ rather than people’s lived experience, it is all too easy to get disconnected from the reality of the challenges women still face in their careers. With this in mind, we asked leaders if the industry should be doing more to support women through the ‘messy middle’ of their careers.

At TBWA we're fortunate to have some exceptional female leaders, and I’ve personally benefitted from the guidance of inspiring women throughout my career. However, this isn’t reflective of the industry at large.

Women are still vastly underrepresented in leadership positions, which, amongst other reasons, isn’t surprising given how many leave the industry in their thirties. This reality isn’t new, and the stats remain staggering. It’s a stage in life that often clashes with the demanding nature of ad land, with personal ambitions and responsibilities becoming a priority.

I’d hope that by recognising everyone’s needs are unique, being open to flexibility, and supporting choice without judgment, the industry can encourage more women to stay, progress and successfully balance the demands of their careers with other aspects of their personal lives in a way that works for them.

The truth is, midlife is chaotic. It’s complex. And uniquely different for everyone. Career is just one of many spinning plates. Some are wrangling young children, others teenagers. Or maybe like me, navigating a different reality, coming to terms with being childless (not by choice). There is a whole cohort of women spinning so many plates that they’re waking up each day with no energy for outdated nonsense

Six years ago, I joyfully leapt from traditional agency life and embraced freelance. I’ve never looked back. Not once. Why? Because the messy middle isn’t a crisis, it’s a time for reinvention. Women aren’t leaving because they can’t handle the pace; they’re leaving because they’re fed up with being unsupported by outdated models that don’t fit modern lives. So, they’re redesigning their careers on their own terms. I hope the industry can catch up and embrace the wisdom and value of women's second half.

In midlife women need:

• Flexibility, not lip service. Not just remote working, but career pathways that allow for step-ups, step-asides, and pivots without penalty.
• Support that’s more than a policy. Real investment in training, menopause support, and a culture that values the wisdom of experience not just the next shiny thing.
• Outcome-based performance. Let’s measure impact, not office time. At this stage of women's lives it's not just about work-life balance, it’s about work-life design.

Frustratingly, just as we were seeing progress; better menopause awareness and policies etc, some companies take five steps back, clinging to outdated ideas like presenteeism. Dragging folk back into offices under the illusion that being physically present equals productivity. Why return to the same rigid structures that have stifled innovation, creativity, and inclusivity for decades? The industry is changing. The world of work is shifting. What replaces traditional ways of working is up to us.

With so much going on around the world there hasn’t been a time when I’ve been alive where women’s rights seem so under threat. It means that businesses need to do more than ever to ensure that women’s needs are heard and accommodated.

To better support women, businesses need to be more flexible than ever. The ‘messy middle’ often occurs when women are having families, so unexpected events are bound to arise, whether it’s children being off school or needing to attend a school sports day.

Therefore, businesses need to adapt, offering the freedom for employees, both men and women, to manage their time effectively and balance work with family life.

Traditionally, there was far less flexibility in the workplace, but with the advancements in modern working, the landscape is now much more accommodating. We have to continue to evolve as an industry, keeping talented individuals with real-life experience in the workforce. Ultimately, these are the people who truly understand the challenges others face and can craft meaningful solutions that support the entire workforce.

I’m a single mum to a teen and tweenager. I’m daughter to two aging parents. I’m the very definition of the sandwich generation.

I’m also Executive Head of Strategy at helia – a role and an agency that I love. And because I believe that diverse and interesting teams create diverse and interesting work, I feel responsible for demonstrating to those around me – especially younger women younger and those at earlier stages of their careers – that agency life is compatible with family life. But this has to be about more than a few senior women flying the flag. We need to start changing the structures and ways in which agencies operate that drive women out and / or hold them back in the middle of their careers:

Start with the data – of course, you’d expect a CX Strategist to say this, but you need to get clear on where you’re losing women and why. Develop an action plan, be transparent about that plan, and give regular progress updates.

Normalise flexible working – I can’t believe I’m still saying this post-Covid, but advertising’s long hours, unrealistic demands and pressure to be constantly available all disproportionately affect women in caregiving roles. Everyone sees me leave the office at 4pm. What they don’t see (nor should they) is me doing my best work at 4am – having successfully re-framed my perimenopausal early morning wake up calls. We should all have the flexibility to work when we’re at our best, guilt free.

Be vulnerable – we do ourselves and those around us a disservice when we pretend that we’re sailing swan-like through life. It’s ok to say that we have days when we feel like we’re failing at everything. Being open and honest about our own vulnerabilities encourages others to do the same, so we can catch people before they fall.

Play nicely – playing together is clearly important, but it can be difficult for some to access when it revolves around lagers and late nights. We’re a creative industry – let’s create more inclusive forms of play.

Welcome women back – my mum returned to nursing after a 20-year break, going on to provide huge value to the NHS and her patients for another 10 years. Advertising needs to get better at realising the value that returning women can offer, advertising itself and practically supporting women to come back.

Truly commit – it’s easy for agencies to make commitments like these when they’re enjoying winning ways. But the true measure of an agency is its culture and values and its preparedness to stand by these commitments when times are tough and budgets are under pressure.

The messy middle. A time when, as women, we challenge and question our progression as peer representation decreases when compared to men.

Is my career path is moving in the right direction? Does what I’m doing spark joy? The opportunities at senior level are fewer, how can I progress? Am I feeling heard? How can I juggle life and work? Am I stuck in a professional rut?

All questions I can guarantee every woman has asked herself at one time or another, so what can our industry do to support women through the messy middle?

Create space. Do you have ERG’s which focus on issues that primarily impact women?

Support your female colleagues with training for their development as both managers and individuals. NABS’ Managers’ Mindsets holistic training programme includes workshops on having mental wellness conversations, leading through change and inclusive leadership skills.

Actively listen to foster psychologically safe spaces, whether that’s in your 1:1’s or workplace in general. Seek to understand any challenges. Don’t assume one person’s career goals will be the same as yours. Ask where they want to get to and explore development opportunities together.

Champion successes and learnings. The messy middle can impact someone’s confidence. Boost them back up with vocal encouragement and recognition.

Create access to networks, such as Futures (WACL Talent Award winners) and Bloom. Showcase routes into mentoring and coaching. These are all crucial for women as they navigate this sticky stage.

Our industry thrives with innovation, creativity, and diverse perspectives, yet too often, women face significant barriers in the “messy middle” of their careers. This phase usually coincides with increasing leadership opportunities while juggling personal and professional demands like parenthood or financial pressures. To ensure they don’t stall or leave the industry, businesses must focus on equity-driven policies and meaningful action beyond traditional DEI initiatives.

Mentoring is a positive step, but sponsorship goes a step further. Women in the messy middle often experience self-doubt, burnout, and isolation. While mentoring offers guidance, sponsorship actively breaks down barriers by ensuring women are visible, advocated for, and given access to leadership opportunities. GroupM UK's pilot Sponsorship Programme has supported ethnic minority employees, including 50% women, with 57% promoted and 10% gaining new roles or responsibilities. The next phase will expand to more underrepresented groups, including women, to strengthen the senior leadership pipeline.

Policies must also reflect the realities women face. Enhanced family leave, flexible working, and support for fertility treatment, adoption, parental bereavement, and caring responsibilities all play a role in enabling career continuity. GroupM UK has strengthened its policies by reducing the eligibility period for enhanced family leave, ensuring greater accessibility.

To cultivate a culture of inclusion, it is essential women's voices are heard and valued in decision-making. The industry can ensure that talented women don’t just survive the messy middle but thrive, bringing their expertise and leadership, allowing them to develop their careers and support the next generation of talent entering the industry.

Provide training on how to build a network.

Your network is your USP as you develop your career - especially as you go up the levels in an organisation, there will be fewer opportunities for roles, and you need to stand out. But very few people are proactive or intentional about nurturing it – I often hear 'oh I hate networking' and, more often than not, I hear it from women. The transactional and unnatural way the relationships are formed at events can make people feel uncomfortable, but I also often see people going about it wrong.

Training would help women maximise these opportunities and help break down some of the barriers holding them back. I’d recommend prioritising these five steps for event networking. First, remember it’s a mutual value exchange and you too are a useful connection – people are at the event to meet interesting people like you! Focusing on being helpful to others makes the process much more natural, enjoyable and rewarding. Second, don’t get stuck with one person – networking is a numbers game, do the circuit. Third, have your LinkedIn QR code handy, ideally saved as your phone background. It makes connecting so much easier. Fourth, be memorable and give people something to talk about. It can be as simple as wearing an interesting pair of shoes. And finally, get in the queue – be it for a bar or a toilet, it’s a great (and helpfully time-bound) opportunity to meet people and make an impression.

The industry has made strides in recent years in terms of career opportunities and progression for women. However, the “messy middle” of a woman's career is an area often overlooked. It’s at this point where work pressures and personal responsibilities collide and where too many women step back or drop out altogether. Which not only hinders career progression but the industry as a whole suffers from a loss of talent.

As women often face societal expectations to prioritise family and caregiving duties, businesses need to be transparent and vocal on simple solutions that will support and encourage women to stay in the industry and not feel that personal and professional responsibilities have to be at odds with each other. These include flexible working, shared maternity/paternity leave and clear return to work support. Mentorship and sponsorship are just as important. Women need both other women and men in their corner—not just to offer advice, but to actively champion them for future opportunities. Networks like Omniwomen and Allies help women connect, share experiences, and push each other forward.

Continuing to demonstrate pathways to the boardroom by offering women to take on commercial, revenue-driving roles is also key. Ambition is fueled by achievable targets and demonstrating the potential to thrive, lean and progress will be crucial to retaining women in the industry.

Firstly, it’s worth saying that I hope this question increasingly applies to both men and women. There are a whole bunch of enlightened, progressive, empathetic men out there who are striving to achieve balance. We’ve got to aim for a world where the emotional and practical burdens of juggling successful careers with childcare responsibilities, or caring responsibilities are shared. We’re not quite there yet, but what a utopia that would be.

And let’s also acknowledge that the messy middle can hit different people at different times. The traditional trajectories of life are getting blurred and baggy for different people in different ways. No less challenging, but differently shaped for all.

So what can the industry do? Listen. Understand. Above all else, engage empathy. Don’t rely on standardised policies, because one size doesn’t fit all. Try to bend and flex in different ways for different people at different times. Easier said than done in organisations where structures are more rigid and operations more complex. But removing the fear of setting precedents will go a long way to help individuals navigate their lives and thrive at work in their own unique and messy ways.

As a woman, mother, and leader in the creative industry, navigating the ‘messy middle’ means long hours and high pressure, both in and out of the office. I've always been a strong advocate for the idea that women can have both a career and a family, but the reality is, it comes at a cost. Whether it's the financial burden of rising childcare fees just to be able to work, or the emotional toll of feeling stretched most of the week, the challenges are real.

It’s no surprise to learn that women hold less than a quarter of leadership roles in the creative industry when you consider the hurdles that come after maternity leave or career breaks for childcare. Unfortunately, the system isn’t built to make it easy for us.

That said, I’m fortunate to be in a position where I can make a difference, for the women on my team and in the industry. I believe it’s my responsibility to help break the cycle. Instead of pushing women out of their careers due to the relentless ‘always on’ culture, we should be redefining what a sustainable career path looks like. That could mean offering more flexible work arrangements, being mindful of last-minute requests when kids get sick, or creating opportunities for lateral career moves and rotational roles to keep women engaged without burning out.

Building supportive communities and normalising conversations about these challenges are key to making change. That’s why I founded ‘Creative Marketing Mums’- a group for women in creative marketing who need advice, support, or just a listening ear. Together, I hope we can shape a future where women don’t have to choose between success and balance.

Every year, the same thing happens. International Women’s Day rolls around, and we see a panel of big-name female executives talking about leadership. And don’t get me wrong—it's great that they’re there. But what about the freelancers grinding for stability? The mid-career women stuck in no man’s land between “rising talent” and “leadership material”? The single mums juggling deadlines and daycare pickups?

If we’re serious about inclusion, we can’t just keep handing the mic to the same voices. Where are the women in experiential tech? The female engineers designing the future? The artists, the activists, the ones making change from the ground up? If IWD is only celebrating the women who’ve already “made it,” then what message does that send to the ones still fighting to get there?

In experiential marketing, we obsess over inclusivity in brand activations—we make sure events feel immersive, diverse, and representative. Why don’t we hold our industry to the same standard?

At The Hanging House, we believe real impact comes from expanding the room, not just filling seats with the same faces. That’s why we champion women at every stage of their journey—whether they’re leading projects, redefining creativity, or breaking into the industry—by ensuring they have a seat at the table, a voice in decisions, and the freedom to shape their careers on their terms.

So this IWD, let’s rethink who we put on the stage. Not just CEOs—but creatives. Not just success stories—but work-in-progress ones. Not just the 1%—but every woman who’s pushing forward, every day.