When it comes to gender equality this International Men’s Day, we at WACL (Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership) would love more men to lean in and create change, too. Not just because it helps women overcome the barriers to leadership that we still face, but because greater gender equality in our companies and society benefits men too.

To mark International Men’s Day we asked five senior women in the world of advertising,and proud WACL’ers, to publicly celebrate men that they admire as a force for good. Men who are pushing for progress both in the advertising industry and in the broader public eye. These are men who are excellent role models and have helped create a more gender-equal world by doing real, tangible stuff to support women. Action which we identify as the key Levers of Change to best accelerate gender equality. Here’s to them.

Xavier Rees, CEO at AMV Group and Ian Wright, former professional footballer and media personality 

Those of us who are lucky enough to know Xavier Rees recognise him as a brilliant example of a New Language of Leadership - which is one of WACL’s five levers of change to accelerate gender equality in our industry (you can read more about it in our 50% CEO Playbook). As an individual, he models many of the leadership attributes like emotional intelligence and collaboration that are proven to be the most effective, but that are often undervalued by business and society because they’ve historically been feminine-coded. Crucially, he doesn’t see these qualities as inferior. Instead, he values them and encourages them in everyone. Xav also balances this with the qualities that have more traditionally been associated with great leadership, like confidence, and not being afraid to make tough decisions. But he manifests these in a positive, future-focused way. He also works hard to ensure this equal valuing of both masculine and feminine interests and values comes to life in the work too. Everyone (men as well as women) doing that is a key part of WACL’s Represent Me initiative, helping ensure that women and girls can see positive, authentic versions of themselves represented in advertising and comms.

What to say about Ian Wright? Well, he’s just the perfect embodiment of many of those powerful but traditionally feminine-coded qualities too, like sharing moments of vulnerability and openly expressing emotion - both joy and sadness. He’s also a tireless and fearless activist for the women’s game, calling out inequities and showing the millions of men who admire him how doing that doesn’t have to mean being less of a man. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Nigel Sharrocks, Chairman of DCM and Alan Alda, Actor 

Nigel Sharrocks is a champion of Promoting for Potential (see page 17 of our Playbook),  he appointed me as CEO of DCM, despite not having been a CEO before. Over the course of ten years, he’s been 100% supportive of all my decisions. He’s mentored me in how to work with shareholders, make tough decisions (especially during the pandemic) and has continuously built my confidence in the most unassuming way.

Alan Alda is known to a lot of people due to his fame on the TV series M*A*S*H but he’s also worked tirelessly behind the scenes throughout the 1970s to advance a variety of social causes, including the women’s movement. He campaigned for the Equal Rights Amendment so fervently, in fact, that in 1976 the Boston Globe dubbed him “the quintessential Honorary Woman.”

Nick Ratcliffe, Customer Experience Director of VW Group and Andy Murray, tennis player 

Nick Ratcliffe was previously my boss at BT and he was totally instrumental in developing and supporting me to get my first “Director” role. He was generous with his time, sharing his knowledge and wisdom but also giving me the opportunity, responsibility and confidence to do more. He actively supported flexible working (see page 20 of our Playbook) when it came to nursery drop offs and pick ups and assessed everyone on outcomes rather than office presenteeism, which was the more cultural norm at the time. I learnt a huge amount from his leadership – from setting a clear vision for teams and aligning them around it, to asking good questions, and how to make sure that Marketing showed up as the commercial driver of growth that it is… not the colouring-in department!

Andy Murray used to have a reputation for sometimes being dour or surly – but he’s come to be recognised not only as a great tennis player but a staunch supporter of equality and feminism. He’s not afraid to show his own emotion and tears in public (yes, men do cry…) and he’s argued passionately for equal pay in tennis. On numerous occasions he’s used his public voice to fact-check and correct tennis sports commentators who haven’t represented female tennis players winning achievements. Come on, Andy!

Rak Patel, Head of Sales, EMEA, Spotify (soon to be Chief Commercial Officer at Channel 4) and Ryan Reynolds, actor 

Rak Patel is a dear friend to me and many senior women in the industry, who admire his talent, kindness and enthusiasm - and commitment to create a fairer, more inclusive industry. He’s a passionate advocate for women in leadership via being a long-time supporter of WACL, championing its mission to elevate women in the industry. His advocacy isn't performative, it’s proactive and impactful. Throughout his career, Rak has consistently invested time and energy into mentoring and empowering the women he works with. His leadership creates an environment where women are not only heard but also encouraged to thrive and lead. He actively supports female leaders beyond his own teams, offering advice, opening doors, and cheering them on. He understands that equity is about action, and he always steps up to ensure women have the opportunities they deserve. Rak doesn’t just speak about diversity and inclusion - he demonstrates it. He fosters a sense of belonging for everyone, ensuring workplaces are spaces where women feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. He uses his influence and platform to amplify the voices of women, giving credit where it’s due and creating opportunities for their growth. His leadership style is rooted in kindness, generosity, and unwavering support. He also is someone who rarely uses gendered language - and actually goes someway to highlight the strengths of others - not focussing on whether they are a woman or a man. Rak’s dedication to driving change for women serves as an example to others, reminding us all that true leadership is about lifting others as you rise.

Actor and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds consistently highlights women’s contributions, often celebrating the women in his life, including his wife, Blake Lively (true couple goals!). He uses his platform to champion women’s voices, frequently hiring female directors and writers for his projects and supporting female-led initiatives. His humour and humility make him relatable while emphasising that supporting women should be a natural part of leadership.

Malcolm White, ex-Founder and CSO of Krow (now retired) and John Legend, singer and songwriter 

Malcolm White was my boss and colleague for the first 15 years of my career in advertising. He was a tireless champion of the people around him and always a strong advocate for women. As a boss it felt like he always had your back, gave you opportunity, responsibility and air cover. He fought for a remarkably generous maternity package for me at a time when I don’t think the agency even had a formal maternity policy. He embodied the principle of ‘promote for potential’ well before it was a concept on most people’s radar. He promoted me to Head of Planning when I was working part time having only just returned to work after having my second child and taught me pretty much everything I know, not just about planning but also about how to be a leader and role model for those around you.

John Legend works in an industry known for its sexism and even outright misogyny, but within it he’s a strong ally of women, and particularly women’s health. He describes himself as a feminist, saying ‘if men cared more about women’s rights, the world would be a better place’. In 2023, in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade, he was vocal about protecting women’s reproductive rights on social media and in interviews. He’s also a vocal women’s health hero (see page 23 of our Playbook) at a time and in a country where we’ve never needed strong male allies more.