Ilda Jamison, Quantcast Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand:
How has (if it has) the adtech industry changed for the better during your career when it comes to gender equality?
Back in the day, adtech didn’t have a good reputation when it came to gender diversity. However, today I think it is very much a welcoming culture for both men and women. When I look at the current climate of women working in adtech across Australia, many of the businesses in our ecosystem have a collection of women who hold leadership, commercial, marketing, and technical roles. Today, there is a greater sense of community where both genders can connect, collaborate, and innovate. There is still work to be done to close the pay gap, however, we are on the right track.
What would be your #1 piece of career advice for women about to enter the adtech industry?
Be authentic. Be curious. Be confident. Embrace change. Raise your hand. Get a mentor.
Be true to who you are, your values and your principles. Give yourself space to learn and keep an open mind. Our industry is constantly evolving, and it can be overwhelming. Leverage the many educational programs in the industry and sign up to the IAB Mentorship Program to partner with a leader in our industry who will provide you leadership, insights and guidance. Raise your hand for new opportunities or initiatives and speak up in conversations. Your opinion and thoughts are important and can make a huge difference. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and always, always back yourself!
What needs to change in order for women to progress to the most senior level of adtech?
In order for businesses to find women in leadership roles, they need to be intentional about it. The candidate pool in adtech is small and given the fast pace of the industry, it can be tempting to fish for external candidates in the same ponds. I would encourage businesses to consider internal candidates who have the potential to expand into a more senior role and support their growth by providing executive coaching, mentorship, bolstering knowledge, skills, and relevant educational resources. When more time is invested in potential talent internally, we open up the path to advancement for females within the business and the wider adtech ecosystem.
Have you noticed a difference in the attitude of male leaders in your company since gender imbalance in the workforce has been more in the news over the last few years (#metoo etc.)
I’ve been lucky that it’s not really something that I’ve come up against in recent years. In my current role, I feel supported and empowered by the male leaders around me. We have a 60:40 female to male ratio on our APAC leadership team and our business here in Australia is 52% female. I am happy to see the topic heightened in the news in recent years. As an industry (and society), we still have a long way to go in achieving gender equality and I hope by increasing awareness, that people are empowered to make a change and identify how they can help progress our industry forward.
Do you think casual sexism is a problem in adtech?
No matter what industry, profession or employer, everyday sexism exists. I was on a call only the other day where I experienced mansplaining - men interrupting and talking over me. And I am quite often expected to explain to other women why I don’t have children. Sexism is everywhere, every day. And it is often the little things said or done in the moment that play into stereotypes of gender. Sexism can be eliminated; however, we need to further educate employers and employees on how to understand and tackle everyday sexism.
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