Women in Leadership: Insights from S&A Executives

Across industries, conversations about gender equality at work often focus on numbers — representation, pay gaps, and leadership statistics. While those metrics matter, they only tell part of the story. Real progress also happens in the everyday experiences, leadership styles and perspectives of the women shaping organisations from within. 

This International Women’s Day, we spoke with four leaders at Simms & Associates — Dimphy Van Heusden, Executive Vice President, Global Branding & Marketing, Angela Barker-King, Executive Vice President, Global Finance, Erin Oldershaw, Executive Vice President, Advisory Services & Customer Training  and Donna Stephenson, Executive Vice President, People & Culture — about leadership, stereotypes, and the evolving role of women across marketing, finance, consulting and people management. 

Their reflections reveal not only the progress being made, but also the mindset shifts still needed to create workplaces where talent truly thrives. 

Leadership comes in many forms 

For a long time, leadership followed a fairly narrow template — one that didn’t always reflect the diversity of people capable of leading effectively. That definition, however, is gradually evolving. 

As Donna Stephenson explains, strong leadership isn’t about fitting a specific mould or personality type. It’s about recognising the different ways people think, communicate and operate. 

This broader understanding is helping organisations recognise that leadership strength often lies in diversity of thought and perspective rather than similarity. 

The skills behind modern leadership 

Across disciplines — from marketing to finance to advisory services — today’s leaders are expected to balance technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills. 

In marketing, for example, success depends on far more than creativity alone. According to Dimphy Van Heusden, it requires a complex mix of emotional intelligence, diplomacy and strategic thinking. 

“Marketing requires a strange combination of skills: empathy, storytelling, reading the room, managing stakeholders, and somehow turning twenty different opinions into one campaign that actually launches.” 

She describes female leadership in marketing in three words: empathetic, direct and resourceful — qualities that reflect the realities of modern business environments where collaboration and clarity are essential. 

Empathy also plays a critical role in designing campaigns that genuinely resonate with audiences. When campaigns miss the mark, the reason is often simple. 

The solution, she suggests, is curiosity — taking the time to truly understand the people organisations are trying to reach. 

Building credibility and trust 

In advisory and consulting environments, leadership often starts with establishing trust. For Erin Oldershaw, credibility is built through relationships and moments of connection with customers. 

“With every customer there’s a moment where I see their body language change and I know they’re bought in. That’s when trust is built and credibility established.” 

Those moments can define successful partnerships — and they often stem from deep expertise combined with strong communication skills. 

One of the most important lessons Erin has learned in her leadership journey is the value of self-awareness. 

“Knowing your own strengths — and recognising your blind spots — is the greatest strength of all.” 

She also emphasises the importance of skills that aren’t always taught but are critical for leadership success: navigating difficult conversations and managing conflict constructively. 

And one more ingredient she believes leaders should never underestimate? 

A sense of humour. 

“Leadership is hard, but it’s also a lot of fun. Levity goes a long way in building relationships and breaking down barriers.” 

Progress — and the work still ahead 

While leadership styles are evolving, some industries continue to face structural challenges when it comes to gender representation. 

Finance, for example, has historically been perceived as male-dominated. According to Angela Barker-King, the reality today is more nuanced. 

“In Europe around 40–45% of people working in finance are female. However, only about one in four CFOs are women, so senior leadership roles remain disproportionately male.” 

This gap between representation and senior leadership can influence perceptions of the industry, even as progress continues at earlier career stages. 

Angela also reflects on how workplace dynamics can sometimes differ for women in finance. 

“There have been moments where I felt judged differently or assumed to be emotional or weak simply because I’m a woman.” 

However, she highlights that organisational culture plays a powerful role in shaping experiences. 

When women do reach leadership roles, Angela believes they often bring strengths that organisations benefit greatly from. 

“Women often bring emotional intelligence, balanced decision-making and the ability to foster strong relationships — all of which help reduce groupthink and support better strategic decisions.” 

What real equality looks like 

While progress continues across industries, the ultimate goal goes beyond representation alone. 

For Donna Stephenson, equality means creating workplaces where people are valued and recognised for their contributions — not for how closely they resemble previous leaders. 

“Real equality means people are hired, paid, promoted and listened to based on their contribution — not their gender.” 

It also means recognising that individuals bring different strengths and perspectives to teams. 

“When organisations genuinely value those differences — analytical thinkers, relationship builders, fast decision-makers and careful challengers — that’s when you start to see real equality. And usually much better decisions as well.” 

Looking ahead 

The experiences shared by these leaders highlight an important truth: progress toward equality is rarely defined by a single moment or initiative. Instead, it happens through cultural shifts, evolving leadership styles and the everyday decisions organisations make about how people are supported, valued and heard. 

As these conversations continue, one thing remains clear — diverse leadership doesn’t just create fairer workplaces. It creates stronger, more resilient organisations. 

And that is something worth celebrating — not only on International Women’s Day, but every day.