Only 30 percent of organisations in the Middle East have a woman in the most senior role and just 7 percent of listed board seats are held by women. In a region where women are well represented across the Marcomms workforce, the leadership gap is impossible to ignore.
That’s what THINK EQUAL was created to address. Launched by The Marketing Society in the UAE, the initiative is focused on supporting more women into senior leadership roles across the GCC.
Creating Space for Real Conversations
The first half of 2025 has brought meaningful moments. In January, the THINK EQUAL x TikTok Lounge brought together brand leaders addressing unconscious bias, not just in campaign messaging but in hiring, culture, and leadership behaviour.
In March, a workshop with Weber Shandwick and coach Leopold Ajami explored ethical persuasion and inclusive influence. This was followed by a series of small format ‘uncomfortable breakfasts’, designed to create safe, honest spaces for women to speak openly about invisible barriers. Meanwhile, our book clubs offered a more informal space for intimate debate. Discussions around Unapologetically Ambitious and Stilled Network focused on how women grow into leadership and the networks that support them along the way.
In a region where women are well represented across the Marcomms workforce, the leadership gap is impossible to ignore.
Charis Marr
Making the Move Up
Across our events, consistent themes are emerging. Mid-career women often feel stuck. They are too experienced to be mentees but not visible enough to be sponsored. Senior women want more support at the top table, especially when it comes to strategic confidence and boardroom presence. Bias is not always loud. It shows up in process, perception, and who is seen as ready. And while structured development has its place, the impact of informal networks remains powerful. Some of the most significant support happens peer to peer.
Sharpening Focus, Deepening Impact
In the months ahead, THINK EQUAL will align more closely with The Marketing Society’s pillars: Community, Inspiration, and Acceleration. We will organise content and events around three clear lenses - personal, organisational and societal - to reflect the layered barriers women face.
To drive meaningful change, future initiatives will focus on two key segments. Ambitious Achievers, with 10 to 15 years of experience, are often ready for executive roles but lack the visibility and sponsorship to reach them. Resilient Strivers, with 5 to 10 years of experience, are navigating a critical phase where progress can stall without the right support.
Inclusion doesn’t work if half the room isn’t in it. Male advocacy matters.
Charis Marr
For the first of these groups, our new THINK EQUAL Leadership Programme will launch applications soon for a cohort beginning in January 2026, and is designed to support senior women ready to step into top leadership roles. It will focus on building executive presence, strategic clarity, and the confidence to lead. To register your interest for the programme fill in this short form here.
We will also start tracking progress in a more structured way. From leadership progression and confidence shifts to real organisational change, we want to understand what is working and where we need to push harder.
Forward, with Focus
There will always be more to do. That’s the nature of real change. But progress depends on consistency, collaboration, and contribution from across the industry. And while this work is centred on women, it is not only for women. We continue to invite men into the conversation, as allies and advocates. Inclusion doesn’t work if half the room isn’t in it. Male advocacy matters.
We are here to drive change, step by step, with real impact.
Authored by Charis Marr, marketing and brand consultant
