Come explore the ideas and insights of Francesca Padula, Director of Marketplaces in Madrid; Larissa Sidarto, Strategy & Execution Principal in London; Laura Ron, Financial Services Director in Madrid; Loredana Leonte, Talent Acquisition Director in Amsterdam; Caroline Dieleman, Data & Analytics Director in Amsterdam; Myrthe Rustemeijer, Director in Amsterdam; and Richa Mishra, Senior Solution Architect in Gurgaon.

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Conversations about workplace equality often feel abstract—until you hear real voices sharing genuine experiences. This International Women's Day, we're listening to professionals who are reshaping how we understand empowerment. 

Loredana offers a nuanced perspective on what this day means to her: “International Women’s Day is an important time to reflect on how far we’ve come and what still needs to be done. But I’d like it to also serve as a reminder that empowerment isn’t just about individuals. It’s not just about certain women or specific people—it’s about transforming systems, cultures, and opportunities so that all people can thrive, regardless of gender. 

I think it should be more than a 'women versus men' narrative. Women don’t want favours in a business environment—just an equal seat at the table, to be listened to with respect and dignity. And I have to say, at Metyis, I’ve always felt that way. I’ve never felt like I was a 'diversity hire' or that I had to fight to be taken seriously. I feel respected, treated equally, and valued for my contributions—my voice has always been heard.

And in my role, particularly in consultancy at the leadership level—an industry that is still very male-dominated—I’ve never felt like I had to earn my seat at the table or fight to be listened to. That’s something I’m incredibly proud of. At the end of the day, I think people care most about how professional you are and what you bring to the table. That’s what should matter."

For Loredana, Accelerating Action means, “going beyond the many intentions and talks about empowering women in business and moving towards tangible changes that directly impact women in business. This is about breaking down barriers, ensuring that women have the resources, mentorship, and support they need not just to succeed, but to thrive in a business environment. For example, this could mean creating urgency to close gender gaps in leadership, pay, and access to opportunities. It's about ensuring that women aren't just represented but are empowered to lead and innovate. So, for me, it's about moving beyond just talking and actually taking action to make things happen for women. "

Caroline also backs this sentiment, explaining that it’s a "you can talk the talk, but do you walk the walk?” situation. When you want to celebrate equality “you can talk about how it's important to have women in leadership roles. But do you actually do anything about it? Do you promote women internally? Do you take action when it comes to putting women into positions of power? And it's not just about promotions. It’s also about giving them a seat at the relevant table.” 

Myrthe believes that, “To make way for this progress, organisations must empower women by providing them growth platforms and acknowledging the unique challenges they face in our industry. At the same time I believe women need to aim for the moon and own their personal and professional growth and impact. If you want it, you go and get it—even if it means stepping out of you comfort zone and being more vocal than you are used to."

The impact of women in business

The role of women in business brings a unique set of strengths and perspectives that can shape business decisions and improve company culture. 

Francesca shares her insights around decision-making: “From what I’ve observed, when a team includes women in decision-making roles, there is a consistent level of empathy, connection, inclusion, and attention to all team members, as well as a constant sense of empowerment—whether for men or women. That is something I have always appreciated in mixed-gender teams or teams with women in leadership positions.

Additionally, what they bring is a capability to unify, define a common ambition, and guide all team members toward a shared direction while also understanding the different needs and peculiarities of each individual. That is the inclusion aspect.” 

Caroline emphasises that “businesses need to make space for different types of personalities because that diversity brings unique perspectives. Whether someone is introverted or extroverted, highly analytical or deeply philosophical, pragmatic or creative—you need a combination of all these perspectives to get a complete picture. At the end of the day, what we want in most cases is for products to be used and for customers to feel understood. If your boardroom or leadership doesn’t reflect the diversity of the people you serve—whether that’s your country, your market, or your audience—you won’t truly understand your customers. Having people from different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences in positions of power allows for more informed decisions about what’s important moving forward, what’s being overlooked, and what drives innovation."

Richa reinforces this value of diverse perspectives, acknowledging that gender is just one part of the equation. “We should bring women to the table for business because I feel that it will bring a broader perspective overall. I’m not just talking about diversity in terms of gender but diversity as a whole—whether it's cultural or gender-related—it all contributes to that broader view. That said, I still believe people shouldn't be hired solely based on their gender or cultural background—hiring should primarily be based on merit.” 

Part of this diversification of the workplace comes from building stronger and more inclusive teams. Loredana, who leads global talent acquisition, describes how this fits into Metyis' recruitment strategy. “Empowering women—having women in your company and bringing their representation to parity with men—is not just the right thing to do; it’s a business imperative. In our recruitment process, wherever applicable, we always try to have a diversified panel. The women who participate share their experiences and cultivate connections with other women. They share their own experiences about how Metyis supports them to thrive in their chosen career. This includes balancing life and family, as well as other objectives outside of work—whether that's sports, hobbies, learning and development, or any other personal aspirations."

Francesca backs up this sentiment with her own observation: "I work with so many different teams and people at Metyis all around Europe, and I've never worked with such a talented group of people. I'm not sure what we do in the interview process, but we really select extremely talented, innovative, and interesting colleagues. It's great because it helps you enrich your experience every single day".

Building leadership and confidence

For many women in business, developing confidence means overcoming self-doubt, taking bold steps, and surrounding themselves with the right environment.  

Laura highlights the importance of early reinforcement. “I think the confidence issue is something that starts at home. If, from a young age, you have people around you giving you support and telling you that what you think or say is valuable, you will have a great base. We have to do the same thing in a business environment and make sure women know that what they say or think—their perspective—is valid and valuable in the business environment.” 

For Francesca, her confidence was indeed shaped at home. “My father used to say, ‘I'm teaching you values,’ while my mother would say, ‘I'm giving you the wings to fly.’ She always believed that as a woman, and more broadly as a human being, you are meant to fight for what you want and take bold, decisive action. At some point in my career, I met a female leader who told me something that stuck with me: ‘Never leave a room or a meeting without making a comment.’ I started practicing that again and again. Over time, I broke out of that bubble, and now, I always encourage the people I work with to take action. Make a decision. Take a bold step”. 

Myrthe brings another perspective: “I think building confidence also has to do with understanding that you don’t need all the wisdom and all the facts in order to be able to contribute significantly to a business development conversation.” She also shares a simple but effective strategy she uses to boost her confidence: “Another thing that has helped me is literally just before a meeting, telling myself a couple of times that I’ll do great and also take up more space than I need to. Sometimes making very big gestures helps you 'fake it until you make it'”. 

For Larissa, being a woman in business takes more than personal resilience. “Taking risks isn’t just about confidence—it’s also about having the right support system, the right people to bounce ideas off of, or to challenge your thinking. Kind of like having people who’ve got your back. Throughout my career, I’ve had mentors, peers, and colleagues—a group of people I trust and can consult with. That makes a huge difference when it comes to taking calculated risks or feeling prepared to think bigger and make smarter bets.” 

Backing this sentiment, Loredana says that, “from day one at Metyis, I was given freedom and trust, which are things I personally value a lot. I always felt supported and encouraged, which are essential for building confidence in making bold decisions. In my personal case, the culture that celebrates risk-taking and learns from failure has given me the confidence to step outside my comfort zone, which I always did in my role”.

Accelerating action through circles of support 

Making things happen, comes down to the people. As Richa explains: “I feel that there should always be good environment that allows you to build a circle of trust within an organisation. People tend to invest a lot of time at work, or even if they are working from home, they still collaborate and work with different kinds of people for long periods of time. So, the person you report to, your supervisor, or anyone who reports to someone, should be trustworthy and a good leader. Only then can a person get all the support they need." 

Francesca gives a very simple piece of advice to seek this kind of environment: “When stepping into a new role—whether it’s a job, a project, or any big decision — don’t just consider the job description or the scope of work. Also, think about who you’ll be working with—your boss, your team. Looking at my own career, there have been some crucial influences—whether they were my direct managers or the circles of people around me—who really helped me build confidence and trust in myself. I think I’ve been lucky in that sense. And I’m lucky here at Metyis because I’ve found a circle of people who help me do exactly that.” 

Laura points out a critical issue in many workplaces that widens the scope of support to a more inclusive perspective: "We should think about why you don't see many women leaders in strategy consulting firms. I think it is related to motherhood. I've been in many companies and sometimes when a woman becomes a mother, the immediate reaction is that she will have less time and will be looking after the baby."  

Motherhood remains one of the most complex journeys a professional woman can navigate. For Laura, shares from personal experience that "when you become a mother, and you have a career you still want to stay ahead, sometimes you wonder what will happen after having a baby. I have always felt supported by my team, partners, and directors during that moment, and that made things easier for me. It's true that your life changes as a working mother and you have to give up some things. But I think that here at Metyis you have to give up less things."  

For Richa, a working mother herself, highlights the importance of this awareness in the workplace: “When it comes to increasing the female workforce everywhere, I feel that women really need support after motherhood. At that point, we should be a bit more compassionate towards women, because being a woman myself with an 8-year-old child, I understand the challenges. Whosoever is the primary caregiver—sometimes that responsibility lies with men too—needs support. If someone is the primary caregiver to a child or someone who needs attention, then they should receive a little bit of support.” 

Looking forward 

These women envision a transformative future where leadership, opportunity, and equality take on new meaning. 

Larissa is believe that "the real win will be having more women in leadership because, by default, leadership should inherently be inclusive of all talent. I think the only reason this is still a discussion is because we know—it's a fact—that there is a gap. What excites me even more is the idea of reaching a point where it's just the norm—where leadership teams naturally include women without it even being a question." 

Loredana hopes to "see a future where women no longer have to fight to be heard. Where leadership isn't just one specific archetype, but it's about bringing varied authentic perspectives to the table."  

Myrthe’s ambition for the future is also to "see it become much more normal for women to be in high-level positions. There's still this stigma that women are more insecure, and because of that, there's a need for quotas to get them into bigger roles and to the C-level tables. I would like that to become a thing of the past. We need women to support each other, but we also need to talk about what needs to happen with men in the room. If we don't do that, we'll keep talking to other women about what needs to change without involving men." 

Caroline is excited about technological transformation and professional growth: “The fact that there’s now a tailored education system for what I do is really exciting to me. It means that the opportunity to grow with a solid base, is now available straight out of university for everyone. I think the opportunity for acceleration—especially now with AI and all the efficiencies that come with it—is going to be huge. You can either be scared of it or excited about it. And I choose to be excited.

This progress is not just for women in STEM, but also for women in the workplace in general. There's more awareness around the different struggles people face to get to the same place. I'm seeing more well-rounded humans these days, which is quite nice." 

Advice for the next generation 

These women got so far because of their resilience and now, they share the hard-earned wisdom that helped them advance their careers.

Francesca shares, "One piece of advice that has helped me accelerate action in business, within my teams, and in my community is this: Travel. Travel for work. Work with people from different cultures, different backgrounds, and different personalities. Diversity in the workplace teaches you to be more attentive to the needs of others. It helps you understand what the person in front of you—whether a client, a partner, or a colleague—is truly looking for. It develops natural empathy, not just in business but in personal life as well. So don't be afraid to step into new environments. Keep pushing yourself to adapt, evolve, and embrace change. Challenge the status quo. Take risks. Be bold." 

Caroline offers advice on professional advancement with integrity: "Never push other people down to elevate yourself and be confident in your own abilities. Don't elbow your way to the top—just let good work create more work. Be vocal about what you can do, what your achievements are, your abilities, and your good ideas. And then it will come." 

Myrthe emphasises the importance of intentional action: "This is all about owning your impact; It's a deliberate choice to get things done. It doesn't mean that it will all come naturally, but if you want something, you should consciously want it. That's the biggest step—once you set that objective for yourself, I'm quite sure you'll find your way to get there. You can find all the support you need, but you will need to actively seek it. It won't come naturally. I think owning it and making the choice for yourself, saying, 'I want this for myself,' is step one. That's what allows you to live up to your own expectations. If your expectations are not spoken out loud, they're just in your head. It's very safe to keep them there, but I would suggest putting them out there and acting on them." 

Larissa concludes with a powerful message of collective empowerment from an old adage. "Be the change you want to see in the world. But more than that, I think what's really important is trusting your instinct. And when you get a seat at the table, don't forget to pull up a few more chairs, because it's not just about you—it's about how you bring others along with you—it's kind of like paying it forward, but in a way that creates a multiplier effect." 

Creating lasting impact for women in business

As we reflect on the insights shared by these remarkable women at Metyis, it becomes clear that meaningful progress is possible through daily actions and genuine commitment. Their experiences remind us that accelerating action for women in business requires both personal courage and collective support—the confidence to speak up and take risks, alongside environments that value diverse perspectives and accommodate life's full spectrum of people.