This Saturday, I’ll be joining an important and timely conversation at the BPW Cyprus 7th Mediterranean Symposium, participating in a fireside chat with Lena Panayiotou focused on a critical question: Leadership 50/50—Why We’re Not There Yet.
It’s a question that feels increasingly urgent—and frustrating—given the reality we still face in 2025.
Progress Without Parity
Despite decades of dialogue, initiatives, and commitments, women around the world remain undervalued, underrepresented, underestimated, and underpaid. While progress has been made, parity in leadership remains elusive. The gap is not due to a lack of talent, ambition, or capability—it is the result of systems that continue to reward familiarity over fairness and access over merit.
The idea that equity will arrive naturally with time has proven false. Time alone does not dismantle structural barriers. Intentional action does.
From Invitation to Ownership
One of the most important shifts women must make—collectively and individually—is moving beyond the mindset of waiting to be included.
The time for asking permission has passed.
Leadership today requires the confidence to pull up our own chairs, to claim space without apology, and to lead with conviction even when the room was not designed with us in mind. Just as critical is the responsibility to ensure we are not the last ones through the door—to actively support, sponsor, and advocate for other women as they rise.
Equity is not a solo pursuit. It is built through shared momentum.
Why Conversations Like This Matter
Forums like the BPW Mediterranean Symposium play a vital role in moving the conversation from theory to action. Fireside chats are powerful not because they offer easy answers, but because they create space for honesty—about what’s working, what isn’t, and what we must do differently.
Leadership 50/50 is not just a gender issue. It is a business issue, an economic issue, and a societal issue. Organizations that fail to reflect the world they serve limit their own potential for innovation, resilience, and growth.
The Work Ahead
Achieving true equity in leadership will require more than policy statements or symbolic gestures. It will demand courage—from institutions willing to redesign power structures, and from individuals willing to challenge norms, take risks, and lead visibly.
This conversation is not about blame. It’s about responsibility—and opportunity.
I look forward to an engaging and necessary discussion with Lena Panayiotou and the broader BPW community as we examine what leadership equity truly requires and how we move forward with purpose.
For more information about the BPW Cyprus 7th Mediterranean Symposium, visit:
https://lnkd.in/dzWYgwCV