International Women’s Day: What 'accelerate action' means to SG marketing leaders

International Women's Day (IWD) is fast approaching this 8 March, with this year's theme being "Accelerate action".

Accelerate action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender quality. It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the systemic barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres.

"At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158, which is roughly five generations from now, to reach full gender parity, according to data from the World Economic Forum (WEF). Accelerate action is a worldwide call to acknowledge strategies, resources and activity that positively impact women's advancement and to support and elevate their implementation," said IWD.

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"Significant barriers to gender equality remain, yet with the right action and support, positive progress can be made for women everywhere," it added.

The WEF's 2024 global gender gap report revealed that while 79% of women and 80% of men are actively seeking opportunities to expand their skillsets. However, the proactive stance towards skill development is not without gender disparities in enrolment rates across different categories.

According to the report, the most pronounced losses occur in management skills (-11 points from 2022), in leadership and social influence (-5 percentage points) and teaching and mentoring (-13 percentage points). Marketing and media registered a +1 percentage-point improvement.

In honour of IWD, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE spoke with women in leadership roles within the marketing industry to ask what 'accelerate action' means to them. 

Lim Bee Bee, head of marketing, DBS Consumer Banking Group, Singapore

What does ‘accelerate action’ mean to you?

It is about driving meaningful and intentional change that makes an impact, effectively managing trade-offs and possessing emotional intelligence to manage impact of action on people.

To me, it also means having a strong bias to action – being like water, finding a way around obstacles rather than being halted by them. While we often associate action with large, transformative moves, it is the accumulation of smaller, consistent actions that drive sustained progress. In many cases, starting small and moving deliberately can help us reach our goals faster and more effectively than attempting to force immediate, large-scale change.

Minjoo Lee, head of marketing, Deliveroo Singapore

What does ‘accelerate action’ mean to you?

For me, it’s about creating an environment where women feel empowered to take the lead, make bold decisions, and thrive professionally without compromising their personal well-being. In marketing, this means ensuring diverse voices are heard, ideas are valued, and opportunities for growth are equally accessible. This ultimately means moving beyond conversations and driving meaningful change that supports women in the workplace.

I’d again like to reiterate that it is essential that we all — not just men, but everyone — stay mindful and challenge assumptions or biases based on appearances or stereotypes. We can only accelerate action when we evaluate people on their talents, contributions, and potential. Whether in a supervisor or leadership role, fostering a culture that champions women’s success can start with simple yet powerful actions, such as normalising childcare leave and promoting leaders based on merit rather than perception. Such seemingly small actions can collectively drive meaningful change and ultimately accelerate action.

Ke Wei Chua, head of marketing, Fitness First Singapore

What does 'accelerate action' mean to you?

Accelerating action means removing barriers that slow real progress, whether in leadership, business transformation, or adapting to consumer behavior and market dynamics. It’s easy to get caught up in trends, buzzwords, and strategy decks, but ultimately, impact comes from clarity, conviction, and execution. The real challenge isn’t about pushing harder, it’s about cutting through the noise, removing roadblocks, and creating the momentum and conditions to move forward.

Peilin Lee, head of marketing, Nespresso Singapore

What does 'accelerate action' mean to you?

Accelerate action' means turning inspiration into implementation, certifications in capabilities. I see acceleration happening when potential springs into action, with a tinge of urgency and excitement.

Lynn M Chong, head of brand and marketing, Mobile eXperience, Samsung Singapore

What does ‘accelerate action’ mean to you?

'Accelerate action' means not waiting for what is currently an upward trend to continue in a linear fashion, but creating "bumps" within our spheres of influence to effect exponential change. For example, what I'd like to see a lot more of, is networking sessions for female leaders that aren't explicitly branded as "for women". We work with men, so why shouldn't they be part of our developmental journey, as opposed to the historically "oppositional" narrative of being able to do whatever men can, and maybe better?

Join us this coming 23 - 24 April for #Content360, a two-day extravaganza centered around three core thematic pillars: Challenging The Norm; Technology For Transformation; and Unlocking Imagination. Immerse yourself in learning to curate content with creativity, critical thinking, and confidence with us at Content360!

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