12-05-2025
Changing faces: Sectors where women shine as marketing leaders
The days of female marketers focusing solely on fashion and beauty are long gone. Women are beginning to shine as marketing leaders in every industry. Today, with the rise of startups and a more agile business world in general, women are leading marketing departments in every sector imaginable.
But women are not only taking the helm in the world of marketing, they are transforming the discipline itself. Women are pioneers in a marketing model that has moved from traditional advertising into a far more dynamic and data-driven world.
A quick glance at some of the major global brands shows a remarkable variety of names and industries where women are in the top marketing spot. So, let's look at some of the key industries where women are shining as marketing leaders.
The changing face of finance
Finance is witnessing a significant shift as women reach leadership positions in marketing and brand strategy. We are seeing women in notable positions at well-established firms, whether that's Fiona Carter leading marketing at Goldman Sachs or Andrea Brimmer at Ally Financial. However, some of the most significant changes are in fintech, where there is a dramatic increase in women leading marketing departments.
These marketing leaders are reshaping brand strategy in fintech and helping propel business growth at scale – people like Sheri Chin at the payments platform Galileo and Anne Hay, who leads marketing at PayNearMe. Campaigns led by women in the fintech space are often grounded in empowerment and financial literacy.
So, as finance becomes more digitally accessible, the demand for marketers who can humanise complex products and connect with younger and more diverse audiences will only grow. This is an area where women are already making significant inroads and where female marketers can help reframe the industry's image and build trust with new communities.
Women marketers in tech
In the tech world, female CMOs are helping steer the narrative around many key areas, including AI, cybersecurity, and SaaS.
This often involves ensuring that ethics are front-and-centre when it comes to how the brand is thought about internally and then communicated externally. These values are something that today's consumers are increasingly insisting on.
In the tech sector, cultural awareness must be paired with creativity as women redefine how these brands connect with the world. Janine Pelosi was instrumental in making Zoom a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Dara Tresedar brought her dynamic approach from Peloton to Autodesk.
Meanwhile, Andréa Mallard at Pinterest has helped redefine the platform as a safe, uplifting space for digital discovery. These leaders are just a few of those who are shaping narratives and helping set the pace for the entire industry.
Then, at the top of the mountain is Marian Lee, who guides Netflix's global marketing, crafting immersive fan experiences while navigating subscriber growth and the company's expanding advertising model. Her cultural fluency and creative ambition are helping Netflix retain its status as one of the most dominant global brands.
So, with tech brands under pressure to innovate ethically and inclusively, women in marketing can play a critical role in shaping the stories that will resonate across cultures and user groups. From humanising AI to promoting sustainability in SaaS, the sector offers space for female leaders to influence product adoption and public understanding of the technologies shaping our future.
Women shaping fashion and beauty
The fashion and beauty industry has long been a natural stronghold for female marketing leaders due to its deep reliance on storytelling around aesthetics. Female CMOs and brand directors are still at the forefront of this sector, with an intense focus on personalisation and influencer engagement.
In France, Asmita Dubey, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at L'Oréal, spearheads one of the world's most sophisticated marketing ecosystems, while Mathilde Delhoume at LVMH is shaping brand desirability across a portfolio of 75 luxury houses. Elsewhere, leaders like Andrea Davey at Tiffany & Co. and Zena Arnold at Sephora are instrumental in aligning legacy brands with today's values and channels.
From heritage powerhouses like Estée Lauder to digital disruptors like Glossier, women-led marketing teams are setting the global tone and championing campaigns celebrating a wide range of beauty ideals and connecting authentically with consumers through social media. Powered by real-time data and creativity, these marketers are defining trends.
The broader impact of female marketing leadership
The continuing rise of women in marketing leadership is reshaping brands and transforming entire industries. This evolution is raising the bar for what truly effective and inclusive marketing can deliver.
Research consistently shows that women tend to excel in areas such as collaboration, emotional intelligence, and long-term strategic thinking. Female leaders are often more attuned to nuanced audience needs, capable of balancing bold creativity with empathy, and skilled at traversing complex cultural landscapes.
Their presence at the top also influences a business's internal culture, encouraging more inclusive teams, more empathetic leadership, and greater psychological safety. This all contributes meaningfully to better performance and innovation. Externally, women in marketing leadership help shape narratives that are more authentic and ultimately more resonant.
As businesses increasingly prioritise purpose, equity and brand trust, the role of women at the top of the marketing department is proving to be both commercially smart and culturally essential.
This is just the beginning
At brand giants from Lego to McDonald's, female marketing leaders are proving that purpose and profit can grow together, with data-driven strategies and a bold commitment to inclusivity.
As we have seen, from fintech to fashion, women's influence spans industries, reshaping brand narratives, amplifying new voices, and building meaningful connections.
This new generation of female CMOs and brand leaders is redefining leadership across sectors. Their impact is visible not only in bottom-line growth but also in the meaningful ways they're transforming brand narratives and consumer engagement.
By Jaimesha Patel, CEO, Creo Global
