Carolina Ibargüen has led Kantar IBOPE Media in Colombia for five years, with a 20-year career in the advertising industry to prove it. By developing professionally in a male environment, she feels part of that wave that has led women to managerial positions and serves as an example to others. “When you set goals you can achieve them, you have to think about how to keep up climbing positions,” she commented during the PRODU webinar ¡Colombianas berracas!
“In my workplace men predominate, but at the end of the day there are several of us who are breaking through those glass ceilings and beginning to lead in a different way.”
Ibargüen is part of the Women in Connection platform, which has allowed her to have a regional perspective on the number of women in managerial positions. “The boards of directors in Latin America are full of men because it has always been understood that it should be like that and because they are men who have been in those positions for years.” But things are changing, even in Colombia”, says the executive. In 2018, only 15% of managerial positions were held by women. By 2021, the percentage has risen to 18.7%. “We are moving. It must be said that we are here, because if not, the change will not happen.”
Ibargüen says that the pandemic, which especially affected women, allowed her to value other aspects of the labor relations in the company that she runs. “We became a much more humane company. We are a 24-hour data processing business, if we don’t work there is no way to negotiate the advertising plan, it is very important data for the economy.”
Adapting to the hybrid scheme of home and office operation allowed them to understand the realities of each employee; if a field technician, for example, could not leave home to make measurements, they would find a way to attend to his needs. “We have never been so connected and the lessons we have learned have been incredible and the business opportunities as well.”