Marketing has become, for several years now, a professional space where women rule the roost. In a recent investigation carried out by Linkedin, it was concluded that women make up 60 percent of the workforce in this sector; and a distribution in management positions of 59 percent women – 41 percent men in the marketing area is estimated. However, in the same field, men are still twice as likely to become directors and four times as likely to become CEOs, highlighting gender equity issues in the sector.
Similarly, according to statistics from The Office of National Statistics in the United Kingdom, the difference in average salary ranges between men and women in marketing is 28 percent in favor of men, an alarming figure compared to the average general 9 percent gap. Therefore, women marketers around the world must continue to push together to break the glass ceilings and manage to occupy more and more positions at management levels.
Without a doubt, the pharmaceutical industry is a giant swimming pool where marketing functions are the order of the day, and its swimmers are highly specialized; the vision and skills of pharmaceutical marketing are quite particular and very well mastered and represented by women marketeers in the sector. Recently, the commitment of the large pharmaceutical laboratories to include internal policies and specific programs that favor gender equity and the promotion of women’s leadership in positions of value has grown.
This trend and position of the big players in the pharma sector has been and will continue to permeate all levels of the industry (or so we hope); and not because “it’s the right thing” or “they do us a favor”, but because it has obviously been a successful strategy that has resulted in these companies being able to benefit from more and better workers, interested in this industry. Thanks to managers and directors as capable as for example Julia Owens, CEO of Millendo Therapeutics, who in March of this year organized in Arizona the “retreat for the sorority of CEOs of pharmaceutical and biotech companies” is that we can continue to aspire to some one day the pharma industry is a leader in gender equity. During this retreat, 25 women (less than half of the guest list) met to, among other things, find the ideal way to promote more female CEOs within the pharmaceutical and biotech industry.
This innovative networking meeting is an example of how women need to work hand in hand to break down the walls of unfair obstacles, prejudice, machismo, and inequality built over the years. Another great example of this type of actions and initiatives is the “WOMEN IN PHARMA (WIP)” program, of the ISPE Foundation (The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering Foundation), which provides women in the pharmaceutical industry with a forum to connect and Collaborate on technical and professional development issues. For the ISPE Foundation, gender diversity brings multiple benefits, including an overall increase in business performance, number of clients, revenue and profits.
In Mexico we have great exponents of women marketeers who are leaders in the pharmaceutical market and we know that we must continue working, each one from their own trench, to foster accelerated development. For Frank Valdez, CEO of GO PHARMA, having a 75 percent female board of directors has proven to be not only the right path, but also a financially assertive decision, thanks to the great talent and creativity of his team.
Women are stronger and stronger every day in the pharmaceutical industry. And the women of GO PHARMA agree that one of the reasons for working in the pharmaceutical sector is to use the knowledge we have acquired throughout our professional experience for the benefit of patients. Therefore, we will seek to continue collaborating step by step with the women of the industry, in favor of all patients, and in favor of the dream of gender equality in the pharma world.