November is recognized as the World Month of Female Entrepreneurship, highlighting the significant impact that women have in the corporate scene. The date, officially celebrated on the 19th, emerges as an opportunity for global recognition of women’s achievements. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), 39% of managerial positions are held by women, a positive sign of progress towards gender equity in the workplace.
This increase in female representation in leadership positions not only challenges stereotypes but also brings significant financial results. Studies by McKinsey & Company show that companies with female leadership have 34% higher profitability. To understand a little more about the impact that these statistics show, get to know seven women holding leadership positions in companies from various sectors:
Ana Laura Motta is the Chief Brand Strategy Officer at MOTIM. With over 8 years of experience in public relations and digital marketing, she has already developed brand and content strategies for over 150 companies and executives, focusing on startups, scale-ups, and unicorns. Currently, she is responsible for leading the brand area and overseeing integrated communication initiatives and client narratives, strengthening market presence and reputation.
Asked about the impact that women in leadership positions cause in the market and society as a whole, the executive believes that one of the main gains is the diversity of repertoire and world view. ‘I am not just talking with a social bias, but as a competitive advantage. The combination of different views and experiences allows for more creative solutions to complex problems and better decision-making,’ she points out.
Camila started her career in traditional advertising in Salvador (BA), but it was in São Paulo that she faced the challenge of expanding an activation agency to a market with greater potential, more complex, and competitive. Immersed in the digital world since the era of Orkut, she gained experience and pioneering in digital platforms, technology, and media. Currently, leading iD\TBWA for 10 years as CEO, Camila leads an agency with over 240 talents, employing a business vision that integrates data, creativity, and innovation to develop growth platforms for clients. With over 20 years of experience, the Communication and Marketing professional built a solid and comprehensive journey in advertising and brought about impactful transformations through digital.
According to the executive, developing a culture capable of empowering women and advancing diversity is one of her main goals within the agency. “Being at the forefront of an agency means that a large part of my time is devoted to enhancing talents and creating an environment where people feel fulfilled and motivated in their careers. This is what reflects in the quality of deliverables and strong partnership with our clients,” says Camila.
Graduated in Production Engineering with a Post-Graduate degree in Business Management from Fundação Dom Cabral and an MBA from INSEAD (France/Singapore), she has been working at Arco Educação since 2014. She also has experience in artificial intelligence through her work at SkillLab, a Dutch company. Currently, Débora Montenegro is the General Director at Geekie.
For the executive, the presence of women in leadership positions is not just an achievement, but a necessity to drive innovation and diversity in the market and society. “As CEO of Geekie, I have the responsibility and privilege to lead a team committed to educational solutions that transform education in Brazil.”
Fanny Moral is the Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Eureka Coworking, one of the leading global networks in the industry. With over 10 years of experience in the market, the COO leads the company’s operations, taking full management of the space, developing new partnerships, and organizing networking events. In her previous career, she held positions in administrative and accounting areas, where she stood out for project management and process automation. She has worked in renowned institutions such as Itaú BBA, Itaú-Unibanco, and Bike Tour SP. Her experience combines deep technical knowledge and a unique ability to create strategic connections, contributing to strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in São Paulo. Fanny believes that, despite constant challenges, female leadership brings an innovative and inclusive perspective to the market.
“Entrepreneurship as a woman is an intense journey full of nuances. Despite leading Eureka, a business I created from scratch with my husband, Daniel, I still face challenges that are often specific to us, women. From small things like having to reaffirm my position in meetings and negotiations, to dealing with the pressure of balancing professional and family responsibilities. Sometimes, I feel there is an invisible expectation for me to constantly ‘prove’ my worth, which can be exhausting. But at the same time, these challenges drive me to go further, showing that female leadership brings strength and a different perspective, which helps build a more inclusive and humane work environment,” says Fanny.
The executive’s journey in the financial and technological sector began unexpectedly in 2011, when she entered the payment market as an intern. This first contact sparked a true passion for the field, motivating her to deepen her knowledge with a Digital Law course and delve deeper into the technology universe. It was in this context that she met Pinbank, where she strives to promote gender equality and inclusion, encouraging a diverse team with different perspectives that can find innovative solutions to age-old problems. Additionally, she serves as an advisor in a social project that welcomes, cares for, and qualifies young people in situations of vulnerability, which helps me maintain a perspective connected to reality and be a leader sensitive to the personal development of each individual, always with equity.
“Women in leadership positions bring diverse and innovative perspectives, essential for a more inclusive and resilient business environment. In the financial market, this presence fosters creative and effective solutions, while in society, it inspires and paves the way for other women to also reach prominent positions, promoting gender equity and collective development,” says Fernanda.
In 2017, at just 24 years old, Laila Martins founded the edtech Saber em Rede, serving as CEO since then. And in just five years, she took the company from scratch to a valuation of 50 million reais. Driven by innovation in reaching new students and valuing the academic community, Laila founded the startup with the purpose of disseminating education and enabling people to undertake in this process. Active in the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, the executive has been mentoring in acceleration programs since 2020 at the Brazilian Association of Startups, SEBRAE, and Inovativa. In 2023, Laila also joined other entrepreneurs to found a Venture Builder, X5 Ventures, to foster the innovation and investment ecosystem in the country.
For the CEO, women in leadership positions promote a more inclusive and balanced organizational culture, inspiring future generations. ‘This representation helps break stereotypes and encourages girls to aspire to prominent positions and reach greater heights,’ she comments.
Trained in marketing, the executive, who has been with Aurum since 2011, began her journey as a User Experience Designer and, over time, took on the Marketing area until becoming a partner and participating in the acquisition of the company by the Vela group in 2019. In July 2022, she became the CEO of the legaltech based in Florianópolis, with operations in various regions of Brazil. Over the past 12 years, she has been responsible for impacting over 100,000 lawyers with Aurum’s products and brand – which has been steadily growing, keeping pace with the expansion of the legaltech market in Brazil.
“When a woman takes on a leadership role, she opens a door for other women, showing that it is possible to get there. Her presence brings a unique and diverse perspective to management, which is reflected in the team, creating opportunities for more women and individuals of different backgrounds to hold prominent positions. This not only makes the company more inclusive and equitable, but also makes it more innovative and enriched by diversity of thoughts,” says Marcela.
