The Institute of Advertising Practitioners (IAPI), the trade body for Ireland’s advertising agencies, is calling on female executives in the advertising, media sales and PR industries to put themselves forward for its Doyenne award.

The institute said the purpose of the award is to celebrate female leaders in these industries and to encourage gender balance in leadership roles in the workplace. The Rising Star award is awarded to women under the age of 30.

Members of this year’s judging panel include Colin Gordon of Glanbia, Alina Ui Chaollaí of Largo Foods and Orlaith Blaney.

The awards will coincide with International Women’s Day and will take place on March 8 at the Shelbourne Hotel. The deadline for entries is February 16.

Glass Ceiling

Tania Banotti (pictured), IAPI CEO, commented: “The IAPI Doyenne Award strives to recognise women working in advertising, media sales and PR who demonstrate leadership capability and who champion collaboration, teamwork and the industry at large.

In Association with

“Created by IAPI, the Doyenne Award, in association with Evoke.ie, is one of the many initiatives by IAPI aimed at fostering great equality at senior level. Only 13% of senior management at IAPI member agencies are female. Women are still significantly under-represented at director and senior management level across all Irish advertising agencies. This is despite a 50:50 male/female split in terms of overall employment.”

Banotti added: “The Doyenne Award is also an opportunity for senior management to formally recognise a leader in the making and to ultimately show leadership by doing so. It is hoped that the award will raise awareness and incentivise companies to change the status quo.”