Prachi Prasad’s Post

It has been a rollercoaster of a few weeks. Outside of many personal challenges, I have been analysing the results of our recent research, writing our new report and planning the launch event that happened this Tuesday 16th April. The level of stress, pressure (mostly self-created as I am so passionate about our cause) plus what cards live dealt me within the last few weeks and months, meant that I had to come to terms with a vast sea of emotions that came after our launch event. As our research showed 81% of women (we didn't have enough men filling in the survey to include them) believe there aren't enough women in senior leadership positions in retail and 58% feel their career progression has been restricted. We asked what are the reasons for it, how can we solve it, what challenges female leaders face and even how we perceive leaders (gender-neutral) compared to female andmale leaders. The results weren't shocking as our brilliant panel of speakers said, but it didn't stop them from offering incredible inspiration, personal experiences and solutions they believe can help. Thank you Jess Coleman from White Stuff, Emily Bendell from Bluebella Ltd, Alexis Cepeda Maule and Isobel Chillman from Retail Trust. Huge thanks to Em Stroud for helping the audience realise that they all can make a difference! The event won't be possible without the continuous partnership and support we receive from SHOPLINE EMEA and especially Alex Wright and Emma Y.. I would not be able to manage all the event organisation without them. Huge thanks to Alex as well for pulling in incredible new sponsors and supporters for our cause Strawberry & James Greenwood, Lily AI & Christopher Roye, Unlimit. Request your copy of our Women of Retail 'Women in Leadership, Pathways to Success' 2024 Report now. Just follow this link: https://lnkd.in/eA_KJk39 Sending my love and gratitude to all the incredible women of retail and men that support us every day. Kate Nightingale Founder Women of Retail #women #retail #leadership #femaleleaders #femaleleadership #womenleaders #insight #research #report #data #statistics #diversity #inclusion #work #inspiration #community

Although Women's History Month has come to a close, we proudly recognize the outstanding women who drive our supply chain success at Ulta Beauty! This week, we shine a spotlight on the incredible women leaders who exemplify our commitment to promoting from within and investing in talent, attraction, development and retention. From warehouse operations to strategic planning, these trailblazing women demonstrate excellence in every facet of their roles. Today, we want you to hear from Natalia Londono, Supply Chain Industrial Engineer Process Owner: What piece of advice has resonated with you the most? "A piece of advice that resonated with me the most is "It's a marathon, not a race" because it is about sustainable progress, and prioritizing actions and decisions that will have a bigger impact on that long term goal. It's also about embracing the journey, every experience, learning curve, and challenge that comes with that journey." What advice would you give to young women entering your field? "A piece of advice that I would give young women entering the engineering field is to embrace their skills and their strengths. Whether it is problem solving, analytical skills, leadership skills, focus on what makes you special and those unique capabilities that you have built not only in your professional life, but also in your personal one." #UltaBeauty #SupplyChain #WHM

An #IWD2024 luncheon hosted by the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) to celebrate all that we have achieved as Wesfarmers OneDigital and Catch amongst exceptional women leaders and allies. There is much to be proud of as we reflected on the past two years working together to strengthen our #data and #digital capabilities within the Wesfarmers retail divisions. And in the spirit of how we run our #OneDigital team meetings - where we start with the numbers and end with the numbers - here are some stats from Virginia Leaf, Chief Executive Women (CEW) scholar, GM of Finance and a panellist - presenting both a challenge and opportunity for Australian #retailers when looking into their #leadership pipeline: "...75% of our consumer spend is by females, but only 14% (of retailer) #CEOs are female. I think in any industry you can really achieve great customer outcomes with a breadth of thought in senior decision making levels. But clearly, working in an industry that has a predominant female consumer base, having more females in those senior decision making roles - with such an understanding of the customer needs and wants - would clearly translate to (more) innovative customer experiences." A strong reminder that today's theme for International Women’s Day 2024 - 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧: 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧. 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 extends beyond today. It's one to take into every retail season. Each and every year. 📸 L to R: Jinni Leaf, Zoe Rowley, Nicole Sheffield, Dean W., Chelsea King, Andrejka Kapusta, me.

This week I was honored to receive the Woman Of The Year award at the World Retail Congress, sponsored by Altrua. The criteria, in Lucy Harris’s words, was to identify female leaders with remarkability, a global footprint and brands that were modern and relevant – all done through a meritocratic search. For me, this award stands as an ode to female entrepreneurship in its entirety and I’m humbled to be the recipient this year.   I started Unilever Prestige as a start-up within Unilever 11 years ago and I was convinced that I wanted to do things differently. I always believed that there was an opportunity to create a business unit that puts the authenticity of the brands at the center of the business model and is “future fit”. Our business model celebrates founders, people and culture. We believe in being a force for good for society and the planet and we invest in vocational training and education for experts and consumers in the Beauty and Wellbeing industry.   More than 80% of Unilever Prestige employees are women, and I’m so encouraged that we have great female representation at founder and CEO level, as well as in key functions across the business that have been perceived as traditionally male including finance, R&D and supply chain.   I’ve always been a supporter of women, and my role as chairwoman of the CEW UK allows me to do this at scale for the entire UK beauty industry. If we want to create gender parity on a bigger scale we need to support, mentor and promote each other and the great work that women do. It’s why awards like this one are so important.   If I had to give advice to women starting out on their journey, I would actually take the words that some of our brand founders shared about my leadership of the Unilever Prestige business: ⚡ Do not be afraid to stand out, and have courage to break the norm if you believe it will lead to something greater ⚡ Be comfortable with being uncomfortable – it’s only through bold moves and choices that the magic will happen ⚡ Have conviction and do not take no for an answer if what you are standing for matters ⚡ Radiate and share your knowledge, experience and advice with others   Truly grateful for this award and I remain committed to driving change for the next generation of all leaders.   #womeninbusiness #femaleleaders #beauty #retail #winninginbusiness #genderequality #womensupportingwomen  

Ever feel that **imposter syndrome** creeping in? 🤔 I do. But I’ve realised it’s not about doubting myself – it’s about recognising how far I've come. When people question if I’ve married the boss to get here (spoiler: I haven’t), it’s a testament to my hard work and growth💪 Being part of this industry and passing my skills onto my team is proof of my journey. Embracing the doubt shows I’m pushing boundaries and growing beyond my comfort zone. Here’s to defying expectations and paving the way for female frontrunners in areas like sourcing, marketing, operations, product buying, and merchandising!🌟 Let’s continue to challenge norms, innovate boldly, and create a brighter future for women in business. Join me in embracing growth and empowering women in our industry! 💼💪 #GrowthMindset #ImposterSyndrome #HardWorkPaysOff #CareerJourney #Leadership #TeamBuilding #ProfessionalGrowth #SelfBelief #Innovation #WomenInBusiness #SourcingExcellence #MarketingLeadership #OperationalExpertise #ProductBuying #MerchandisingMagic #FemaleEmpowerment

If you are heading to Shoptalk, swing by the Women in Retail Leadership Pavillion, where I'll chat with Liz Harris, SVP of Strategy and Consumer Insights Tapestry, about Leadership, working in a female CEO-led company, and the power of data (of course). Details below. Come to our discussion, or swing by and say hello!

Keynote Highlight: Grace Puma & Christiana Smith Shi “Career Forward: Strategies from Women Who’ve Made It.” Former PepsiCo COO Grace Puma and former Nike President of Consumer Direct Christiana Smith Shi will take the stage to share their keynote presentation: “Career Forward: Strategies from Women Who’ve Made It.” They will offer a groundbreaking, empowering guide for women that shows how to prioritize a career path, build professional value, and enjoy a full life both in and out of the workplace. Some of the key takeaways from their keynote address include: ⭐ How women can maximize their career journeys. ⭐ Strategies to navigate shifts and changes in any company. ⭐ How to build a strong leadership identity. ⭐ Ways to achieve a fulfilling life in and out of work. Grace Puma's impressive career includes Global Chief Operations Officer at PepsiCo as well as senior positions with renowned companies such as United Airlines, Kraft Foods, Motorola, and Gillette. She has been recognized as one of the "Most Powerful Latina" by Fortune Magazine. Christiana Smith Shi, prior to her tenure as the President of Consumer Direct at Nike, served as a senior partner at McKinsey & Co., and has been honored as one of the Most Influential Corporate Directors by Women, Inc. Currently, she leads Lovejoy Advisors, where she focuses on digitally transforming consumer and retail businesses. Catch this keynote duo at #ICFW24 - coming up in just a few weeks! Purchase tickets online: https://buff.ly/4dun4AW

Data shows female retail CEOs have significantly shorter tenures than their male counterparts, by a staggering 30 months! This disparity demands our attention: What are the root causes? More importantly, how can we create an environment where female retail CEOs can thrive and extend their tenures? Let’s come together, ignite a conversation, and drive meaningful change in our industry. 

📈At Kantar we know making inclusion part of your brand strategy isn’t just a good-to-have, it will open the door to better connections with consumers and ultimately support brand growth. 💡Join us to learn more on Tuesday 16th July as we reveal the results of this year's Brand Inclusion Index which reveals people’s perception of a brand’s diversity, equity, and inclusion – what consumers see, feel, think, and how they consider the brand as a result. Our 2024 edition covers 648 brands in 18 countries across 28 different categories. 🔊This first-ever Index gives a voice to people who tend to be excluded by brands, as to evaluate inclusion, we over-represent the under-represented, focusing on under-represented or mis-represented populations. ✨ Come and join the Kantar expert team at the webinar and find out more about the brands that are really leading the way on DEI and how progress can be measured in this key area. https://lnkd.in/eT82P-Ny Mark Fisher Sarah Whiddett Valeria Piaggio Jonathan Hall Helen Pearson

Empowering Women in Fashion - A Collective Responsibility On September 25, during Milan Fashion Week’s Spring/Summer 2023 shows, industry leaders gathered at the Bulgari Hotel to discuss empowering the female-identifying workforce. Co-hosted by BoF’s Lauren Sherman and Bulgari's Laura Burdese, the roundtable explored external activations, leadership strategies, and supply chain welfare. Despite progress, gender disparities persist. For example, female CEOs head only 2.5% of companies on the Milan stock exchange. Yet, McKinsey & Co. reports that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to outperform on profitability. Key Takeaways from the BOF article: Authentic Activism: Companies must back public statements on social justice with genuine business practices to ensure brand alignment and retain talent. Leadership and Promotion: Addressing the promotion gap is vital. For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 86 women are promoted. Supply Chain Welfare: With 80% of fashion's global supply chain workforce being female, it's imperative to improve working conditions and support communities near factories. As FASHION EXECUTIVES & ENTREPRENEURS, we have a responsibility to lead by example. EMPOWERING women within our organizations and supply chains is not just a moral imperative; it's a business one. I am passionate about driving this change through my EMBODIED Leadership workshops. These sessions are designed to transform leadership from the inside out, promoting transparency, equity, and genuine support for all team members and also a focus on the Buying & Merchandising population. Let’s connect and discuss how we can collaborate to create a more INCLUSIVE and EQUITABLE fashion industry. Join me in creating a future where every woman in fashion can thrive. #FashionIndustry #FemaleEmpowerment #Leadership #Sustainability #GenderEquality #MilanFashionWeek #EmbodiedLeadership #Embodimentcoach #Coaching #Lifecoach #Corporatecoaching Join us on Thursday, August 1st for an online Mini Masterclass on Embodied Leadership. Book here. https://lnkd.in/dTH5vgXg