Celebrating International Women’s Day at Jellyfish

Leadership, community, and the power of giving to grow

International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate the achievements of women around the world and reflect on the progress still to be made toward gender equity. It’s also a reminder that meaningful change happens when people actively create opportunities, share knowledge, and champion others.

At Jellyfish, we marked the occasion by coming together to talk about leadership, confidence, and the power of support networks. Inspired by the 2026 theme “Give to Gain,” we explored a simple idea: when leaders give their time, advocacy, and encouragement to others, everyone grows.

Rethinking leadership in the age of AI

We kicked off with a #SheLeads webinar, spotlighting the women shaping leadership in a fast-changing industry.

Featuring speakers from our Jellyfish Nordics team alongside leaders from Google, Cosnova, and Ellos, the conversation explored what leadership looks like in a world increasingly shaped by AI. While technology is transforming how we work, the panel made one thing clear: human leadership still provides the direction.

The discussion touched on several themes that many professionals can relate to today:

• Leading through change: As automation takes on more operational tasks, leaders are focusing on strategy - guiding teams through rapid transformation while keeping people at the center.
• Building trust and psychological safety: During periods of uncertainty, creating a safe space allows teams to experiment, learn, and innovate.
• Navigating the “messy middle”: Career growth rarely follows a straight line. Staying grounded in your values helps you move confidently through transitions and new opportunities.
• Clarity in complexity: Simplifying systems and communicating clear direction is a defining leadership skill in fast-moving organizations.

The webinar closed with practical advice on career growth and self-advocacy. Panelists encouraged women to talk about their achievements in terms of impact, linking individual contributions to broader business outcomes.

The takeaway: visibility isn’t about self-promotion. It’s about ensuring good work gets the recognition and influence it deserves.

Collaborative conversations at The Shard

The conversations continued offline at our International Women’s Day breakfast event at The Shard, where more than 100 professionals from across media, marketing, and publishing gathered to connect and share ideas.

Hosted in partnership with the Native Advertising Institute and The Digital Voice, the event also celebrated the launch of the Native Advertising Institute’s Significant Women in Branded Content platform, designed to spotlight women across the branded content ecosystem.

Stine Holmgaard, Chief Growth Officer at the Native Advertising Institute, said, “Growth doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens in the community.” That sense of community shaped the morning’s discussions around confidence, visibility, and the importance of championing one another.

Kay Munday, Creative Business Lead at Google, kicked off with a keynote on the evolving role of communication in leadership, highlighting empathy and authentic connection as essential in a fast-changing world.

A panel of industry “hype agents” followed, sharing tips on building confidence, championing achievements, and leveraging mentors to amplify voices and unlock opportunities.

As our EVP Client Management, Steph Parry put it: “A woman who knows her worth is a woman who can effectively demand justice. Learning to hype ourselves creates a ripple effect of change.”

Inspiration from across Jellyfish

International Women’s Day is also a chance to reflect on the people who inspire us every day.

Our Spain team asked several women at Jellyfish what motivates them in their careers. Ana Illana, VP of Paid Media, shared that she is inspired by women who combine strategic vision with resilience - and who don’t just take a seat at the table but work to transform it.

Alba Gómez, Account Director, spoke about the power of being surrounded by supportive women throughout her career, describing her team as a “true army of women.”

And Jessica Skarlen, Senior Office Manager, highlighted empathy and sensitivity as powerful forces for change, reminding us that leadership comes in many forms.

International Women’s Day may last just one day, but the momentum shouldn’t stop there.

When people support each other, share opportunities, and champion new voices, progress doesn’t just continue - it accelerates.

One clear message across our conversations is this: confidence, leadership, and advocacy are not traits people are simply born with. They’re skills that grow through mentorship, practice, and community.