MarTech Interview with Emily Barfuss, CMO at Ogury

Emily, please share your personal journey into the adtech industry and highlight key moments or challenges that shaped your career?
My professional journey was actually shaped by the lack of female representation I experienced at the start of my career, which was in the television industry, with a focus on traditional media. When I was still fairly junior, I was invited to present a project to the CEO for the first time. All of the department heads were invited to join, and as I looked around the room, I couldn’t help but notice that I was the only woman in a room of more than 20 people.

The lack of female representation in that meeting stuck with me for months after, and I saw the glass ceiling I would have to break through to get to where I wanted to be. I soon left traditional media and pivoted into adtech. Throughout my entire career, there has only ever been one woman more senior than me in my direct chain of command – and I was lucky to have her as my manager.

While I have been very fortunate to have had great male leaders who supported and encouraged me, 15 years into my career, my mentor is still the one female manager I’ve had because she gets it and gets me in a way that those male managers and mentors just couldn’t. She understands my struggles, my challenges, my triumphs as a woman better than a male could because she’s been there before me – and that’s why female representation is critical in my opinion.

What are the main barriers to inclusion in the adtech industry, particularly for women? Have you seen any shifts or changes in these barriers throughout your career?
While inclusion and representation are certainly shifting with more women in the industry, work needs to be done to ensure stronger representation – especially at the higher levels – as it still holds back many women in our industry. It is so necessary and important for our personal development. This will mean tackling the unconscious bias that still persists in the industry, negatively impacting recruitment, promotions, career progression, and access to learning opportunities. If we leave this unchecked, we will never see true equality.

How do you navigate and overcome challenges related to gender inclusion in the tech industry, and are there specific strategies you’ve found effective in promoting diversity?
When I started in adtech I realized that, while there was more female representation, it was still nowhere near equal. My mindset shifted to understanding that no matter what company I worked for, there was most likely not going to be equal representation – so what was I going to do about it? How could I positively influence and address this issue so that in 10 or 20 years from now, no woman has to be the only female in the boardroom?

Barriers are there to be broken down, and I strive to tackle these in both the workplace and the wider world so that women’s unique contributions are better recognized. One practical step Ogury has taken to do so is to ensure greater access to flexible working environments for our staff, while ensuring that it doesn’t damage career prospects. Similarly, the organization has increased transparency on workplace culture externally, allowing potential candidates to see how our company culture promotes diversity and inclusion at all levels. In this way, we gain a more diverse range of candidates who all align with our values.

As a leader in the adtech space, do you actively mentor women in the workplace? If so, could you share some insights into your mentoring approach and its impact on professional growth?
I really love mentoring other women in the industry. I’ve experienced first hand the power of having someone who can understand your struggles, and it’s important that those of us who have climbed the ladder make sure those coming next can as well.

One thing that I particularly love is mentoring women through their job searches. There are a lot of steps that need to be taken when securing a new role and having a sounding board during this process is incredibly beneficial. I help women with writing and reviewing their resumes, preparing for interviews, and even negotiating an offer – something that I find a lot of women don’t typically consider as an option or have the confidence to do.

Can you provide examples of initiatives you personally undertake to foster inclusion within the adtech industry or within your organization?
At Ogury, we believe that to create a truly inclusive workplace, where all voices feel valued, we have to go beyond top-down directives. Our Women of Ogury (WOO) initiative is an employee-led group, creating a safe space where female employees can have their voices heard. It has become a true community for our female team members where issues both in and out of the workplace can be discussed and knowledge shared to empower all members. WOO extends its influence beyond just Ogury, regularly holding fund-raisers and events for causes that are close to the member’s hearts.

I am currently the ambassador for International Women’s Month at Ogury, a major annual campaign for which we have created numerous initiatives, including classes, panel discussions and fundraising throughout the month. As in previous years, we will also be supporting and donating to the Women in Tech organization, which promotes girls’ and women’s empowerment around the world. These events help recognize, educate, and celebrate women and equality not just within the company, but the wider world as well.

How has the landscape of gender diversity and inclusion evolved in the adtech sector, and what positive changes have you witnessed over the years?
Since I joined adtech 10 years ago, we have come on leaps and bounds in regard to representation. But we are certainly not at true equality yet. Women continue to be a minority, and their retention has become a concern for the industry. There is a growing realization that gender diversity and inclusion is not just a nice to have – it is a must-have. Representation not only inspires individuals in their career growth, but actually makes business sense with studies proving that more diverse companies make better financial returns.

As a result, more and more companies are offering flexible working options to accommodate employees’ diverse needs and enhance work-life balance. Research actually indicates that women – especially those who juggle childcare or other caregiving responsibilities alongside their careers – value remote work or flexible start and end times, more than men and are more likely to utilize them.

Organizations have also started communicating more about their workplace culture externally, signaling their commitment to diversity and inclusion. This can be decisive for candidates who are part of minority groups, since they feel supported and are secure in the fact that they are part of a company that aligns with their values and expectations.

What specific qualities or skills can the younger generation of women cultivate to become successful leaders in the adtech field?
Find people at work who will advocate for you when you’re not in the room, but know that you have to be your biggest advocate – speak up for yourself and work on finding your voice. It takes time, practice and experience. And be true to yourself, you will find the most success when you stay true to yourself.

What advice would you give to young women aspiring to enter the adtech industry, considering your own experiences and insights?
Find people who encourage you, support you, challenge you and lift you up – both in your professional and personal life. Let them help you through your journey. And pay it forward. The only way we will gain true equality is if we give support to those coming after us. Having a close group of female colleagues and friends in my life who constantly encourage each other has proven to be one of the most necessary components of my success.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, how do you believe the adtech industry can actively contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace for women, and what role can individual professionals play in this process?
Championing women shouldn’t be restricted to one day, or even a month – it needs to be done every single day if real change is to be made. This must start by reducing unconscious bias in the recruitment process. Job ads need to be written in gender-neutral language, while those involved in the process need to undertake unconscious bias training. We should also make sure that the recruitment process involves diverse employees, showing candidates that we are an inclusive workplace. Ultimately we should be hiring people on how good they are, not who they are.

Within the workplace, diversity and inclusivity need to be highlighted and celebrated at all points in the employee experience. Key role models need to drive this, but for it to be truly inclusive, all existing employees need to play a part. A bottom-up approach, such as the one championed by WOO, creates diversity in a more organic way.

Finally, businesses need to tie diversity to their company objectives. This creates accountability and transparency, signaling to those external to your organization, your commitment to creating a more equal and inclusive workplace.

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