Circana launches Her View panel to spotlight women’s voices in media and FMCG

Her View, a new business forum by Circana, launched in Auckland on October 14.

The panel lunch series brought together experienced women leaders from marketing, media, FMCG and retail for an afternoon of insight and connection.

Hosted at Lillian Restaurant in Grey Lynn and sponsored by oOh!media, the inaugural event, themed “Unapologetic,” confronted the realities of ageism, representation and resilience in today’s workplace for women.

Older workers emerge as key drivers of growth and productivity

New global evidence is overturning outdated assumptions about age and productivity.

The IMF describes healthier ageing as an economic imperative, noting that a 70-year-old today has the same cognitive health as a 53-year-old in 2000.

Improved physical and mental capacity among people aged 50+ could lift global GDP by 0.4 percentage points annually through 2050.

A systematic review of 74 studies found that in 58% of cases, older workers outperformed younger ones, while the OECD Employment Outlook 2025 reports that nearly half of employers rate older employees as more productive than their younger counterparts.

Far from a barrier, experience is emerging as one of the most powerful and undervalued drivers of growth in the modern economy.

An authentic space for honest conversations

Debbie Simpson-Pudney, retail consulting director for Circana, MCed the event and highlighted the importance of creating forums that go beyond surface-level networking.

She said: “As organisations broaden their diversity and inclusion strategies, recognising the value of age diversity is becoming critical, not only for fairness but for sustained innovation, performance and economic resilience.

“Our clients tell us that what they value most is authenticity and connection. Her View will take that further, creating a safe but challenging space to discuss uncomfortable truths, and to celebrate the progress women are driving across FMCG and media.”

Spotlighting ageism and representation

The event also explored the barriers and opportunities women aged 50+ face in the workforce and media. Topics included the rise of redundancies, ongoing invisibility in leadership roles and difficulty securing new positions.

Keynote speaker Jacqueline Freeman, founder of 58 and Unapologetic and an influential LinkedIn voice on ageism, spoke on wisdom, resilience, reinvention and why women are the future’s untapped economic power.

Freeman said: “Too often, organisations overlook their greatest advantage: experienced women, who not only bring proven leadership but also represent the majority of consumers in FMCG.

“Ignoring this reality means undervaluing both the people driving business growth and the markets they most depend on. It’s time to stop making women invisible and start recognising their experience as the force that drives competitive edge.”

Her View partnership unites industry leaders behind women’s progress

Commenting on Circana’s partnership with oOh!media, Debbie Simpson-Pudney, continued: “oOh!media was our natural choice as sponsor for Her View. From the moment our media solutions launched last year, they’ve been right there with us; the first to partner with Circana in bringing these tools to market.”

Kelly Harvey, head of NZ at oOh!media said: “Her View aims to celebrate the brilliant, bold women driving real change across FMCG and media. At oOh!media, we’re proud to support a platform that brings these voices forward and helps build momentum for more inclusive leadership.”

This is a sentiment shared by CEO OOHMAA Kath Mitchell. She said: “I’m thrilled to share my experience spanning 30 years, supporting, promoting and empowering women to recognise their own uniqueness and build their own successful careers. I hope some of my insights inspire and engage women in our industry and beyond.”

Key themes for industry

Attendees will leave the lunch with practical insights and actions, including:

• Why midlife women are the hidden engine of resilience and growth, and what’s at stake when organisations overlook them.
• The uncomfortable truths about redundancy and how it can strip businesses of strength.
• How undervaluing wisdom weakens organisations, and why experience is becoming a sharp competitive edge.
• Why collective action and women backing women can turn bias into a movement for change.

Looking ahead

Building on Circana’s Insights Circle series, Her View offers a forum for women to share experiences, challenge stereotypes and spark new ideas for growth and leadership.

Circana aims to make Her View a key part of its thought leadership calendar, with future events expanding the conversation on themes impacting women in business.

Simpson-Pudney added: “Her View is not about comfort, it’s about courage. By tackling issues like ageism head-on, we aim to shift the narrative, empower women leaders, and help organisations unlock untapped potential.”

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