An Interview With Vanessa Ogle
Encouraging and empowering women to become leaders and managers is crucial for any organization’s growth and success. Research has shown that companies with more women in leadership tend to have better financial performance, increased stock prices, and higher profitability. This is because women bring unique perspectives, experiences, and qualities necessary for effective decision-making and problem-solving. By promoting gender equality and creating a more inclusive workplace, organizations can leverage diverse perspectives, improve team dynamics, and set examples for future generations.
Despite strides towards equality, women remain underrepresented in leadership and management roles across various sectors. In this series, we would like to discuss the barriers to female advancement in these areas and explore actionable strategies for change. We are talking with accomplished women leaders, executives, and pioneers who have navigated these challenges successfully, to hear their experiences, tactics, and advice to inspire and guide the next generation of women toward achieving their full potential in leadership and management roles. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Petra Jantzer, a Senior Managing Director and Global Life Sciences Business lead at Accenture.
Petra Jantzer, Ph.D. is a Senior Managing Director at Accenture where she leads the Global Life Sciences Business. She holds a Ph.D. in immunology and an honors degree in molecular biology. She is the Account CEO for one of the largest global pharmaceuticals clients worldwide. Petra has more than 20 years’ experience in the bio-pharmaceuticals sector, both as an advisor and as a researcher. Petra’s mission is to support global Life Science leaders in bringing innovative medicines to patients and ultimately achieve better health outcomes.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
I’ve always been passionate about unlimited opportunities and have a strong desire to try and learn new things. It’s been a matter of making decisions at a certain point in my career that seemed very unintuitive but often driven by my desire to move out of my comfort zone and become a leader. I’ve always wanted to be someone who can shape things, be independent, and lead people. My parents have instilled in me that there is nothing you can’t achieve and that it is up to me to take the opportunities that present themselves.
I started my career as a scientist. I hold a PhD in immunology and an honors degree in molecular biology. I was born in a small city, and at the time, it was not popular for girls to study science. In earning my Ph.D., I conducted cancer research because it was important for me to do something to impact the world and generate knowledge about something very real. I spent my early years in academia, but I had a desire to do more. I wanted to enter the industry but not directly inside the lab, so I went into strategy consulting, hoping to learn more about it and find a way to make an impact.
I landed a job at McKinsey in Switzerland and was there for a long time. I helped build the research and development practice for the company today. I loved working alongside senior leaders, creating a new business model, and shaping the company. Seven years ago, I joined Accenture, and it was a very counterintuitive move, but at the time, I realized the industry is changing fundamentally in technology, data, and analytics. I wanted to be part of an organization where I had a more extensive toolbox to pick from and be able to work with clients on large programs and get them ready for this new era we are entering. Resilience, ambition, and vision of what could happen next were my key drivers to where I am today.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Maybe not the most interesting story, but it’s a funny one. During an intense discussion with a CEO on a not-so-pleasant topic, he suddenly stopped and said, “I don’t know how you do it, but I feel like my mother is telling me to take this bitter medicine. I don’t like it, but I know that I have to do it.” Fun fact: He was about double my age.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that significantly influenced your path to leadership?
A pivotal moment in my career was when I decided to leave academia and go into strategy and consultancy because it helped me create a new version of myself that I would have never been or had been able to achieve. This transition tested my strengths and showed that I can achieve anything I set my mind to, even in challenging environments. I never shied away from these counterintuitive opportunities, achieved my goals, and continued to set new ones.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I am immensely grateful, in particular, to two highly respected senior male sponsors at McKinsey. They gave me the opportunity to showcase my abilities, helping me gain visibility and advance my career. I was also entrusted with new responsibilities and opportunities which allowed me to shine and demonstrate my potential.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I enjoy reading many books and finding inspiration from the path’s leaders such as Helmut Schmidt, a prominent German politician in the 1980s, Steve Jobs, and Michelle Obama have taken. I would recommend a book called “Grit” by Angela Duckworth, as I believe in the power of perseverance and passion.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or work?
There are many good quotes, but one I like the most is “If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough” by Richard Branson. It has always inspired me to not stand still, think big, and accept that any personal and professional path has scary moments where we feel challenged and insecure. But it is the path to fulfill your dreams, so keep going.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
Diversity is critical for the success of companies, economies, and societies, which is why I co-founded “Advance — gender equality in business”, a cross-industry association of 120+ mostly blue-chip company members in Switzerland with a joint mission to increase the share of women in management. A gender-equal workplace is a win-win for men, women, business and society at large. Additionally, I am honored to represent Switzerland in the G20 EMPOWER initiative to drive gender equality globally.
According to this report, only about 31.7% of top executive positions across industries are held by women. This reflects excellent historical progress, but it also shows that more work still has to be done to empower women. In your opinion and experience what is currently holding back women from leadership and management?
Leadership positions are often filled through informal connections and networks, and hiring and promotion decisions are, in many instances, usually not free of bias. The most crucial action that companies can take is to objectivize these decisions. This includes amongst others clear and measurable hiring and promotion criteria, anonymized CVs, looking for skills and future potential and not only achievements. Diversity –beyond gender — needs to be managed like a business. The most challenging topic to address is creating an inclusive company culture; both female and male leaders play a pivotal role in this. However, women need to do their part. Women need to lean in, step out of their comfort zone and discuss their aspirations.
This might be intuitive to you, but I think it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you share a few reasons why more women should become leaders and managers?
Encouraging and empowering women to become leaders and managers is crucial for any organization’s growth and success. Research has shown that companies with more women in leadership tend to have better financial performance, increased stock prices, and higher profitability. This is because women bring unique perspectives, experiences, and qualities necessary for effective decision-making and problem-solving. By promoting gender equality and creating a more inclusive workplace, organizations can leverage diverse perspectives, improve team dynamics, and set examples for future generations.
In your opinion, what systemic changes are needed to facilitate more equitable access for women to leadership roles?
We need systemic changes that include enforcing and reevaluating recruitment and promotion practices and creating inclusive workplace cultures that value and support women’s contributions. Hiring decisions are still extremely biased and we should leverage AI to do a preselection and improve the overall interview process. Companies should also provide leadership training and development programs for women to grow in their leadership roles.
What strategies have you found most effective in mentoring and supporting other women to pursue leadership positions?
Mentorship is undoubtedly valuable for women to succeed in their careers. However, sponsorship holds even greater importance. A sponsor is someone in a leadership role who guides, supports, and advocates for your work. They use their influence to create opportunities for you, such as helping you advance in your career or achieve success. Therefore, having a sponsor can be a game-changer for women’s professional growth and development.
How would you advise a woman leader about how to navigate the challenges of being a woman in a leadership role within a male-dominated industry?
Proficiency in your job is essential, no matter what position you hold in the company. It’s imperative to know what your passions and drivers are so that you can invest in yourself to enhance your skills and capabilities. To be an authentic leader you must use your strengths, assess if your leadership style is compatible with the company and be your authentic self. You are your own advocate and understand that women are equally as powerful to lead in a male-dominated industry.
How do you balance the demand for authoritative leadership with the stereotypical expectations of female behavior in professional settings?
I am not sure what stereotypical female leadership behaviors are, or maybe I don’t care so much. Any leader must have real content depth and broad leadership skills, regardless of gender. I believe that authoritative leadership is not an effective style anymore in today’s fast evolving business environment and talent situation, which does not mean that I do not exercise authority when needed. I would describe myself as an authentic leader (being a bit German at times) and see my responsibility in creating an inspiring and ambitious vision of our business, empowering next generation leaders, demanding excellence and nurturing individual growth.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Education and curiosity are vital to everything. I would love to improve education across the world, influence how children and teenagers are exposed to relevant concepts, be encouraged to think big and ambitious, and develop resilience. This is how dreams come true.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Readers can follow my work on my LinkedIn profile here.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.
Please connect with Vanessa here on linkedin and subscribe to her newsletter Unplugged as well as follow her on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and X and of course on her website VanessaOgle.
Petra Jantzer Of Accenture On How We Can Increase Women’s Engagement in Leadership and Management was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.