The series reveals the perspectives of four inspiring Lionesses at Publicis Le Pont and PXP CEE: Barbara Grabiwoda, Chief Strategy Officer, Marta Wojtaszko, Project Management Director, Kristyna Turner, Project Director, and Zsofia Komaromi, Chief Talent Officer of Hungary. Their experiences offer valuable lessons for other women aspiring to drive change and lead in their industries.
Barbara Grabiwoda in her interview with LBBO, credited her journey was influenced by her deep interest in cultures, beginning with Iberian and Luso-Brazilian studies, which she chose because of her love for foreign languages. She attributes her rise to her current role to two key elements: curiosity and commitment to continuous learning. Barbara's career highlights include launching Publicis Egalité in Poland. She recalled the most challenging moment in her career, it was the time when simultaneously she was building and scaling a team and setting up a new client.
Her advice to upcoming female talents is: “I believe that curiosity and eagerness to learn is exactly what kept me growing and brought me to my position in Publicis today.”
Emphasizing teamwork and creativity, Barbara credits her team's collaborative spirit and innovative strategies for their effective client work. She encourages embracing learning opportunities: “Stay connected to people and projects. Be confident and don’t hesitate to reach out for knowledge and information. And don’t be afraid to try, even to make mistakes – as long as you learn from them, you’re good.” Deep dive of Barbara’s success story here on LBBOnline.
In her conversation with LBBO, Marta Wojtaszko mentioned that her career started in human resources, focusing on the recruitment process. She then transitioned to the e-commerce sector, joining an online bookstore startup where she managed various tasks including collaborations and event organization. Her journey led her through the coin minting industry, overseeing numerous projects, before finding her passion in project management for e-commerce at Publicis Groupe.
Recalling the challenge of rapidly assembling a team for a major client during the Covid pandemic, Marta highlights the importance of teamwork in overcoming difficulties: “However, overcoming the challenges of Covid wasn't something I did on my own. I was lucky to have an incredible team backing me up. Their support was invaluable in these crazy months.”
She advises finding joy and satisfaction in one’s work, mastering one’s craft, and valuing collaboration: “Focus on mastering your craft. Collaborate effectively with those around you and genuinely value their contributions. Surround yourself with motivating individuals.” You can read the full article on LBBOnline here.
In her interview with LBBO, Kristyna Turner revealed that her journey to leadership began with her passion for advertising and marketing, leading her to work with prominent agencies across the globe. Her journey from environmental engineering to leading digital transformations illustrates the value of adaptability and continuous learning.
She discussed her experiences of working internationally and the difficulties of returning home after living abroad. Her story emphasizes the importance of preparing for life transitions and offers lessons for those who may face similar changes. She highlighted: “This shift wasn’t just about changing locations, it was like a whole new chapter of my life, a journey of rediscovery.”
Kristyna summarized her three most important tips for achieving success: “Stay curious and be open to learning! Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth! Build a support network of strong mentors and colleagues who can offer guidance and encouragement along the way!” She also had advice for younger female talent embarking on a similar journey: “Advocate for yourself - don’t hesitate to speak up, assert your ideas, and ask for what you deserve. Your voice matters, and your perspective is valuable.” Explore Krystina’s entire story on LBBOnline.
Zsofia Komaromi's career journey has been a blend of curiosity, hard work, and luck, taking her from being a literature student to her current position as Chief Talent Officer.
In her interview on LBBO, she talked about her most memorable career experience, which was at Publicis Groupe, where her team achieved remarkable milestones and won awards for diversity initiatives. She emphasizes that success is synonymous with great teamwork. She believes what makes her team truly special is that they're not only dedicated and highly skilled professionals in their fields, but they also embody empathy, openness, and humility.
One of her significant challenges was facing age and gender-related biases as the youngest person at the table early in her career. Reflecting on this, she shares, "Still, over time, I learned to value my contributions and the perspective my 'youthful' opinion brought to the table. I stopped trying to prove my worth by pretending to be older or more experienced than I was in professional spaces...this has also been one of the most important lessons in my career journey...""
You can read the full interview on LBBOnline.