Katie McAdams is Chief Marketing Officer at Basis , where she leads marketing, communications, and go-to-market strategy for one of the industry’s most respected ad tech platforms. She also serves on multiple nonprofit boards focused on education and entrepreneurship.
What are the biggest opportunities for women in your sector of the digital industry right now?
As a CMO, I’ve found that through my own experiences as well as that of other CMOs and marketing leaders with whom I engage, the marketing organizations within companies are some of the ripest areas to explore, test and experiment with AI tools and workflows. Because of this, CMOs are sitting in a position to be at the forefront leading AI initiatives for their companies, which brings with it opportunity for growth and expansion of the role.
What are some of the challenges that you still see for women in the industry?
One of the challenges I see for women in this industry is that we need to make sure that women are not just advancing, but also advancing into roles that lead to real commercial power and influence.
Last year, McKinsey’s “Women in the Workplace” report revealed that across every single level, women were less likely to express a desire for promotion than their male counterparts. Why is this is occurring? In my experience, demands outside of work are still holding women back from feeling they can juggle family with a growing career.
The same report also cited that men are more likely to be encouraged by their managers to use AI tools than their female counterparts were. This trend creates potential for AI to create a gender skills and knowledge gap. This is something we leaders need to be mindful not to perpetuate.
What support structures and organisations are most important and effective to you as a woman in the digital industry?
The support structure I create at home is one of the most important, especially because I have children. Outside of that, I invest time and energy into being a part of various professional groups – one focused solely on supporting women in digital media, and another focused on supporting CMOs in general across all industries. I also lean heavily on the network of individuals with whom I’ve cultivated relationships over the years. It’s very helpful to know we are experiencing many of the same challenges.
What is the biggest misconception (a) about women in the digital industry, and (b) by women in the digital industry?
In my view, the biggest misconception is that because there are a lot of women in our industry, we’ve solved the gender problem. We haven’t. Representation and influence aren’t the same thing. Women are highly represented in marketing and media, but when examining who owns the revenue, who holds the P&L, and who ultimately becomes CEO, the picture changes pretty quickly. Getting more women into the industry isn’t the only opportunity — we need to make sure they have pathways into the most influential roles.
One of the biggest misconceptions I see among women in our industry is that if you work hard enough and do great work, someone will notice and the opportunities will come. Sometimes they do, but I think a lot of us learn much later that doing the work is only part of it. You also have to raise your hand before you feel completely ready, build relationships with people who will advocate for you when you’re not in the room, and be comfortable saying what you want next. Your work matters enormously, but you can’t always expect it to speak for you.
What one piece of advice would you offer a woman starting in the digital industry today?
Go to the networking events. Put yourself out there. Walk into rooms where you don’t know anyone and work through the discomfort of that. Networking is a muscle that needs to be strengthened and developed over time, and the payoff for doing that is huge if you invest the time in meeting new people and building those relationships. It will eventually lead you to your next job, promotion, or mentor.
