The gender leadership gap remains one of the most persistent challenges facing industries worldwide, and the lottery andbetting sector is no exception. As the sector faces unprecedented change, closing that gap is not just a matter of fairness, but a strategic imperative for building the leadership bench the industry will need going forward. Goulard commented:
“The WLA can help connect them: by sharing good practices and lessons learned from one region to another, and creating opportunities for women across our sector to meet and build their networks.”
The WiLL Progam was begun by Rebecca Paul in 2016, and has grown into regional chapters, each with its own culture and energy. It was befitting for the Tennessee Lottery CEO and former WLA President to lead her last panel, which discussed the structural barriers that persist, the cross-organizational collaboration required, and the commitments industry leaders (both women and men) can make to accelerate change.
Sarah Taylor, Executive Director, Hoosier Lottery, Member of the WLA ExCo and Chair of the CSR Committee.
Taylor enjoyed connecting with people, took opportunities that came her way, and talked about the importance of learning from others, finding your niche and stepping up to new roles.
Stéphane Pallez, President & CEO FDJ United, Member of the WLA Executive Committee
Pallez was ready to take on more responsibility in a role where her actions could have significant impact. She noted that she had made it to her current role because other women and men had showed her the way, and had confidence in her ability to drive change and have and impact. Now she does the same to inspire others to achieve their goals.
Romana Girandon, President & CEO, Loterija Slovenije, EL President
Girandon always pushed herself to do more with each job and never shied away from taking opportunities when they materialized. She wanted to do something with greater meaning than the job itself. The lottery industry, with the good causes it supports, provided this opportunity. Even if there were moments of self doubt, ultimately her motto remained – just do it.
Sue Van der Merwe, former CEO of TLC, former WLA Senior VP
Van der Merwe always enjoyed working with people and teams, and underscored the importance of her own role models, as well as having a supportive boss. She built her confidence along her career, stepping up with greater responsibilties as it progressed, but ultimately realized how important it was to push beyond her comfort zone, in order to achieve greater goals. In turn, she helped her teams to do the same.
