Lessons from Senior Female Leaders for Emerging Talent
As more organisations look to strengthen their C-suite and executive teams, here at Pearse Professionals we’re seeing a growing demand for senior female leaders across finance and the boardroom. Yet the path to get there still comes with challenges that many don’t speak about openly: imposter syndrome, confidence barriers, unequal representation, and entering rooms where they may still be the only woman present.
To understand what truly helps women step into these roles, we spoke with four exceptional leaders whose careers span finance, digital infrastructure, global consumer markets, energy and governance.
Their experiences revealed a clear message: confidence isn’t something you wait for - it’s something you build through action, support and stretch.
Below are the lessons they want aspiring female leaders to know.
1. Imposter Syndrome is normal, and sometimes even useful.
Each woman we interviewed talked about imposter syndrome not being a weakness, but a sign of growth.
Silvana Oliva, a New York based board member and former Google senior leader with more than 25 years in digital infrastructure and telecoms, believes that self doubt can actually be healthy. When you question yourself, she says, you stay curious, adaptable and alert to new challenges. The real risk, is overconfidence or believing you’ve already mastered everything.
Alexis Cepeda Maule, a senior consumer brand executive and advisor who has led and scaled businesses across Europe, the US and Asia, echoed this. She’s experienced stepping into areas outside her expertise, but instead of stepping back, she leaned in. She used those opportunities to learn fast, ask smart questions and lead before she fully felt the confidence internally.
Similarly, Karina Luchinkina, a global governance specialist who has advised companies across 30+ countries and served on supervisory boards in major energy infrastructure, stepped onto the supervisory board of Ukraine’s main gas pipeline without “ticking every box.” Being from a consulting background, she was initially unsure of what she could add, but having this broad depth of experience proved extremely effective. She was the only woman at the table, joining senior industry leaders in a highly political, high stakes environment. Her takeaway? Growth happens when you take the leap, not when you wait until you’re “ready.”
Imposter syndrome often shows up at the edge of your comfort zone, exactly where the biggest career opportunities lie.
2. Don’t wait for permission - advocate for yourself.
A shared theme from all four leaders: women must stop waiting to be invited into opportunities.
Dominique Highfield, CFO of Bloom & Wild, known for her strategic and people focused leadership, has often been the only woman in the room. She emphasises the importance of knowing your value, having a voice and contributing even when you feel different or outnumbered.
Alexis puts it plainly: “Do not take yourself out of the running.” Do not hold back because you believe you need more experience, more knowledge, or someone else’s approval. Step forward, state your goals clearly, and communicate them with confidence.
Karina reinforces this mindset - she’s built her career through roles that stretched her beyond her comfort zone, not ones she felt perfectly qualified for.
The message? Don’t let self selection be the barrier. Male peers often apply for roles when they meet 60% of the requirements - women should feel empowered to do the same.
3. Your support network matters - at work and at home
Dominique emphasises something often overlooked: your environment matters just as much as your capability. That includes the company you join and the people you surround yourself with.
Her own career accelerated when she had a partner who championed her ambitions and gave her the confidence and self worth she needed. More than that, at home with their children, he took on more than his traditional share of responsibilities, creating a truly hands on, supportive environment. She believes women thrive when supported by colleagues, mentors, friends and partners who enable and encourage them - not just at work, but at home too.
A supportive employer is equally crucial: one that respects boundaries, offers flexibility and doesn’t force a trade off between career, health and family. Equality at home, she adds, is non negotiable for sustainable success.
Karina sees the power of support networks through InfraNEDs, the peer mentoring community that helps women build confidence and capability on their path to board roles. Sharing challenges and learning from others has been instrumental in helping women step into senior positions with assurance.
Silvana echoes this, highlighting the value of genuine, meaningful relationships over transactional networking. Many of the opportunities in her career have come from trust, not CVs alone.
4. Visibility creates confidence - and pipelines.
Representation came through strongly in Karina’s experience.
When she joined a national board as the only woman, it sent a signal across the sector - one that showed women they could be in the room, even in conservative, male dominated environments.
She also sees visibility shaping the next generation. Her daughter became interested in engineering after participating in “Girls on Track,” a programme highlighting senior women in the automotive sector. Having that exposure changed her aspirations.
Across these women’s stories, certain truths repeat:
Imposter syndrome doesn’t disqualify you.
Confidence grows through action, not waiting.
Support networks are essential.
Representation inspires ambition.
Stretch roles build readiness.
The right company and home environment enable success.
And for aspiring female leaders, the message is clear - you don’t need permission to step into leadership. You just need the courage to take the first step.
How Pearse Professionals can help
If you’d like to discuss this further, please get in touch with the team: info@pearseprofessionals.com