Yaron Tomchin, CEO of Mobupps, discusses the importance of championing gender equality and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the ad tech space.

Ad tech is an industry built on disruption. Yet when it comes to gender equality and leadership representation, progress has been slower. Women make up nearly half of the global workforce, but remain underrepresented in senior positions. That's a gap that holds back both people and business potential.

Because at its core, growth isn’t just about KPIs or quarterly results. Every success story begins with people. Building long-term impact in any industry requires investing in individuals both as professionals and as human beings. That is why the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, alongside gender equality and personal development, must sit at the heart of ad tech’s future.

The numbers behind the gap

The global picture highlights a persistent imbalance. According to LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Institute data from 74 countries, at the end of 2024, women represented only 30.6% of leadership positions globally, while their share across all roles stood at 43.4%. In other words, almost one in two employees is female, but fewer than one in three leaders.

The McKinsey Delivering through Diversity report reinforces this trend, showing that companies in the bottom quartile for both gender and ethnic diversity are 29% more likely to underperform financially. In contrast, firms in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams are 21% more likely to outperform on profitability and 27% more likely to deliver superior value creation. The business case is no longer up for debate: diverse leadership correlates directly with better financial outcomes.

On the contrary, Mobupps is proving another case. As of today, 54% of our global team are women. This figure significantly exceeds the industry averages. Ten of these women hold leadership positions, shaping strategy and guiding teams across different regions. It’s equality in action, giving women real opportunities to lead, influence, and innovate. Women in leadership at Mobupps are driving key decisions, business outcomes, and industry change.

Breaking the stereotype of a male-dominated industry 

Technology industries, including ad tech, have long been male-dominated, especially in leadership, technical, and product roles, but progress has changed the situation. Increasingly, companies are reporting higher female representation in their workforces and leadership structures.

One critical insight from McKinsey’s research is the difference between line roles (revenue-generating functions like sales, product, and operations) and staff roles (support functions like HR or legal). Women leaders concentrated in staff roles do not yield the same performance impact as those in line roles. Companies that achieve genuine outperformance place women in positions where they directly influence revenue and strategy.

Why does DEI matter in ad tech? 

DEI has shifted from being a “nice-to-have” initiative to strategic imperatives. For ad tech, the stakes are even higher. The industry thrives on understanding audiences, adapting messages to local cultures, and predicting consumer behaviour, all of which require a range of perspectives and lived experiences.

Diversity ensures varied viewpoints, skills, and backgrounds are represented. Equity guarantees fair access to opportunities, recognising that different individuals face different barriers. Inclusion fosters environments where every voice is heard and valued.

From a regional point of view, campaigns run across continents, and strategies must adapt to diverse audiences. So success often depends on local insight. This makes the case for DEI even stronger. Spanning countries and languages can better anticipate market sensitivities, design authentic campaigns, and respond faster to global shifts. 

In practice, companies gain a cultural intelligence advantage that leads to more effective creative work, smarter targeting, and stronger client relationships.

How can DEI be embedded into the company's DNA?

Industry leaders are embracing practices that help close the gender gap and strengthen DEI: 

1. Flexible work arrangements: Supporting working parents, particularly mothers, by creating policies that allow for career continuity without sacrificing family responsibilities.
2. Mentorship and sponsorship programs: Providing structured pathways for women to access leadership opportunities and build visibility across organisations.
3. Transparent metrics and accountability: Linking DEI goals to business growth, with clear measurement of progress and accountability at the leadership level.
4. Local adaptation of initiatives: Recognising that DEI strategies can't be one-size-fits-all, they must reflect cultural and regional contexts.
5. Focus on acquired diversity: In addition to inherent diversity (gender, ethnicity, age), companies benefit from acquired diversity, such as international experience, cross-industry expertise, or educational backgrounds that broaden perspectives.

The future of ad tech

The journey toward gender equality in ad tech companies is ongoing. The numbers remain uneven, but the direction of change is encouraging. Companies that take DEI seriously are seeing results, both financially and culturally. They are moving beyond surface-level commitments and embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion into strategy, culture, and day-to-day operations. 

Gender-diverse, inclusive leadership is the right and smart thing to do. In an industry defined by its ability to adapt and innovate, embracing DEI may be the most transformative strategy of all.