A Wind of Change (Or Not)
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Hot Take
Reykjavik Leadership Index 2024: Young People, Old Biases
My annual pilgrimage to the Reykjavik Global Forum (RGF) felt a little different this year. Maybe it was the heavy wind slamming into Reykjavik’s concert hall Harpa’s glittering glass walls or the nearby volcano bubbling ominously, but there was an undeniable chill in the air—and not just from Iceland’s November weather.
While it was great to be able to glean wisdom from Mary Robinson Former President of Ireland and Chair of the Elders, take inspiration from the fighting spirit of women like Adela Raz and Suyen Barahona, start learning how to amplify brave voices like Kholoud Al Wattar Kassem or have the consequences of ignoring facts at our own peril drilled in by Maria Ressa - the “mood” among the delegates, especially the sizeable U.S. contingent still processing the fallout of their recent elections, was somber.
Missing was the usual joie de vivre of RGF attendees. Conversations buzzed with uncertainty, as if the landscape of gender equality had tilted overnight, leaving everyone scrambling for balance.
Against this backdrop, the Reykjavik Leadership Index 2024-2025 landed like a wake-up call and its findings went down amongst the crowd as well as a badly mixed martini.
The Reykjavik Leadership Index 2024-2025: A Reality Check
The report which highlights how women leaders are doing in terms of trust of the people Vs. male leaders, spotlight the expected do-er’s and losers but a worrying trend, a hint of which has been present in its previous two iterations.
In the winner’s circle- Iceland, ever the overachiever, is still perched comfortably at the top with a score of 89 (out of 100). But overall, the rest of the G7? Let’s just say it’s looking more like the “G7-ish” when it comes to gender equality.
The worrying trend I mentioned earlier? Well, it seems to have taken speedy root! The biggest revelation of the index? Younger generations—the ones we’ve all been counting on to fix this mess—aren’t just sort of worried about women leaders, they’re becoming the new gatekeepers of old-school biases.
Gen Z and Millennials: The Enlightened Generation? Not So Fast.
This year’s Index didn’t whisper this trend —it shouted it. The youth (both male and female) are falling back into the well-worn belief that men make better leaders, a regression that going by the stats is far clearer than the murmurings of the past two years.
And it isn’t relegated to just politics.
Even in industry we can see there is a frighteningly fast march back to the past. Women’s suitability to lead in what have traditionally been masculine sectors has significantly declined, as if it hadn’t been hard enough to make a dent there in the first place. Folks in Defence/ Security/ manufacturing/ engineering - I’m looking at you!
It’s the kind of irony that would be funny if it weren’t so tragic.
So, what’s going on here? Here’s what the observant believe:
1. Economic Anxiety: The world feels like it’s held together with duct tape and a prayer. In times of uncertainty, young people are clinging to “traditional” leadership models—read: patriarchal ones—as a source of stability.
2. Toxic TikTok Culture: Social media, that double-edged sword, is serving up a buffet of bad takes. From the Andrew Tate bros to algorithm-fed stereotypes, young minds are marinating in a stew of regressive ideas.
3. Backlash Fatigue: After years of activism with little to show for it (looking at you CEOs rolling back your DEI initiatives) some are tapping out, deciding equality is someone else’s problem now.
4. Empowerment Backfire: Then there’s the narrative that women can “do it all”—thanks to the ‘Lean In’ brigade and cover stories of women smashing glass ceilings while nine months pregnant. For some men and boys, it’s left them feeling like - they’re not just left behind, but actively pushed out. Powerless in a story that’s supposed to be empowering for everyone.
Meanwhile, in Iceland...
As always, Iceland remains the gold star of the Index, making the rest of us feel like we should be taking notes. With policies like mandatory equal pay certifications and generous parental leave, they’re showing the world what a commitment to equity actually looks like. And yet, even Icelandic women say the job isn’t done.
Welcoming us into her home, was a woman I’ve long admired - Iceland’s newly elected President Halla Tómasdóttir (She taught us that Halla is pronounced as Hat-la) and First Man/Gent/Partner Björn Skúlason. They both underscored what needs to happen next if we don’’t want the backslide to speed up.
Watch the snippet below to get the gist!
The U.S.: Leader No More
And then there’s the United States, which has tumbled from its once-promising position in 2018, to now the bottom of the G7. If the U.S. were a student, it’d be called to the principal’s office by now. The post-election blues among the American women in Reykjavik weren’t just about political fatigue—they were about existential fatigue.
How does a country once seen as a leader in the fight for gender equity keep dropping the ball?
The Bigger Picture: A Global Setback?
The Reykjavik Index isn’t just a Western reality check; it’s a barometer for the world. And the global implications are, frankly, worrying. In regions like Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe, where gender equality is already on shaky ground, the backslide among younger generations in supposedly progressive nations could embolden traditionalists to double down.
Yet there’s hope in countries like Spain and Australia, where middle-tier rankings hint at the possibility of moving up—if they follow the Nordic blueprint (can we bless those arctic blast hardened folks already!) instead of the American backslide.
So, Can We Turn This Around?
Fixing this mess will require more than slogans, brand campaigns, hashtags and empowerment workshops. What do I think we need?
- Media Folks: Time to get real. Normalise women’s expertise—the good, bad, and the ugly. Stop lip service to 50-50 commitments, and don’t pad those statistics with fluff on artists and actors. Quote women leaders in stories that truly impact people in the arts, monetary policy, tech, AI - every topic under the sun you cover! (And don’t say you can’t find them -you haven’t looked hard enough). And for gods sake - ditch the gender gloss/branding/assumption that gender news = only menopause and SA. Please spotlight expertise, achievements, failures, and innovation.
- Social Media Detox: Clean up algorithms pushing outdated ideas and “Alpha Male” nonsense. Their reach is insidious—so much so that even AI (looking at you, ChatGPT!) tiptoes around certain figures. Let’s fix that. I’m looking at you Big Tech.
- Policy, Policy, Policy: Equal pay, quotas, flexible workplaces—these aren’t radical, they’re necessary. Governments and companies need to walk the talk and NOW.
- Intergenerational Dialogues: Who knew? Boomers and Gen X might actually have the ‘equality wisdom’ young people could benefit from. And vice versa—the older crowd must tune in to why the youth are leaning on old biases for comfort. We need to learn to talk to each other again.
It was suggested on a panel I hosted that we share our collective successes and failures and create a playbook for women and our strong, self confident male allies, to ensure we stem the backward tide.
I think that’s an idea with merit that needs us all to put our heads together regardless of our political leanings. Is that even possible anymore?
The Final Word
As I boarded my flight out of Reykjavik, I couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling. The Index is a stark reminder that progress isn’t linear—and that younger generations aren’t guaranteed to do better just because they grew up with more inclusive rhetoric. If the so-called future of leadership is stumbling, what hope does that leave for the rest of us?
But hey, Iceland’s still doing fine. Maybe we should all just move there. I can recommend the food and the hot springs - perhaps though, bring a sun-lamp!
Curious about the details? Check out the summary of the report (full report to be released in 2025)
My thanks to the Verian Group and Michelle Harrison for keeping us grounded with this fantastic and critical reporting. My gratitude to Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir Eyrún Þórsdóttir, Sóley Jóhannsdóttir and my wonderful friend Rick Zedník for including my voice and The Chief Brief at The Reykjavik Global Forum and keeping this conversation in Reykjavik alive, in these uncertain times.
Hot Headlines
Political News:
🇺🇸 Trump card: President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, to oversee the Department of Agriculture, one of the most sprawling federal agencies of the U.S. government. Rollins was previously the director of the Domestic Policy Council during the first Trump administration. She has a long history in conservative politics, including also running the Texas Public Policy Foundation. But she is viewed with suspicion amongst Trump allies.
🇺🇸 Trump’s Education Shakeup: President-elect Trump is planning to nominate Linda McMahon, a close friend of Brooke Rollins, co-founder of WWE and a key figure on his transition team, as the next Secretary of Education. McMahon has faced significant criticism for her lack of experience in education, despite her leadership in business. Trump has also branded the Department of Education as “bloated” and is considering drastic cuts or even eliminating the department altogether. Critics see this as a bold attempt to overhaul federal education, while others consider it reckless.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong Sentencing: Claudia Mo Man-Ching, along with 44 other opposition lawmakers, was sentenced to prison for their role in the 2020 Hong Kong protests. These protests, originally sparked by a controversial extradition bill, are now being framed by authorities as an attempt to overthrow the government. The ruling has raised serious concerns about the future of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement under China’s increasing control.
🇲🇽 Mexico’s Judicial Overhaul: President Claudia Sheinbaum is pushing for judicial reforms through 3 new bills aimed at reforming the country’s judicial system. The legislation proposes direct elections for judges and the creation of a new judicial oversight body, as well as a more streamlined Supreme Court. These reforms are seen as a move towards greater transparency and public trust in the judicial system, which has long been criticized for its lack of accountability.
🇩🇪 Merkel’s Memoir: Angela Merkel’s memoir ‘Freedom’, co-written with her long-time political advisor Beate Baumann, will be published on November 26 this year. This comes as Germany faces a political crisis ahead of snap elections scheduled for February 2025. The book offers insight into Merkel’s leadership and the personal challenges she faced while leading Germany through turbulent times, particularly during the migrant crisis and European economic instability. There are some hot takes on how to deal with Donald Trump in the book as well.
🇧🇷 Brazil vs. Elon Musk: Brazil;s First Lady Janja Lula da Silva made waves at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro after calling out Elon Musk for his social media influence and his views on disinformation. As a loud noise startled her at a panel discussion she jokingly said, "I think it’s Elon Musk," before adding, "I’m not afraid of you". Musk responded by reposting the video with the caption “lol” and followed up with a comment hinting that the Brazilian government could lose its next election due to their stance on social media regulation.
🇮🇹 Italy & Elon Musk: Prime Minister Georgia Meloni is under fire for her close ties to Elon Musk, following his comments about Italy’s judiciary. Musk’s remarks, claiming “these judges need to go,” have caused a stir in the country. Meloni’s government is embroiled in a judiciary challenge to her government’s controversial policy to detain asylum-seekers in Albania. The panel of Italian magistrates Musk was referring to, are questioning the legality of the plan. Italian President Sergio Mattarella publicly rebuked Musk, urging him not to interfere in Italy’s internal affairs.
Business News:
💡 Nvidia & Google’s Quantum Leap: Nvidia is partnering with Google’s parent company, Alphabet, to develop chips for quantum computing. This partnership could revolutionise AI by allowing it to separate real data from irrelevant information, a critical challenge in today’s data-driven tech environment. If successful, quantum computing could significantly accelerate AI innovation and change how we process vast amounts of data. Keep an eye on Nvidia’s future financial results bys CFO Colette Kress.
⚖️ FTC vs. Google: Lina Khan the boss of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in collaboration with the Department of Justice, has launched an antitrust case against Google, challenging its dominance in search. The FTC aims to break Google’s exclusive deal with Apple that makes Google’s Chrome the default search engine on iPhones. If the FTC succeeds, it could result in a major shakeup for Google’s business model, potentially forcing it to divest from its Android and Chrome divisions. This case marks a significant challenge to the tech giant’s power and the stock’s slide shows investors are worried.
💵 Australia’s Gender Pay Gap: A report from the Australian government reveals that female CEOs in the country earn an average of $170,000 less than their male counterparts, a 25% gender pay gap. The new figures were released as part of a national pay gap scorecard, which highlighted disparities in senior leadership roles, despite women making up only 22% of CEOs. This gap is particularly stark in high-level leadership positions and points to deeper systemic issues in corporate Australia.
Other News:
👩🏻🎓 Oxford Chancellor Race: Jan Royall, the outgoing principal of Oxford University’s Somerville College, is one of five candidates vying to become Oxford’s next chancellor. If she succeeds, Royall would make history as Oxford’s first female chancellor. Her focus would be on narrowing the attainment gap between male and female students, advocating for greater support for female students at the prestigious institution.
🪧 Gisele Pelicot’s Bravery: Closing arguments have been made in 72-year-old Gisele Pelicot’s rape case as she courageously faced her rapists in court as part of a mass rape trial in France. Her case, of 200 rapes which involves 51 perpetrators including and led by her husband, has sparked national outrage and a wave of protests in Paris. The protests call for an end to patriarchal violence and demand justice for women who face systemic abuse.
🎭 Pamela Hayden Steps Away: Pamela Hayden, the voice actress behind Milhouse Van Houten and several other The Simpsons characters, is retiring after 35 years. Her final appearance will be in the show’s upcoming “Treehouse of Horror” special on November 24, 2024. Hayden has been a key part of the Simpsons legacy, voicing characters that became cultural icons over the years.
Movers & Shakers:
🎬 Donna Langley’s New Role: Donna Langley has been appointed Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment and Studios. As the former head of NBCU’s Studio Group, Langley is now tasked with shaping the studio’s future and overseeing its major productions, a crucial role in driving the company’s next phase of growth.
💼 Sharon White Joins CDPQ: Sharon White, former CEO of Ofcom, will join CDPQ (Quebec’s public pension fund manager) as Managing Director and Head of Europe. She will oversee a $24.3 billion investment in the UK, a key role in driving global investment strategy for CDPQ.
WTH headline of this fortnight:
'I Could Be Classified As One Of The Lucky Female Golfers, As I’ve Got Small Breasts That Don’t Get In The Way Of My Swing'
It doesn’t matter how big or small, all women have them, but how much do breasts influence the golf swing and technique?
Read the article and let me know what you thought!