Accelerate: The New Imperative for Women in Marketing Procurement

We are already into the third month of 2025. The marketing procurement landscape continues to evolve — fast, and those who seize the moment has an unprecedented opportunity to shape its future.

With AI disrupting compensation structures, retail media networks introducing new complexities, and procurement leaders stepping into more strategic roles, this isn’t the time to sit back and watch — it’s the time to lead.

With this as a backdrop, two leaders within the field of marketing procurement decided to take charge. With the upcoming International Women’s Day in mind, Christine Moore, Managing Partner at RAUS Global, and Libra Balian, Director at AlixPartners, decided to bring together some of the most influential women in marketing procurement to drive this transformation. They’re creating a space where collaboration, innovation, and leadership take center stage — not just for discussion, but for tangible progress.

“It is about capturing the genuine conversations, unfiltered questions and sharing what’s on our minds that makes this event so unique in the market place”, says Christine.

#Accelerate, the theme for International Women’s Day 2025, isn’t just a slogan — it is something we all need to action. This is about innovation, and redefining the role of procurement in marketing’s ever-changing world.

By aligning with the #AccelerateAction mission, marketing procurement professionals can lead in breaking down barriers — whether that’s ensuring fair representation in agency rosters, championing women-led businesses, or rethinking procurement models to support more diverse suppliers.

Beyond Inclusion: It’s Time to Lead

For years, the conversation in the industry has been about ensuring that women in marketing procurement have a seat at the table. In 2025, that’s not enough — it’s about owning the conversation and driving the industry forward.

Christine and Libra have gathered a unique lineup of experts to share insights, strategies, and actionable steps. This forum isn’t about surface-level discussions — it’s about diving deep, challenging norms, and equipping women with the tools to lead confidently.

Fiona Foy, Partner of North America at Media Marketing Compliance and one of the speakers at the event), puts it best:
“Being part of an event that celebrates and amplifies the voices of women in marketing procurement is a privilege. And this opportunity is particularly meaningful to me as it aligns with my passion for empowering women in the industry and fostering a supportive community where we can share knowledge, experiences, and inspire one another.”

You Spoke, We Listened: Tackling our Challenges Together

Prior to planning the IWD 2025 forum, Christine and Libra surveyed 20 marketing procurement executives, with an average of 10–15 years on the job, representing $4.7 billion in marketing spend under management. The insights from this survey reinforced the critical need for a platform where senior marketing procurement professionals can stay ahead of industry shifts, exchange best practices, and enhance their strategic impact within their organizations. Many respondents highlighted challenges such as keeping up with industry trends, demonstrating value internally, and adapting to emerging technologies — all of which align with the focus of the upcoming event on March 11.

The discussions on March 11th is based on panels, discussions and workshops. While there are a lot of topics within the industry that require attention, we will focus on three key areas during this forum:

• Media Management: As the media industry becomes more complex and agencies become principal owners, we trade more media programmatically than ever, how can marketing procurement stay on top of all the moving parts? Christine says “this is not just a re-hash of what we have been seeing in the industry over the past few years and months — it is new thinking, and actionable advice on how to manage the new market place as it is, not just highlighting the problem”.
• Retail Media & E-commerce Boom: With brands increasing investment in retail media daily, marketing procurement needs to not ensure transparency in ad pricing, measurement, and accountability but also better understand how to monitor how beneficial the first party data really is, how to compare different measurement and create a common currency. Libra says “We are finding inefficiencies due to multiple media leaders within a company being siloed by region and department. Procurement is uniquely positioned to commission a holistic review of media investments and optimize across channels vs. within a single channel, such as Amazon, which is the key to driving efficiency when managing retail media investments.”
• AI-Driven Marketing & Agency Compensation: As AI tools redefine everything from media planning and content creation to campaign execution, marketing procurement must rethink how agencies are compensated and how value is measured. How can we leverage legal partners as a strong partner to identify and implement secure guardrails in a fast-moving world where no one knows there the train is going? Aaron Edwards, CEO of the Charles Group, an independent creative & media agency — and speaker at the Forum, says “at TCG we are embracing the right AI for the clients that are interested in innovating in this space. We are embracing transparency in AI as it is a space that requires transparent collaboration to get the right fit for AI for each client”.

Christine and Libra have gathered a unique group of experts to participate in the Forum, tackling the most pressing challenges in marketing procurement. Several of our speakers have worked across the agency, brand, and auditor sides, bringing together the ultimate triangle of knowledge and insight to address the complexities of today’s marketing procurement landscape.

The panel includes leaders in strategic procurement, financial governance, media investment, and legal compliance, ensuring a 360-degree perspective on maximizing value in marketing spend. From driving transparency in agency relationships and optimizing media investments to navigating legal complexities and improving financial accountability, they will share practical insights and real-world strategies. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to enhance efficiency, adapt to industry shifts, and extract greater value from their marketing investments. The Charles Group, a full service agency that has embraced AI in their work will also join us to discuss how they work with their clients with AI as a support system — and provide insight from the agency perspective.

The Path Forward

If marketing procurement is to stay relevant, leaders must embrace new skills, challenge outdated processes, and build stronger partnerships across marketing, finance, and agencies. Here’s where to start:

1. Invest in Knowledge: Stay ahead of emerging trends in AI, retail media, and data privacy.
2. Lead with Transparency: Demand clearer media pricing and contract terms with agencies and publishers.
3. Champion Diversity: Ensure procurement practices support women-led and diverse businesses.
4. Mentor & Develop Talent: Elevate the next generation of procurement leaders by bringing junior colleagues into strategic discussions.

In 2025, the best procurement teams won’t just be negotiating contracts — they’ll be architects of marketing success. The time to elevate your game is now.

Interested?

If you are a female in marketing procurement, and you would like to participate, in-person in New York, or via virtual link, please reach out to Christine Moore@rausglobal.com or Libra Balian@alixpartners.com ASAP.