Vanessa Liell’s career is proof that breaking the glass ceiling isn’t just about finding a way through; it’s about clearing the path so others can rise more easily. So it is really of little wonder that she was awarded the B&T Women In Media Glass Ceiling Award this year.
Over three decades in PR, Liell has combined business success with a relentless commitment to dismantling structural barriers that once held women back. As CEO of N2N Communications, she transformed the agency from a small independent into a financially booming, award-winning business that was ultimately acquired by Publicis Groupe, all while raising three children at a time when workplace support was minimal.
Her proudest legacy is cultural change: introducing 18 weeks of paid parental leave, pioneering flexible and remote work long before it was the norm and building a leadership pipeline that elevated dozens of women into senior roles.
Beyond her own agencies, Liell has mentored hundreds of women across the industry, from graduates to CEOs, including formally guiding leaders at Bluechip Communications, Fifty Acres and Agent 99.
As co-founder of Orizontas Group and Rethink Everything, she continues to advise in complex industries while embedding inclusion at the core.
Speaking to B&T moments after being named the winner of Liell, she reflected on what the “incredible” honour meant to her.
“I’ve had a fantastic career, it’s so awesome to be in this room with so many amazing women and to be able to share the work that we do and the barriers that we get through,” she said.
Those barriers, she said, were broken down through a realisation she had in the very early stages of her working life. “My job might belong to my employer, but my career belongs to me”.
“It was up to me to build the networks, to do the work and to create the career that I wanted and to work out ways to get through the barrier, rather than depending on employment”.
She passed that lesson on to the next generation, telling them to be “brave, speak out and have courage” and offering support.
“Use the women around you and also the men around you, because you can’t do it by yourself, so we’re here to support you”.
