Author Interview with Mirian Izquierdo
Author of the books: Getting Women to the Top: Gender Bias Challenges
1. Please introduce yourself. What would you like your reader to know about you?
-I am the President of the Woman Forward Foundation and CEO of Comercia Global, a board member, speaker, writer, and executive coach. My professional journey spans across sectors and continents: I’ve served as a civil servant at the European Commission, worked as an associate at three of the world’s leading law firms, and now lead a group of CEOs and business leaders as Chair at Vistage. Through all these roles, my focus has remained consistent—empowering individuals and organizations to lead with purpose, equity, and impact. Whether I’m mentoring senior executives, advising boards, or conducting research on corporate governance and diversity, I aim to bridge the gap between intention and action in leadership.
2. What is your inspiration/motivation?
-My motivation is deeply rooted in what I’ve seen throughout my career: talented, high-performing women systematically held back by invisible barriers. From global law firms to public institutions and private companies, I have witnessed how even the most qualified women struggle to rise through the ranks—not due to lack of merit, but because of structural bias, outdated recruitment models, and cultural blind spots. That reality drove me to research, write, and speak out. I want to contribute to a transformation in how we define, recognize, and cultivate leadership—one that is inclusive, data-informed, and aligned with the challenges of today’s world.
3. How long did it take to complete your book from the idea to publication?
-This book is the result of a long and thoughtful process that began with my doctoral dissertation, and it evolved over several years. The original research—titled Getting Women to the Top: Gender Bias Challenges—formed the foundation for the book, and it took considerable time to enrich it with practical insights, real-world examples, and implementation frameworks. From conception to publication, this journey combined rigorous academic research with my professional experience in leadership and corporate governance.
4. What's the main message and idea of your book "Getting Women to the Top: Gender Bias Challenges”?
-This book builds upon the dissertation Getting Women to the Top: Gender Bias Challenges, a comprehensive exploration of the structural, cultural, and psychological barriers women face in ascending to high-level decision-making positions. Rooted in rigorous research across sociology, cognitive psychology, and linguistics, it offers a multi-faceted perspective on gender biases in corporate environments.
The content is structured around three pivotal studies that reveal:
- Perception Gaps: Men and women perceive barriers differently. Men often underestimate the structural challenges women face—such as limited access to networking opportunities, lack of visibility, and the persistence of stereotypical cultural biases.
- Role Dynamics: The analysis of male managerial perceptions challenges traditional notions of masculinity in leadership, revealing the nuanced interplay between communal and agentic traits and how this affects evaluations of leadership capability.
- Language Matters: Through Natural Language Processing (NLP), the book uncovers how gendered language in job postings perpetuates stereotypes, subtly deterring women from pursuing leadership roles.
Beyond diagnosing the problem, the book provides actionable frameworks for change. It proposes the use of AI to identify biases, urges a revision of recruitment practices, and highlights the importance of male allyship to dismantle homosocial networks that perpetuate inequality. Ultimately, it connects academic insight with practical application, making it relevant for policymakers, business leaders, and scholars alike.
This book invites readers to rethink leadership paradigms and contributes to the global conversation on gender justice—offering practical strategies to cultivate more equitable corporate cultures.
5. What was the most unexpected conclusion you came up with while preparing "Getting Women to the Top: Gender Bias Challenges"?
-One of the most surprising—and revealing—findings was that women board members, on average, are better prepared than their male counterparts. Despite this, many male leaders continue to claim that women are underprepared or have less relevant experience. This disconnect exposes not only a bias in perception but also a broader cultural issue: how competence is recognized and rewarded differently based on gender. It reinforces the urgency of challenging these assumptions and shifting the way leadership potential is evaluated.
6. How would you describe your publishing experience with Eliva Press in a few words?
-Supportive, professional, and seamless. Eliva Press has been a committed partner throughout the publishing process. They were responsive to my needs, open to dialogue, and genuinely interested in promoting scholarly work with real-world relevance. I truly appreciated their focus on bringing impactful, well-researched content to a broader audience.