Ann O’Dea, Editor-in-chief, Businessandleadership.com Posted on July 11, 2023 by planirl

Ann O’Dea is a founder-director of Whitespace Publishing Group and Siliconrepublic.com, and is Editor-in-chief of Business & Leadership, Ireland’s online resource for business and management news. She is also editor of Irish Director magazine.

Originally a Master’s graduate in Arts, Ann spent many years in France, and lectured at both the Law and Arts faculties at the University of Rouen. On her return to Ireland she worked as Group Deputy Editor, Banking Titles, at Lafferty Publications before launching a freelance career which saw her editing and writing for many of Ireland’s leading newspapers and magazines, among them The Irish Times, The Irish Independent, Sunday Tribune, and Business & Finance.

Ann’s work passions include management strategy, sustainable business and climate change issues, while personal passions include her significant other, her dotty springer spaniels, wildlife-watching, coastal walks, going to great gigs and curling up with a good book.

Because I am a Girl I ask…simply to be treated on merit and with respect

Because I am a Girl I believe…that access to education is the key to freedom, and should be a human right for every being, regardless of gender, race, background …. or where he or she happens to be born

Because I am a Girl I hope…that some day very soon we might see a world where a Saudi Arabian woman does not spend ten days in prison for driving a car across Riyadh

Because I am a Girl I wonder…can we create a world where business is about adding value, and creating something worthwhile and sustainable, not simply about profit for profit’s sake.

Because I am a Girl I dream…that it is not too late to create a sustainable world where our beautiful, remarkable planet and human beings can thrive in harmony…but I know for certain we need to get our skates on

Because I am a Girl I remember…fondly all those inspirational women and men I have crossed paths with professionally who instinctively treat all-comers equally regardless of background or gender

Because I am a Girl I like…diversity. My ideal team would have a range of genders, ages and backgrounds. Out of diversity comes innovation and creativity.

Because I am a Girl I dislike…when equality is confused with sameness. I believe women and men have distinct strengths and that women, for example, generally do empathy better than men. Some of the strongest and most capable women I know can still have a good cry when watching the news…this is a strength all too often confused for a weakness

Because I am a Girl I feel…in western countries like Ireland, we women sometimes forget to celebrate the level of equality we have achieved. Imperfect yes, but the level of gender discrimination in some countries in the world never fails to shock.

Because I am a Girl I…consider myself lucky to have always been surrounded by people that just don’t see gender as a barrier to anything … whether in work life or real life.

 - Ann O’Dea