The goal of the association is to share experiences, empower each other, utilise the strength of female leadership, and change society, she said. "We want a world where women in business are not highlighted as exceptions. We want leadership without labels and preconceptions."
Female leaders are seeking a framework from policymakers to create a society that values talent, competence, and passion, regardless of whether it comes from a woman or a man, she said. There needs to be open dialogue about why women, despite being more educated, often struggle to make that final step to the top, she added.
"Progress exists, but the pace of change must be faster," she said, noting that Lead.You is there to encourage these changes.
The work of the association was supported by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, who said at the presentation that he believes such gatherings contribute significantly to recognising how important women are for the successes of Croatian society at the political, state, economic, and social levels.
The participation of women in social life is increasing, but there is still a lot of room for improvement, he said.
In Croatia, women make up 23% of the boards of large companies, indicating that progress can still be made, and the number of female members of parliament could also be higher, he added.
Women are paid less than men, but the gap is narrowing, Plenković said, adding that it was 100 euros eight years ago and is now around 50 euros.
The government pays special attention to active employment measures, he said, adding that eight years ago, there were 118,000 unemployed women, while today there are 44,000.