Leanne’s story is a reminder that careers are not always carefully planned. Sometimes they begin with a simple “yes” to the right opportunity. Two decades later, that decision has grown into a leadership journey defined by mentorship, resilience, and helping create environments where others can thrive.
I didn’t mean to have this career, but I’m glad I said yes to it.
Leanne O’Connor, DPR&Co Director of Client Services
In 2003, I joined DPR&Co (known as Huzzard Byfield at the time) in what I fully intended to be an interim, short-term role before getting married. It wasn’t part of a long-term masterplan or a carefully mapped-out career. It was simply the right opportunity at the right time.
Twenty-two years later, I’m still here – now Director of Client Services and part of the Executive team.
If you had told me back then that this “temporary” role would turn into a two-decade career, I wouldn’t have believed you.
Advertising wasn’t my first career choice, and I certainly never imagined it would become the industry where I’d spend most of my working life.
But I guess sometimes the careers we didn’t plan or hadn’t considered are the ones that shape us the most.
Keeping my options open and being willing to see where opportunities led turned out to be one of the best decisions I could have made. I’m incredibly grateful for where that path has taken me.
I didn’t start out determined to “have it all.” I wasn’t even sure what “all” meant at that stage of my life. But as my advertising career developed, so did my sense of what I was capable of.
Alongside that career, my personal life was evolving too. My husband and I welcomed our son, who is now 20. In many ways, my career and my family have grown up together.
I’ve always believed it’s right for women to want it all – to be ambitious, to lead, to build something meaningful professionally, while also nurturing a fulfilling personal life. The desire itself isn’t the issue. Ambition is not the problem.
But doing it all, alone, is a different story.
There is no perfect formula for balance. What has made the difference for me is support – at home, at work, and within the teams I’ve been privileged to be part of.
Over time, I’ve come to understand that strength isn’t about carrying everything yourself. It’s about building environments where support is normal, not exceptional. Where asking for help is wise, not weak. Where flexibility isn’t a favour, but a shared understanding that life doesn’t operate in neat compartments. I’ve been lucky enough to have found the support and flexibility I need at DPR&Co.
One of the unexpected rewards of staying with the same organisation for so long has been the opportunity to see the people around me grow.
Watching the women in my team develop in their roles, build their confidence and step into leadership themselves has been incredibly rewarding. They are capable, thoughtful and ambitious professionals, and seeing the paths they are carving for themselves is one of the most fulfilling parts of my role.
As a leader, I’m also conscious of the role I play in shaping what comes next. I want the talented women coming through DPR&Co to have an even better runway than I had -with the support, flexibility and opportunities they need to thrive.
Careers aren’t always defined by the plans we make early in our working lives though – mine certainly wasn’t.
For women at the beginning of their careers, I would say this: you don’t need the full plan. Careers are rarely linear. Keep your options open and allow yourself to grow into opportunities rather than feeling pressured to have everything mapped out upfront.
For women in the thick of it – those choosing to build careers while raising families or caring for others – know that wanting more doesn’t make you selfish. It makes you ambitious. But don’t confuse ambition with self-sufficiency. You are not meant to do it all alone.
And for those entering what might feel like a later chapter, there are so many people to help, through your experience and mentorship. Leadership becomes less about proving yourself and more about lifting others.
International Women’s Day often brings powerful conversations about empowerment and equality. For me, it’s also a reminder that progress isn’t just about opportunity – it’s about culture. It’s about ensuring that women who want to lead, and want full personal lives, don’t feel they must choose between the two.
I didn’t mean to have this career. But I’m proud of the one I’ve built.