Loretta Dignam worked in marketing roles at Mars, Diageo, Kerry Group and with Jacob Fruitfield. She won Marketer of the Year in 2011 and was a runner-up in 2022. During her term serving on the board of the Abbey Theatre she chaired their gender equality committee. Her personal experience of menopause drove her to help other women. She opened Ireland’s first dedicated menopause clinic, The Menopause Hub, which is only one of two in the world. More recently, she founded the Menopause Hub Academy, to help employers retain female talent, improve their gender pay gap and avoid legislative risk through training, policy development and accreditation. She is scaling this business globally. She was recently voted Irish Tatler Woman of the Year in the health category.
01 What was your earliest ambition?
As an eight-year-old, it was to work in a Rolo factory. I ended up working with Mars. But in my university days, it was to be a household name in retail, like Superquinn’s Feargal Quinn or Maurice Pratt (he of the eponymous TV ads)
02 It’s our round. What are you having?
A crisp cold glass of New Zealand sauvignon blanc
03 Social media platform of choice?
LinkedIn – it’s Instagram and Tiktok for grown-ups
04 A mentor or someone that inspired you?
Kieran Murphy, who unfortunately passed away, was my boss in Mars Ireland. He was an inspirational and an amazing leader. I often refer to him as a ‘hot coals leader’ – someone for whom I’d walk over hot coals. His style of leadership and mentorship is rare.
05 If you could be born into another time and place, where and when would it be?
The late 1940’s after the war – so I could have been a teen in the 60’s. A great era for music and fashion and women becoming more liberated
06 Favourite writers?
The best book that I’ve read in years is Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Pérez. It should be compulsory reading at school level for leaving cert for boys and girls
07 A film you’d watch again tonight?
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
08 Is there an unsung hero you’d like to thank?
Working mothers everywhere. Because I still believe, though it is changing, that women bear a disproportionate share of the household and family workload – they do more of everything. So hats off to you all
09 Something that no longer happens that you miss?
Christmas with my children when they were young, when they were believers. The magic is so special
10 How physically fit are you?
Being fit and in good health is most important to me and becomes more important as I age. For post-menopausal women, bone strength and muscle strength are really important to help reduce risk of osteoporosis. I’m far from a fanatic, but I do like to keep active… cycling, walking, skiing and dancing
11 Favourite ad?
The Amazon ads. They are tapping into emotional insights, particularly through the use of music
12 What do you find most irritating in other people?
I am a cyclist, so I can say this… cyclists who do not obey the rules of the road! They want to be pedestrians and cyclists, depending on what suits them at any given moment
13 A brand to which you feel some loyalty?
Barry’s Tea. I love a pint of Carlsberg and I am an Apple iPhone gal. I have never owned an Android, even though they have super cameras.
14 Someone you might be starstruck to meet?
Michelle Obama
15 Something that recently brought a tear to your eye?
Women who tell me that I’ve changed their lives. Either they have been seen by one of our doctors at The Menopause Hub or heard me spark at a workplace event. This always brings a tear to my eye because it is so positively impactful
16 Something that recently got your goat?
The ads for ‘bladder leakage’ pads and pants. These brands (you know who you are!) are trying to normalise this in women, using terminology like ‘sensitive bladder’. It’s not normal, so any woman reading this should get it checked out
17 What would be your fantasy act of heroism?
Helping every woman in the world impacted by peri/menopause, because it can be a challenging time for many women, personally and professionally and can impact relationships too. Our values are education, empathy and empowerment
18 You’ve won the Euromillions and gone missing. Where might we find you?
Travelling on my gap year, which my generation never did. So, South America, Asia, especially China and Thailand, a full itinerary by air, rail, road, sea… I had better buy a ticket
19 Someone or something that strikes you as beautiful?
A blue sky. Whether it’s a hot or cold, crisp day. Unfortunately our skies in Ireland are fairly grey. So what’s rare is wonderful
20 ‘Here lies Loretta Dignam’… Complete your epitaph…
… the poster girl of peri/menopause (laughing emojis)
loretta.dignam@themenopausehub.ie
