When Motherhood Meets Leadership: Rethinking Talent, Culture, and Performance

Tuesday 10 February 2026
12:00–13:15 CET
Online Roundtable

Across Europe, women outpace men in higher education — yet remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles. The missing link often emerges during the “rush hour of life”: the transition to motherhood.

But what if this transition, rather than being a career setback, is one of the most powerful leadership catalysts we are currently overlooking?

Join us for a timely and eye-opening conversation on matrescence — the profound identity, emotional, and cognitive transformation women undergo when becoming mothers — and why understanding this transition is essential for any organisation seeking to retain, empower, and elevate top female talent.

This roundtable brings together four professionals working at the intersection of motherhood, leadership, mental health, and organisational culture:

Join Us to Rewrite the Narrative

«Matrescence is not a career interruption.
It is a developmental transition that, when understood and supported, expands leadership capacity and strengthens organisational performance.»

Roberta Nicotra
Co-Founder of Lunalab — leadership coach, specialist in maternal leadership development, advocate for women’s health

Agata Spissu
Co-Founder of Lunalab — transformational coach focused on wellbeing, reintegration after maternity leave, and supportive leadership practices

Flora Demaegdt
Art-dance therapist and social entrepreneur — innovating in maternal mental health through movement-based therapeutic approaches

Moderated by: Helena Demuynck
Leadership Transformation Catalyst, GWMH Board Member, with extensive experience supporting women’s leadership journeys and transition coaching

Why This Webinar Matters

For Executives & Business Leaders

• Understand why organisations lose promising women during this key life phase — and what forward-thinking companies can do differently
• Recognise how matrescence can renew women’s leadership capacity, particularly strengthening empathy, resilience, and prioritisation
• Discover how supporting the maternal transition boosts long-term team performance and organisational stability

For HR Directors & People Leaders

• Identify the systemic blind spots that contribute to the motherhood penalty
• Embrace new practical, research-backed strategies to improve retention, wellbeing, and career progression for working parents
• Learn how parenthood-inclusive cultures become talent magnets for the next generation of employees

For Mothers & Mothers-to-Be

• Understand and name the identity shifts you may be navigating
• Hear perspectives from women who transformed maternal challenges into leadership growth
• Gain insights to reclaim ambition, confidence, and professional clarity through this transition

What You Will Learn

In this roundtable, we will explore the lived experience, organisational implications, and leadership potential embedded in the transition to motherhood. Through the stories and expertise of our panelists, we will discuss:

• How matrescence reshapes identity — personally and professionally — and why acknowledging this shift matters
• What organisations often overlook about the emotional, physical, and cognitive realities of becoming a mother
• The invisible pressures influencing women’s decisions around career progression, ambition, and wellbeing
• What mothers say they need to return to work with clarity and confidence
• How leaders and colleagues can support this transition in practical, meaningful ways
• What becomes possible — for individuals and teams — when motherhood is recognised as a period of growth rather than a disruption

This conversation does not offer fixed answers or a single narrative. Instead, it opens space to question assumptions, deepen understanding, and consider more human and supportive ways of working.

Why Now?

Research shows:

• 46% of European women complete higher education vs 35% of men — yet women hold only ~30% of management roles
• The gender pay gap in Europe remains at 14%, heavily influenced by motherhood-related career interruptions
• Postpartum mental health challenges affect up to 20% of women, with tangible consequences for wellbeing and retention
• 70% of companies that integrate parenthood into their HR strategy see measurable increases in productivity

The data is clear: addressing matrescence is a strategic imperative, not a “nice to have”

Who Should Attend

• C-suite & senior executives
• HR directors, People & Culture leaders
• Team managers supporting employees navigating parenthood
• DEI, wellbeing, and organisational development professionals
• Working mothers and mothers-to-be
• Anyone committed to more inclusive, realistic, and human-centred ways of working