For Elisa Bruno, getting women into leadership roles is only half of the equation.
“Retention matters as much as representation. It requires flexibility, trust and a culture that doesn’t ask them to choose between a full career and a full life,” said the chief executive officer of Dubai-based Level Shoes, adding that men have a critical role to play, too. “The conversation about women in leadership can’t only happen in rooms full of women. We need to be honest about the structures that either support or limit women as they grow.”
Related Stories
As Level continues to evolve, the executive is proud that 70 percent of her leadership team is composed of women who have risen in a culture that supports them.
You May Also Like
“Real empowerment, for me, comes from collaboration and trust. I encourage my team to rely on one another, to build strong internal networks and to understand that choosing to depend on people is a strength. You can be both kind and decisive,” she said. “The best mentors don’t hand out advice, they create space, they advocate and they share context that helps you move forward with direction.”
For Bruno, learning from younger generations also has been eye-opening.
“Gen Z is already doing it differently, and I find it energizing. They’re more open about asking for help, more intentional about boundaries and more values-driven in how they make decisions,” she said.
When it comes to communicating, “they don’t go to google, they go to TikTok,” she observed.
“They go to the creators they trust, they go to the communities that speak their language,” Bruno noted. “If we want to reach them, support them and ultimately lead alongside them, we have to meet them where they are. While digitally native, they are the biggest supporters of offline experiences we offer.”
Being innovative and experimental has been an important part of Bruno’s strategy for Level.
For example, the retailer recently popped up at Milan Design Week. “Over the past year, we have focused on creating more intimate, community-led moments that matter in our home market and beyond,” she said. “We have been able to connect with a larger global community via culture and meaningful collaborations.”
Level, which has become an increasingly important destination for designers amid a challenging retail climate, also has big plans for the U.S. as it prepares to open its Miami flagship in 2027.
“We carry the world’s most exciting brands and designers, with a curation that has been recognized well beyond the region and continues to define our point of view as a brand,” Bruno said, noting that tapping the potential of artificial intelligence is also a big priority.
“We’ve made strong progress in using AI to make the online journey feel more personal and more relevant,” she said. “The focus has been practical and strategic — improving product discovery in search, merchandising, recommendations and content so customers see more of what they want. The real value is that it brings digital luxury closer to the personal in-store experience and engages and services our community wherever they are.”
A version of this article appeared in the June 1 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On June 3, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.