Dua Lipa: Leading with Integrity in the Spotlight 

In last week's Scholar Spotlight, Bler Bahidi, a Laidlaw Scholar at IE Business School and secretary of the Women in Business Board, reflected on her leadership journey. In her spotlight, Bler expressed her admiration for Dua Lipa, particularly the way she uses her global platform to spotlight the rich culture and challenges of Kosovo and Albania, advocating for representation and dignity for underrepresented communities. As Bler notes, "her balance of creativity, activism, and business acumen makes her a standout leader of this generation.​"

This week, we reflect on Lipa's perspective on the importance of a balance between standing by your values, but still focusing on constant evolution and growth: 

A Champion for Social Equality and Justice 

Dua Lipa is an English and Albanian singer-songwriter. Notably, she has received seven Brit Awards and three Grammy Awards. Although not widely known for it, her success can largely be attributed to her business acumen as well as her talent and artistry. In 2022, she dismissed her management team due to a financial disagreement, where she wasn't receiving a large enough cut. Despite the risk of being cancelled, she created her own agency with her father. This became a huge strength for her, leading to her designing a collection with Donatello Versace, reclaiming the rights to her music and much more.

In addition to her success in music, Lipa is an activist, having publicly advocated against sexism in the music industry. She has leveraged her platform and social media to highlight issues affecting women and is also an active champion of LGBTQ+ rights. She has emphasised the need for greater recognition of Kosovo’s cultural and political identity. In 2016, she created the Sunny Hill Foundation with her father to provide financial support to communities in Kosovo facing hardship. Despite the scale of her platform, she has not been afraid to speak out on topics she believes in, something avoided by celebrities. She has spoken up about her dissatisfaction over the UK's withdrawal from the European Union and criticised the language of UK politicians speaking about immigration. She called on her followers to 'show solidarity with Gaza' despite being condemned for her words in the media. 

In addition to her activism, she inspires urges her fans to stay aware and take part in social and political issues, highlighting the urgency of voting and being active. 

Leadership Rooted in Courage and Integrity 

Dua Lipa's success as a leader can be attributed to her strategic decision-making in her career, leading to artistic success on a global level. However, despite her visibility in the media, this has not stopped her from being vocal about her values and views. The growth of her popularity has seen a parallel rise in her activism and freedom in her career. She has consistently used her expansive platform for good by advocating for social equality and justice. 

Lipa's words align with the Laidlaw value of being #Brave and the Oxford Character Project Leadership Virtue of #Integrity. Being brave means standing up for what you believe is right, despite the risk of others condemning you. Integrity means standing by your values, even when you have a large platform and visibility.

A Call to Reflect 

We invite you to reflect on Dua Lipa's powerful leadership insights. Share your thoughts in the comments: What’s a time you stood up for something you believed in, even when it wasn’t popular to do so?