Marketing with a mission: Tonya Russell’s strategy for success

IN the high-stakes world of marketing and corporate strategy where competition is fierce and innovation is key, Tonya Russell is leading with an approach that is bold as it is refreshing. As Senior Marketing Manager for North and Central Caribbean, Scotiabank, Russell said she has built a reputation not just for her creativity and strategic brilliance but for something far more impactful — her commitment to authentic leadership. On this International Women’s Day, Russell’s story is a testament to the power of embracing one’s true self, lifting others along the way, and proving that leadership isn’t about fitting into a predefined box but about shattering limitations and redefining success.

Russell’s path to leadership in the marketing and communications sector started with her love for reading and storytelling which was heavily promoted by her mother in her formative years. “I was the type of child that when we had school and your parents bought you books in advance, I would read everything before. So I was always really interested in this side of the world,” she said.

This curiosity led her to the Caribbean School of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) at the University of the West Indies where she allowed her early passion for communication and curiosity about the world help shape her career in marketing.

Her professional journey began in music entertainment and public relations, where she worked at Solid Agency before joining Pulse Investments as an entertainment and public relations officer.

From entertainment, Russell’s career continued to evolve.

She transitioned to Sandals Resorts, where she became the public relations officer while supporting other Caribbean territories before being promoted to group public relations officer for ATL Automotive, then becoming marketing manager for Appliance Traders Limited (ATL). After ten years with the group, she made the leap into banking and took on the role at Scotiabank as she was tasked with bringing a fresh creative approach to the industry.

While Russell’s résumé is impressive, what truly sets her apart is her leadership philosophy, one that she says is deeply collaborative, empathetic and authentic.

“I don’t ever feel that I’ve been limited by a box. I’ve been blessed with really good leaders that would have seen my potential and pushed me along and that’s something that I also hold really dear as a tenant of my own team,” she said.

For Russell, this means creating opportunities for others and ensuring that the next generation of leaders, especially women, are equipped with the tools, confidence and mentorship to excel.

“You always want to make room for the next and who is coming up and to make sure that you’re in a position always to teach and pass on. A big thing around success is being authentic and being who you are. My colleagues at the bank will tease and say that I’m one of the most colourful people in the room in terms of how I look and present myself and that’s one of the things that they like about me because that’s a part of my personality,” she explained.

This philosophy extends to her leadership style at Scotiabank, where she manages an all-female team, a dynamic group she affectionately calls the ‘Power-Puff Girls’.It’s a name that she said not only reflects their ability to juggle responsibilities, but also their strength and resilience.

Furthermore, Russell understands that leadership is not just about delivering results but it about creating an environment where people, particularly women, can thrive, and one of her strategies for getting this done is to instil empathetic leadership.

“We are super at what we do and what we’re able to execute in this space, and for me, I have to think about the fact that while we have big goals, the team members, they’re mothers, they’re daughters, they’re taking care of ageing parents, they have kids that are younger and might require more of them. So I really try to make it so that we understand that we’re all at different stages [and] ages of life, where there are things that we have to deal with as women and we understand and support each other,” she explained.

For her, supporting women in the workplace is not just about policies and benefits but it is about creating a culture of understanding, respect and empowerment.

Russell is also quick to acknowledge that while leadership requires expertise, it also demands openness and collaboration.

“I think it’s a huge collaborative approach, while, of course, you remain an expert in your field, you do have to be open to hear different perspectives of your team and your stakeholders. As marketers, sometimes we’re very passionate and defensive about what we want to do because everything for us is a passion project, but it’s the collaboration that makes the passion project really come together,” she declared.

This mindset has allowed her to lead innovative campaigns that resonate with audiences, including Scotiabank’s partnership with Olympian Shericka Jackson, the bank’s first-ever brand ambassador.

She noted that her ability to blend data-driven strategies with intuition has been a key a part of her success and noted that the company’s relationship with Jackson reflects this commitment.

“Clients share that the love that Scotia has for Shericka is something that they have never seen before; we are super supportive of her in the good times and of course the times that don’t feel so good, like Paris. When persons say they want somebody to love them like how Scotia loves Shericka, that also makes me feel really proud,” she said.

As a woman in leadership, Russell is firm in her belief that glass ceilings for women have already been shattered.

“I would say that there is room for everyone at the table and glass ceilings no longer exist. We’re no longer trying to shatter it. As long as you are capable, you are leading with conviction, with strategy, with empathy and authenticity at the core — there’s space for all of us to succeed so no longer should anybody think that women are reduced to certain administrative roles. Women are so detailed. We are so ambitious,” she declared.

As Russell reflects on her journey, she credits much of her own leadership growth to the mentors who guided her — from Ian Neita, former general manager at ATL, to Audrey Tugwell-Henry who is now the president and CEO of Scotiabank. She noted that they both displayed empathetic leadership which positively impacted her growth.

“Ian Neita taught me about empathetic leadership. He would always take the time to ask about my studies when I was doing my master’s while working,” she recalls.Her admiration for Tugwell-Henry is equally as strong.

“She also leads from a place of empathy and she’s in a space where she has to be strong but she still remains soft at the same time. She’s also very people-focused. Hearing her when she speaks to the team is also very energising because you believe you can do anything and that’s something that I also really try to take back to my team and replicate,” she expressed.