UPDATED 7.04PM An ex-advertising boss says management roles in the industry can be brutal business, one that women choose to stay away from.

Kevin Roberts resigned from Auckland advertising agency Saatchi and Saatchi following a controversial interview where he said there was no gender bias in advertising.

Speaking to the Business Insider, Roberts said he did not spend any time on gender issues at his agencies at all, and that the issue was "way worse in sectors like financial services", where there are "problems left, right and centre".

Advertising consultant and former CEO at the agency Mike Hutcheson is continuing to stand by Mr Roberts, a close colleague of his, despite Mr Roberts already apologising for the comments.

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Mr Hutcheson said Roberts had a point but what he was trying to say has been misconstrued, he says the reason more men are bosses is because women don't like the top jobs.

He said the 'big boys club' doesn't exist any longer and some people, both male and female, chose not to rise vertically in the industry but instead prefer to make a quieter lifestyle choice.

"Very often people choose to actually do the work rather than seek a lofty position in an agency. Running an agency can be pretty tough, a high position in the hierarchy isn't nearly as much fun as doing the work".

Mr Hutcheson said the topic's been blown way out of proportion and it's sad Mr Roberts got caught up in the gender politics debate because it shuts out the fact there's a broader conversation to be had.

According to census data, women hold just 14.75 percent of private sector directorships.