A Letter To The Women I’ve Learned From – It’s GroupM’s Aimee Buchanan

We’re very proud that B&T’s Women in Media Awards presented by Are Media are on for the 7th consecutive year. The awards gala is Next Friday 19th August so get your tickets ASAP!

It’s a program that continues to recognise the exceptional women achieving outstanding success in their fields, and the invaluable contribution they are making to the industry with their leadership, innovation and courage.

And this year, we’re celebrating the Women in Media Awards with some exceptional women in a mini-series entitled: Letter to the Women I’ve Learned From. 

It’s about… well, exactly what you think it is!

Today we’re very lucky to have Aimee Buchanan, CEO at GroupM Australia & New Zealand. Over to you, Aimee…

To the many people who helped me pave my way,  

Growing up in this industry, I started at a time when women with kids at the top was a rare sight. So much so, that I had thought that if I wanted a family, I would need to leave agency land and find a different path. That wasn’t me being defeatist. In those days, it was me been a realist. 

Times have changed. Seeing women at the top of agencies is now a more regular thing and many women in my direct sphere helped me see that it was possible. Women in leadership roles in agencies in this era were tough, paving the way for many of us to come; made tough by having to fight for their positions and earn their seats at the table ten times over their male counterparts.

In the early years, working on Optus I was fortunate to have an incredibly supportive woman leading our agency and me. Sophie Fletcher, who had two small children, worked flexibility and had paved the way. She gave me the view that flexibility could work hand-in-hand with running an agency, and I think of her often as I rush out the door to get the kids.   

Cath O’Connor has mentored me for years and always given me the best advice. I hear her voice often telling me to “play the long game” and “bring it back to the business impact,” when I’m working through different scenarios. Her advice when I was in panic, when pregnant with my first child, that “your skills are your skills” gave me confidence to get on the front foot of my discussions about going on parental leave, the plan for when I was away, and navigating back into the workforce. At a time and in a business where there were no women above me, it was the advice and guidance I needed.   

But when I reflect who really drove the change for me at the time I was embarking on having a family and progressing in my career, many of them were my clients. Strong, smart women who either subtly enquired about agency’s diversity policies or firmly demanded greater representation. They used their power to forge change, in ways they may not even realise. There were many of them along the way, so this won’t do them all justice, but maybe gives you an idea of the impact they had. 

Joe Pollard, who as the CMO and executive marketing lead at Telstra, not only pushed for diversity in her agency teams, but insisted time and time again that the people in her ads were real. “Remove the airbrushing, put in a size 14 woman, show more voices”. It was her that made me realise and truly understand the responsibility we have to shape culture and represent more diverse voices.   

Kim Portrate, Rapthi Thanapalasingam and Emily Perrett – my clients and colleagues at Tourism Australia, who pushed for good work and dedication, and rewarded it. They pushed us to understand the audiences we were speaking with across the globe and whose friendship over many years became a more informal “board of directors” to me. They have guided me through many decisions and moments – pregnancies, lost pregnancies, babies and promotions.   

Mim Haysom, CMO at Suncorp, who I had an instant respect for and a connection with, is another. She strives to make her agency, her business and herself better through healthy challenge and tension. Mim knows good capability and good work. She again, pushes for diversity, not just at surface level, but true diversity of thought that drives better outcomes. It shows in the work she and her team produce.   

Steph Tully and Olivia Wirth, my clients at Qantas, who again sought diversity, and pushed for progress and merit. In my early years working with them, I looked in awe at how they handled tricky situations, steaming ahead and putting the business first. 

I can’t name them all – but could go on for hours. I also need to give credit to the incredibly supportive men who showed me the way and opened many doors for me over the years. From Michael Smith at Optus, to Kristian Barnes and most recently Peter Horgan. Mentors comes in different shapes, sizes and genders at different points in your career. You need different things at different times and knowing what this looks like is key to filling up your cup, with the right ingredients at the right time. 

I recently realised that at one point of time, my top 10 clients were all women. They included Lisa Ronson, Amber Collins, Jo Boundy, Maria Loyez, Danielle Williams, Emmerentia Wilding, Genelle Sharples. All amazing women who taught me and supported me through my career to where I am today.

They were women who showed up, shaped me and shared their experience. They used their influence and position to drive change in our business and industry at the time. Their voices across the table were key to unlocking greater diversity, more flexibility, better parental leave policies, better visibility, and their influence continues to have an impact on me, and those around me.  

To you all – thank you! 

This year’s Women in Media Awards will be held on Friday 19 August 2022 at The Venue, Alexandria. Grab your tickets to the event HERE!

And just in case you missed it, you can check out which fabulous females are up for an award HERE on the shortlist!

If you’d like more information about this year’s Women in Media Awards, head to the website.

Finally, a huge thank you to Are Media and the rest of our incredible sponsors for making this event possible.