The final whistle for entries to B&T’s 30 Under 30 Awards, presented by Vevo, is coming this week!
If you’re looking to kick-start your career, look no further. As we’ve shared, B&T’s 30 Under 30 has been the launch pad for some of the industry’s biggest names. And we’re adding Howatson+Company’s Cindy Diep to the list after she moved from Ogilvy.
Enter now! If you’re short on inspo, check out Diep’s winning entry below:
Don’t have the flamboyant creativity that Diep showcased in her entry? Fear not, your achievements still sing loudest to our judges.
Still haven’t entered B&T’s 30 Under 30! Apply now before you get shut out!
B&T: What’s happened in your career since being recognised as part of B&T’s 30 Under 30?
Cindy Diep: Being recognised as part of B&T’s 30 Under 30 was an awesome catalyst for growth and change both personally and career-wise. It’s helped boost my confidence in my abilities, my place in this industry and the spaces I occupy.
I’m really proud of the work delivered for YFoundations in 2025, ‘Young & Alone’, that raised awareness for Australia’s hidden youth homelessness crisis – and having firsthand experience in how commercial creativity can have a positive impact on our community.
The momentum of the award pushed me to really consider how I want to stretch my creative skillsets. This inspired a pivot into Ogilvy PR & Health, where I joined the passionate creative team to develop culturally relevant earned-first ideas as well as work on important disease-state awareness briefs – things that have a genuine impact on society and culture.
Most recently, I have joined the incredible creative department at Howatson+Company as a copywriter – keen to develop my craft and create wicked work.
B&T: What are your career ambitions? Has this changed after being recognised this year?
CD: Broadly, my career ambitions have always been about working in a collaborative field full of creative people and to create work that’s part of cultural conversation.
To also play a part in shaping the future of this industry that is more diverse and inclusive in a leadership capacity. Since being recognised, these haven’t changed – but it’s pushed me to consider how else I can contribute back to the industry to those who come from a similar background as me.
B&T: What trends / opportunities are exciting you in the industry?
CD: Earned-first ideas have always excited me, and I feel they are more important than ever in today’s fragmented attention economy.
The opportunity is creating ideas that meet this evolving landscape – ideas that are sticky and make people want to talk about them. And the real (fun and tough) challenge for us as creatives is how we can still craft the hell out of them – making sure the entire package is well considered, beautifully executed, and worthy of attention. That’s the part of the job I love.
B&T: Why did you choose to enter this year’s 30 Under 30?
CD: Entering this award was a personal process, but it was fundamentally powered by the belief of incredible women around me – from peers and friends who had previously won, to a management team that continually backed my ambition.
In the creative industry, it can be easy for self-doubt to creep in. For me, entering was a powerful exercise to combat that doubt: an opportunity to step back and detail my career trajectory and ambition, which I believe everyone should do. Then you realise, hey, you’re not doing half bad.
It was also having the encouragement and support from my mentors and leaders at Ogilvy – especially Bridget Jung and Michelle Holland – that gave me the push. Their confidence in my abilities helped give me the final confidence to back myself.
Of course, seeing those who have won in the past and where their careers have gone – that’s something I wanted to be a part of.
B&T: What advice would you give to other emerging leaders in the industry?
CD: I’m of the firm belief that if there’s anything you’re even slightly interested in – go for it. Put your hat in the ring, even if you’re feeling a bit of that internal hesitation. It’s better to have tested your limits and learned than to have stayed comfortable – it’s the best way to grow.
Ready to put your hat in the ring? What are you waiting for? Late entries close soon!
