Australian media agency Initiative has promoted Elle Galipienzo to the newly expanded role of head of impact, following more than nine years with the agency.
Galipienzo most recently served as group business director, a role she held for the past 18 months, and has worked across major client partnerships including IAG, Pernod Ricard and Goodman Fielder during her time at Initiative.
In her new role, Galipienzo will focus exclusively on growing the agency’s impact capability across its client portfolio, with Initiative positioning the appointment as a response to increasing demand for work that delivers both commercial results and positive societal outcomes.
Galipienzo has played a central role in developing Initiative’s impact practice, with the agency pointing to work including NRMA’s Help Our Highway, Beyond 3%, Boys Do Cry and Make Awkward Awesome.
Initiative chief strategy officer Tom Dodd said Galipienzo’s ability to connect impact with broader business objectives had made her a natural fit for the expanded role.
“What makes Elle so unique is her ability to see the role impact can play across a client’s entire business and turn that ambition into something tangible,” he said.
“Over nine years at Initiative, she has built a formidable reputation in this space, not just for the quality of her thinking, but for her ability to translate it into work that influences behaviour, shapes culture and informs business decisions.
“Formalising this role is recognition of the contribution Elle already makes and gives her the platform to bring that expertise and influence more broadly across our clients and our organisation.”
Galipienzo said her focus would be on helping brands integrate impact into their broader business decisions, rather than treating purpose as an additional layer.
“I have always believed purpose works best when it is integrated into how organisations operate, not positioned as an add-on,” she said.
“The opportunity for brands today is to connect commercial success with meaningful outcomes for people and communities.”
She added that media’s position at the intersection of culture, influence and behaviour gives agencies an opportunity to contribute to broader social change while maintaining a commercial focus.
“There is a strong appetite already from our growing client base that will step-change how we work with our clients, partners and communities, and influence how our brands show up in the most creative way,” Galipienzo said.
Outside of her agency role, Galipienzo serves on the MFA DE&I Council and has become a prominent voice in purpose-led media and behaviour change.
