POWER LIST
B&T'S WOMEN IN MEDIA AWARDS POWER LIST
A LETTER FROM B&T
Since I joined B&T five-and-a-half years ago, the Women in Media Awards and our Power List have grown to become a landmark moment in the industry’s calendar.
The Power List recognises the women shaping the future of our industry with their ability to influence the workforce, brands and everyday Australians. And doing so with purpose.
This year’s Power List is as important as any before it. The industry has made progress on many fronts but the threats to the way we do business and what we hold dear are manifold. These 30 women are working to ensure that these threats are not existential but instead are opportunities for progression.
We consider four main criteria when choosing the 30 names on the power list. We share and debate internally amongst our editorial team and externally with our close and senior network.
- We look at the size and health of the organisation of which the woman is a part of.
- We look at how their work has impacted the general workings and economics of our industry.
- How their work has impacted society and culture within Australia.
- How they use their power to drive inclusivity and equality.
You might be wondering why some amazing women in tech or leading brand CMOs aren’t on this list. That’s because we recognise these leaders separately across the year in our Women Leading Tech Power List and B&T’s CMO Power List.
Also, oOh!media’s outgoing CEO Cathy O’Connor is not on this year’s list, but we fully expect her to return again.
I’d like to thank all of the women on this list for smashing through those glass ceilings for future generations of women to follow—and I’d like to thank you, for reading.
Rosie Oakshott
MANAGING DIRECTOR, B&T
POWERLIST
#30
Jo McAlister
CEO, Initiative
Jo McAlister is a people-first leader with a two-decade track record of managing large clients in complex market categories internationally and nationally, with roles across SBS, Foxtel and Seven.
She not only knows Initiative from the inside out, but she also has a strong vision for the agency’s future. That’s why, when Mark Coad, CEO of IPG Mediabrands, canvassed all of Australia’s media industry to find the best person to step up for the role, McAlister was the natural choice. She has already put Initiative back on track, winning clients, kicking goals and putting culture first and foremost.
Known for her bold and creative approach to her work, McAlister is passionate about creating a culture that provides opportunities for the next generation of talent and celebrating the wins along the way.
POWERLIST
#29
Natalie Harvey
CEO, Mamamia
Natalie Harvey is known for her bold and charismatic leadership and as someone who never shies away from speaking her truth.
Harvey started out as an office assistant at Seven, where she was exposed to senior women in the industry, something she didn’t realise at the time was so rare. That experience–and Harvey’s natural-born leadership–made her strive to make the media industry a better and more inclusive place.
She was recently awarded the 2025 Maureen Kerridge AM Scholarship and is committed to continuously learning and staying ahead of the curve, transforming Mamamia with technology and AI.
For whatever life throws at you, Harvey reckons you should “just go for it”.
“Even if you don’t win, it forces you to reflect on where you want to go, where you can have the most impact, and where you’ll find the most joy,” she said.
POWERLIST
#28
Jacquie Alley
Chief Operating Officer, The Media Store
For Jacquie Alley, leadership isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about building something that lasts. She has been with The Media Store for nearly three decades and chair of the Independent Media Agencies of Australia (IMAA) for nearly three years.
Alley joined The Media Store as a receptionist, before becoming its strategy and insights manager and eventually chief operating officer and a co-owner. That remarkable rise reflects her courageous curiosity, operational excellence and a deep commitment to people.
She has helped implement parity across the workplace, improving the gender pay gap, particularly for women in senior roles and introducing paid parental leave and a profit-sharing program.
She has also prioritised sustainability, leading the agency to secure its carbon neutral status and reduce its emissions annually.
POWERLIST
#27
Margie Reid
CEO, Thinkerbell
Margie Reid is the driving force behind Thinkerbell. With a commitment to fostering a culture where everyone can show up as their truest, weirdest selves, Reid’s impact on Thinkerbell has been nothing short of hugely positive.
With a background in media and a passion for building strong systems that help creativity flourish, Reid has helped Thinkerbell stay ahead of the curve while scaling its brand of “Measured Magic”. These are the agency’s trademark creative ideas, grounded in marketing science and brought to life through campaigns that resonate.
Her leadership has helped Thinkerbell attract major brands including Bega, Lion and Hort Innovation.
Reid is passionate about equity and inclusion, stressing the importance of removing the barriers that stand in the way of a more equitable future. She sits on the boards of Support the Girls and Inclusively Made and speaks openly about leadership and resilience, actively championing a more inclusive industry.
Her vision is not just to create great work, but to build a business that supports its people, challenges the status quo and continuously redefines what creative agencies can be.
POWERLIST
#26
Jasmin Bedir
CEO, Innocean
As CEO of Innocean Australia and founder of Fck The Cupcakes, Bedir has been on a nonstop mission to deliver fearless campaign work for clients, but also fearless opinions on advertising, marketing, media and their relations to popular culture. She’s a regular keynote speaker, Gruen panellist and columnist.
Her career spans multiple continents and agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi and Spark44. Growing up in Germany as a Turkish migrant makes her appreciate cultural differences, the importance of local relevance and means she always brings a fresh yet considered perspective to work, clients and her team.
Under Bedir’s helm, Innocean has delivered innovative work that never fails to make it into the spotlight.
Bedir has recently started to encourage men to take an active role in the quest for gender equality, launching Yeah The Pies and creating further positive impact for our industry and society.
POWERLIST
#25
Anathea Ruys
CEO, UM Australia
Anathea Ruys has more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning Australia, New Zealand, the US and beyond. Globally minded and people-oriented, she leads UM with a strong commitment to bridging the gap between brands and consumers to deliver faster client growth.
Ruys is committed to inclusivity. She actively supports LGBTQIA+ initiatives and serves as a Pillar Lead for the UN Women’s Unstereotype Alliance.
Her career has seen her serve as the editor of New Idea to APAC agency roles. But a constant has been her ability to work with people to help them bring ideas to life.
Ruys has always focused on supporting the causes she believes in through the work she does, through sponsorships, smart media placements and more.
Ruys is a visionary and people-first leader who motivates those around her to collaborate with open hearts and with creativity at the fore of all that they do.
POWERLIST
#24
Barbara Humphries
Co-Chief Creative Officer Droga5 ANZ
Barbara Humphries is co-chief creative officer of Droga5 ANZ and one of Australia’s most decorated creatives.
Humphries has worked in the creative space for over two decades, collecting numerous agency awards along the way. Over this time, her work has been recognised at numerous B&T Awards outings as well as Cannes Lions, the Clios, D&AD, One Show and the Webbys.
She is currently ranked #1 ECD in APAC for One Show Global Creative Rankings and #16 globally at D&AD.
In 2024, ‘Play it Safe’ for Sydney Opera House celebrated 50 years of the iconic landmark. It was awarded a Cannes Film Grand Prix, along with Best in Discipline for film craft at One Show and a Grand Clio. But it was the latest in a long line of creative triumphs for Humphries and the team she leads.
Aside from her work at Droga5, Humphries is a beacon of female creative leadership in Australia and New Zealand—something still maddeningly scarce. She has served as a jury president at the One Show, is an AWARD School speaker. Humphries has long been a passionate advocate for gender equality with work for brands including Berlei and advocating for women’s rights for UN Women Australia
POWERLIST
#23
Mandie van der Merwe
Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi
Mandie van der Merwe, joint-chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, is another of the country’s all-too-scarce senior female creatives. Not that the fact has stopped her from achieving the highest highs in adland, with her work notching more than 100 awards across nearly every major show.
Her portfolio spans iconic brands including Tourism Australia, Nando’s, Fox Sports, Tourism New Zealand, David Jones, MINI and Virgin Money.
Van der Mewe’s leadership reaches the highest levels of creativity globally. She has served as chair of AWARD School for the past two years and on juries around the world, including her most recent stint at the One Show awards. Her own work is a regular fixture at awards shows, too, with Saatchis collecting a raft of Effies shortlists and more.
POWERLIST
#22
Karen Halligan
CEO OzTAM
Karen Halligan is the CEO of OzTAM, and was recently appointed chair of the UnLtd board.
In these roles, Halligan brings her extensive experience as a client-side marketer and in senior roles within agencies and media owners.
In her time at OzTAM, Halligan has ushered in a significant change in the way media is measured, bought and sold, unifying powerful local networks and global streaming giants—a genuinely world-first feat.
While her day job evolves the way Australian TV is measured, her work at UnLTD means she also influences a tangible, meaningful difference to the most vulnerable in our society. Very few can say that.
POWERLIST
#21
Maria Grivas
CEO, Mindshare, ANZ
Maria Grivas has just finished her third year as the top boss of Mindshare. And she has been transformative for the business and its clients.
In her role, Grivas combines “high emotional intelligence” with an uncanny knack for data, technology and the finest of details. She leads the business to continued success with eight client wins and six retentions in the last year, including Foot Locker and the Australian Labor Party’s election work for 2025.
But it isn’t simply in the realm of new business where Grivas has set the pace for much of the industry. Mindshare boasts some of the strongest employee engagement scores across the country’s media agencies. It also provides critical training to ensure that its staff are ahead of client demands. It’s little wonder Mindshare scored 9 out of 10 in B&T’s Agency Scorecards this year.
Grivas’ transformative and future-focused leadership sets her apart from many.
POWERLIST
#20
Jane Huxley
CEO, ARE Media
Jane Huxley, CEO of Are Media, is the powerhouse leader behind some of Australia’s best-known titles, including The Australian Women’s Weekly, Marie Claire and New Idea.
This cultural stewardship is a responsibility that Huxley does not take lightly, describing it as an “incredible privilege”.
Huxley, however, has brought Are Media firmly into the present thanks to a sprawling digital transformation and a focus on the stories that matter to today’s Australian women, including forthright conversations about coercive control, financial abuse and homelessness.
Huxley leads a female-heavy executive team at Are Media, too, showing she not only talks the talk but walks the walk on gender diversity.
Are Media’s transformation, however, is far from over. But in Huxley, Are Media has a leader who stands a cut above and delivers real results, real stories and real impact for Australia’s women.
POWERLIST
#19
Marelle Salib
Chief Media Partnerships Officer, OMG Australia
Marelle Salib is the investment chief of the largest media buyer in Australia. Omniom Media Group handles close to $2.3 billion each year, and Salib is responsible for overseeing media partnerships, trading and accountability.
She has been with OMD for 14 years and was the clear choice to succeed the group’s previous CIO, Kristiaan Kroon, who has stepped up to lead the group.
Salib’s sharp mind, excellent negotiation skills and strong management of media partnerships with the biggest media owners and brands in the country is well known across the industry.
Her promotion also includes an appointment to OMG’s Australian Executive Committee.
POWERLIST
#18
Laura Nice
Co-CEO, OMD Australia
Laura Nice is the co-CEO of OMD, Australia’s largest media agency, and she is also one of the most influential leaders in the media and advertising industry.
Nice has worked in the industry for more than 20 years and has played a pivotal role in leading longstanding partnerships with blue-chip brands including Telstra, Diageo and McDonald’s. She is one of the very best client-facing executives in the industry.
Nice had served as OMD’s managing director before her elevation to co-CEO, having returned to Australia from the UK in 2019. Before this, she had worked at Dentsu agency Vizeum and fellow Omnicom business Annalect.
Her leadership, alongside co-CEO Sian Whitnall, has kept OMD steaming along as the most successful agency of the past 10 years.
OMD’s track record for promoting women under Nice’s watch is inspired.
POWERLIST
#17
Sian Whitnall
Co-CEO, OMD Australia
As co-chief executive officer at Australia’s largest media agency, Sian Whitnall has played a pivotal role in shaping the strategies for some of the world’s most recognisable brands, including Coles and Qantas.
She leads a team of more than 670 that regularly tops COMVergence rankings for new billings, and RECMA’s Profile Classification score, marking OMD as an industry leader.
Whitnall leads by example; during her career she has developed global products for OMD, championed industry initiatives and has driven education through her role as MFA Interactive Chair.
The Marketing Academy alumnus is simply one of the most influential women shaping the media and advertising sector.
Whitnall champions the importance of collaboration, resilience and challenging the status quo—values that drive her leadership today.
POWERLIST
#16
Priya Patel
CEO DDB AUNZ
A new entrant to the Power List, Priya Patel took the reins of DDB Group in Australia and New Zealand in March this year, leading more than 400 staff at the likes of DDB, RAPP/TRACK, Tribal, Takitoru, Remedy, Interbrand and Mango.
She now leads an agency group that has been on fire creatively in recent times.
At the 2025 AWARD Awards, DDB was crowned Agency Network of the Year, taking home nine golds across five campaigns, with six for DDB Aotearoa and three for DDB Australia.
DDB lists some of the largest brands in the country on its roster, including the likes of Coles and Dulux. This gives Patel control over some of the most significant pieces of work to emerge every year.
Before becoming regional boss, Patel was the first woman to lead DDB Group Aotearoa. The Brit has also served as MD at DDB Sydney, spent time at David Jones, and was managing director of Y&R in London.
POWERLIST
#15
Beverley McGarvey
President Network Ten, Head of Streaming & Regional Lead, Paramount
McGarvey leads Australia’s third-largest commercial TV business, Network 10, and serves as the regional lead for Paramount and its streaming platform Paramount+.
McGarvey hails from a content production background, starting out working in the UTV newsroom in Belfast, before moving to ITV’s Meridian Television in the UK and TV3 in New Zealand. She joined Network 10 to lead programming in 2006.
Her record in that role speaks for itself. She has been responsible for the successful launch of many franchise hit series, including MasterChef Australia, Gogglebox Australia, Australian Survivor, The Masked Singer Australia and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
McGarvey’s experience, guile and canny ability to commission local hits will be vital for Network 10 to thrive in an increasingly crowded and competitive TV and streaming market.
She is a strong advocate of diverse leadership, too.
“Women are great at managing both creative and commercial matters, complex problem solving, time management and understanding and leading people with empathy,” she previously told B&T, adding that women are especially strong when they authentically lean into their own personality and style.
McGarvey’s leadership style and skills will come to the fore as Paramount ANZ comes under new owners, Skydance. Few are better equipped to help Paramount ANZ and Network 10 navigate the future.
POWERLIST
#14
Pippa Berlocher
CEO, EssenceMediacom Australia & New Zealand
There are few leadership hires of recent years that have been as inspired as EssenceMediacom boss Pippa Berlocher.
When WPP Media leader Aimee Buchanan brought Berlocher into the agency, her remit was to build a new agency from the ground up by combining the best of MediaCom and Essence under a new ‘Breakthrough’ mantra.
Berlocher quickly installed a leadership team the envy of the industry, led a cultural overhaul, helped map out new processes, systems and the agency has won plenty of new business and silverware every since.
In fact, EssenceMediacom was B&T’s Media Agency of the Year, and is now a 550-plus strong team with offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns that manages client billings north of $900 million.
Berlocher’s leadership style is about authenticity, honesty, transparency and accountability. She believes that it has never been a better time to be a female leader and is a shining example of why.
POWERLIST
#13
Kirsty Muddle
CEO Products + Practices, dentsu ANZ
Kirsty Muddle recently told B&T that the biggest challenge facing women in the industry is “visibility, sponsorship and the burden of being the only one in the room”.
As the leader of Dentsu’s creative operations, Muddle has redesigned the company’s DE&I strategy by embedding it across every layer of the business.
“Belonging isn’t a feeling, it’s a business outcome you can engineer,” she said, adding that the industry needs to stop treating equity as optional.
Muddle started her career at WPP, moving into planning and strategy with Mindshare. She spent 11 years at Cummins&Partners and was the agency’s CEO before moving to Dentsu.
Aside from being an outstanding leader, Muddle has been a Gruen panellist and has sat on several industry boards, including Ad Standards, the AANA and Advertising Council.
POWERLIST
#12
Melissa Hey
Chief Investment Officer, WPP Media ANZ
Melissa Hey is helping to shape the future of media investment at a pivotal time for the industry. Appointed chief investment officer for WPP Media Australia and New Zealand in early 2023, she now oversees investment strategy across Mindshare, EssenceMediacom and Wavemaker, uniting the group’s scale with a clear focus on value creation and meaningful partnerships.
With more than 25 years of experience spanning FMCG, finance, government and QSR, Hey has built a career defined by trust, transparency, and commercial impact. Her leadership is underpinned by a commitment to long-term, collaborative relationships, ensuring immediate outcomes also lay the groundwork for future growth.
Before joining WPP Media, she held senior roles at Publicis Groupe and Dentsu and spent over a decade at OMD, managing major client portfolios and securing landmark wins.
At WPP Media, she championed the Responsible Investment Framework to strengthen the role of local media, while also pushing for greater industry collaboration to solve shared challenges.
In an era of rapid change, from AI adoption to evolving audience behaviours, Hey’s approach blends strategic agility with a human touch, ensuring WPP Media is ahead of the curve and building partnerships that last.
POWERLIST
#11
Lee Leggett
CEO, Clemenger BBDO
Lee Leggett is steering Clemenger BBDO through one of the most significant transformations in its history, uniting CHEP Network, Clemenger BBDO and Traffik into a single, full-service force.
With more than 20 years of leadership experience across the UK and Australia, including senior roles at Initiative, Wunderman Thompson and Dare, she brings both a global perspective and a deeply people-focused approach to the role.
Her leadership blends creativity, media and technology into business-driving solutions, with a track record of delivering award-winning work. At CHEP, she oversaw standout campaigns such as Samsung’s ‘Flipvertising’ and helped secure a string of new business wins, including Spirit of Tasmania and the University of Sydney, while collecting accolades from B&T as well as the Cannes Lions and the Effies.
Now at the helm of the newly unified Clemenger BBDO, Leggett is focused on building an agency designed for growth, simplicity and creative scale. She’s retained almost the entire client roster through the merger, a rare feat in the industry, and is minimising staff redundancies as much as possible.
Her focus now is on shaping a future-ready Clemenger, one that pairs the creative firepower of a global network with the agility of a modern, integrated agency, ensuring it can meet client needs with both speed and ambition.
POWERLIST
#10
Clare Pickens
CEO, Leo Australia
Since stepping into the CEO role at Leo Australia in early 2024, Clare Pickens has wasted no time in hitting the hyperdrive. Bringing with her a global career that spans Wieden+Kennedy, Red & Co, and HERC, she approaches leadership with a clear belief that creativity should solve real problems, serve culture and drive measurable business growth.
Her first year was defined by major wins, including the consolidation of Suncorp’s creative business and the hotly contested ANZ account. Both successes were fuelled by Leo’s sharpened ‘business of reinvention’ positioning, which Pickens has championed to ensure the work is strategically sound, creatively ambitious and commercially impactful.
Under her guidance, the agency is leaning into platform-led, behaviour-shifting ideas which transcend traditional advertising, building long-term brand value while delivering immediate results. She has also tapped into the strength of Publicis’ ‘Power of One’ model, enabling her team to collaborate seamlessly across disciplines and markets to create integrated, efficient and high-performing solutions for clients.
With a leadership style that blends strategic clarity, creative ambition, and a global lens, Pickens is positioning Leo to deliver work that matters, to brands, to culture and to the bottom line.
POWERLIST
#9
Imogen Hewitt
CEO, Spark Foundry & Chief Media Officer, Publicis ANZ
Imogen Hewitt has carved out a career defined by adaptability, cross-disciplinary expertise and a fierce commitment to building working cultures where people can thrive.
With more than 25 years of experience across Australia and South East Asia, she brings a strategic perspective that bridges disciplines and connects big ideas to tangible results.
As CEO of Spark Foundry ANZ and chief media officer at Publicis Groupe ANZ, Hewitt has led the agency to triple in size over four years.
Her leadership combines commercial clarity with an unwavering focus on culture, a philosophy she describes as an inverted org chart, where her job is to hold her people up, not sit above them.
Hewitt is a vocal advocate for equity in the industry, mentoring female leaders, challenging exclusionary practices and championing initiatives that push gender parity forward.
Her approach, built on “bold and honest relationships,” fosters trust, openness and the freedom to speak candidly. For Hewitt, success is measured not only in growth and awards, but in the resilience, creativity and diversity of the teams she leads.
POWERLIST
#8
Lindsey Evans
Founding Partner & CEO, Special Group Australia
Lindsey Evans has built a reputation for delivering work that is as fearless as it is effective, shaping global campaigns and leading one of the country’s most celebrated creative agencies.
As CEO and partner at Special, she has overseen the agency’s rise into an industry leader that fuses sharp strategic thinking with cultural insight. Her guidance has seen Special create award-winning campaigns that drive real results for Uber Eats, Virgin Australia, IGA and Cricket Australia to name but four.
During her time at the helm, Special’s shelves have been filled with accolades, from multiple Grand Prix honours at the B&T Awards to international recognition for creativity and effectiveness. Evans’ leadership thrives on pushing boundaries while keeping a clear focus on impact, ensuring the agency’s output connects with audiences and delivers lasting value for clients.
Committed to shaping a better industry, Evans fosters a collaborative culture that champions diverse voices, supports emerging talent, and backs brave creative thinking. She is also the co-deputy chair of the Advertising Council Australia.
Her influence has helped position Special as a global reference point for what bold, modern advertising can achieve.
POWERLIST
#7
Amanda Laing
Managing Director, Streaming & Broadcast, Nine
From her early days in media to her April 2025 appointment as managing director of Nine’s newly unified streaming and broadcast division, Amanda Laing has built a career defined by strategic vision, creative leadership and industry influence.
In her current role, she leads the integration of 9Now, Stan, broadcast television and radio, driving Nine’s Total TV evolution and delivering growth across linear and digital platforms. She oversees commissioning of bold, culturally resonant Australian stories, develops scalable, brand-safe environments for advertisers and forges global partnerships that enhance creative output and monetisation opportunities.
Laing’s career includes senior executive roles at Foxtel and News Corp Australia, where she led transformative projects in streaming, premium content acquisition and high-value rights negotiations. Her expertise and commercial acumen have shaped major industry shifts and set new benchmarks for content strategy and platform innovation.
Beyond her corporate achievements, Laing is a non-executive director of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). Her return to Nine marks a critical moment in its transformation, with her leadership poised to influence both the future of the business and the broader media landscape.
POWERLIST
#6
Lou Barrett
Managing Director, Client Partnerships, News Australia
Lou Barrett is one of best-known and most influential people—let alone women—in Australia’s media industry, and she has been for some time.
As managing director of client partnership at News Australia, she has forged some of the most enduring and impactful partnerships for clients, agencies and consumers alike. In a challenging advertising market, Barrett has led her team to deliver double-digit year-on-year growth in key categories.
But there’s so much more to her leadership than just getting clients to sign on the dotted line. She relentlessly advocates for women in the industry through mentorship and ensures her personal standard of excellence becomes the norm, not the exception. She instils confidence through care. Her support for the practice of journalism in Australia is peerless, too.
Barrett has helped change the game for women outside the industry, quite literally, through her pioneering work with clients such as Harvey Norman. Thanks to Barrett, more women are seen, heard and empowered in all facets of life.
Few have been more instrumental to the ongoing success of a business than Barrett. Fewer still have such outsized influence on the lives of all Australian media professionals.
POWERLIST
#5
Sunita Gloster AM
founder, Gloster Advisory; senior advisor, Accenture Australia & UN Women Australia
Sunita Gloster AM is a powerhouse figure in Australia. Not the marketing and media industries, the entire country.
She has been a fixture on B&T’s Women in Media Power List over the last decade thanks to a CV that is as remarkable as it is varied: CEO of the AANA, chief customer officer of WPP, senior advisor to UN Women Australia, committee member for Chief Executive Women, senior advisor to Accenture, chair of the Diversity Council and non-exec director roles at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and the UN Global Compact Network and, most recently, a non-exec director of the RAA. That’s a non-exhaustive list, too.
Frankly, Gloster has done more in the last 10 years than many would hope to achieve in a lifetime. Behind the scenes, Gloster is a tireless advocate and advisor to many women within the industry—including some on this list, to boot.
Her impact and advocacy is nearly unmatched. We all benefit from her energy, clarity of purpose and staunch commitment to bettering the lives of women and minorities in Australia.
POWERLIST
#4
Rose Herceg
President Australia and New Zealand, WPP
Rose Herceg has spent nearly 17 years with WPP and became its president in January 2022.
During that time, she has led the business with aplomb bringing continued success through times of flux for its agencies (from both within and without) with a near-uncanny prescience.
That knack for seeing the future before it unfolds has been a constant in Herceg’s career from her days as the founder of Pophouse, which at the time was one of the country’s leading shops for innovation, social trends and business strategy. The skills she honed then still power her work and vision for WPP and still deliver results for clients.
But while some leaders may retreat from the spotlight as their career unfolds, Herceg remains on the frontlines. She’s a fierce supporter of her staff and is a tireless advocate for Australia’s LGBT communities, ethnic minorities and, of course, women.
Few wield such power as Herceg. Fewer still wield it with such humility and grace.
POWERLIST
#3
Melissa Fein
Managing Director, Media, Accenture Song
Power, as we’ve explained, can take many forms. Few people in the industry wield it in such a decisive manner as Melissa Fein.
After a six-year super-successful stint as the CEO of IPG’s top media agency Initiative, she rocked the industry after announcing her departure (along with Chris Colter and Sam Geer) for Accenture Song. At the stroke of a pen, she had enacted a shuffling of spend, staff and sway that few could have matched. During that time, she continued as a board member of the MFA and Swimming Australia, too.
That power became evident as Fein led the way for the nascent Accenture Song media division to secure one of the country’s largest clients. In a matter of months, her relentless drive forged Accenture Song into one of the country’s leading media shops.
And, perhaps worryingly for her competition, Fein shows no signs of slowing down.
POWERLIST
#2
Aimee Buchanan
CEO, WPP Media ANZ
Aimee Buchanan has and continues to leave an indelible mark on the Australian media industry. After a five-year stint at OMD, she was poached to become CEO of GroupM (now WPP Media).
She wasted no time in building an enviable roster of female executives, including fellow Power List-ers Maria Grivas and Pippa Berlocher. She’s overseen the construction of EssenceMediacom and the transition from GroupM to WPP Media—moves that affect the lives and livelihoods of thousands of staff and hundreds of millions of client dollars. That’s a responsibility that few would hope to manage so easily. She has also overseen the expansion of WPP Media’s creator strategy, priming the agency group for the next evolution of media.
While Buchanan’s cast of female leaders is well known, her tireless work to improve the lot of all staff at WPP Media is less recognised. Winning the Employer category during such a challenging time for media agencies is no mean feat, after all. To have such immediate and personal power over the lives of staff is unmatched in the industry. To have such power over the flow of client dollars is similarly unsurpassed.
We would be surprised if anyone in the country can match it—let alone the media.
POWERLIST
#1
Dee Madigan
Executive Creative Director, Campaign Edge
As we’ve mentioned, power takes many forms. And many women on this list exercise their power expertly to improve the lives and outcomes of businesses within the industry and connected to it.
None, however, have changed the course of Australian history like Dee Madigan has managed in the last year.
Dee Madigan co-founded Campaign Edge in 2014 and it has been the longstanding creative agency for the Labor Party. Coming into the 2025 election year, it appeared the winds of change might have been blowing against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. When the election was called on 28 March, the Labor Party held a single percentage point advantage in the polls. Its two-seat majority in the lower house looked painfully thin. It looked extremely unlikely that Albanese would become the first prime minister since John Howard to win a second term.
By the time the campaign finished, the situation could not have been more different.
Labor won a landslide victory, securing 17 seats in the house taking its total to 94. The Coalition, meanwhile, had collapsed, winning just 44. Its leader, Peter Dutton, would also lose his seat.
Madigan and the team’s work was instrumental in Labor’s win. Its work showed Australia that a Labor future could be a brighter future.
Power doesn’t come greater than that. If persuasion is an art, Madigan is its grand master.
