It’s time to celebrate the media’s highest calibre of women professionals, of all ranks, of all positions*.
*Looking for B&T’s Women in Media Power List Long List? The most recent version can be found here.
During this year’s B&T Women in Media Awards, presented by AreMedia, we’ll be recognising exceptional people who have achieved success in their professional arenas, celebrating their invaluable contribution to their industry through leadership, innovation and courage.
In the lead-up to the Women in Media Awards, which will be hosted in October, we’ve been celebrating advertising, marketing, and the media’s stories of fearlessness, of inspiration—stories that have blown us away—with many more to come.
But now it’s time to unveil B&T’s annual list of the media’s most ‘powerful’ women, in order to determine the most influential, and respected woman in the industry for 2020—no easy task.
More than 100 women, from a wide range of roles across the media, have been named in the first stage of the Women in Media Power List.
However … if there is someone you believe B&T has missed, please let us know their name, job title and employer in the comments section, below.
We will then add their name to the next stage, and pass the list onto our panel of judges. The combined list will then be voted on by the WIM judges, with the top 30 being unveiled on the night of the awards.
Without further ado, here are the most powerful women in Australia’s advertising, marketing, and media industry (so far), in alphabetical order:
Women In Media Power List 2020
Aimee Buchanan—CEO, OMD Australia
Aleisha McCall—founder and CEO, Ultimate Edge Communications
Amanda Laing—chief commercial and content officer, Foxtel
Andrea Martens —CEO, ADMA
Andrea Rule, Head of Enterprise, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions
Angela Morris—chief strategy officer, Wunderman Thompson
Angela Neville—GM and sales director Brisbane, Network 10
Annie Parker—global lead of equity and inclusion at Microsoft for Startups, Microsoft
Anny Havercroft—director of brand, innovation and marketing, Verizon Media ANZ
Azadeh Williams—founder and CEO, AZK Media
Bec Brideson—consultant/co-founder and CEO, Bec Brideson/SUPERTAP
Bec Brown—founder and managing director, The Comms Department
Belinda Jennings—founder and director of strategy, Mum Central
Belinda Murray—managing director, BWM Dentsu Melbourne
Beverley McGarvey – ViacomCBS Australia & New Zealand Chief Content Officer & EVP
Bobbi Mahlab—founder and chair, Mahlab
Brodee Myers-Cooke—editorial director at Mass Food/editor-in-chief at taste.com.au, News Corp
Carmela Soares—creative strategist, Facebook
Carolyn Bollaci—head of media ANZ, Facebook
Carrie Barker—global partner and managing director, the projects*
Catherine Krantz—executive director media and performance, Dentsu Aegis Network
Catherine Rushton—head of strategy, Mindshare
Cathy O’Connor —CEO, Nova Entertainment
Charmaine Moldrich —CEO, Outdoor Media Association
Christina Aventi—chief strategy officer, BMF Australia
Claire Bisset—head of production, Clemenger, BBDO Sydney
Claire Butterworth—chief investment officer, MediaCom
Claudia McInerney—head of consumer marketing, News Corp
Dee Madigan—executive creative director, Campaign Edge
Diane Ho—sales director NSW, Network 10
Edwina McCann—editorial director at Vogue Australia, Condé Nast
EJ Granleese—founder and managing partner, History Will Be Kind
Elizabeth Fox—director of Google Customer Solutions, Google
Ellie Rogers—head of agency, Facebook
Emily Perrett—MD, Clemenger BBDO
Emma Dallimore—deputy news director Sydney, Seven West Media
Emma Robbins—ECD M&C Saatchi Melbourne
Essie Wake—chief marketing officer, JCDecaux
Esther Carlsen—commercial director, Bench
Esther Clerehan—founder and CEO, CLEREHAN
Fiona Johnston—CEO, UM Australia
Fiona Nilsson—MD of food and travel Australia, News Corp
Fiorella Di Santo—COO, Medium Rare Content Agency
Gabriela Stewart—media lead, United @ TBWA
Gemma Fordham—head of the Hit Network, Southern Cross Austereo
Genevieve Clay-Smith—series director and writer/co-founder and creative director at Taste Creative/Bus Stop Films
Genevieve Jacobs—group editor, Region Media Group
Georgie Nichols—sales director Sydney, Seven West Media
Helen Trinca—managing editor, The Australian, News Corp
Ilda Jamison —MD, SpotX
Imogen Hewitt —CEO, Spark Foundry
Ita Buttrose—chair, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Jane Sullivan—MD, Wavemaker
Jane Waterhouse—general manager, Bauer Media
Jasmin Bedir—CEO, Innocean
Jo Clasby—sales director Sydney, Foxtel Media
Jo Scard—founder and CEO, Fifty Acres
Joan Warner—CEO, Commercial Radio Australia
Joanne Gray—managing editor of the Australia Financial Review, Nine Entertainment Co.
Jo de Fina—executive producer and founder, The OTTO Empire
Judy Sahay—MD, Crowd Media HQ
Julia Lefort—director corporate affairs and publicity, Seven West Media
Julie Dormand—CEO, MercerBell
Karen Halligan—director of customer, brand and marketing advisory, KPMG Australia
Karly Leach—head of marketing, media and communications assurance, Deloitte
Kate de Brito—editor-in-chief at news.com.au, News Corp
Kate O’Ryan Roeder—MD, Mindshare
Kath Blackham—founder and CEO, VERSA
Kathryn Carter—GM ANZ, SEA and HK, Snap Inc.
Katie Finney—strategy and solutions director, Seven West Media
Katie McGrath—chief people and culture officer, Seven West Media
Katie Rigg-Smith—CEO, Mindshare
Katherine Williams—group general executive Queensland/chair, WPP AUNZ/MediaCom Brisbane
Katrina McCarter—founder and CEO, Marketing to Mums
Kelly Noble—Owner, founder and editor-in-chief, Glam Adelaide
Kellie Northwood—CEO/executive director, The Real Media Collective/TSA Limited
Kelly Stambanis—GM Australasia, Thrive PR + Communications
Kerry Field—MD, Mindshare
Kim Portrate—CEO, ThinkTV
Kimberlee Wells—CEO, TBWA Melbourne
Kirsty Muddle—MD and founding partner, Cummins&Partners
Kylie Rogers—GM of commercial, AFL
Laura Aldington—CEO, Host/Havas
Lara Brownlow—head of agency and channel sales ANZ, LinkedIn
Laura Aldington—CEO, Host/Havas
Leanne Cartwright-Bradford—VP, country manager and head of Audible ANZ, Amazon.com
Lee Leggett—CEO, Wunderman Thompson
Leilani Abels—founder & MD, Thrive PR + Communications
Lesley Edwards —CEO, IKON Australia
Lindsey Evans—founding partner and CEO, Special Group
Lilian Sor—chief strategy officer, Clemenger BBDO Sydney
Lisa Squillace—national sales director, Network 10
Liz Baldwin—GM of digital, Network 10
Lizzie Young—MD of commercial partnerships, Nine Entertainment Co.
Lorraine Jokovic—CEO, LOUD Communications
Louise Barrett—MD of sales, News Corp
Lucy Formosa Morgan—national MD, PHD
Lynn Scrivens—deputy news director Melbourne, Seven West Media
Mandie van der Merwe—ECD, M&C Saatchi Sydney
Margie Reid—CEO/director, Thinkerbell/Decade of Action
Maria Grivas—chief data and technology officer, UM Australia
Maryna Fewster—CEO, West Australian Newspapers
Megan Kay—managing director, Zenith Melbourne
Melanie Silva—managing director ANZ, Google
Melinda Geertz—CEO, Leo Burnett Australia
Melissa Fein—CEO, Initiative
Mia Freedman—co-founder and creative director, Mamamia
Michelle Holland—MD Sydney and Brisbane, Ogilvy Australia
Michelle Hutton—CEO, Edelman
Monique Perry—MD media and sports, Nielsen
Naomi Gorringe—GM, Leo Burnett
Nat Brady—GM, M&C Saatchi Group AUNZ
Natalie Harvey—network sales director, Seven West Media
Nickie Scriven—CEO, Zenith Media
Nikki Clarkson—chief marketing and communications officer, Southern Cross Austereo
Nicola Lewis—chief investment officer, GroupM
Nicole Bence—network digital sales director, Seven West Media
Nicole Boyd—managing partner, Victorian Government, MediaCom Australia
Nicole Byers—editor-in-chief, Bauer Media
Nicole Milward—managing partner, Joy Agency
Nicole Prior—chief media partnerships officer, UM
Nicky Briger—editor at Marie Claire, Bauer Media Group
Olivia Ruello—CEO, Business Chicks Australia
Pamela Klioufis—CEO ANZ, BCW Global
Pauly Grant—chief talent officer ANZ, Publicis Groupe
Penny Kaleta—director of sales – radio, Nine Entertainment Co.
Pia Chaudhuri—group creative director, BMF Australia
Pip Marlow—CEO, Salesforce
Philippa Noilea-Tani—national head of investment, Wavemaker
Priya Patel—MD, DDB Sydney
Prue Cox—director of marketing solutions, LinkedIn
Rachel Page—national sales director, Verizon Media ANZ
Renee Hyde—managing partner, CHE Proximity
Richenda Vermeulen—founder and CEO, ntegrity agency
Robi Stanton—vice president of international television distribution, Warner Bros.
Rose Herceg—chief strategy officer, WPP AUNZ
Sally Kissane—MD, Ogilvy Sydney
Samantha Bolton—managing partner US and UK, Audience Precision
Sandra Wee—director of commercial operations APAC, The Trade Desk
Sarah Adam-Gedge—managing director and non-executive director, Pulicis Sapient, Publicis Groupe
Sarah Belle Murphy—executive GM, Bauer Media Group
Sarah James—MD, Initiative
Sarah Keith—MD, Publicis Media Exchange, Publicis Media, Publicis Groupe
Sarah O’Carroll—editor-in-chief at Yahoo Finance Australia, Verizon Media
Sarah Tucker—head of APAC enterprise marketing, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions
Sarah Wyse—head of AFL Media, AFL
Sasha Firth—managing partner, DDB
Sev Griffiths—GM, Bohemia Group
Sian Cook—managing partner, M&C Saatchi (Greenhouse)
Simone Gupta—CEO, One Green Bean
Skye Lambley—group MD, Herd MSL
Sophie Hicks Lloyd—digital sales director, Network 10
Sophie Madden—CEO, Media Federation of Australia
Sophie Price—head of integration at Bohemia Media and strategic product, M&C Saatchi Group
Sue Squillace—CEO ANZ, Carat
Sunita Gloster—senior consultant, Accenture, UN Women Australia
Susan Searle—director, NEXTGEN Distribution
Susannah George—founder and CEO, Urban List
Suzanne Steele—MD, Adobe ANZ
Tamar Hovagimian—Network 10 partnerships director, Effect
Tania David—head of marketing and business development, Finecast
Tara Ford—chief creative officer, DDB
Tara Mckenty—creative director APAC, Google
Taryn Williams—founder and CEO, theright.fit
Vanessa Mitchell—director of content and communications, AZK Media Australia
Venessa Hunt—chief digital strategy officer, GroupM Australia & New Zealand
Virginia Hyland—founder and principal, Hyland Group
Wendy Gower—MD, Hearts & Science/m2m Australia
Victoria Curro—MD, R/GA
Don’t be shy, be proud of your achievements and enter B&T’s Women In Media! Submit your entry here.
You can also buy tickets to the event here, which will be held on Wednesday 28 October 2020, at Doltone House (Jones Bay Wharf).
And, if you’d like more information, head to this website.
Other key information
On-time deadline: Friday 21 August 2020 (5pm AEST)
Late entries deadline: Friday 28 August 2020 (5pm AEST)
Shortlist announced: Wednesday 23 September 2020.