The Media Federation of Australia (MFA) has launched a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council, consisting of 13 media agency professionals from diverse backgrounds, with the aim of providing guidance to the industry across all facets of diversity and inclusion.
The MFA DE&I Advisory Council will promote the MFA’s ambition to build a diverse, equitable and inclusive industry through four key actions:
• Ensuring DE&I remains an industry priority by facilitating a productive, respectful and safe conversation.
• Reviewing, challenging and providing guidance on industry strategy, initiatives and plans in the DE&I space.
• Advocating and raising awareness around achievable actions the industry can take to improve diversity, equity and inclusion – and sharing learnings at an industry level and within their agencies.
• Acting as the representative voice for the diverse.
Among the Council’s first projects will be an education program – providing awareness training for all professional levels – and showcasing best practice DE&I initiatives, to be launched later in the year.
The 13 members of the Council are:
Joshua Green, associate strategy director, Spark Foundry
Nisha Rajamani, client director, Carat
Aaron Carpenter, digital director, Dentsu
Tania David, head of marketing & business development, Finecast
Tanvi Singh, strategy director, Mindshare
Asier Carazo, strategy director, Atomic 212
Jessica Lane, senior search manager, CHE Proximity
Olivia Beringer, research director (Google), PHD Media
Philippa Moig, business director, OMD Australia
Wayne Philbert, client partner, Initiative
Petrice Koutsis, partnerships executive, UM Australia
Bridget Wever, account director, Performics
Luisa Dalli, senior strategist, Havas Media
MFA Board member Aimee Buchanan, incoming CEO of GroupM Australia, said: “The purpose of the MFA DE&I Advisory Council is to establish a positive guide that pushes the industry forward in the area of DE&I. The group itself is representative of a wide variety of diverse groups to ensure everyone is being heard. Our ambition for this Council is to create a voice that drives change and progress and I look forward to seeing the impact across our industry.”
Linda Wong, director, people at the MFA, added: “We’re so pleased that these passionate individuals who want to create change have joined the first-ever MFA DE&I Advisory Council. Creating the group was a complex task, as we wanted to ensure it was as inclusive and diverse as possible, across age, cultural backgrounds, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity – as well as different levels of authority, from different departments, from different agencies and different markets.
“Study after study has shown that diversity in the workplace boosts everything from creativity to productivity, business performance and the happiness of employees, and enhances society at large. We’re proud that at 44 per cent, the representation of women in leadership positions within the industry is higher than the average in the Australian workplace, but there is plenty more we can do in other areas of diversity. The MFA is excited to see everything that this group hopes to accomplish.”
Nisha Rajamani, client director at Carat, said: “As a first-generation migrant into Adelaide in 1991, I have experienced the impact that a lack of DE&I in society can have, as well as seen the positive developments of when it is introduced. While many agencies are already prioritising DE&I programs, bringing the benefit of cross-agency learnings would accelerate the process and provide consistency. With the MFA at the helm, we can offer a benchmark and facilitate a shift across the broader marketing and advertising industry. My fellow MFA DE&I Council members and I look forward to bringing our industry together on this important issue and making a tangible difference across all facets of DE&I.”
