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‘Empowerment is so important’: Wavemaker’s award-nominated leaders on passion, support and creativity
As the only agency with nominees shortlisted in both individual people categories at the 2024 Mumbrella Awards, WPP's Wavemaker is seemingly doing something right. Mumbrella's Lauren McNamara sat down with the nominees - Peter Vogel, CEO ANZ, and Danielle Davies, Brisbane group strategy director - ahead of the ceremony on Thursday night.
With Danielle Davies competing against talent from Hatched, Ryvalmedia, Tracksuit and Howatson+Company, and Peter Vogel fighting for the win against Match & Wood, alt/shift/, The Media Store, and Think HQ’s leaders, the competition for the crown at the Mumbrella Awards on Thursday night is tight.
And while we all know the media and marketing industry loves to bang on about award nominations for client work – and more so if they win – there’s a different level of respect that can be appreciated when its a personal nomination.
Describing it as a “pinch me moment”, Davies says being shortlisted as an up-and-coming leader and high achiever of this industry was such a rewarding moment.
“Any shortlist of this regard makes me feel pretty grateful, and really fortunate to have so many people that support me and grow in my career,” she says.
Meanwhile, as someone who has been in the industry for many years, Vogel certainly knows what makes a good leader. He says leaders need to look objectively at their workplaces, from a broader perspective, and hopefully set a direction for the business to grow and thrive.
“That quickly turns into inspirational ambition, one that the whole agency can get behind, so the absolute key thing about leadership is to empower people, provide that direction, and inspire them to actually their goals.”
Davies adds: “Empowerment is so important in yourself, and as a leader, and it’s a hard ability to have.
“It’s a balance of challenging people, but also advocating for them, giving them the opportunities they need, but also the space to make their own.”
Danielle Davies
Agencyland allows people to be creative, curious, to always think about better solutions to problems. It is so full of passion for individuals, clients and businesses. And while Davies and Vogel are at different stages in their careers, that passion transcends throughout the industry.
“There’s so many leadership qualities, approaches or behaviours,” Vogel explains. “But the passion, that is absolutely key.”
Davies says during her time at Wavemaker, she has been “really quite spoilt” for opportunity. From starting as an intern, to working her way up to her current role, the agency, and wider WPP network, has supported her however they can.
From Rose Herceg’s High Performance program, WPP’s young leaders committee Nco, and various other training and leadership programs, she says the opportunities are endless.
“I think if you look for it, there are so many opportunities, and you’ll find it. As long as you have that passion to lean in. I’ve always wanted to do more, learn more, be more, and I feel like I’ve been very spoilt.”
Continuing these programs and opportunities, and helping young talent like Davies to grow, is something Vogel feels particularly committed to.
Peter Vogel
He says its about allowing people to bring more purpose to work, enabling them to build themselves up within one organisation – as Davies has – rather than feeling like they have to jump from company to company.
“We’re quite fortunate at Wavemaker, we have an attitude of ‘positive provocation’, and that is based on the belief that there’s always a better way to do things. It underpins provocation as a deep knowledge, one we should have of a client’s business, or our own.
“But I don’t think you can provocate for a change, if you don’t have that knowledge. Agencies need to create environments where people feel welcome to challenge, and to provide them with that support.”
Good luck to the shortlisted nominees in both categories:
Under-30 Achiever of the Year
- Clare Farrugia, Performance Director, Hatched
- Danielle Davies, Group Strategy Director, Wavemaker
- Jonathan Henshaw, Head of Product & Innovation, Ryvalmedia
- Mikayla Hopkins, Head of Marketing, Tracksuit
- Sasha Smith, Chief Media Officer, Howatson+Company
Industry Leader of the Year
- Christopher O’Keefe, Chief Operating Officer, Match & Wood
- Elly Hewitt, CEO and Co-Founder, alt/shift/
- Jacquie Alley, Chief Operating Officer, The Media Store
- Jen Sharpe, Founder & Managing Director, Think HQ
- Peter Vogel, CEO, Wavemaker
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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