MFA launches diversity and inclusion advisory council
The Media Federation of Australia (MFA) has launched a new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Council, in order to provide guidance across the industry.
The Council consists of 13 media agency professionals from diverse backgrounds, promoting one of the MFA’s key goals of building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive industry.
The new MFA DE&I Advisory Council and its members
The MFA says this can be achieved through four “key actions”, which include.
- 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.”
MFA board member and incoming GroupM Australia CEO, Aimee Buchanan 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.”
Aimee Buchanan, MFA board member
The 13 foundation members of the Council include: 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.
Linda Wong, director for people at the MFA said the federation was very pleased that the individuals involved had decided to create the 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.”
“We’re proud that at 44%, 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, and member of the Council 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.”
Among the council’s first actions will be developing an education program to provide awareness training for all professional levels, showcasing best practice, to be launched later this year.
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Calum Jaspan was news editor at Mumbrella, based in Melbourne. He was also the producer and host of the Mumbrellacast. He left Mumbrella in May 2023.
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