Twenty-two leaders across WPP have been named in INvolve’s Heroes Women Role Model Lists supported by YouTube for their work in championing women in business and nurturing a more gender diverse and inclusive workplace.
It marks a record number of women and allies from across the WPP network recognised in the Heroes Women Role Model lists to date.
Heroes Executives
Karen Blackett, President of WPP in the UK, WPP (#1)
Nilema Bhakta-Jones, Group General Counsel, Kantar (#10)
Beth Ann Kaminkow, Global CEO, VMLY&R Commerce and NY CEO, VMLY&R (#16)
Mel Edwards, Global CEO, Wunderman Thompson
Caroline Frankum, CEO, Profiles Division, Kantar
Jane Geraghty, Global CEO, Landor & Fitch
Elaine Grell, Chief People Officer, Ogilvy
Katie Grosvenor, Chief Engagement & Growth Officer, GroupM
Rachel Higham, Chief Information Officer, WPP
Sue Unerman, Chief Transformation Officer and Global Head of Relevance, EssenceMediacomX
Beth Wade, Global Chief Marketing Officer, VMLY&R
Heroes Future Leaders
Sabrina Browne, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, BCW (#12)
Fiona Cameron, Senior Learning and Development Business Partner, GroupM (#15)
Lorna Ive, Programmatic Executive, EMEA, GroupM Nexus (#19)
Nikeisha Beckford, Group Director, Client Engagement, VMLY&R
Gill Hardy, Head of Executive Talent EMEA, WPP
Emma Jaeger, Programmatic Associate Director, Mindshare
Shelina Janmohamed, Director of Consumer Equality, Ogilvy
Paola Maffezzoni, PR & Marketing Director, Italy, WPP and GroupM
Tejal Shah, Global Head of Talent Development, Kantar
Blagorodna Stoycheva, Associate Director, Business Excellence, Xaxis
Heroes Advocates
Wayne Levings, Chief Client Officer, Kantar
(#) indicates that the individual received a top 20 ranking
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “At WPP, diversity is a fundamental pillar underpinning our success. Our people’s creativity and diverse perspectives are the driving force behind our transformative work for clients, so I’m delighted that a record number of our exceptional women and allies have been recognised in the 2023 Heroes Women Role Model Lists. This reaffirms WPP’s commitment to nurturing an inclusive culture where talent thrives.”
Karen Blackett, President of WPP in UK and top of this year’s Heroes Executives list, said: “We know that gender diversity in senior roles at a company leads to less group-think and greater inclusivity, which ultimately means more innovation and better solutions for clients. I’m proud to work at a company that recognises that diversity can supercharge our creativity, and that creating an open and inclusive culture empowers our people to do their best work.”
Founder & CEO of INvolve, Suki Sandhu OBE, said: “I’m so thrilled to be celebrating our 2023 Heroes Role Models, a global group of trailblazing Executives, Future Leaders and Advocates driving change for women in business. All the individuals within these lists are championing inclusion and leveraging their expertise and knowledge to drive impactful initiatives and strategic change within their organisations. It’s vital that women across global organizations can succeed and achieve career success, and these Role Models are essential drivers of change who are smashing barriers to progress. We could not effect change without them leading the way.”
WPP strives to be the employer of choice for all and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture. The company has introduced various initiatives to enhance gender diversity throughout its operations. These include partnering with organisations such as the Brixton Finishing School and the Uninvisibility Project to launch VisibleStart, a training programme designed for women aged 45 and above looking to enter or rejoin the industry. WPP also continues to invest in programmes like Walk the Talk, Fast Forward, Maestro and Summit, which propel women across the organisation into leadership roles. The company is a dedicated signatory to the Women’s Empowerment Principles, a comprehensive guideline for businesses to empower women in the workplace, marketplace, and community, and has signed the Menopause Workplace Pledge, actively committing to support employees affected by the menopause.
In the last year, WPP has updated its parental leave policies across its UK and US networks, recognising the challenges faced by individuals balancing work with family responsibilities, with a particular focus on addressing the disproportionate impact on women in the workplace. WPP also led the way among its peers by signing the Don’t Ban Equality statement and revising its US benefits plan to include funding for travel that ensures consistent access to healthcare and resources, including abortion care.
In 2023, WPP achieved recognition in the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for the fifth consecutive year. Additionally, the company advanced from 8th to 6th place in the 2022 FTSE 100 Women Leaders Review ranking, demonstrating its commitment to gender representation on boards and in leadership positions. Globally, women account for 40% of executive leadership roles at WPP, while 54% of senior management positions are held by women.