Google’s senior director of brand and reputation marketing, Nishma Patel Robb, has taken over as president of Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership (WACL) for the rest of 2023.
The appointment coincides with the organisation’s centenary year and comes after Robb worked together with vice president Rania Robinson, Quiet Storm chief executive, since the latter took on the WACL Presidency in July 2022.
Robb’s top priority will be to sustain momentum behind WACL’s 50% CEO campaign. This ambitious initiative aims to have 50% of chief executive roles in the industry filled by women by 2045, a significant increase from the current representation of only 30%. The campaign was launched earlier this year with the introduction of the 50% CEO playbook.
To achieve this, Robb has also announced her areas of focus to be spotlighting the importance of modern leadership and allyship, developing the #RepresentMe campaign and delivering menopause policy to all businesses.
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Lending support, Robb will also be joined by Karen Stacey, CEO of Digital Cinema Media, who will also take up a role as WACL’s vice president.
Robb, who is known to mentor young talent and support groups such as MediaForAll, BRiM and Creative Equals, spoke about her excitement to be leading the organisation in such a significant year.
“It is a privilege to take on the role of Chair in WACL’s 100th year, and I am proud to lead it into its next century,” she said.
“There has never been a more exciting time for the industry and women, and while we have witnessed significant progress over the past 100 years, there is still so much to do.
“WACL members are the very best and most senior women in our industry, and I believe there is no better group of women to make change and lead the way for future generations,” she concluded.
Robinson praised Robb’s appointment, stating, “Nishma is the perfect leader to advance our modernisation of WACL. She has shown through her personal values, proven track record and hugely impressive achievements in her role at Google that she perfectly aligns with the WACL mission.
“Nishma will usher in an inspiring new era for WACL as it enters its second century.”
