Dynamo's Charlotte Barker sees off stiff competition to win 2017 IAPI Doyenne Award
The Institute of Advertising Practitioners (IAPI) announced the 2017 winner of the IAPI Doyenne Award, at a celebratory breakfast in The Morrison Hotel to mark future female leaders in the Irish advertising industry on International Women’s Day. Charlotte Barker, Client Services Director, Dynamo, picked up the award for her exemplary leadership skills.
Now in its fourth year, IAPI Doyenne Award recognises women leaders working in advertising, media sales and PR, who demonstrate leadership and who see themselves as future heads of industry The initiative runs as part of the many international events for International Women’s Day and puts the spotlight on gender imbalance in an industry where just 18% of women from IAPI member agencies are at senior management level. The most recent Industry Census highlights a major gap between women and male representation at senior levels despite the fact that, overall, the industry is a perfect 50:50 split.
Amongst the leaders in attendance was keynote speaker Karen Blackett OBE, Chairwoman of MediaCom, the UK’s largest media agency. Blackett has been a prominent figure in the marketing industry for her views on mental health and wellbeing in the workplace and presenting the business case for diversity. Karen is President of NABS, the Advertising Industry Charity in the UK. Along with being honoured with an OBE in 2014, she was the first business women to top the Powerlist 100 in 2015, an annual compilation of Britain's top 100 influential black people, Karen had been placed in the top ten for the previous two years.
Commenting at the awards, IAPI CEO Tania Banotti said, ‘With a successful career for over 20 years in the media industry, Karen Blackett is an immensely influential speaker both within her industry sector and wider, we are delighted to have her here today on International Women’s Day’
Karen Blackett said – ‘I am honoured to be surrounded by such brilliant women who share my passion for developing talent and learning to help nurture the next set of leaders. The Doyenne Awards is a fantastic spotlight for championing women in business, but it also highlights the gender imbalance that exists in positions of power on a global scale. I genuinely believe that women and equality isn’t a women’s issue. It’s a social issue, which requires everybody to get involved and change it.
Adding, ‘Everyone who I’ve worked with at MediaCom has always wanted to nurture, uncover and promote talent. I have never felt as though I didn't get a role or position because of gender, or that it was an issue. Saying that, I have learned how to be flexible with my style to get a point across, as well as adapt to the environment that I am in.’
The IAPI Doyenne Award winners for 2017, in association with EVOKE.ie are:
2017 IAPI Doyenne Award Winner
Charlotte Barker, Client Services Director, Dynamo
Charlotte has been working in the creative agency world for over 17 years. In that time, she has amassed extensive knowledge and insight into how creativity affects human behaviour and can deliver real commercial results.
Her current role is Client Service Director for Dynamo, one of Ireland’s leading and largest branding agencies with a team of 32. Charlotte brings tremendous commercial acumen as well as an acute creative eye to a business currently in significant growth. She has clarity of vision and ambition for the business and is helping shape a 21st brand design agency that aligns great creativity, consumer insights with ambitious client commercial expectations.
She’s a strong visionary and leader, not only lighting the path but bringing others happily along with her.
Announcing the IAPI Doyenne Award, Chair of the Judging Panel Tom Kinsella, CMO of AIB, said; “The standard of women who entered the Doyenne Awards this year was exceptionally high. We were extremely impressed and inspired by the caliber of the shortlisted candidates that we met. Further we were struck by their level of commitment to their companies and colleagues, their many achievements and their willingness to go further in terms of volunteering time for industry bodies and the wider community. The future of the marketing communications sector looks bright with these talents setting the agenda and guiding the industry. From an outstanding shortlist the judges were unanimous in choosing Charlotte as our 2017 winner.”
2017 IAPI Doyenne Rising Star Award Winner
Katie Jones, Strategic Planner, TBWA\Dublin
Katie is the lead strategic planner for the HSE and Department of Justice accounts at TBWA\Dublin and is extremely passionate about developing bespoke primary research strategies, and has a particular interest in analysing behavioural trends of Millennials and Gen Z’s.
She also has a keen interest in driving social and cultural change and is involved in various organisations who are leading the conversation on gender diversity and equality in Ireland. Katie is also guest lecturers in both DIT and ITT and holds an Honours Degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications from ITT Dublin.
The IAPI Doyenne Award is proudly supported by EVOKE.ie.
IAPI Doyenne 2017 Judges
Tom Kinsella – Chief Marketing Officer, AIB & Chair of the Judging Panel
Loretta Dignam – Marketing Consultant, LD Consulting, Chair of Gender Equality Committee at Abbey Theatre
David Field – Commercial Trading Director, Easons
Liz Doyle – Commercial Manager, DMG Media