Graham will lead the OPEN Leadership team driving Omnicom-wide DE&I Strategy
Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) today announced the appointment of Emily K. Graham to Chief Equity and Impact Officer and SVP, Diversity and Inclusion Communications. In this role, she will be responsible for accelerating the holding company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) efforts and executing OPEN 2.0, Omnicom’s action plan for achieving systemic equity for all professionals across its agencies. She will also serve as a senior communications counselor, advising on DE&I matters. Graham succeeds Tiffany R. Warren in this role and will report to Omnicom’s Chairman and CEO, John Wren.
Previously serving as Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at FleishmanHillard, Graham brings a deep understanding of Omnicom’s internal structures and existing DE&I efforts along with 15 years of global agency experience as a corporate communications strategist. In her role at FleishmanHillard, she headed a global taskforce that accelerated DE&I as a business priority across the firm’s 2,500-person network. She also launched and led True MOSAIC, a global practice dedicated to providing clients strategic communications counsel on DE&I. Graham’s commitment to DE&I started two years prior to assuming the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer role, having co-led FleishmanHillard’s efforts since 2018.
In her new role at Omnicom, Graham will lead the OPEN Leadership Team, a group of Diversity Champions dedicated full-time to providing structure, support, counsel and visibility to DE&I initiatives and policies throughout Omnicom. She will help the group leverage its expertise to advise clients and internal teams on DE&I matters.
Read More: What is Next for E-Commerce and Digital Retail?
“Our goal is that every Omnicom agency, globally, be a pillar of diversity, equity and inclusion, and we are proud to keep our efforts moving forward under Emily’s leadership,” said John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom Group. “Emily joins us not only with a passion for DE&I, but a wealth of experience in the agency world where she consistently offered top-tier client counsel as a seasoned communications strategist. She comes into this role with a fresh perspective on how we can accelerate our internal progress and best service our clients who similarly have ambitions and expectations around DE&I.”
“I am honored to join Omnicom, especially at a time where vision, clarity and action on DE&I is essential. Achieving real systemic equity with urgency is the heart of our OPEN 2.0 strategy,” said Graham.
Graham continues, “Omnicom agencies must continue working to ensure their agency cultures are inclusive so that underrepresented communities belong and thrive. Through sustained impact, accountability and actions, Omnicom has the opportunity to be an equitable leader in our industry on a global scale. I’m eager to lead and work alongside the dedicated and passionate Diversity Champions to chart our path forward.”
In addition to her DE&I work, Graham previously served on FleishmanHillard’s leadership Cabinet and co-led the Financial and Professional Services sector group for the Americas, guiding some of the firm’s leading clients in transformation, corporate reputation and executive visibility. Prior to FleishmanHillard, she held senior positions at MWWPR and Burson-Marsteller.
Read More: Data and Technology Help Marketers Return to Normalcy
Graham currently serves as board member for the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), and her career journey has been profiled by the likes of LinkedIn, Forbes and Essence Magazine. Among other industry accolades, Graham was recently honored as a Top Woman in PR by PRNews and a 40 Under 40 Honoree by Crain’s New York Business.
Supporting Graham in her efforts will be Omnicom’s newest Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Ana Leen. Leen joins the group as the current President of American Advertising Federation (AAF) Austin and Director of Partnerships for ADCOLOR. Prior to her role at Omnicom Group, Leen served as Account Director at GSD&M for six years, where she helped lead and grow the agency’s multicultural business.
