CMA's commitment to talent
At last week’s session of Marketing Connected LIVE, I sat down with the Co-Chairs of our Talent Council – Nardia Ali from Ogilvy and Mehdi Rahman from Spin Master – to discuss the plans and priorities that the Council has set for its work in the year ahead.
The conversation was dynamic and I came away feeling encouraged and optimistic that we will be able to make a difference. I’d like to share some highlights with you.
Why a new Talent Council?
Talent is at the core of why the CMA exists. We elevate marketing talent – through certification, professional development, thought leadership and networking opportunities – to make the community stronger and more influential. This drives our mission of making marketing matter – to brands, business leaders, consumers, and policymakers.
It is also one of the biggest challenges for marketing leaders, especially in this time of continuing change in the midst of havoc.
Who’s on the Talent Council?
While our Councils have always included a diversity of thought leaders across the marketing spectrum, the creation of the Talent Council marks the first time in our history that a CMA Council has been chaired by HR professionals.
The Council is made up of extremely accomplished people with experiences that differ in many respects: academic backgrounds, organizational backgrounds, brand and agency-side marketers, media professionals, and HR and talent acquisition professionals. Some are relatively early in their careers, others are mid-career, and some are CMOs. You can view the full list of members here.
Council members come from diverse cultural backgrounds and have already shown a real desire to understand each other, work together, and respectfully challenge each other.
The energy and synergy emanating from this unique combination of experts is palpable and gives us great confidence.
What’s the plan?
The focus of the Talent Council’s work lies in three areas: addressing systemic discrimination, attracting and retaining the best talent, and building competencies for marketers. Nardia and Mehdi are determined to effect change by inspiring the Council to provide marketers with practical tools and ideas to make an impact on their organizations so that people will absorb and internalize new ways of thinking.
Addressing diversity includes making long-term systemic changes not only in the way we think, but in the way our institutions and structures work. We look forward to the Talent Council’s input on what we can do at the CMA to raise the bar for the whole marketing community.
The will to achieve this is unquestionably strong, not only on the Talent Council but also across our organization. Other volunteers and thought leaders within our community are keen to get involved. Staff are determined to make a positive difference.
Be safe,
John Wiltshire
