Karen Blackett

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Karen Blackett

Chairwoman

Mediacom
London

“Network and circulate externally from your organisation more. Look outside your market also”

Described as the ‘most admired business chief in adland’ by industry bible Campaign, Karen Blackett has helped to turn Mediacom into the UK’s best media agency since becoming chief executive in 2010. Unsurprisingly as one of the UK’s most influential people of colour, she has championed greater diversity in the advertising industry, launching a successful apprenticeship scheme and serving in numerous organisations and working groups. In January 2016, after serving as CEO for five years, Blackett was promoted to chairwoman of MediaCom UK.

How do you define innovation?
Pioneering the new, different and relevant.

Most innovative PR/comms campaign you’ve seen in the last 12 months?
Sky Sports start of the season and share a coke.

What brands and/or agencies are most innovative when it comes to marketing/PR?
Sky, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Unilever.

Describe a moment in your career that you would consider ‘innovative.’
Becoming UK CEO and bringing the agency back to a winning culture.

In what area of marketing/PR do you see the most innovation?
Digital & ecommerce platforms.

How would you describe the communications/PR industry’s level of innovation?
More innovative than other disciplines.

Where do you see the greatest opportunity for marketing & PR to become more innovative?
Digital & ecommerce platforms.

Who most influences how innovative a brand’s marketing/PR is?
CMO

Who is your mentor and why?
I have several from different industries.

How do you find inspiration?
Going to different events and conferences, speaker engagements, quiet time out of the office, international events, e.g. Cannes.

What is your advice for people seeking to bring new ideas, ways of doing things to their organizations?
Network and circulate externally from your organisation more. Look outside your market also.

What’s your favourite time of day and why?
7pm. Time with my son and bring this gs into context.