Above: Phoebe Rooney, Junior Copywriter, and her mentor Kat Lines, Head of Business Management, discuss The Phyllis Project and more on DDB’s new podcast, The Ad Gab.
Priya Patel, DDB Group Aotearoa CEO, says supporting women into creative leadership positions is a priority. She talks us through how it works at DDB.
We are a constant work in progress, but currently at DDB Group NZ 40% of our creative department is female, with 50% of those women in senior positions.
We have had to be very intentional about this – identifying junior talent and mentoring and training them, and championing more senior women by giving them exposure and opportunities that they might not normally get. For example, judging, interviews, PR and the best client opportunities.
For the past five years we have run a training programme designed to champion women into leadership roles called The Phyllis Project.
It began as a global initiative, which Karen Sew Hoy (Head of PX) and Liz Knox (MD Group Operations) have localised for New Zealand.
Each year we invite women to apply. We select around 15 who then get a six-month programme of mentoring, book clubs, training, 360 reviews, inspirational speakers and most importantly, a female network of allies within the business.
Policy is nothing without culture
Beyond this one initiative, we have shaped our policies to ensure working in a creative department is synergistic with having a family (and being a normal sane human). This includes flexible working hours, the ability to work remotely and/or work part time, return to work four days, paid five.
But policy is nothing without culture, and we have a relentless top-down focus on inclusivity and zero tolerance for bullshit.
89% of our staff believe we have an inclusive culture and 90% would recommend it as a great place to work. This culture creates psychological safety and encourages creative women to share their ideas with confidence.
A podcast that inspires
Most recently, our amazing creative director Veronica Copeland has created (alongside a load of other female legends) a new podcast series called The Ad Gab. The format is a series of interviews of women from across DDB Group sharing their perspectives on tricky situations, how the industry has evolved and the friendships that have inspired them.
The episodes cover everything from mentoring, breaking glass ceilings, juggling parenting and leading with confidence. We love how our women are finding ways to share their perspectives and inspiring others – and helping us deliver a ‘see it, be it’ mantra.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we are committed to pay equity at DDB Group NZ. At our last audit (run externally by Strategic Pay) every female in the creative department was paid the same as a male in the equivalent role.
For us, this is the ultimate measure of equality: women getting the same wage (or more!) for doing the same job
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 82, March-April 2025. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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