Kate Rowlinson

CEO

This year, as CEO of EssenceMediacom, Kate Rowlinson was charged with the daunting task of leading EssenceMediacom through the largest ever merger in the media agency sector, leading an agency of over 1,400 people through rapid technological change, while building a respectful, diverse, inclusive culture that supports everyone through this period of transition.

She has also shared her views with the industry this year in two thought-leadership articles: The Hows and Whys of Breaking Gender Barriers in the Workforce, published on Bite; and How can Businesses Leverage DE&I at Scale to Become Conscious Allies, published on CEO. And has taken on the role of steering the WACL (Women in Advertising & Communications Leadership) committee focused on menopause - a crucial part of WACL’s push to ensure that 50% of CEOs in the industry will be filled by women by 2045. Kate has overseen EssenceMediacom’s launch of an Inclusive Planning Network that centres around diverse voices and lived experiences. EssenceMediacom has been recognised as All In Champions by the Advertising Association, meaning the agency is at the forefront of driving greater inclusivity. The agency has committed to delivering net zero media plans by 2030 and driven the agenda for the decarbonisation of media. The success of the agency has been proven by winning a total of £132M worth of new business, retaining £185M and renewing a further £70M of client business. All this with client satisfaction scores well above industry norms. Over the year, the agency has amassed 100+ award wins.