Professional networking and mentor group SheSays has officially launched in Melbourne to provide support to the southern capital’s women working in digital, marketing and advertising.
The Melbourne group is led by Visual Jazz Isobar creative director Kara Jenkins and Aegis Media communications manager Jane Hutton. Jenkins told AdNews she has been working on establishing SheSays in Melbourne after a chance meeting in Cannes last year with one of the group’s original London founders.
Jenkins said: “According to The Communications Council, 26% of management roles in Australian marketing communications agencies are held by women. We’d love to see more women make it to the top locally. Our hope is that SheSays helps give women the support and motivation to achieve their ambitions, and to see the top positions filled with the very best talent, both male and female.”
SheSays kicked off its presence in Melbourne with a launch event last night attended by senior women in the industry from companies including CumminsRoss, August, Clemenger Proximity, Hello I’m Venus, Fairfax, Kraft, Heinz and Holden. Seventy people were expected to attend.
While the launch event was focused on senior women in the industry, membership to the group and all further events are open to people at all levels. SheSays hopes the first wave of members will promote the group to their networks.
SheSays is aiming to hold its next Melbourne event before 2012 ends. In addition to regular events, a key component of SheSays is its ‘Who’s Your Momma’ mentorship program which aims to pair up senior women and more junior members of the industry.
The Sydney chapter of SheSays has been running for two years and its events are regularly full. SheSays Sydney’s Yasmin Quemard said the Sydney group has roughly 25 mentor/mentee relationships.
“SheSays Sydney is going from strength to strength largely due to the support of both men and women in the advertising industry. Our events continue to inspire creativity and collaboration in encouraging women to get out there and rock,” she added.
SheSays was founded in London in 2007 and also has a presence in the New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago, Singapore and more.
This article first appeared in the 19 October 2012 edition of AdNews, in print and on iPad. Click here to subscribe for more news, features and opinion.
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