VMLY&R Commerce’s Debbie Ellison Named in Top 5 Empower/Yahoo Finance Ethnic Minority Role Model List

Debbie Ellison, global chief digital officer of VMLY&R Commerce, WPP’s end-to-end creative commerce agency, is named a top five executive in this year’s EMpower ethnic minority role model list. This is the second year in succession that Debbie has been recognised by the list.

Supported by Yahoo Finance, the annual list celebrates 100 inspirational business leaders breaking down barriers at work and working to smash the ceiling for ethnic minorities in the UK, Ireland, and people of colour in the US and Canada.

Ellison joins a powerful line up of people including Ivan Menezes, CEO, Diageo; Warren Thompson, president and chairman, Thompson Hospitality – strategic partner of Compass Group; Monique D Jefferson, chief human resources officer, New York Public Radio, and Bina Mehta, chair, KPMG UK.

Commented Debbie Ellison, global chief digital officer, VMLY&R Commerce, “I am so honoured to have been recognised a second year running. I will never give up on my passion to help create the most inclusive and welcoming places and spaces. Supporting others in achieving their aspirations and potential.  Our future focus will be to help clients understand people and communities needs better, to create more relevant, personalised and connected commerce experiences”

Beth Ann Kaminkow, global CEO, VMLY&R Commerce, said: “We believe that diversity of thought and people enables us to grow as individuals, as a community, and as a business.  Debbie models this through her commitment to expanding successful initiatives such as Roots and The Incubator across our network and continuously challenging us and our clients to walk the talk. I am so pleased to see the industry recognize her in this way.”

Each leader nominated was scored on the influence of their role, their impact on ethnic minority inclusion inside and outside the workplace, and their business achievements.

Named Industry Shaper by the global Women in Marketing Awards 2019 and Empower Ethnic Role Model in 2020, Debbie is one of a handful of female chief digital officers in the industry.

She is pioneering transformational changes through people-first, technology solutions to help clients drive growth. She is breaking new ground with The Flagship, an immersive space packed with future-facing technologies allowing allow brands and retailers to prototype, test and trial tech that influences shopper behaviours and purchase decisions. In January 2021, Debbie was promoted to global chief digital Officer, VMLY&R Commerce where she sits on the executive board.

Debbie actively encourages diversity in business. She is co-chair of VMLY&R Commerce Global Inclusion Council, sits on WPP’s Inclusion Board and WPP’s Roots steering committee, championing greater ethnic and cultural diversity across WPP operating companies.

Source: VMLY&R Commerce

  Debbie Ellison, Ethnic Minority Role Model List, Top 5 Empower/Yahoo Finance, VMLY&R COMMERCE