WPP : MEC celebrates talent at Advertising Week 2016 as official Talent Track sponsor

MEC signs on as presenting sponsor of Talent Track for the second year

NEW YORK, NY - MEC, a leading global media agency, announces its investment in the industry's talent signing on as presenting sponsor of the Talent Track at Advertising Week, the premier gathering of marketing and communications leaders in New York from September 26th to 30th.

MEC returns for the second year after successfully launching the Talent Track in 2015 at AW New York and reprising its focus on driving transformation in the area of talent management at AW Europe earlier this year.

The Talent Track will take place on opening day of Advertising Week at Liberty Theater. The full day symposium will spotlight influential leaders and speakers as they tackle the challenges and opportunities faced by the industry to build, nurture and retain a robust and diverse community of future leaders.

Commenting on the agency's commitment, Marie-Claire Barker, Global Chief Talent Officer, MEC said, 'The marketing business is in a state of transformation. We know that today's talent is in search of purpose as they seek out opportunities that encourage personal growth and flexibility. We are striving to set a new pace of change in our industry in how we attract and deliver for this new generation of talent. As the make-up of our workforce evolves, our ability to radically shift how we behave and embrace difference becomes the driver that will lead businesses into the future.'

Matt Scheckner, CEO of Advertising Week added, 'They say 'Content is King' but before content comes the most valuable natural resource in our industry… Talent. MEC's leadership in not only attracting but cultivating a diverse community of skilled and creative talent is unique, they rise above. We are so pleased to have them back leading a day-long series of uniquely crafted Seminars which all revolve around talent - helping companies stay relevant to today's modern employee.'

The MEC Talent Track welcomes Chris Edwards, former Arnold Worldwide Creative Director as the opening keynote with an intimate experience of diversity and acceptance. Chris will share his story of his transgender journey in the already unpredictable world of advertising. With the launch of his upcoming memoir, Balls: It Takes Some to Get Some, his personal rebrand is inspiring others to look deeper at how they perceive and react to difference, sparking a dialogue on the critical issue of inclusion in helping to drive forward change within the business. 'The Ultimate Rebrand: What We Can All Learn From One's Transgender Journey,' September 26th, 9:15- 10:00AM, Liberty Theater

This high profile discussion will be followed by a deeper exploration into the topic of unconscious bias exploring the impact of this behavior on talent decisions such as hiring, promoting, casting and building teams. Diversity of people, skills and viewpoints remains a business imperative. The panel will be led by global leadership coach Tanya Odom in conversation with former NFL player and diversity consultant Wade Davis, founder and CEO at Unitive, Inc. Laura Mather and Jim Sinocchi, Head of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase & Co. The group will explore what bias looks like in the workplace, how to understand yours, and how to deal with them to create an inclusive and diverse workplace. 'Braving Your Bias: We All Have Unconscious Biases. What Are Yours?' September 26th, 10:00-10:30AM, Liberty Theater

The full Talent Track calendar is available at newyork.advertisingweek.com/calendar.

Be sure to check out the AWXII agenda to find where MEC's executives will be on stage throughout the week. #MECatAWNewYork

For additional information or to purchase tickets visit: newyork.advertisingweek.com

About MEC
MEC is committed to growth. Growth for our people, our clients and our industry. MEC pushes the boundaries of what's possible in order to thrive in ~ Ad Ops ~ Analytics ~ Brand Partnerships ~ Content Marketing ~ Data ~ Insight ~ Integrated Planning ~ Mobile ~ Multi-cultural ~ Performance Marketing ~ Planning & Buying ~ Programmatic ~ Search ~ Social ~ Sport, Entertainment & Cause Marketing. Our 5,000 highly talented and motivated people work with category leading advertisers in 93 countries and we are a founding partner of GroupM. To find out more, visit us at www.mecglobal.com#dontjustlivethrive

PR Contact
Lindsey Yoselevitz
MEC North America, Corporate Comms
+1 212-474-0542