Marketing intelligence company Kinesso has hired Dr. Femi Olu-Lafe who will take on the role of SVP Culture and Inclusion, based in New York, US.
In her new role, she will oversee Kinesso’s D&I strategies and those of its sister companies, customer intelligence firm Acxiom and Matterkind, an activation intelligence business.
Reporting to Renu Hooda, Chief Talent Officer at Kinesso, Dr. Olu-Lafe “will work across the three companies to continue their journeys toward ever-more inclusive cultures and champion their continued focus to ensure there is no bias in the products they provide.”
Previously, Dr. Olu-Lafe was a Senior Consultant at the global leadership strategy firm, YSC Consulting where “she used her expertise in cognitive psychology and applied data analysis to provide leadership insights, executive coaching, and partnership to organisations wishing to develop and execute bespoke DEI initiatives.”
She was also a Diversity & Inclusion Research Analyst at Catalyst, a women in leadership non-profit organisation, where she was involved in creating “knowledge products” to help organisations create equitable workplaces and harness the best talent.
She has a PhD in Psychology from Boston University, an MSc in Cognitive Neuropsychology at University College London, and a BA in Psychology at Cornell University.
In a released statement on the news, umbrella company IPG said that D&I formed an integral part of their mission and operations across their businesses: “Acxiom, Kinesso, and Matterkind take a holistic approach to creating diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures. Leadership is responsible for ensuring DEI is accounted for in everything from business practices to product offerings to talent acquisition and career development.
“The companies also take a grassroots approach, best highlighted by employee engagement that comes to life through a variety of vehicles, such as business resource groups (BRGs). In addition to the DEI programmes at Acxiom, Kinesso, and Matterkind, each company also benefits from IPG’s commitment to DEI and the many opportunities IPG makes available to employees across its network of agencies.”
Arun Kumar, CEO at Kinesso and Chief Data and Marketing Technology Officer at IPG said: “Our existing executive commitment and grassroots support for DEI across Acxiom, Kinesso, and Matterkind is strong, and we are conscious of the enormous responsibility we have to ensure our data and technology products serve all people in a respectful and inclusive manner. Femi is more than a DEI evangelist; she is an experienced practitioner with a proven track record helping companies take actions that bring measurable results.”
Dr. Olu-Lafe added: “I am excited to join the Acxiom, Kinesso, and Matterkind teams to help extend the impact of their existing DEI efforts. My focus will be to ensure employees have meaningful ways to engage so they continue to co-create the diverse and inclusive culture that is core to the companies’ values. Equally important will be my engagement alongside these passionate leaders and employees as we work with our clients to ensure there is no bias in data-driven marketing.”
