Ogilvy elevates Tope Ajala to Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Ogilvy has announced the promotion of Tope Ajala to Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Ajala joined Ogilvy as Global Director of DE&I In June 2021. As Global Head of DE&I, she will partner with leaders across Ogilvy’s global network to develop and evolve practices, policies, and programs that will ensure Ogilvy has “a strong culture of belonging—one that fosters an open, equitable environment where everyone can thrive.”

Born in Nigeria and raised in the UK, Ajala joined Ogilvy from WPP where she was responsible for driving inclusion strategy, partnerships, narrative, and insights. Prior to WPP, she spent the early years of her career at an investment bank developing people analytics capabilities across the business.

“It is gratifying to be able to fill this vital role by promoting from within the walls of Ogilvy,” said Devika Bulchandani, Ogilvy Global President.

“Tope’s unique combination of vision, international experience, analytic and operations background, collaborative leadership style, and passion for inclusiveness make her a perfect fit for the role. I and our global leadership team look forward to working with Tope to develop an industry-leading DE&I strategy that will attract and retain diverse talent and support our client work, and one which reinforces our mission to inspire our people and brands to create impact.”

Ogilvy received a perfect score of 100 on the 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), marking the eighth consecutive year the agency earned the designation as a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.”

The CEI, administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, is the nation’s premier benchmarking tool measuring corporate policies, practices, and benefits pertinent to LGBTQ+ employees

“I am excited to be working with leaders who have shown through commitment and action that they understand the direct impact a culture of belonging and inclusion has on the sucess and sustainability of our business,” said Ajala.

“I am grateful to work with leaders who lead with empathy and take chances and nurture talent. This speaks volumes to the culture we are creating at Ogilvy, a culture where the many dimensions of difference are represented and valued at all levels of the company. Ogilvy has the potential and the opportunity to lead the industry in terms of DE&I and it is a privilege to be driving that along with my colleagues.”