Kinesso, IPG’s marketing intelligence company, today announced that Dr. Femi Olu-Lafe has been hired as SVP, Culture and Inclusion. Dr. Olu-Lafe will be responsible not only for Kinesso’s DEI efforts but for those at its sister IPG companies, Acxiom and Matterkind. Acxiom is the customer intelligence company whose data-driven solutions create business growth by enabling better customer experiences, and Matterkind is the activation intelligence company that connects people to what matters. Collectively, the three companies provide the intelligence that fuels the data-driven marketing and media capabilities of IPG agencies which, in turn, drives growth for brands. 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. Dr. Olu-Lafe reports into Renu Hooda, Chief Talent Officer at Kinesso.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion present unique challenges in the tech space, and having Femi join us ensures we are intentional every day with addressing these specific issues,” said Arun Kumar, CEO at Kinesso and chief data and marketing technology officer at IPG. “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.”
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 programs 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.
“I am excited to join the Acxiom, Kinesso, and Matterkind teams to help extend the impact of their existing DEI efforts,” said Dr. Olu-Lafe. “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.”
Previously, Dr. Olu-Lafe was a Senior Consultant at YSC Consulting where she used her expertise in cognitive psychology and applied data analysis to provide leadership insights, executive coaching, and partnership to organizations wishing to develop and execute bespoke DEI initiatives. Before that, she was part of Catalyst’s Diversity and Inclusion practice. Dr. Olu-Lafe earned her PhD in Psychology at Boston University, her MSc in Cognitive Neuropsychology at University College London, and a BA in Psychology at Cornell University.
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