EULAC_6645 Karen Blackett OBE "Born in Barbados but raised in Reading, Karen has been in media for 22 years and is currently Chairperson of MediaCom, the largest media agency in the UK with billings over \u00a3l billion. Prior to this Karen was CEO for 5 years.\r\nKaren has been instrumental not only in the success of MediaCom, but in championing diversity throughout the advertising and media industry. In 2012 Karen launched the first ever Government backed Apprentice Scheme for the sector, where the apprentices qualify for an NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) in Marketing and Communications.\r\nIn June 2014, Karen received an OBE in the Queen\u2019s Birthday honours and in 2015 Karen was the first business woman to be named Britain\u2019s Most Influential Black person in the Power List.\r\nIn 2015 Karen was appointed as one of four external advisors to help diversify the Civil Service, and as a DIT (Department for International Trade) Business Ambassador for No 10. Karen is also a Non-Exec for Creative England whose\u2019 focus is to support new and emerging talent in the Creative Industry helping grow the UK Economy. In March 2016 Karen became the President of NABS, the advertising industry charity which focuses on health and wellbeing in the workplace and presenting the business case for Diversity.\r\n" This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 693669. arrival Story arrival TEXT University of St Andrews EULAC "Born in Barbados but raised in Reading, Karen has been in media for 22 years and is currently Chairperson of MediaCom, the largest media agency in the UK with billings over \u00a3l billion. Prior to this Karen was CEO for 5 years.\r\nKaren has been instrumental not only in the success of MediaCom, but in championing diversity throughout the advertising and media industry. In 2012 Karen launched the first ever Government backed Apprentice Scheme for the sector, where the apprentices qualify for an NVQ (National Vocational Qualification) in Marketing and Communications.\r\nIn June 2014, Karen received an OBE in the Queen\u2019s Birthday honours and in 2015 Karen was the first business woman to be named Britain\u2019s Most Influential Black person in the Power List.\r\nIn 2015 Karen was appointed as one of four external advisors to help diversify the Civil Service, and as a DIT (Department for International Trade) Business Ambassador for No 10. Karen is also a Non-Exec for Creative England whose\u2019 focus is to support new and emerging talent in the Creative Industry helping grow the UK Economy. In March 2016 Karen became the President of NABS, the advertising industry charity which focuses on health and wellbeing in the workplace and presenting the business case for Diversity.\r\n" 51.45357902994656 -0.9695434570312501 13.165073873513025 -59.56787109375001