As part of its ongoing mission to support female+ leaders working in the media, marketing, advertising and communications industry, WACL has opened submissions for its 2025 Talent Awards.

2025 marks the 20th year of the Talent Awards, which annually sees WACL issue grants of up to £1,500 to 25-30 women, to fund a training course of their choice in support of their future goals. The awards are run in partnership with NABS and aim to foster talent and support women on their journey to leadership.

Founded by Tess Alps in 1995, the WACL Talent Awards have recognised and rewarded almost 300 mid- and senior-level female marketers from across the industry. The awards grant the winners access to tools and training to accelerate their careers and launch their leadership journeys. Over the 20 years, WACL has awarded half a million pounds in grants.

“WACL exists to accelerate gender equality in our industry. But we can only do that if we can unlock the talent and potential of the next generation of female leaders.” says Karen Stacey, President of WACL and CEO of DCM.

She continues: “Celebrating twenty years of the WACL Talent Awards is a momentous occasion because the winners of these awards have always represented the future of our industry. It’s about promoting for, and unlocking, the potential of women across the advertising and communications industry.”

The awards embody WACLs commitment to accelerating the pace of change when it comes to women in leadership positions by elevating the next generation of leaders and equipping them with the tools and support they need to achieve success.

Chair of the WACL Talent Awards committee this year, Satin Reid, COO of EssenceMediacom UK was one of the first-ever winners of the awards. Other notable winners include founders of various industry businesses, like Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis, previous gold winners who founded Amazing If, an organisation that works to help women develop their careers. Across the board, Talent Award Winners can be found in senior leadership positions across the industry, from Spotify to Nando’s and Google.

Entrants for the awards have always spanned a mix of ages, backgrounds and locations, and are representative of the whole industry: media and creative agencies, brands, tech platforms and startups. The awards are designed to help women prioritise their career development and help them to reach their full potential.

The Talent Awards open for entries on 21st October 2024, with the applications closing on 18th November 2024. The winners will be announced at the annual WACL Talent Awards dinner in March 2025.

Enter online on the awards entry page, submissions must be made before the entry deadline on November 18th. To find out more please click here.