LONDON — Golin has appointed a global group director of diversity, equity & inclusion (DE&I) to help activate US-led DE&I efforts and infrastructure across the network’s global markets.

Nina Bhagwat is based in the agency’s London office and will split her time leading UK programming while also supporting the agency’s global commitment to making progress on DE&I.

Before joining Golin, Bhagwat was interim director of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) at the Barbican performing arts centre in London, hired to drive anti-racism work following the publication of Barbican Stories by employee activists.

Bhagwat also worked for Warner Music as its first EDI hire globally, with responsibility for leading, devising and delivering Warner’s five year EDI strategy for the UK. She also worked in TV as an off-screen diversity executive at Channel 4.

In her new role, Bhagwat will focus on elevating Golin’s DE&I framework, ‘Theory of Change’ in the UK and globally. The initiative has five pillars: recruitment, training, employee engagement, client support and measurement.

She will also expand global DE&I initiatives for all Golin Group agency brands, and will support some of the agency’s external DE&I training programs, including PRep School, a new fellowship program for future Black leaders. PRep School is currently open for applications in the US and will officially kick off next June.

Golin London managing director Ondine Whittington said: “We have a big ambition at Golin to create change that matters for our people, our clients and in the communities in which we do business, and that ambition has a long road ahead for DE&I especially in the UK.

“Our UK team is passionate about driving meaningful impact in DE&I and having Nina as a dedicated leader will help us advance our local goals faster, as well as helping us build operational best practice that aligns with the agency’s global agenda.”

Bhagwat reports to Natasha O’Dell Archer, senior vice president of DE&I, who said: “Nina is a seasoned and passionate leader who has worked across the creative sector to enhance business results through DE&I progress with a unique ability to harness the value of difference. She’s known for being a committed advocate for talent, and I’m excited to have her bring that passion to her work at Golin as we strive to deliver on our mission of making sure our workforce authentically reflects today’s market as well as creates a culture of inclusion.”

Together Archer and Bhagwat will oversee the agency’s International Equity Taskforce that launced earlier this year and consists of more than 50 managing directors and specialty leaders who are driving the agency’s DE&I commitments. They will also collaborate with local DE&I councils on regional and local activations and continue Archer’s effort to rollout a new collection of Employee Resource Groups that represent the agency’s diverse workforce.

To date four global Employee Resource Groups have been launched for Latine, Latina, Latino, Hispanic and Spanish-speaking employees; Black, African American, African, Caribbean and mixed-race part Black employees; Asian or Pacific Islander employees; and employees who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, with other groups planned later this year.

Bhagwat said: “The leadership team's commitment to moving the dial on inclusion is clear to see, and I am delighted to be joining the team who have driven this work. Having the opportunity to focus on DE&I in the UK office as we establish solid foundations for inclusion, as well as build on the brilliant work that is already in train across our territories is an absolute dream.”