Karen Tracey Blackett OBE was raised in Reading and attended the University of Portsmouth as the daughter of first-generation Barbadian immigrants
She graduated in 1992 with a BA in Geography but began her advertising career in October 1995 when she joined Zenith Media as a Senior Communications Planner and Buyer on the renowned BT account. In 1995, Blackett was nominated to the newly merged MediaCom and The Media Business Group Board of Directors. She began MediaCom in 2003 as a Marketing Director, and in 2008, she was promoted to Chief Operation Director for EMEA. She mentioned that handling diversity in the advertising world was her big challenge at MediaCom. In January 2011, Blackett was promoted as CEO of the UK Office. In 2012, Blackett established an apprenticeship scheme at MediaCom for women between the ages of 18–24, in collaboration with Tim Campbell MBE and The National Apprentice Service. Karen was appointed Race Equality Business Champion by the UK Prime Minister in 2018. Moreover, Blackett was recently named one of the Top 100 Great Black Britons and was listed as a Non-Executive Director for the UK Government Cabinet Office in 2019. Blackett has previously stated that the UK advertising sector is in jeopardy of losing relevance in modern Britain and “won’t survive” if systematic racism and racial inequality are not addressed. Karen is currently recognised as a successful company leader who has a demonstrated a track record of fostering dynamic cultures, motivating individuals, and continuously achieving corporate development and success.
“It can’t be left to the minority groups to make the change. When you see something happening that isn’t right, you need to step in as an ally.” – Karen Blackett OBE
